ary.

The rumour of the entry of Mr. Giles Henderson of Kingston into the
gubernatorial contest preceded, by ten days or so, the actual event.
It is difficult for the historian to unravel the precise circumstances
which led to this candidacy. Conservative citizens throughout the State,
it was understood, had become greatly concerned over the trend political
affairs were taking; the radical doctrines of one candidate--propounded
for very obvious reasons--they turned from in disgust; on the other
hand, it was evident that an underlying feeling existed in certain
sections that any candidate who was said to have had more or less
connection with the Northeastern Railroads was undesirable at
the present time. This was not to be taken as a reflection on the
Northeastern, which had been the chief source of the State's prosperity,
but merely as an acknowledgment that a public opinion undoubtedly
existed, and ought to be taken into consideration by the men who
controlled the Republican party.

This was the gist of leading articles which appeared simultaneously
in several newspapers, apparently before the happy thought of bringing
forward Mr. Giles Henderson had occurred to anybody. He was mentioned
first, and most properly, by the editor of the "Kingston Pilot;" and the
article, with comments upon it, ran like wildfire through the press of
the State,--appearing even in those sheets which maintained editorially
that they were for the Honourable Adam B. Hunt first and last and, all
the time. Whereupon Mr. Giles Henderson began to receive visits from
the solid men--not politicians of the various cities and counties. For
instance, Mr. Silas Tredway of Ripton, made such a pilgrimage and, as a
citizen who had voted in 1860 for Abraham Lincoln (showing Mr. Tredway
himself to have been a radical once), appealed to Mr. Henderson to save
the State.

At first Mr. Henderson would give no ear to these appeals, but shook his
head pessimistically. He was not a politician--so much the better, we
don't want a politician; he was a plain business man exactly what is
needed; a conservative, level-headed business man wholly lacking in
those sensational qualities which are a stench in the nostrils of good
citizens. Mr. Giles Henderson admitted that the time had come when a man
of these qualities was needed--but he was not the man. Mr. Tredway was
the man--so he told Mr. Tredway; Mr. Gates of Brampton was the man--so
he assured Mr. Gates. Mr. Hender