MONTREAL, 6lt September, 1875.
To the
HONORABLE JAMES FERRIER,
MY DEAR SIR,
In reply to your inquiry whether it
were true that I intend to re-enter public life as the
nominee for Montreal West of the Liberal Party, and
also, to your wish that I should give you my views on
existing public affairs, I beg to state, that, while willing,
if required, to re-enter Parliament, it would not, accord-
ing to my convictions of duty, be possible for me to do
so, either as a supporter of the present Administration,
or as a member of the Opposition under Sir John A.
Macdonald.
I continue to belong, with very many others, to
that section of the so-called Conservative Party, which
regretfully acquiesced in the condemnation passed by
the Country upon the late Administration-and I can-
not blame those members of our party, who found it
their duty to sustain Mr. Mackenzie's efforts to carry
on the government, which he would have been utterly
unable to do if dependent only on the support of his
immediate political friends. The exigency of the hour
necessitated a breach in the former party, and had I
then been in Parliament, Mr. Mackenzie would have
received from me all needful support. This necessity
has now passed away, and the Administration must
henceforward be judged on its own merits, and not
supported from any alleged fear that their resignation