Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE CHARTER 31opposition that at times caused him grave anxiety, andfrequently taxed his patience.In April, 1869, a few weeks before Mr. Rose announcedhis banking policy, the Hon. John Hamilton of Kingston, 1chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Commerce,fell dangerously ill. "I was urged to take his place," writesMr. McMaster, "but peremptorily refused. In doing so, Iproposed the Hon. Mr. Macpherson, 2 who was unanimouslyelected. I am constantly looking after our bill and hopeit will be read a first time early next week. The FinanceMinister has appointed his banking committee in the otherHouse and everything connected with the present system ofbanking will presently be ventilated." On May 1 he reportsthat the bill will probably stand for some days in the Commons,but will experience little delay after it reaches the Senate.He speaks in terms of appreciation of Mr. George Hague, 3irrhe Hon. John Hamilton (1801-82) was born at Queenston, Ont, but removedto Kingston in 1840. He is said to have been the first to introduce iron vessels onCanadian waters. He was a member of the Legislative Council of Upper Canada from1831 until the Act of Union. He sat in the Legislative Council of the united provincesuntil Confederation, and in the Senate of Canada until his death, completing overfifty years of continuous service in the Upper Chamber.Sir David Lewis Macpherson (1818-96) was born in Scotland and came to Canadain 1835. He was interested in railway promotions and became president of the Torontocompany organized for the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway which failedto secure the charter. From 1864 to 1867 he was a member of the Legislative Councilof Canada, and in the latter year was appointed to the Senate. He was Minister ofthe Interior from 1883 to 1885, and was knighted in 1884.'George Hague (1825-1915). A prominent Canadian banker. Born in Rotherham,Yorkshire, he came to Canada in 1854. Soon afterwards he entered the serviceof the newly-organized Bank of Toronto, and in 1863 was appointed cashier, as thechief executive officer of that bank was then termed. He took a prominent part in thediscussions with the Government at the time of the enactment of the first DominionBank Act, supporting the essentials of the present Canadian banking system as againstthe proposals of the Government. In 1876 he retired from the Bank of Toronto, but in1877 he was prevailed upon to take charge of the Merchants Bank of Canada with aview to extricating it from the difficulties into which it had fallen. This he accomplishedsuccessfully, remaining in its service until 1902. He assisted in founding theCanadian Bankers' Association and became its first president. He was well-known as awriter on banking and financial subjects, and was very active in religious andphilanthropic work.