Thomas D’Arcy McGee is a historical figure who as Charles Macnab states “was the first political leader in Canada to be assassinated.” McGee is referred to by historian Alexander Brady as “[having] a unique place among the Canadian statesman of his time.” Canadian Archives states that Thomas D’Arcy McGee “was born in Carlingford, Ireland, the son of James McGee, and Dorcas Catherine Morgan.” It was during his childhood where Mcgee’s knowledge was made known to the members outside of the family, As explained by author T.F Slattery “a hedge schoolmaster, Michael Donnelly, helped him along with his books and fertilized his dreams.” When asked about McGee as a student Donnelly referred to McGee as the “brightest scholar [he] ever taught.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee did not live in Ireland his entire life as “in 1842 McGee left Ireland and travelled to North America.” T.P Slattery details the trip when he writes “McGee left Ireland with his sister Dorcas to go and live in Providence Rhode Island.” Once arriving in America McGee became a publisher Charles Macnab states “he was publishing his New York Nation at New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and shipping it to Ireland, assuming a nationalist leadership as best he could over the remnants of Ireland.” He would spend a long time in America before “in the spring of 1857 McGee moved to Montreal, at the invitation of leaders of that city’s Irish community who expected him to promote their interest.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee made the jump into the political life in Canada as “he was elected to the Legislative assembly in December of 1857… He joined the cabinet of John Sandfield MacDonald in 1862, and chaired that year’s Intercolonial Railway conference at Quebec City.” However that career ended tragically, as stated by author James Powell “Thomas D’Arcy McGee, the much revered Canadian statesman, and orator, died by an assassin’s bullet on April 7, 1868 entering his boarding house on Sparks Street.” This death is significant as in a letter “Lady Agnes MacDonald, the prime minister’s wife… ‘McGee is murdered.. lying in the street.. shot through the head.” Thomas McGee was a great public speaker, and highly intelligent figure who played a role Canadian history as being the victim of one of the first political assassinations in the history of the country.
When thinking about infamous Canadian historical figures, one name that factors into the story of Canada is Thomas D’Arcy McGee. As historian T.P Slattery explains “Thomas D’Arcy McGee was born on Wednesday, April 13, 1825, in Carlingford Ireland on the Rosstrevor coast.” Thomas was raised by parents “James McGee and Dorcas Catherine Morgan.” Carlingford would just be McGee’s first residence as “When D’Arcy was eight, the family moved south to Wexford.” It was tragically during this time that “[Mcgee’s] mother was the victim of an accident and died on August 22, 1833. This was a heavy blow.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee was an Irish born citizen who at a young age lost a central figure in his life.
The importance Thomas D’Arcy McGee’s mother had on his life was influencing him on his ideological beliefs. One factor of influence was a nationalistic belief as Alexander Brady states “she was a woman who cherished the memory of her father’s espousal of the national cause and preserved all his espousal of the national cause and preserved all his national enthusiasms which she sedulously fed to her son.” McGee also developed his knowledge on Irish literature from his mother, as Brady states “She was interested in all of the old Irish myths and traditions and poetry, and these she related to her [son].” Thomas D’Arcy Mcgee’s nationalist ideologies were influenced upon him at a young age, and that led McGee to become “an ardent idealist for the nationality of his country.”
Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a highly intelligent human from a young age. T.P Slattery in his novel writes “A hedge schoolmaster, named Michael Donnelly, helped him along with his books.” Donnelly was a mentor figure to McGee as he helped him in regards to his schooling. When asked about McGee as an academic, Donnelly replied stating that McGee was “the brightest scholar I ever taught.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee was also a great public speaker. As T.P Slattery writes “In Wexford, D’Arcy had a boyish moment of triumph when he gave a speech before the Juvenile Temperance society, and Father Matthew, who happened to be there, reached over and tousled his hair.” Author Alexander Brady writes in regards to McGee’s performance that it was “delivered before the society a spell-binding oration, on which he received the hearty congratulations… This was [Mcgee’s] first public speech.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a very unique human being with a high level of intelligence and a gift for public speaking both noticeable at a young age.
Not a lifelong citizen in Ireland, Thomas D’Arcy McGee moved on in to another chapter in his life. There were multiple reasons that led to McGee leaving Ireland, one of which being that “Mcgee’s father had married again, and the stepmother was not popular with the children.” Another reason of McGee moving had to deal with the economic realities of Ireland as explained by Alexander Brady “The economic structure of Irish society was diseased. Approximately seven million were vainly endeavouring to wring a lean subsistence from the land, and hundreds of thousands were on the verge of famine.” With that information in mind Robin Burns explains on biographi.ca that “D’Arcy McGee left for North America in 1842, one of almost 93000 Irishmen who crossed the Atlantic that year.” Thomas set out from Ireland “on April 7th McGee [who] was not yet seventeen… with his sister Dorcas to go and live with their aunt, in Providence Rhode Island.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee had just set out on a new chapter in his life
Thomas D’arcy McGee arrived in America with “few material possessions beyond the clothes on his back.”. One of the first things that happened upon landing in America was that he presented a speech as TP Slattery explains “he was on his feet speaking at an Irish assembly.” It was at this speech where Mcgee’s feelings were stated towards the “British rule in Ireland,” as he states “the sufferings which the people of that unhappy country have endured at the hands of a heartless, bigoted despotic government are well known… Her people are born slaves, and bred in slavery from the cradle; they know not what freedom is.’ This message condemning the British rule over the Irish made an impact as it got Thomas D’Arcy McGee into a new profession while in the United States as a writer where he “joined the staff of the Boston Pilot.”
Thomas D’Arcy McGee had just moved to America, and “within weeks he was a journalist with the Boston Pilot, the largest Irish Catholic paper in the [United] [States].” With his new role, Thomas D’Arcy McGee was described as “the pilot’s traveling agent, [who] for the next two years travelled through New England collecting overdue accounts and new subscribers.” While being apart of these trips, McGee became connected a group known as “young Ireland Militants in Dublin.” One of the key members of the group was “Daniel O’Connell [who] held to a non violent political philosophy, but in 1843 he followed a change in strategy when he allowed some of the young militants who had joined the association after 1841 to plan and manage a series of rallies of hundreds of thousands across Ireland to hear him.” One of the members of the young Ireland group was “a young Ireland moderate Gavan Duffy who was the publisher of the Nation.” It was through the Nation that McGee became connected to the Young Ireland’s as Gavan Duffy had interest in him. Duffy had for a long time been a fan of McGee as Charles Macnab writes “Duffy had been impressed enough with young McGee to have engaged with him almost immediately to write a volume for Duffy’s library of Ireland series.” Hereward Senior details Duffy’s interest in Mcgee’s ability as he writes “the talents of D’Arcy McGee were recognized by Duffy, editor of the Nation who invited McGee to join its staff and McGee subsequently became part of the “Young Ireland” group.” In just a short amount of time, Thomas D’Arcy McGee had gone from arriving in the United States to now becoming recognized by the public for his ability as a writer.
Outside of his professional life, one of the actions that Thomas D’Arcy made a deeply personal decision in his life. As explained by historian David Wilson “On Tuesday, 13 July he married Mary Theresa Caffrey, whom he met at an art exhibition in Dublin.” The two connected over “their love in romantic poems, and letters show that she cared deeply about him.” The travel that McGee made however took a toll on the marriage, as Wilson states “They were torn apart by exile and continually uprooted as McGee moved from Dublin to New York, Boston, Buffalo, back to New York… When McGee was on the road Mary experienced periods of intense loneliness; when he was at home she often had to deal with his heavy drinking.”. The family suffered through tragedy as “of their five children, only two survived into adulthood.” However with all that tension and tragedy which happened there was still a connection between the family as Wilson writes “there was great affection and tenderness within the family, as Mcgee’s letters to his children attest. Mary continued to write of ‘my darling Thomas’, until the end of her days.” Outside of his workings as a writer, Thomas D’Arcy McGee did have his personal life with his family, whom he evidently cared for.
Mcgee’s last movements around Ireland came from incidents that he witnessed while in the country. This incident happened in the year 1847 as “the Irish confederation was frustrated in the general election, and a radical faction developed calling for armed action.” As explained by historian Hereward Senior “The young Irelanders were converted to the idea of a barricade revolution carried out by a civilized militia. They conspired to re-enact the French revolution on Irish soil. These young Irelanders were more attracted by the romance of revolution than by the republican form of government.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee had been a member in this revolution as Alexander Brady explains “he [consulted] the Irish revolutionists in Edinburgh, and Glasgow and enrolled four hundred volunteers.” However the downfall of McGee’s time in the revolution came as “he was arrested for sedition on the eve of his first wedding anniversary, the charges though are dismissed the next day.” This led to McGee ultimately leaving Ireland as “with a sad heart [McGee] boarded a brig at the mouth of the Foyle and sailed for the United States… In America he began at the age of twenty three a new life destined to plead for causes to prove more successful than the Irish independence.” This was the end of Thomas D’Arcy McGee’s life in Ireland.
Upon returning to the United States, Thomas D’Arcy McGee had moved to a different chapter in his life. He began writing papers one of the papers written was known as the New York Nation, as explained by Charles Macnab McGee “was publishing his New York Nation at New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.” Macnab also made sure that his paper reach Ireland, as Macnab writes “McGee shipped the paper to Ireland assuming a nationalist voice as best he could over the remnants of Young Ireland and the future political and cultural directions of the Irish world.” McGee made it clear in regards to this paper that he was willing to take a radical approach as explained by David Wilson one of his enemies being the catholic church. Wilson writes in his book “the reference [McGee] [Makes] to “priestly preachers of cowardice was pivotal; the catholic church had transformed heroic Celtic warriors into abject slaves. “The present generation of Irish Priests” he wrote, ‘have systematically squeezed the spirit of resistance out of the hearts of the people.’” In response to the criticism of the catholic church, the church condemned the Thomas D’Arcy McGee in a statement made by author being “Bishop John Hughes,” who described Mcgee’s writings as having “transferred the ‘odium of oppression’ from the British government to the catholic clergy.” The demand that Hughes made was that “unless the Nation shall purify its tone.. let every diocese, every parish, every catholic door be shut against it.” The eventual result of the Nation was explained by T.P Slattery stating that “The Mcgee’s were just in time to witness the collapse of his New York Nation… He moved on to Boston planning to sail back to Ireland.”
Thomas D’arcy Mcgee didn’t end up moving to Ireland as T.F Slattery writes “Mcgee postponed his return to Ireland and remained with his young family in Boston. There he pucked up a few fees lecturing.” As explained in the Quebec history the next chapter of Mcgee’s life happened “in 1950 McGee moved to Boston and founded the American Celt, and in 1952 he moved to buffalo where he published the American Celt for five years.” The purpose of the Celt as explained by T.P Slattery was to focus on “aid for the ancient missionary schools; encourage the Irish industrial enterprise, develop literature, and revive the music of Ireland.” The audience that was intended for the Boston Nation was “Irish worked who were irritated by the unexciting views of the Boston Pilot, and took for granted that McGee would be more to their taste as a rebel.” While in America McGee was also a novelist, as he published multiple writings about the Irish people. Examples of these writings are “A history of Irish settlers in North America (1851) to demonstrate that the Irish had made significant contribution to the history of North America.” McGee also wrote three other books titled “A history of the attempts to establish protestant reformation in Ireland (1853), the Catholic history of North America 1855), and the life of Rt. Rev Edward Maginn (1857).” In the same year of writing his last book a new chapter on Mcgee’s life was opened as “In 1857 he moved from Buffalo to Montreal, Lower Canada at the invitation of some Irish Canadians.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee was now moving to his third country.
While in Canada Thomas D’Arcy McGee continued continued writing. As Hereward Senior “Upon his arrival in Montreal McGee started to publish the New Era.” Mcgee’s new paper was quite significant to Canadian history as “a series of editorial and speeches by D’Arcy McGee had become historic. They constitute the evidence that McGee was the first of all the fathers of confederation to advocate a federal basis for a new nation.” What Slattery is implying is that McGee was the first major endorser of the formation of what would become known as Canada. Slattery continues in writing that “It began unnoticed in an article of June 27 called “queries for Canadian Constituencies,” with an acute analysis of some of the practical issues. This led the way to three important editorials… written on August 4,6, and 8 1857.” McGee’s writings from the New Era led to the next major decision in Mcgee’s life as “In December 1857 D’Arcy McGee was one of three members elected to represent Montreal in the Legislative Assembly. He had been nominated by the St Patrick’s society of Montreal.”
In regards to what McGee discussed in his editorials for the New Era, T.P Slattery states “The first editorial stressed the need for union as distinct from uniformity. The second was on the role of the French language, and the third, was on confederation.” In the first editorial McGee explained that “Uniform currency was needed “Uniform currency was needed; so were a widespread banking and credit system, the establishment of courts of last resort and an organized postal system “one is much more certain of his letters from San Francisco,” The next editorial McGee writes discusses is based on “the quality of Quebec,” which McGee discussed in an editorial on April 6th 1858 “urging parliament to adopt the proposals for federation which were to be introduced by Alexander Galt.. ‘we are in Canada two nations, and most mutually respect each other. Our political union must, to this end be made more explicitly we are to continue for the most general purpose as a united people.” The third editorial presented by McGee States “‘the federation of feeling must precede the federation of fact’. that epigram not only exposed the weakness of previous unions; it expressed Mcgee’s passion to arouse such a spirit, so a new people could come together in the north.” To specify the overall political philosophy Slattery States “[McGee] was a devoted student of Edmund Burke for theory, and of Daniel O’Connell for practice. His studies sharpened by his intelligence, and corrected as he matured through his sharper experiences.” With his political ideology out in the open Thomas D’arcy Mcgee had his path to “springboard for his start in Canadian politics. In December of 1857 he was elected to the Legislative assembly of the province of Canada.”
Thomas D’Arcy McGee had gotten into a new profession which ended up being politics. As Quebec history states “in 1958 McGee was elected as an Irish Roman Catholic to the Legislative assembly of Canada for Montreal west. A constituency which he represented until 1867, and he was re-elected for or to the house of commons of the new dominion.” He sat with the reform government of George Brown in 1858.” As Alexander Brady explains in his reasoning for supporting Brown “McGee was won by Brown’s frank, fearless character. Moreover, he believed that the Irish catholics could subscribe with little reservation to the reform leader’s principles.” One of the Principles that McGee agreed on with Brown was “a hostility to the intolerant Toryism of the old school and entertained his faith in the extension of popular suffrage economy in public expenditure and reduction of taxes.” Once the government returned in “March 1858, the parliamentary session began. From the outset McGee hurried into the leading debates and attacked the corruptions as the government party was descried, with all the weapons of wit and searching sarcasm.” What McGee was known for during his early years in Government was what he had been great at his whole life. Alexander Brady explains this talent when he writes a local reporter from “the globe wrote that [McGee] was undoubtedly the most finished orator in the house… he had the power of impression an audience accounted for by attributing to those which can only be accounted for by attributing to those who possess it some magnetic influence not common to everyone.” McGee may now have moved from a writer to a politician, however his childhood abilities as a public speaker had stayed with him.
Life for Thomas D’Arcy McGee in the Brown political party was not always phenomenal. As explained by David Wilson “the reform party began to alarm its French Canadian wing. Sensing an opportunity, the liberal Conservatives moved a non confidence resolution against the government.” This led to an area of debate in which “all the leading figures in government defended its record- all of them except McGee, who was getting drunk with friends when he was scheduled to speak. His erratic behaviour was symptomatic of deeper disillusionment with the reform party.” With Mcgee’s behaviour in question the government made its move to deal with him as agreements were reached between the leaders of the reform party that “a new reform government must abandon the Intercolonial railway, and that there would be no place of McGee in the new cabinet.” What also alienated Mcgee’s standing was in regards to political ideology, as David Wilson explains “McGee was a loose canon whose position on separate schools alienated the clear grits, whose position on separate schools alienated Rouges. For the members of the Reform party McGee had become a liability.” This was the beginning of the end for McGee in the reform party as “McGee felt that he had been strongly stabbed in the back by his own colleagues.” Feeling alienated by the members of his party Thomas D’Arcy McGee “transferred his allegiance to the conservatives, where he became minister of agriculture in the MacDonald Government of 1864.” McGee had thus crossed the political aisle embracing a new party.
As a member of the John A Macdonald party Mcgee’s status had increased. As explained in Canadian archives
In 1864 McGee had helped to organize the Canadian visit, a diplomatic goodwill tour of the Maritimes that served as a prelude to the first confederation conference. During this tour, Magee delivered many species in support of union and lived up to his reputation as the most talented politician of the era. He was a delegate to the Charlottetown conference and the Quebec conference. In 1865 he delivered two speeches on the union of the provinces, which subsequently bound and published.
Moments from McGee in regards to the two conferences are explained by T.P Slattery who writes, during the Quebec conference “McGee speaking with an ease of manner moved an amendment. He proposed that the provision be added to the provincial power over education… Andrew Archibald MacDonald, sitting at the far and of the table to Mcgee’s left seconded the amendment.” In explaining the logic behind his speech McGee stated “saving the rights and privileges which the protestant or catholic minority in both Canadas may possess as to their denomination schools when the constitutional act goes into operation.” In regards to the Charlottetown conference Mcgee’s major contribution as explained by David Wilson was “his principal contribution to the Charlottetown conference lay not in the formal proceedings but in the whirl of social events that surround the meetings- the dinner parties and luncheons, and the grand ball at the government house.” The effect that McGee had on these meetings was noticeable as “historians of confederation had pointed out, these events were important in creating a climate of camaraderie and allowing new friendships to form. At a liquid lunch on board the Victoria “Mcgee’s wit sparkled brightly as the wine,” the mapped was euphoric that the delegate proclaimed the banns of matrimony among the provinces.” Though Mcgee’s role in the Charlottetown conference was described by Wilson as “a secondary and often marginal role in the negotiation between Canada and the Maritimes… No other Canadian politician knew the maritimes better than McGee.” Hence McGee was more of an advertiser to the Maritime colonies with the goal of convincing them into join confederation.
The goal that McGee had played a role in aiming to accomplish finally had been accomplished. However as Alexander Brady states “In November 1866, the delegation of ministers appointed to represent Canada at the final drafting of the federal constitution sailed for England. McGee was not a member of that party.” This began Mcgee’s role declining in government as Hereward Senior explains “John A. MacDonald found it more convenient to draw the representative of the Irish Catholic community from the maritimes.” With that reality in mind Thomas D’Arcy McGee “prepared to run in his old constituency in Montreal west.” It was here that Thomas D’Arcy McGee faced off with a new foe.
The Fenian movement is explained by author Fran Reddy as she writes
The Irish Fenian Brotherhood movement spurred along the idea of union among the British North American Colonies had spurred along the idea of union amongst the British North American colonies. Due to increasing skirmishes along the border as the Fenians tried to move in from the United states to capture British North America colonies, believing that they could hold these as ransom to bargain for Ireland’s independence from British rule.
Why there are relevant to Thomas D’Arcy McGee is due McGee making an enemy with the Fenians when “in 1866 he condemned with vehemence the Irish American Fenians who invaded Canada; and in doing so he incurred the enmity of the Fenian Organization of the United States.” This played a role in the election that McGee was trying to win in Montreal as “In Montreal the Fenians were able to find allies amongst the personal and political enemies of McGee.” This movement caused an effect in the political life of McGee as “At the opening of the election campaign, Magee wrote to John A. MacDonald that he had decided not to go to Toronto, as it would provide the Grit Fenians” with an opportunity to offer him insults.” The attempt to stop McGee from getting elected failed as “McGee won by a slight majority in Montreal west,” thus regaining his old seat in government. The feelings the Fenians had of McGee influenced Thomas D’Arcy Mcgee’s time in government as explained by Canadian archives “Thomas D’Arcy McGee was seen as a traitor by the very Irish Community that he sought to defend, and by 1867 [Mcgee] expressed a desire to leave politics.”
However Thomas D’Arcy McGee would not get his wish of leaving the political scene, as Alexander Brady describes in detail the final moments of his life. As Brady writes “[McGee] spoke at midnight. Shortly after one on the morning of the 7th the debate closed. The members commented generally on Mcgee’s speech; some thought it was the most effective that they had ever heard him deliver.” After the evening concluded there was a new positive mood on McGee as “Perhaps part of the lightheartedness was caused by this reflection that on the morrow he would return to Montreal, where his wife and daughters were within a few days to celebrate his forty third birthday.” While continuing on McGee ended the evening as “he left his friend and walked to his loving on Sparks street. As he entered a slight figure glided up and at close range fired a bullet into his head. His assassin dashed away in the night, but left tell tale steps in the snow later to assist in his conviction.” The news of Mcgee’s death had spread quickly amongst Canada, one person who received the news was “Lady Agnes MacDonald the prime minister’s wife,” in which she states “The answer came up clear and hard through the cold moonlit morning: “McGee is murdered… lying in the street shot through the head.” The scene of the death was described by a witness on the scene “Dr. Donald McGillivray” in which he states “about half past two I was called and told that D’Arcy McGee had been shot at the door of his boarding house. I went at once. I found his body lying on its back on the sidewalk.” Thomas D’Arcy Mcgee’s life had come to an end.
The search for Mcgee’s killer led authorities to a man named “Patrick James Whelan who was convicted and hanged for the crime.” As Slattery explains “The police moved fast. Within twenty hours of the murder they had James Whelan in handcuffs. In Whelan’s pocket they found a revolver fully loaded. One of its chambers appeared to have been recently discharged.” There is also more evidence against Whelan as explained by Charles Macnab “Minutes before his execution, Patrick James Whelan admitted that he was present when McGee was shot.” Also presented during the trial was Whelan’s role in Mcgee’s campaign as written by Hereward Senior “his presence in Prescott during Mcgee’s campaign there, his return to Montreal when McGee returned, and his taking up employment in Ottawa when McGee took his seat in parliament all suggest he was stalking McGee.”
The main theory during the trial was that Whelan was a Fenian, which would make sense as they were the major enemy of McGee. However as Senior exclaimed “Whelan insisted he wasn’t a Fenian.” What Whelan was identified in was in fact called “the Ribbonmen, however Whelan was unquestionably under the influence of Fenian propaganda and engaged in clandestine work on their behalf.” There was a controversial moment in the trial as explained by T.F Slattery “The prisoner had come back from court and was telling what had happed. James Whelan did not say “he shot McGee like a dog’ but that Turner had sworn he heard Whelan say, “he’d shoot McGee like a dog,’ The prisoner asserts that his words have been twisted.” The trial resulted in a guilty verdict as “Whelan maintained his innocence throughout his trial and was never proven to be a Fenian. Nonetheless he was convicted of murder and hanged before more than 5000 onlookers on February 11th 1869.”
The funeral was very non luxurious as Charles Macnab states “The body was not handed over for a proper catholic burial. Instead it was buried in a shallow grave in the jail yary. There was fear of a massive fenian demonstration at Whelan’s funeral.” The status of Mcgee as a public figure was made evident by the amount of attendees at his funeral. As exclaimed by T.P Slattery “The population of the city was then one hundred thousand, but there was so many visitors for D’Arcy Mcgee’s funeral that the population had practically doubled.” Amongst the attendees were “Newspaper reporters who estimated the number marching and gathered along the long route wrote that a hundred thousand people participated in the demonstration of mourning.” In regards to the legacy of Thomas D’Arcy McGee Alexander Brady states “such material bases of union must fail to hold together different sects and races inhabiting the dominion, unless Canadians cherish what McGee passionately advanced, the spirit of toleration and goodwill, as the best expression of Canadian nationality.” David Wilson gives the perfect summary of who Thomas D’Arcy McGee was when he writes “For the myth makers, here was the ideal symbol of the Celtic contribution to Canadian nationality- an Irish catholic Canadian who became the youngest of the fathers of confederation, who was widely regarded as an inspirational and visionary Canadian nationalist and who articulated the concept of unity in diversity a century before it became the dominant motif of Canadian identity.” Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a very important public figure in Canadian history who met a tragic and unfortunate demise due to an assassination.
Thomas D’Arcy McGee was an Irish citizen born in the city of Carlingford Ireland. He moved at a young age, and during that time he dealt with the tragic loss of his mother who was killed in an accident. Mcgee’s Irish nationalist ideology was inspired by his mother, an ideology which played a major role in Mcgee’s life. Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a highly intelligent individual as while in his new location of Wexford a man who helped McGee in his studies said Thomas D’Arcy McGee was “the brightest scholar I have ever taught.” During his teenage years McGee moved over to the United States where over the next few years he published multiple papers which helped him gain the eye of an Irish nationalist organization. During this time Thomas D’Arcy McGee began his family by getting married in Dublin Ireland. Thomas D’Arcy Mcgee’s time in Ireland however came to an end as he was nearly arrested, a threat worthy enough of him moving back to America. While in America McGee went from New York to Boston publishing papers with a pro Ireland ideology. These papers led to the next chapter of Mcgee’s life involving his move to Canada, specifically Montreal. In Montreal McGee founded a new paper titled the Montreal Era, and in the Montreal Era he promoted what became known as Confederation. This led to Thomas D’Arcy McGee getting into politics in Montreal, where he became a member of the Reform Party of George Brown. While in the Reform party McGee was exposed as a loose canon, with views that split the party ideology, and he was also known for being an alcoholic. With that revelation McGee was angry to the point of which he joined the party in power under the leadership of John A. Macdonald. Thomas D’Arcy McGee played a role in Canadian Confederation as he attended both the Quebec, and Charlottetown conferences, leading to the formation of the country of Canada. However McGee was left off the delegation that would deliver the document of confederation to London. This development led McGee to run for a seat in political office, a seat to which McGee was attacked from a function of Ireland nationalists known as the Fenians. Thomas D’Arcy McGee won his seat however in April 7th 1868 McGee was murdered at the hands of a man named Patrick Whelan. Whelan was convicted of the crime and hanged as a result. McGee is one of Canadian history’s great public speakers, as there are several instances throughout his life where he swayed an audience with his speaking ability. Thomas D’Arcy McGee was an important figure in history and in the formation of the Country of Canada who tragically met his demise at the hands of a political assassination.
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