D'Arcy+McGee

Thomas D’Arcy McGee was born in Carlingford, Ireland on April 13th, 1825.[|[1]]He grew up with his father, a guardsman for the coast, in Wexford, Ireland.[|[2]] Wexford is rich in Irish culture and was a main destination for many Irish historical events.[|[3]] As a boy McGee was surrounded by fascinating heritage and, naturally, was intrigued by Ireland’s history.[|[4]] His family was poor and could barely afford any education for Thomas, but that did not stop his passion to learn.[|[5]] He spent many hours privately studying and learning about history and literature.[|[6]] Thomas knew that he could not make a future in Ireland with his inherited social stature, and in 1842, at just seventeen years old, he immigrated to the United States.[|[7]] He easily found a job at a Boston newspaper called “The
 * Thomas D’Arcy McGee **

Pilot” where he was paid a $50 salary for the first year, and $100 for the third.[|[8]] Within two years of his career he became the editor.[|[9]] And within no time at all Daniel O’Connell, a leader in the rebellion against British control over Ireland during the Repeal movement, had developed a strong interest in McGee and his motivational pieces on Irish heritage.[|[10]] O’Connell deemed McGee’s writing ”the inspired utterances of a young exiled Irish boy in America”.[|[11]] He made a proposal to McGee in 1845 to return to Ireland to work for “The Freeman’s Journal” in Dublin and he immediately accepted.[|[12]] When McGee returned to his home country, society was doing much worse than when he had left.[|[13]] Ireland had been under control of Britain, and declared an English province under the Act of Union.[|[14]] The people were neglected and poverty was present in an overwhelming number of the population.[|[15]] Land was controlled by only a few lucky landlords and most farmers could barely make the day’s end.[|[16]] After McGee had been home for one year, the potato blight had struck fields all across Ireland.[|[17]] Blight is a fungus that turns potatoes black and rots them from the inside out.[|[18]] The price of potatoes drastically increased and also, within the same time frame, a Cholera epidemic erupted.[|[19]] In the next two, torturous years in Ireland one fifth of the population died and over one million immigrated to other countries.[|[20]] The final population was decreased by over one fourth.[|[21]] Ireland was in a state of emergency and political leaders knew it was the right time to dictate change. McGee left “The Freeman’s Journal” for the “Nation”; a newspaper ran by Charles Gavan Duffy.[|[22]] Many of Thomas’ literary pieces, like inspirational poems and essays, were printed in the paper.[|[23]] By 1848 he was the secretary of the Irish Confederation and became an active member of Young Ireland.[|[24]] This group was full of academic scholars who rebelled against Britain for Irish independence.[|[25]] Only the highest of intellectuals were a part of this spirited clan.[|[26]] They planned a national rebellion, which never came to action for their plans were early detected.[|[27]] These members were all charged with treason, and from a lecture undermining Britain, Thomas D’Arcy McGee was arrested and imprisoned.[|[28]] Once released, McGee escaped back to the United States with the help of Bishop Edward Maginn of Derry.[|[29]] Thomas was disguised as a priest and luckily made it to the United States, still charged under treason.[|[30]] D’Arcy McGee ran to New York and started his own paper named “The Nation”.[|[31]] Unfortunately, his violent words were not accepted amongst the community so he moved to Boston and renamed his paper “The American Celt”, but soon moved back to New York.[|[32]] His mission was clear; he was going to bring awareness of Ireland’s struggle for independence to America and Canada.[|[33]] Having no luck in the United States, Thomas D’Arcy moved to Montreal in 1857.[|[34]] At this time Canada was not yet independent, and the only established provinces were Ontario and Quebec.[|[35]] He began a new paper called “The New Era”, where he freely expressed his brilliant perspective on Ireland’s situation and the idea of a suitable government.[|[36]] In his first editorial he published he wrote about keeping culture alive in Canada and in the third he spoke of the unification of colonies in British North America.[|[37]] Canada’s population vastly grew to two million, but the people were divided amongst religion and culture, mainly the Protestants and Catholics.[|[38]] Therefore, new governments were not founded, for each group would not support one another and address important situations such as immigration and transportation.[|[39]] So, the Imperial Government in London continued to rule and control the resources and well being of their province oceans away.[|[40]] The Irish in Canada felt that they were unheard in the crowd of British and French and McGee easily became the popular voice of the Irish.[|[41]] Although McGee was more than capable of standing up for the Irish, he was destined for a higher calling, like becoming the voice of an entire people for the sake of independence and equality in a rising country.[|[42]] By 1857, Thomas D’Arcy McGee was nominated to Parliament.[|[43]] Once elected, his nominators expected McGee to fight for the survival of Catholicism, and to deny a vote based on “representation by population”.[|[44]] However, McGee did in fact agree with a vote based on the number of inhabitants and he would never fight for something he didn’t believe in himself just to satisfy his crowd.[|[45]] He agreed to a constitution of rights for Quebec, because Ontario had the larger population, and a “representation of population” remained.[|[46]] Also, in 1863, McGee was a large part of the legislation that promised Catholic schools in Ontario.[|[47]] At this time, John A. MacDonald was running a Conservative party and their opponents were the Reformers.[|[48]] George Brown and McGee were members of the Reformers and McGee was the top lecturer and speaker for his party.[|[49]] After the American Revolution, the hot topic between parties was ‘Who was prepared to plan protection for the country?’ and McGee was hesitant whether his Reformers could handle the job.[|[50]] He resigned from the Reformers in 1863 and joined the Conservatives.[|[51]] As part of the Conservatives, McGee contributed to the “Great Coalition”, otherwise known as the union of the colonies of Canada.[|[52]] McGee was responsible for the clauses in the constitution that protect religious minorities.[|[53]] While McGee was making history in Canada, Ireland was marking a history of their own. A society called the “Fenian Brotherhood” began.[|[54]] All around the world Irish people a part of this group were plotting to diminish British control in Ireland.[|[55]] There were many people involved in this secret society and their first plan was to control Canada until the British allowed Irish independence.[|[56]] McGee publicly showed his anger and refusal of support to the Fenians, openly insulted their leaders and told Irish Canadians to stay away from the Fenians.[|[57]] McGee lost support from his fellow Irishmen and was deemed a ‘traitor’.[|[58]] He even lost his membership to the St.Patrick’s Society in Montreal.[|[59]] John A. MacDonald diminished his Cabinet offer to McGee for he found that the “splitting of the Irish support had destroyed McGee’s value to the party”.[|[60]] However, McGee was still a member of the Conservatives, and his party won the election of 1867, the first election in Canada.[|[61]] Riots in Montreal began in protest to the election results, and death threats were dedicated to McGee.[|[62]] On April 7th 2:03 a.m., while walking home from a lecture as an official member of the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada, McGee arrived at his doorstep and was shot through the head.[|[63]] He became the only Canadian federal politician in history who was assassinated.[|[64]] Although there was no clear evidence, Patrick Whalen, a Fenian member, was hanged for the murder of Thomas D’Arcy McGee.[|[65]] This execution was the last public hanging Canada would ever see.[|[66]] Thomas McGee’s career was very noble and important to the rise of Canada.[|[67]] His writings such as __Popular History of Ireland__ was used for textbooks in Irish colleges which is significant, especially for the fact he wrote it in Canada and his publishes made its mark all on its own in Ireland.[|[68]] McGee will be remembered for his many lectures like the speech he made in 1860 named “A Prophetic Vision”.[|[69]] He is also honoured with the Inishowen plaque, a plaque monumented on the beach he had made his escape from in Ireland.[|[70]] At the Parliament building in Canada, a statue is erected on the grounds in his memory and as well as a plaque at the St. Patrick’s Church of Montreal.[|[71]] This founding father brought together cultures and religions by compromising and leading the way to a peaceful nation.[|[72]] His contribution to cultural rights is evident in the constitution, and his self-sacrificing dedication to Canada is immensely appreciated. Canada is reflected upon our founding fathers and their original ideas and customs, and thanks to Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Canada became a multicultural haven.

[|[1]]Kevin Knight, //Thomas D'Arcy McGee, // []. [|[2]]William G Davis, //Thomas D// //’ ////Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //, []. [|[3]] IBID [|[4]] IBID [|[5]] IBID [|[6]] IBID [|[7]]Kevin Knight, //Thomas D'Arcy McGee, //[] [|[8]]William G Davis, //Thomas D// //’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[9]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[10]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[11]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Kevin Knight, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Thomas D'Arcy McGee, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[12]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[13]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[14]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID

[|[15]]William G Davis, //Thomas D////’////Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation//, <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[16]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[17]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[18]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Patrick, Abbot, //The Famine 1:Potato Blight//, []. [|[19]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[20]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[21]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[22]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Kevin Knight, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Thomas D'Arcy McGee, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[23]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[24]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[25]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[26]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[27]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[28]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Kevin Knight, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Thomas D'Arcy McGee, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[29]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hazel McIntyre, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[30]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[31]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[32]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[33]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">J. M. Bumsted, //The Peoples of Canada A Pre~Confederation History//, (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1992), 326-327. [|[34]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Bumsted, 327. [|[35]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[36]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[37]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[38]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[39]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[40]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[41]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[42]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[43]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[44]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[45]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[46]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[47]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">IBID [|[48]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">IBID [|[49]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">IBID [|[50]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[51]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[52]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[53]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[54]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[55]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[56]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[57]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[58]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[59]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[60]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[61]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[62]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[63]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[64]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hazel McIntyre, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[65]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Karen Ford, Janet MacLean and Barry Wansbrough, //GREAT CANADIAN LIVES: Portraits in Heroism to 1867,// (Scarborough: Nelson Canada, 1985), 275. [|[66]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Ford, MacLean and Wansbrough [|[67]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[68]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[69]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Irish Canadian Society, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">County Donegal //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. [|[70]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> IBID [|[71]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hazel McIntyre, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> []. [|[72]]<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">William G Davis, //Thomas D// //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">’ ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arcy McGee: Irish Founder of the Canadian Nation //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, []. <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">73 <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; text-decoration: none;">[] <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">74 <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> [].