Sir JOHN MACDONALD, the Premier of Canada, though an eccentric leader,
is a happy illustration of the most elevated statecraft. "He has been
drunk," says the Toronto _Globe_, "for several days, and incapacitated
for public affairs." Considering what Canadian affairs are (including
Sir JOHN,) this does not follow. Evidently it is not his policy to keep
sober. But Sir JOHN is often drunk, says the _Globe_; he was tight
before Prince ARTHUR, and he rushes to the bottle whenever the Fenians
give alarm. Now this strikes us as very good policy. It helps us to see
how convenient it was for Sir JOHN to magnify a few O'BRIENS and
O'SHAUGHNESSYS into an army with green banners, and how opportunely the
Dominion became intoxicated with its fears.
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[Illustration: A POWERFUL PROTECTOR.
_Mother_. "WHY, ROSIE, HOW LATE YOU ARE TO-DAY!"
_Rosie_. "YES, MA, BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT. THERE WAS A POOR LITTLE GIRL
AT SCHOOL WHO HAD NO ONE TO TAKE CARE OF HER, AND SO I HAD TO SEE HER
HOME."]
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