The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Mr, Blake has already made en- ormous sacrifices for his country. Yet, in his deep devotion to the common mother of us all, he has de- clared that his best is not good en- .ottglt for Canada. We are so prone to undervalue that which lies near at hand that it has occurredto few that) in Mr. Blake we have one of the greatest orators and parliamen- tary tacticians that ever adorned a popular assembly, His powers as a speaker are 01 the very highest or- der. With a mind capable ofgrasp- ing in its very smallest details the most obstnuse and extensive public question, he possesses in a rare de- gree that rhetorical finish of style, that comprehensive vocabulary and that logical power .of arrangement which constitute all that is best in ,,,ttte art of speaking, But Mr. Blake's oratorical attain- ments are the least of his endow- ments.In an age when the demagogue easily passes himself off for it states- man, when the arguments of gold outweigh all the arguments of honor and justice; in an age when Cabinet Ministers are forced to spend three- lourths otvthetr time in the lamest excuse-making for testimonials from contractors, for subsidies to works in which they are most deeply in- Volved; in an age, in fine, which finds nothing to blame in a gerry- mander, or in a Revising Barrister, the Hon. Edward Blake stands,says the Mail, without stain. In the eyes ot Mammon,hloated With boodle and blind shares, such a man is simply a tool. In the eyes of those who be- lieve in the ultimate triumph ot truth over traud, of honesty over pillage, such a man is a hope and prop. He is the salt that prevents the whole mass from becoming put- rid. VVe'have not been admitted to the secrecy of the great Liberal leader’s intentions; Yet we venture to de- clare that if ever he has contemplat- ed withdrawal from the leadership of the party which he has so well led, he certainly will not select any subsidised Tory sheet as the herald m his plans. Canada, from a po- litical point of View, is farirom hold- ing ,a position either dignified or ex- alted, But what Canada is, she mves in the main to that large porâ€" iiion ot the fourth estate whose duty was at least to speak the truth, but Whose steady course has been, and 135, to sell the truth for lucre. Well might Canadians deplore the loss of one, unfortunately, almost unique. Well might they consider near that deluge which surely now thieatens to overwhelm the land. Butwe trust that Mr. Blake will see his way to continue to lead the Lib- eral party, whose triumph is much closer at hand than is by many susâ€" pected. \Nhatever may be his re- solve, one thingls certain, History, tardy though it may be in arriving at a true estimate of men, never fails in the end to bestow honor where honor 15 due. And in the scroll ot the names of those who have been, intellectually and moral.- ly. greatest of the sons of Canada, among the very brightest and iaixest will be that 01 Edward Blake. Conservative papers have lately contained paragraphs in which is announced, more or less positively, Mr. Blake’s resignation of the Lib- eral leadership. With various ap- preciation of the proprieties, this news has beensent abroad in ac- cents equally various. One organ affects to ltwail such a step on the part of the honorable gentleman as a calamity to the whole country. Be it here noted that this paper which poses as independent gave in the recent election the most slavish support to Sir John Macdonald, and was quite unable to detect the small- est trace of aught meritorious in anything that Mr. Blake has even said or done. Another organ finds inthe supposed abdication matter of regret for the Liberal party. A 'Lhird discovers in it cause of conâ€" gi‘atulflion ior that party. And so on throughout the whole dreary round of cant, aflectation and hy- pocrisy. ' Not many weeks ago, THE L13- ERAL contained an article will of un-‘ belief and disdain of me Toronto Mail's declaration that [henceforth it would pursue a thoroughly inde- pendent courseuin its treatment of all public questions. The special cause of our anger on -that occasion was the ferocious attack made on Mn, Mowat {or his pretended tayoritism ot the Roman Catholic Church,while Mr. Meredith was held up as the man nest calculated to restore (P) re- ligious equality. Now, such a line argument was, in the laceof'the now THE TORONTO MAIL. ED WA RD BLAKE. \Ve have always contended that the first requisxte of a truly great pa- per is to give reliable, unvarnished statements of the facts of every sub- ject that falls beneath its notice. It is then at liberty to pursue in its ecl- itorials any line of argument it may see fit,lor its news columns Wlll con- tain a sufficient antidote against all false reasoning. Canada will have good grounds for rejoicing, should she become the possess0r 01' even one paper that acknowledges and acts upon this prime principle. ' 'It would seem that there -is»- no time of the year when our village- is altogether free from mischievous and‘ we are forced to say, vicious perpetrators. At one time we hear oftrees, which should be the pride of every citizen, being barked and stunted. Then again window-sills and sashes are cut and carved as it we lived in the days of Egyptian hieroglyphics. The breaking of window panes is a common occur- rence.but in this particularit is only charitable to sav it may be the re- sult of pure accident. 4 Since the ar- rival of the Salvation Armyâ€"and we do not wish to speak disparagineg of the religious enthusiastsâ€"many complaints have been made by per- sons who have had occasion to pass the barracks while service was be- ing held. The cause of accusation has not been with members of the Army, but with those who frequent the place as idlers, and stand around the doors outside. We differ w1dely from the Mail in many of its contentions. W71: find that it is far astray, nay, to us it seems, very unjust in its treatment of not a few questions. But we wish it every success so long as it purâ€" sues its present course. It cannot fail to become in time a mighty in- strument in securing a properappre- ciation of the pros and cons of the many vexed subjects now of the ut- most importance to Canada and Canadians. The question is often asked, could not a remedy ‘be arrived at whereby such offenders might be detected and made an example of? In Au- rora, and we presume 1n other vil- lages where a constable is appoint- ed, that officer is supposed to be in any part of the corporation, and at any time, where his services may be required, and is held responsible for the punishment of guilty parties. At public gatherings in the evening where there is the least likelihood of a disturbance taking place, he IS invariably at his post. Since his appomtment a few years ago, we have reason to believe the work per- formed has given entire satisfaction to the law-abiding citizens of the place. m. “We believe that any additional services at other times are given gratis. If the Council v could raise his salary 1n order to look after the village in the evening as well as during the day, it would be money well invested, and in the end prove beneficial to the rising generation. Lt is well to remember the old max- im: “ An ounce of prevention is womh a Pound of glue," ‘1t is only the first step thatcosts,’ says the French proverb, the truth of which the} Mall is sure to dis cover. But perseverance in its- present path must result 111 success. The number ot those who are sick and tired 0t m: part0 journalism Is very large, and is constanth grow- ing. They are thankful if a paper aflords them even a small traction of undistorted truth. \Vhat will be their feeling- when they discover that there is at last one paper which, to the best of its ability, dealsiu noth- ing else .7 The reSIdents of Richmond Hill can also boast 01 a village constable, one who possesses every require ment necessary in the maintenance of peace and good order. Vth then docs-he not do similar work to that allotted the officer in our sister village? The reason IS not lar to seek. Mr. Brownlee's salary only covers work which may be perform- ed between 7 o'clock a. m.. and 6 p. ‘ But here jnstice calls a halt. Without knowing, or, indeed, caring to know what its motives were, we frankly admit that, however little like a fair-plav journal the Mail was in its attitude in the Mowat rs. Mer- edith struggle, its tone and spirit have been, and still are, on all other matters, thoroughly independent. We think that we have every reason to belleve that the Mail has cast off the shackles 0t partizanship, and ‘v it goes without saying that its power for good has been indefinitely in- creased. historic ‘l‘ acts for Irlsh Electors,’ ex- tremely exasperating, and we still stand by all that we then said. A SUGGESTION. .HHLEE PRENTS E Fine‘fieavy Goods in neat patterns from BC. up. A special lme for I4c., a full yard wide. Yes, we know you are going toget them, for they are the best value you can get any- where. We bought a- large lot before the prices went up, they are yours at the 01d prices, ranging from 80. up- wards. But we have lots of m other goods to talk about besides Cottons, and foremost a- mdngst them is our immense variety of TweedsWorsieds This is our special line for this season. We sell them at IOC. a yd. Don’t miss them. For ordered clothing. New p_a_tt_ems and_ va_lue right. Fine Dress Goeds and Trimmings. Curtains and Carpets. New Wall Papers. “gheapest Groceries on .the Factory from 4 to 9 cents. Fine Bleached from 6 to 12%c Prints from 50. upwards, Cottonades, Cretonnes, Pillow Cottons, Sheetings, 800., Hill. Not only in the Sunny South among our cousins who are so fond of 'Fishing Excursidns, but throughout our own Fair Land and specially in York County during Spring and Summe‘r. : ‘ fifi'fi'mfl ES _ Men’s and Boys’vReady- Made Sui-ts. NEWEST STYLES m Lowest Prim. WWM 53 ‘ GRENNAN’S _ BHEAP GASHHWSE SPRING GOODS SEE-OUR COTTQNS Terms Cash or Trade. GINQHAMS SHIRTINGS B. GRENNAN. All at correct prices. KIN G, Tickings, THE FIRE PROOF, IN ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STYLES Stylish Dress Goods, Prints, Gingw hams, Chambrays, Muslims, Silks, Satins, Lace, Embroideries at closest figures. ‘ Tweeds, Shirtings, Cottons, 858,, &c. " Dress Gmxis,‘ SEI‘LEN'D'ID ASSORTMENT OF mg, mg; Fm Wiaéig WW! 3m For NCNTCA, ENGLISH ANN CANADIAN TWEEDS. FIN W 0%EEHngUZTINGS. ONCBEETE HWSE, GENTS FURNISHINGS READY - MADE SUNS. 7 the Newest, N'cest, Nobbiest, Neatest and Cheapest lines in these goods tr) the Concrete ; and find there also the best and cheapest selectmn of GENTS’ SPRWG HAWE, Also '4 complete stock of Inen’s, Youths’ and Boys’ Everything? for the Field, Vegetable & Flower Garden DON’T FAIL TO CA STEELIE BROS. Special Prices paid for Choice Clean Samples 1n Wheat. Oats, Barley, Rve, Peas, Corn, 800. EjAWfORfikBIâ€"JE PRIC B3 S . SEEDS, PAN'TINGE‘B 3 A, Splendid Assortment of DIRECT IMPORTER. Handsome, Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogues Free. RRGHMONB HELL. COR“ FRONT AND JARVIS STS., TORONTO. SEEQ GRAEN3 ! FINE ASSORTMENT OF Flannelss, 800. FAIL TO CALL AT SEEDS.