The Landry Demonstration

Year
1887
Month
1
Day
4
Article Title
The Landry Demonstration
Author
Acadian
Page Number
3
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
The Landry Demonstration. MR. EDITOR, -- How far has it accomplished the object of the prime movers of it? Their desire was to give a grand political banquet to Mr. Landry. Some of the most prominent Acadians, personal friends of Mr. Landry, were consulted and requested to act on committee for that object. They refused to do so, because politically they opposed him; but after considerable persuasion they were finally induced to give their support to a supper if called an Acadian National Festival, at which Mr. P. A. Landry would be the guest of the occasion. That compromise was acceded to by the promoters as the best that was practicable to obtain. There are some independent, educated Acadians who have practical knowledge of the political movements of Mr. Landry, and are not willing to do his bidding at all times, notwithstanding the fact that he tells them very frequently that he has no individuality, that he is a patriot and a statesman, that he has no personal ambition to gratify, that he is acting purely and solely for his compatriots. He claims to have the courage of his convictions. Then why did he not at the proper time and place, as he claims to be the leader and defender of the Acadians, refute the charges against his countrymen made before the Historical Society of Halifax, by the Tory ex-governor, Sir Adams Archibald? No; that duty had to be done and successfully achieved by an Irish Catholic, Archbishop O’Brien, of Halifax. There was no need to spend time to refute Sir Adam Archibald’s accusations before his own countrymen. He did not even move a vote of thanks or even make honorable mention of the gallant Archbishop who was their brave defender. But that was quite in keeping with his voting in opposition to the resolution of Home Rule for Ireland when it was before the Parliament of Canada. Yes; I wonder if he had the courage of his convictions at that time? Does he dare to say privately that Ireland should not have a government similar to that of Canada? Yet by voting against the motion he has virtually said so at the bidding of his leader. He has the courage of his convictions to oppose his leader, when the chief organ of that leader, under his direct control, pours abuse and insults on his countrymen in every issue, and threatens to extirpate them with their ignorance and superstitions from this country? No; we find him yet a tame follower of that leader, because he says he expects more for his countrymen than from the opposition. Well, what are the great favors he has ever got? He has got a few men positions as common day laborers in the railway employ as recompense for his lack of individuality, as a reward for services rendered contrary to his own convictions, contrary to what he believes to be the general good of the whole country. Mr. Landry assumes to be the leader of his countrymen and therefore as a public representative man should expect to have his public acts criticised without assuming, as he did, that he has personal enemies. Believing as I do that those who have studied his political acts cannot fail to differ with him on many points, they have a perfect right to criticise those acts and to ventilate them without any personal enmity to him. A friend may give good advice and yet that advice may be construed to be the opposite of what it is intended. Mr. Landry has already supported a government which is directly hostile to the interests of his Acadian friends, and as all the late Provincial Elections have gone to show, has reached the full term of its existence. Their frantic appeals to the prejudices of the people have failed to produce the desired effect. The appeal to the people under the name of the N. P. (National Policy) had a charm once which it failed to have at the present time under the new version of No Popery. Mr. Landry has too long supported a party whose administration of the government of this country has been so notoriously corrupt that they have no stronger claims to a continuance of that power than an appeal to the ignorance and prejudice of the people is like to give them. They have had the first trial of it in Ontario and as it has not had the desired effect, Mr. Landry must have seen that many of his personal friends have abandoned him as they cannot conscientiously support a man who is a supporter of such a government. Mr. Landry had better get back to his old love and be a supporter of the grand Liberal party of this Dominion which is sure at the coming general election to regain the reins of power, and help save the country from those who have been driving it on furiously towards destruction. ACADIAN.