The Grip cartoons: vols. I & II, May 1873 to May 1874

In Short

This collection gathers a year’s worth of biting political cartoons and explanatory notes chronicling Canadian public life from May 1873 to May 1874. Created by the sharp-eyed commentator Grip, the work captures a turbulent era defined by the explosive Pacific Scandal, which ultimately toppled Sir John A. Macdonald’s Conservative government. Through vivid caricatures and witty commentary, it documents the rise of Alexander Mackenzie’s Reform administration, intense provincial elections, and recurring debates over public integrity. It endures as a vital, illustrated mirror of nineteenth-century political maneuvering, capturing the dramatic human frailties behind the formation of a young nation.

The Story

The collection opens in May 1873 as Reverend W. Morley Punshon departs for England, setting a tone of transition while the public clamors for satirical commentary. The narrative quickly plunges into the momentous crisis known as the Pacific Scandal. In April 1873, Honorable L.S. Huntington charges Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald with corruptly selling the Canadian Pacific Railway charter to Sir Hugh Allan in exchange for substantial campaign funds. As public outcry mounts, Macdonald maneuvers to prorogue Parliament, delaying investigation and provoking fierce resistance from opposition leaders like Alexander Mackenzie and Edward Blake.

The political drama steadily intensifies through the scorching summer months and deep into the autumn. Macdonald attempts to weather the storm by appointing a loyal Royal Commission, but Huntington and his supporters refuse to participate, viewing the move as the accused premier virtually trying himself. Despite desperate legislative maneuvers and partisan defenses from organs like The Mail and The Globe, the pressure proves insurmountable. Parliament reconvenes in October, and by November 1873, the weight of the scandal forces Macdonald’s Conservative government to resign after nearly two decades in power.

The ascension of the Reform Party under Alexander Mackenzie opens a new chapter focused on electoral purity and administrative reform. However, the transition is immediately complicated by lingering patronage appointments left by the outgoing administration, such as the controversial placement of John Crawford as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Mackenzie forms his ministry, initiates a general election, and sweeps to power, while a resilient Macdonald assumes leadership of the Conservative opposition.

As 1874 unfolds, the narrative shifts from the federal collapse to provincial battles and legislative adjustments. Parliament reconvenes in Ottawa, where Finance Minister J.R. Cartwright confronts a severe treasury deficit inherited from his predecessors, sparking intense public debate over a newly revised, protectionist tariff. Simultaneously, perennial tensions resurface regarding the Red River Rebellion, marked by the contentious election and phantom appearance of Louis Riel, who signs the members' roll before vanishing, uniting both sides in a call for his arrest.

The sequence winds down through the spring of 1874 with ongoing parliamentary friction. Debates continue over railway construction strategies, as Mackenzie proposes sensible, measured steps rather than impossible ten-year completion promises. Minor controversies embroil provincial ministers like Archibald McKellar, and the Senate asserts its rare independence by defeating an electoral redistribution bill. The volume concludes with local political contests and educational council elections, leaving the young Dominion settling into a fiercely contested, permanent routine of democratic governance.

How It Unfolds

The opening departure The collection begins in May 1873 with the departure of Reverend W. Morley Punshon for England after several years of service. This initial moment sets a reflective, transitional tone as the public welcomes the weekly artistic commentary of Grip.

The Pacific Scandal erupts The narrative swiftly builds into a major constitutional crisis following the explosive corruption charges brought by L.S. Huntington against Prime Minister Macdonald. Sir John attempts to deflect blame by proroguing Parliament and appointing a loyal Royal Commission, sparking widespread public outrage.

Fall of the government Political pressure mounts as opposition leaders firmly refuse to engage with the biased commission and demand genuine accountability. By November 1873, the accumulated weight of the scandal forces the long-ruling Conservative administration to resign after nearly twenty years in power.

The Reform administration takes charge Alexander Mackenzie assumes the premiership, promising strict electoral purity and parliamentary independence for the nation. However, the new leaders quickly discover lingering partisan appointments and a severe financial deficit left behind in the public treasury.

The return of legislative battles As 1874 progresses, the focus shifts to contentious new tariff debates, adjusted railway construction policies, and persistent opposition critiques. Meanwhile, Louis Riel’s sudden, secret appearance in the House to sign the members' roll creates an intense nationwide sensation.

A settling routine The sequence closes with minor provincial administrative controversies, close legislative votes, and local electoral contests across the region. Parliament ultimately finds its footing in a combative yet enduring routine of democratic governance.

The People

Sir John A. Macdonald stands as the central figure of the collection, striving to maintain his long-held grip on power and protect his administration from collapse. What stands in his way are mounting corruption allegations, aggressive opposition leaders, and a profoundly disillusioned public. He ultimately ends up deposed from office after nearly twenty years, yet remains remarkably resilient as he assumes leadership of the Conservative opposition.

Alexander Mackenzie wants to cleanse the legislature and establish a government firmly rooted in electoral purity and administrative honesty. Standing in his way are lingering patronage appointments left by his predecessors and an inherited treasury deficit. He successfully takes power, guiding the Reform Party through turbulent parliamentary sessions and general elections.

L.S. Huntington wants to expose political corruption and bring accountability to the controversial railway charter process. What stands in his way are government obstruction, strategic prorogation delays, and a hostile Royal Commission. He succeeds in breaking the old regime, though he refuses to legitimize partisan investigations.

Louis Riel wants representation and political standing for his people, despite being hunted over the Red River Rebellion. Standing in his way is widespread political outrage and universal demands for his arrest. He remains an elusive, highly controversial figure who briefly enters the House incognito before vanishing.

In Its Own Voice

Reflecting on the satirical mission of his weekly publication and dismissing any anticipated literary backlash, the artist addresses his professional reviewers directly with characteristic public defiance, inviting them to visit him in person.

Dear Critics, I defy you to do your worst.

Describing the overwhelming grief and political despair that supposedly seized the Conservative Party upon being turned out of office after a long reign of nearly twenty years, the text invokes classic Shakespearean verse.

Of comfort no man speak. Let’s talk of graves, and worms and epitaphs!

Commenting on the deeply troubled moral climate of the era and highlighting a lugubrious confession originally published by a prominent conservative newspaper during the height of the crisis, the volume captures widespread public anxiety.

We in Canada seem to have lost all idea of Justice, Honour and Integrity.

What It's Really About

Beneath its surface of sharp political caricature, the book is a searching inquiry into the fragility of public morality and the mechanics of partisan power in a newly formed nation. It questions whether democratic institutions can withstand deep-seated corruption, political patronage, and corporate influence over national governance. The core argument suggests that public vigilance, satirical pressure, and an uncompromising demand for electoral purity are essential safeguards against the ethical decay of elected leaders. Through biting visual wit, it examines how fierce party loyalty often blinds citizens to systemic wrongdoing, ultimately urging a much higher standard of civic honor and integrity in Canadian public life.

Why Read It Today

For anyone seeking to understand how early cartoonists shaped public discourse, this collection offers an exceptional masterclass in visual satire. Readers fascinated by political history, journalism, and the early roots of democratic institutions will find a compelling, firsthand look at nineteenth-century Canadian governance. Reading these pages feels like stepping directly into a Victorian-era printing office where sharp wits dissect the day’s explosive headlines with biting, uncompromising clarity. What ultimately stays with you is the uncanny familiarity of these political scandals, where personal ambition, patronage, and defensive partisanship closely mirror modern political friction.

However, modern readers must be prepared to navigate certain inherent difficulties. The text features dense, period-specific political references, nineteenth-century idioms, and occasionally dated social attitudes—such as the complex treatment of the Red River Rebellion and rebel figures—that clearly reflect the biases of the Victorian era. Despite these barriers, the book rewards patience with a vibrant, unvarnished window into the chaotic human comedy of early nation-building, proving that political human nature changes very little over the centuries.