1883 - July - 5

On Wednesday, July 18, 1883  the city of Hamilton presented a holiday appearance in the vicinity of King and John streets as a large crowd of people lined the streets awaiting the arrival of Sir Hector Langevin, Minister of Public Works with the federal government.
          The reason for Langevin’s visit was so that he could preside over the cornerstone laying ceremony for Hamilton’s new Customs House and Post Office.
          The formal portion of the proceedings began in the nearby Wentworth County Court House where Hamilton Mayor Charles Magill introduced the distinguished visitor to a gathering of specially-invited guests:
          “(Magill) referred to Sir Hector and the manner in which he had helped bring about Confederation. There was no man in the house, with the exception of perhaps Sir George Cartier, who had rendered such efficient service to the country as had Sir Hector Langevin, and if it had not been for him, confederation would never have been brought about.”^1
1 “The New Post Office : And Customs House – Laying of the Cornerstone”
          Hamilton Spectator. July 18, 1883
          Mayor Magill was scheduled to read an address to the honored guest in which the city’s formal welcome was offered. However, before beginning, the mayor said that the event of welcoming Sir Hector Langevin was organized to be strictly non-partisan in nature.
          In referring to the building itself, part of the address read by the mayor follows:
          “ The public buildings which you are to inaugurate the construction of today have long been desired and much needed by the people of Hamilton, and it can scarcely be other than an agreeable incident in your official life that the question of their construction became ripe for approving decision during your administration of the public works department. The public buildings of the people in a very considerable measure symbolize their advancement or otherwise in the graces which adorn the human character, and it pleases us to be able to believe that in the selection of the plans of the building about to be erected, you correctly interpreted the taste of the Canadian people. The buildings will not only form the chief ornament of the city, but they will also be regarded as an honor to the country.”¹
                In response to the address, Sir Hector said, in part:
          Let me thank you again for this very cordial welcome. I can assure you it was a great pleasure to me when I came here two years ago to return to my colleagues and tell them that the growing wants of this fair city of yours required that a building should be erected here of the size and style to suit the wealth, the enterprise of the city. It had to be a beautiful one for beautiful buildings had been erected in the near neighborhood , and a fire had destroyed the building there before, and I believe on purpose, leaving that place there for us to build on it. I hope and feel sure that Hamilton people will be proud of the building when it is completed.”¹

Shortly after 11:30, the societies and bands which had been standing in Prince’s Square in front of the Court House formed in procession and, led by policemen on horseback, marched to the location of the actual cornerstone laying ceremony. A pushing crowd of men, woman and childen followed.

At the corner of King and John streets, the procession drew up, and to the music of the Independent Band, the dignitaries took their places on a temporary platform erected for the occasion.

The cornerstone, upon which lay a gavel, square and level, swung from a lofty crane over the position into which it was to be lowered.

Mayor Magill began the ceremony by declaring that it was a proud day for Hamilton:

“It was one more milestone on the road to prosperity which they had reached. In erecting buildings of the character of the one under construction, which was to be a most serviceable ornament to the city, it was usual to place the cornerstone at the northeast of the building. This was a time-honored custom which would be adhered to upon this occasion.”

In his speech, Mayor Magill went on to laud the enterprising strides which the city had made in recent years, noting Hamilton’s great natural advantages which the city possessed as a railway center. The mayor also complimented both the architect and the contractors hired for project, whom he said might be depended upon to carry out the provisions of their contracts faithfully.

The mayor then presented Sir Hector will the silver trowel and gavel. Sir Hector took off his gloves, accepted the trowel and gavel, and then placed a sealed glass jar, containing mementos of the day into the cornerstone.

After the minister laid a trowel full of mortar beneath the stone, it was lowered into place:

Tapping it three times with the gavel, Sir Hector declared the cornerstone well and truly laid amid loud applause.

After the tackle was cleared away, sir Hector stepped upon the stone and proceeded to address the crowd:

“He said that it was a great gratification to him to meet the citizens of Hamilton and lay the cornerstone of what would prove to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Canada. When he visited Hamilton two years ago, and noted the many natural advantages it possessed and the enterprise which was observable upon all sides, he said to himself ‘Hamilton is deserving of consideration at the hands of the Government.’ The honorable gentleman then alluded in flattering terms to the presence of the ladies, without whose presence nothing could be perfect. He reminded them that he was a French Canadian, representing by his nationality one million and a half of the inhabitants of Canada, who were willing to go hand and hand with Ontario in making this a great country. (Cheers) They had only to be true to themselves to affect this. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, they would find as rich a country as was to be found anywhere. As loyal subjects of the Queen, it was their duty to settle and develop this great land. They must now allow their young men and women to go away to the country to the south, which, though a great and prosperous country, was to us a foreign one.

“There were many in the gathering who thought differently to him in regard to public matters, but there would be no ill-feeling. (Cheers). They were all working for the country’s good, and if he could not say anything about the good which the National Policy had done, he could say that Providence had generously protected them, (Cheers and laughter). When they looked around men, saw intheir own city, industries springing up on all sides and the population increasing until it is numbered 40,000. These facts speak volumes. As he drove through the city that day he had pointed to a manufactory and asked what it was. The gentleman to whom he spoke said that he did not know as they sprang up so rapidly no count could be kept of them. (Cheers).”¹

In conclusion, Sir Hector let his listeners know that if they should ever visit his native province, they could be assured of a warm welcome. He felt that it would be to everyone’s mutual advantage to have no heart-burnings between Ontario and Quebec.

After Sir Hector’s speech, two brief addresses were delivered by the local members of Parliament, Mr. Kilvert and Mr. Robertson.

The speeches completed, it was time for the procession:

“About 1:15, the Thirteenth band struck up a marching tune. The grand marshal gave the order to march and the long procession of policemen, bands, societies and carriages moved towards the Crystal Palace. Four mounted policemen and the chief headed the procession and were followed by a detachment of police afoot, about 30 in number, who marched well, notwithstanding that many of them had been on night duty. The police were followed by the Thirteenth battalion band who turned out very strong and played as well as they have ever done. The fire department followed the Thirteenth band and turned out in all the strength and splendor that it could command. The double reel headed the department, followed by the new steamer, the truck and the Bay street contingent. All the vehicles were elaborately decorated with flowers and evergreens, and everything about the department showed that they take a pride in everything pertaining to it.”¹

After the fire department came the Independent Band, followed by various delegations form the national societies of the city. Bringing up the rear were carriages containing the politicians.

The procession, which at one point, stretched along King street west, from Bay to Queen streets, ended up at the Crystal Palace where a banquet was given in honor of Sir Hector Langevin:

“The palace was decorated with flags and gay bunting, and the tables ornamented beautiful flowers and crystal and silver dishes, presenting a fine appearance. In the gallery, the Thirteenth battalion band stood, and a heterogeneous crowd of spectators gazed curiously down at the lunchers, about 200 of whom were sitting at the tables.”²

² “Sir H. Langevin’s Visit : Proceedings at the Crystal Palace Banquet” Hamilton Spectator. July 19, 1883.

Mayor Magill was chairman of the banquet, and in proposing the toast to Sir Hector Langevin, the mayor said that he had known Sir Hector for many years, and had sat in parliament with him many years before. Hector Langevin, concluded the mayor, had proved himself a patriot and a man devoted to his country in its times of peril.

In his speech, Sir Hector Langevin dwelt on the need for harmony between French Canada and the rest of the country:

“Social reunions of this sort go far towards cementing good feeling between Upper and Lower Canada. We, of the Lower Provinces, speak a different language, our blood is different and so is our religion, and the differences must not divide us. There comes a day, July 1, in every year, when we forget all this, and all join together in celebrating the anniversary of the confederation. Let the Frenchman celebrate his gala day as he likes, the German his; the Scotchman and the Irishman their, but the 1^st of July is our great national holiday, and all Canadians, irrespective of origin or nationality, join in its celebration and forget the difference between them in their manners, customs, religion and politics.”²

After dwelling on some facts and figures in connection with the government’s revenues and expenditures as related to customs duties and postal services, the minister proposed a toast to Mayor Magill.

Then came a further, and extensive, series of toasts, interspersed with several more speeches and a few songs from Alderman Filgiano. The meeting was finally brought to a close with the singing of Auld Lang Syne and three cheers for the Queen.