Melanson or Gaudet?

Year
1889
Month
12
Day
24
Article Title
Melanson or Gaudet?
Author
------
Page Number
2
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
MELANSON OR GAUDET? Shediac Claims that its Turn Has Come To Supply the Acadian Candidate for the Legislature. The “Moniteur Acadien” Strongly Favors Oliver Melanson. An important movement has sprung up within the county through the imminence of a Provincial General election. There is a general feeling that the Acadiens ought to have a representative from this county in the legislature; and it is by no means confined to the Acadians themselves. Dorchester Parish has in two contests surpassed the Acadien candidates and failed to elect them, and now Shediac says it is its turn with the prospects of better luck. However, that may be, we cannot say; but this we do say that the ministerialists in Westmorland County will leave no stone unturned to ELECT THE ACADIAN who runs in connection with the recognized ministerial ticket. The Moniteur Acadien of Shediac last Saturday had an article which has attracted considerable attention; and the following is a translation of its contents: “A great many electors have expressed to us their full approbation of the article which we published on Thursday under the title “A Suggestion.” They feel that the Shore is due a representative in the Assembly and they are of opinion that the candidate whom we have suggested would do honor to the inhabitants of the “Shore.” We do not believe we are too presumptuous in declaring that M .Melanson inspires the equal confidence of our compatriots of the other parishes, where we have the conviction, they are not animated with that spirit of exclusiveness which sees no good outside of the little circle where it practices its selfishness. “So that there be no mistake as to the meaning of our words; and that there be not attributed to us motives which are without warrant in our attitude, we ought to declare that it is not through hostility towards anyone that they demand here a member. We supported the candidate whom they proposed at the last elections; and our friend Dr. Gaudet received in one district as many votes with two Acadian candidates in the lists’ as the Hon. Mr. Landry in his electoral campaigns when he was the sole Acadian who solicited their suffrages. “And since the name of that eminent doctor, esteemed for so many qualities, comes naturally from our pen, it may be well to point out that it was not our fault if he was not elected in 1883, as well as in 1886 – two circumstances when in working for him, we disregarded to needs which were important in our eye. “Besides, to [illegible] [illegible] those who might impute to us feelings of hostility which have never existed and which do not exist at all, we can say that Dr. Gaudet has to use himself repeatedly declared, since the election of 1886, that he would not again consent to repeat the sacrifice that had been imposed by his candidature – his professional duties were already sufficiently onerous without his assuming others so important as those of a member.” ANOTHER PLEA FOR MELANSON. A correspondent from Shediac writes to our contemporary: - “EDITOR TIMES: - In your local news, on Thursday, you state that ‘the people generally feel the doctor (Gaudet) should have another chance.’ “And when, please, will we, the people from the Shore, have a chance? Twice we gave way for the doctor and his Memramcook friends, and twice the sacrifice was vain and fruitless. With good material for a candidate and a representative, it does seem and is only right that we also be given a chance “We don’t want the earth, Mr. Editor, only a privilege and a right which we have cheerfully recognized to our Dorchester friends for a long, long period. What is the matter now, that we should be refused a chance………an only chance within forty years? “Why do we insist so? Do you say. For convenience first, as we need a man who knows the needs of this part of the county and is both willing and able to look after them, a man we can see often and easily, without being compelled to travel long distances and not finding him at home after our long journey; and 2nd because we believe we can point out men who would be a credit to us and to the whole county, and who are not inferior in ability to any other available Acadian candidate. “Mr. Melanson is one of them, and he is probably the most experienced one in public affairs on our shore. Friends, south, east, and west, give us and Mr. Melanson a chance.” AN ACADIAN. Shediac, Dec 22, 1889. Our contemporary tries to apologize for its attempts at bulldozing the Acadian people in their choice of a representative by claiming that somebody said that Hon. O. J. LeBlanc said when he was in Moncton that Mr. Melanson was his candidate and the candidate of the Blair Government. But, this is only one of its little tricks. Mr. Melanson is quite competent to declare for himself without our contemporary’s assistance whether he favors or not the local administration; but this much can be said that if he runs and does favor it, he will be in an infinitely superior position, in view of the certainty of the government’s being sustained, to promote the interests of his compatriots.