But do not think that I say anything of this prophetic vision in any spirit of detraction of what we possess here at present. I know well that without Federal help, such as is given at Washington, and with the limited area from which assessments can be drawn, it must take time to build up an ideal city, and I have always found the Ottawa of to-day a very pleasant place as a residence. You have a society of singular interest and variety, because so many men of ability are brought together at the seat of government, and I believe that a gayer and brighter season than the Ottawa winter is hardly to be met with. By the increase of good accommodation afforded by the hotels, an improvement, which has been most notable within the last few years, has been effected for the comfort of visitors, and its results are apparent in the great number of strangers who throng your city during the time of the sitting of Parliament. Ottawa should become during these months more and more the social centre for the Dominion, and in contributing towards this, and in working for this end, you will not only be benefitting yourselves, but aiding in strengthening the national spirit and the unity of sentiment between the provinces which may be greatly fostered in convening together, not only the leading men of the Dominion, but those ladies belonging to other centres of social life in Canada, without whose patriotic feeling it would be vain even for the ablest statesman to do much towards national unity and purpose.
For our part we shall always look back upon many of the months spent in this city as being among the brightest and pleasantest, and in bidding you farewell we wish to express a hope that it may only be farewell for the present.
Let me now thank you once more, and may all good remain with you and yours.
LORNE.
Government House, Ottawa, 9th October, 1883.
At Montreal, on his departure, the St. Jean Baptiste Society and the Caledonian Society presented addresses. Lord Lorne thanked them for the personal good wishes expressed, but referring to the presentation to the Governor-General of addresses from societies representing some race or old national sentiment among Canadians, he said that he would suggest that, for the future, Canadians should approach the Head of the Government only as Canadians, the Mayor or Warden representing all. Although among themselves they might and would always cherish recollections of the nationality from which they sprang, a Governor-General must recognize them only as that which they now are, namely, component parts of the Canadian people.
His Excellency then replied as follows to the address presented by the
Mayor on behalf of the city:—
To the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Montreal.
Gentlemen,—Your kind words remind us rather of what we would have wished to have done than of any accomplishment of those desires. It is but little that an individual placed at the head of your Government as its impartial chief magistrate can or may do, and it is perhaps as well that this is so, for it would be a matter of regret, and one to be deplored, if the esteem in which that high office is held should depend on any individual's capacity for capturing popular sympathy. The position is one capable of much good in moderating counsel, and even in the suggestion of methods of procedure in government; but any action the head of the state may take must be unknown, except at rare intervals, to the public, and must always be of such a nature that no party may claim him as their especial friend. As a sign of the union of your country with the rest of the Empire, he has other functions more important than that of making Canada well known abroad, which it may be in his power greatly to use for your benefit. Steam communication has made the advent of emigrants easy, and the emigrant is a better advertiser for you than any official can be. In short, so far as the public activity of a Governor-General is concerned, he should rely rather on the approbation of posterity than on any personal recognition, taking care only that his name be associated with constitutional rule, and his impartial recognition of whatever Ministry the country, through the House of Commons, elects for his advice. It is a source of much satisfaction to me to know that my successor is certain to follow in this respect the example of the Queen, whose representative he is.
It would be impertinence in me to speak of his private character, for they who desire to know of this have only to go and hear what is said by his loving tenantry and friends on his estates in County Kerry, Ireland, where an emphatic tribute to his personal worth has been lately paid him at Dereen. In a few days he will land upon your shores, and I am certain he will receive that warm welcome which a generous and loyal people are ever ready to accord to the temporary representative of constitutional government.
You have alluded, sir, to that happy day in November, five years ago, when Montreal gave us so splendid a welcome. I remember when the horses became unmanageable it was the good will of the citizens to honour us by detaching them, and by drawing the carriage for a long distance until we reached the great Windsor Hotel. I told them at the time that I considered it an omen of how a Governor might always trust to them for support. That impression was strengthened during my stay in Canada, together with this other, namely, that if anything goes wrong, it is easy for the people to take matters into their own hands, and to change the programme, substituting another where order and active purpose may be clearly discerned.