Michael Joyce for Alderman - 1891

“The only Michael Joyce has given way to the earnest entreaties of his friends and consented to become a candidate for alderman in Ward 6 as the workingman’s representative.”¹

¹ “Ald. Michelangelo Joyce : A Talk With the Coming Statesman of Ward 6” Hamilton Spectator. September 15, 1891.

          One of the most familiar characters in downtown Hamilton during the 1880s and 1890s was an Irishman by the name of Michael Joyce.

          A carter by profession, Michael joined his fellow carters at the Carters’ stand near the court house, where those in need of a wagon and driver would go to hire someone to pick up and deliver whatever needed to be picked up and delivered.

          While awaiting to be hired, the carters, at their stand, engaged in raucous discussions on the issues of the day, among themselves and with passersby who might want to join in the debates.

          Issues relating to the operations of Hamilton’s mayor, aldermen and city staff were among the most frequent topics of interest. Michael Joyce was one of the most opinionated as regards local municipal affairs. He gained his knowledge on Hamilton City Hall affairs from the local press and from his very frequent personal appearances at committee and council meetings.

          As the upcoming elections for the new Hamilton council, to take office early in January, 1892, approached, many of Michael Joyce’s friends and acquaintances urged him to back up his usually negative opinions about Hamilton municipal goings-on by running for alderman himself. If successful, Michael could perhaps do more that criticize, but could help fix things.

          What follows is a transcription of an interview Michael conducted with a member of the Hamilton Spectator contingent of reporters.

          In it, an attempt was made to phonetically capture Michael’s broad Irish accent in print. While, it may seem that Michael was being made fun of, it is also possible that it is very close to being a verbatim transcription of the loquacious cater.

          “He (Michael Joyce) has a grand scheme on tap to tax the property owners 4 or 5 mills extra in order to provide constant labor on the corporation for Michael and his friends.

          “ ‘Oi haven’t matchured the whole uv me scheme,’ said Mike this morning, ‘but wait till Oi’m elected.’

          “Mike was born in Sligo, Ireland on Jan. 12, 1840. ‘Me wife wuz born there too, just over furninst th’ town, dy’ see,’ to use his own words. ‘Her name wuz Chambers. We wuz what ye call honest people’s sons. D’ye see, now? Say, whaht d’ye go on wid yeze; Oi had nuthin’ to do with the dynamite outrageous at all. Don’t go putting anny uv that in.

          “ ‘Well, to resume : Me wife’s brother sint us out here and paid our passage, d’ye see now? Yes, we left dear ould Oireland becaze we wuz there nigh on two year but Oi couldn’t get along there at all becaz Oi cudn’t speak Frinch, d’ye see now? An’ bedad ye can’t have no pull on the corporashun in Quebec if ye can’t parlevoo.

          “ ‘ Well, as Oi wuz sayin’ ; we come up here in ’83, an’ Oi’ve bi nere iver since. Oi wuz a coachman in the old country to Sir Robert Gore-Wood, d’ye see now? An’ now Oi’m goin’ to run fur alderman as the workin’man’s candidate. Put that down – the workin’man’s candidate.’

          “’Well, Mike, you’ll have to be well posted on the questions of the day to keep up your end in the council. By the way, what are your view on the passage of the Dardanelles by the Russians?’

          “Phat the divil is the Dardanelles anyway? Sure these question we’ll have nuthin’ to do wid in the council. Nor yet the corrupshun at Ottaway. The question uv the hour is to provide lots uv work an’ big wages for th’ workin’man. Oi’m his friend, d’ye see now? Put that down strong!’

          “ ‘What are your views on representation by population?’

          “ ‘Well, my view is that some uv the population is no good, an’ it would be better to have a few substantial people we cud tax, d’ye see now? A few mills one way ot th’ thither wudn’t be missed, an’ it wud be gud for all the workin’men. Oi’m the workin’man’s friend. Phat’s my opinyun uv secret societies? Oi don’t believe in them. Oi’m a member of the Shak’speare club, that’s all. Oi’ve walked with the Orangmen, too, in Sligo, but Oi vasn’t a member, d’ye see, but Oi jest did it fur devilment. That wuz before Oi wuz a workin’man’s candidate.

          “ ‘ Am Oi a timerperance man? Well, Oi’m a teetotaler, but Oi take a glass of beer occasionally. Don’t mind if Oi do! Say, now, has yeze got a vote in the wahrd?’ ”¹

                Michael Joyce was unsuccessful in the Hamilton municipal election of 1891, but in later years, he sets his sights higher, and would run for mayor.