1915 Typed Letter Signed by French-Canadian Senator and Speaker-of-the House, Napoléon-Antoine Belcour

On offer is a typed letter written and signed by Napoléon-Antoine Belcourt (1860-1933) and dated May 8th, 1915. The letter is on a page Canadian Senate embossed letterhead, written to Paisley Ontario poet Thomas O'Hagan, offering support for the recognition of J. Castell Hopkins at the University of Ottawa.

Napoléon-Antoine Belcourt born in Toronto, was a Franco-Ontarian parliamentarian, lawyer and journalist,  member of the Canadian Senate. He was elected to the House of Commons as the Liberal member for Ottawa in 1896, 1900, and 1904. He served as Speaker of the House in 1904, was appointed to the Privy Council in 1905, and to the Senate in 1907. Belcourt  was president of the L'Association canadienne-française d'éducation de l'Ontario (1910-1912 and 1920-1930) and defended the cause of bilingual schools before the Privy Council in London, playing a key role in the Unity League, which succeeded in rallying English opinion to the Franco-Ontarian cause. In 1924, he was made an Officer of France's Légion d'honneur. 

This item is one age-toned page, 8 x 10 inches, with minor creasing, evidence of folds, and two staple piercings in the upper left corner. The embossing remains crisply detailed, and the page bears a watermark of Crane’s Japanese Linen (1913). Condition is Very Good.