Dr. Taché, in 1860, was appointed to the chair of physiology at the Laval university. He is the author of different pamphlets and books, amongst others :-" Le peuple et ses besoins." "L'hermite Bonsens." "Rapport sur l'agriculture du Bas-Canada." "Rapport sur le pilotage dans le bas Saint Laurent." "Mémoire sur les amé"Le

liorations dans le bas du fleuve." "Esquise sur le Canada." Canada et l'exposition universelle." "Des provinces de l'Amérique du Nord et une union fédérale." "Notice sur l'université Laval."

Rapport préliminaire des inspecteurs des asiles L. C."

légendes de mon pays.”

"Trois

RIGHT HON. VISCOUNT BURY, M.P.

LORD VISCOUNT BURY is the only son of the Earl of Albermarle, and was born in London, in 1832. In his youth he was ar officer in the Scots Fusileer Guards, and served in India as aide-de-camp to Lord Frederic Fitzclarence; he returned to England on sick leave, and not caring to remain longer in the military profession, left the army in 1854, and devoted himself to political life. At one time he was private secretary to Lord John Russell, when premier. In December, 1854, he first came to Canada, having been appointed civil secretary and superintendent of Indian affairs, a post which he held for a few years; he devoted himself to studying the Indian life and character, and did much in his official capacity to forward their condition; the chiefs and the Indians themselves thereby became much attached to him, and he was made chief of three Indian tribes. During the short time he remained in this country he took a great interest in its history and affairs, and made himself thoroughly acquainted with its wants; he saw much of the country and therefore became well informed with regard to its geographical bearings and its vast and valuable resources. He was first returned to the Imperial Parliament at the general election of 1857, for the borough of Norwich, after one of the sharpest contests ever witnessed in England. In Parliament he was very successful; he took up the question of legalizing "marriage with the sister of a deceased wife," and was mainly instrumental in its successful passage through the House of Commons by a large majority, although it had been unsuccessfully argued for twenty years before that assembly. Afterwards, in conjunction with Mr. Roebuck, he brought the important question of the Hudson's Bay Territory before the House of Commons so successfully as to elicit the very highest encomiums of Mr. Gladstone, Lord John Russell,

Sir E. B. Lytton, and in fact of almost the entire house. The British press, in reviewing that session of Parliament, unanimously expressed their opinion that Lord Bury was undoubtedly the most able new member returned to the house at the general election. He is also indentified as the originator of the Canadian peerage scheme. In 1858, he came to America a second time for the purpose of pushing forward the interests of the Galway Steamship Company, and of establishing the terms upon which the intercolonial railway could be carried out. On this occasion he received a series of ovations in the form of public dinners, &c., throughout the country. Had he succeeded in enlisting the sympathies of Canadians in favor of the former scheme, he would have obtained the establishment of a weekly line of steamers from Ireland to Canada. In June, 1859, he was appointed to the responsible office of treasurer to the Queen's household, which he still continues to occupy. On his appointment thereto he was defeated in his election for Norwich, but, a short time afterwards, he was returned for Wick. He is a thorough and hard-working practical man; he never tackles a subject which he does not completely master. His prospects at home from his birth, position, abilities, and energy are most promising; and the day, perhaps, is not far distant when he will be entrusted with some high office commensurate with his great talents. In a speech delivered in Parliament by Lord Bury, on the Hudson's Bay question, he paid the highest compliment ever paid to Americans on the floor of the House of Commons, in relation to their school system and the general diffusion of knowledge among their youth. He married in 1855, Sophia Mary, second daughter of the Honorable Colonel Sir Allan N. MacNab, Bart, of Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, C. W., and for some time premier in the government of Canada.

HON. LOUIS S. MORIN,

SOLICITOR-GENERAL EAST.

MR. MORIN was born at Lavaltrie, in the county of Berthier, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, on the 21st of January, 1832. He entered L'Assomption college in 1842, where he followed the ordinary course of education in that institution until July, 1849; he commenced the study of the law in 1850, in the

office of Messrs. Cherrier, Dorion & Dorion, of Montreal; also followed a course of lectures under the late Hon. D. B. Viger, and on the 7th of February, 1853, was admitted to the bar, and highly complimented for his creditable examination by the late T. Peltier, Esquire, battonier of the bar of the Montreal district. The deceased gentleman, it is said, used these words in conclusion on addressing M. Morin: "I hope, with the talents which providence has bestowed upon you, you will not fail to do honor to your country." M. Morin early took an interest in politics, and at the general election of 1854, he was solicited to run for the county of L'Assomption, but was defeated. A vacancy having occurred during the same Parliament for the county of Terrebone, adjoining L'Assomption, Mr. Morin presented himself, and was returned by acclamation, but scarcely was his election concluded when Parlia ment was dissolved; this happened in 1857. When the next general election took place, M. Morin again became a candidate for the same constituency, and was again unanimously elected. When the new Parliament met in February, 1858, a high honor awaited M. Morin in his being selected from the whole batch of newly returned members to move the reply to the speech from the throne. During that session and the succeeding, he took an active part in all the proceedings of the house, and being an excellent speaker and possessed of rare talents for a young member, he exercised considerable influence in the Assembly. Previously to this he was connected with the La Patrie newspaper, the first French journal started on the daily principle in Canada, and edited by some of the cleverest writers among the Franco Canadian portion of the community.

In January, 1860, M. Morin was appointed to the vacant solicitor-generalship for Lower Canada, with a seat in the cabinet. The political world was somewhat surprised to hear of this appointment; M. Morin being in the opinion of many too young for an executive councillor and Queen's counsel, so that members of the other party raised various objections, all of which were either satisfactorily answered or successfully overcome. The honorable gentleman has proved that, notwithstanding his age, he was none the less fitting and capable of sustaining the duties of his appointment. When we add that he is as brave as he is talented, we have said sufficient. In the recent general election he was defeated in Terrebone, but returned for Laval by a large majority.

HON. SIR ETIENNE P. TACHÉ, M.L.C.,

AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE QUEEN.

THE next important personage, whose career we have to chronicle, is Sir E. P. Taché; it has been one of remarkable brilliancy, well earned and dearly bought by long years of toil, assiduous and patient attention to the duties of the several important offices he has held in the service of his conntry.

Etienne Paschal Taché was born at St. Thomas, C.E., in the year 1795, and is descended from an ancient French family, the members of which, from time to time, have distinguished themselves both under French and English sway. Having received the usual education given by the French gentry of Lower Canada to their children, he does not appear to have had any distinct or settled purpose as to what was to be his avocation in life. The war of 1812 breaking out, these surmises, if surmises they may be called, were dismissed; and young Taché entered the incorporated militia of Lower Canada, as an ensign in the 5th battalion, and along with others, went boldly to the frontier to defend his country against aggression. He was subsequently during the war promoted to a lieutenancy in the Canadian Chasseurs, and with them served against the enemy in several engagements, which reflected great credit and honor on that corps.

At the termination of the war, Sir Etienne studied medicine, and practised in that profession with great success, until 1841, when he was delegated by his fellow-citizens to represent them in Parliament. His rise henceforward was exceedingly rapid. Scarcely had he been in the Assembly six years, when he was appointed, being a military man, to the important office of deputy-adjutantgeneral, which he held until March, 1848, when he entered the ministry of Sir L. H. Lafontaine and Baldwin, as commissioner of public works, in which office he continued until the retirement of the Honorable L. M. Viger, in December, 1849, from the receivergeneralship, when he was elevated to that office, which he left only to become speaker of the Legislative Council, on the 21st April, 1856, (having previously been made a member of that body) and at the same time his excellency the governor-general (Sir Edmund W. Head), thought proper, as a mark of confidence, and as a reward for long service to place Sir Etienne at the head of the administration of the province. This was on the retirement of Sir Allan MacNab from that capacity. Colonel Taché's administration was a consistent one, and composed of some of the best men of the

province. For instance, Mr. J. A. Macdonald was attorney-general, west, a post he continues to occupy. Mr. Cartier was attorney-general, east, having been raised from the provincial secretaryship. Mr. R. Spence was postmaster-general. Mr. Cauchon, commissioner of crown lands, a post he filled with the greatest advantage; to the province and last though not least, Mr. Vankoughnet was brought in and made president of the council, and minister of agriculture. Against these gentlemen not a shadow of a doubt as to their honesty and fitness for the posts they occupied so ably could be raised by the opposition party, although parties vainly strove to do so. We may give the gallant colonel the greatest praise for the admirable manner in which he conducted the affairs of the country during the short time he was at the helm of the ship of state. It was at this time that Mr. John A. Macdonald took his place in the Assembly as the leader of his party, a post he is eminently fitted for. Sir Etienne himself conducted the government business in the upper house, and gave the greatest satisfaction. As to the manner in which the financial arrangements of the government were carried out, we cannot be so explicit as we are on other particulars; but at any rate it was not the fault of the head of the administration, for he always paid a rigid regard to economy, and endeavored to conduct the affairs of the province with as little expense as possible. For instance, when in June, 1857, M. Cauchon resigned his seat in the cabinet as commissioner of crown lands, Sir Etienne would not put a useless expense on the country, by calling in one of his friends and placing him in the vacant place. Not having many duties to perform as the speaker of the upper house, except during the session of Parliament, he himself took M. Cauchon's place, and performed the duties of the two offices for the one salary, although he could, had he wished, have obtained both. These onerous duties the gallant knight sustained until the month of November following, when it pleased his excellency the governor-general to allow him to resign his high offices, and retire from public life, after as he said in the house, " a long and lengthened period in the service of my country, I wish to retire to the bosom of my family from the cares attendant on public life." In November, 1858, as a recognition of his distinguished services to his country, it pleased her Majesty the Queen to confer the honor of knighthood upon him by her own hands.-Sir Etienne being on this occasion invited to Windsor castle; and in July, 1860, he was appointed, jointly with Sir A. N. MacNab, to the honorary rank of colonel in the British army, and aide-de-camp to her Majesty the Queen, and as such, formed a portion of the suite of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, on his late tour through Canada.

As a Canadian, few have attained the honors he has had conferred upon him, and certainly none are more justly entitled to them.