Sir John A. Macdonald’s Silver Casket: A Treasure from the National Collection
One of the many treasures at the Canadian Museum of History is a sterling silver box. It is remarkable for its ornamentation, which includes a wealth of Canadian symbols. The most obvious of these, a beaver, stands on its hind legs atop the box, gnawing on a tree stump; but it is far from alone. Four bears support the base of the box, and each corner is engraved with a different Canadian scene: skaters on a lake, voyageurs paddling a canoe, another bear in the wilderness and yet more beavers. Garlands of maple leaves adorn the rims of both the base and cover. The front of the box bears a special inscription — surrounded by moose heads and in both official languages — indicating its historical significance:
Presented to the Right Honourable
Sir John Alexander Macdonald
G.C.B. K.C.M.G. G.C.I. D.C.L. LL.D. Q.C. P.C.
Prime Minister of Canada
By His Political Friends of the City and
District of Quebec
11th January 1885
on the 70th Anniversary of His Birth and 40th Year of his Public Life.
Sir John A. Macdonald’s silver casket
What we have here, then, is a token of appreciation to the country’s first prime minister, marking both his birthday and his involvement in politics. The box held a leather-bound book, containing a handwritten bilingual copy of the commemorative address made to Macdonald on this occasion, praising his vision and leadership. Today, this historical treasure is part of the national collection at the Canadian Museum of History.
The year 1885 was a big one for Macdonald. It was a year of personal milestones, of triumphs and tribulations. Before the year was out, the Canadian Pacific Railway would be completed, linking the young Dominion of Canada from coast to coast. This same year, however, the Métis of the North-West Territories (what is now Alberta and Saskatchewan) would take up arms against the government, and their leader Louis Riel would be hanged.
Sir John A. Macdonald’s silver casket showing the leather-bound book.
So far, 2015 has also been a big year for Macdonald — and again one of both triumph and tribulation. The 200th anniversary of his birth has inspired enthusiastic commemoration in some quarters, but it has also sparked bitter debate about the nature of his legacy. Was he a hero? A villain? A little of both? Readers eager to get a better sense of the issues and make up their own minds can begin with a quick online search. And they can come to the Canadian Museum of History and visit the special exhibition, 1867 – Rebellion and Confederation, on view until January 4, 2016.