Page:Canadian notabilities 2.djvu/65

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the late Hon. Judge Panet,who took the young man under his own special protection treated him in every way as a son, and furnished him with the means of pursuing his professional studies.

A somewhat unusual incident occurred in connection with M. Letellier's admission as a notary. The license authorizing candidates to practice the various professions were at that time issued by the Governor in Council, and it happened that simultaneously with the issue of the batch of licenses which included young Letellier's, the Government issued a number of commissions appointing new Legislative Councillors. Through some official blunder Luc Letellier, instead of his license to practice as a notary, received a commisson appointing him a Legislative Councillor. He knew that an error had been committed, and showed the document to his guardian, who told him that the day would assuredly come when he would in reality be a member of the Legislative Council, inasmuch as he possessed within himself the material of which legislators are made. The Judge was not accustomed to speak confidently as to matters respecting which he had no certain knowledge, and the fact that he indulged in such a prediction is evidence of the high estimate which he had formed of his ward's qualifications. His prediction has been abundantly verified. M. Letellier has not only sat in the Legislative Council, but has creditably filled a much higher place. Independently of the imbroglio which culminated last year there has been nothing in his official life to which even the bitterest of his opponents can take serious exception.

But at the period under consideration these triumphs were still in the far future. Meanwhile M. Letellier was simply a young notary with small provision for the future, except such as was furnished by his own ability. He devoted himself assiduously to his profession, and soon succeeded in building up a practice which, though not so large as was that of some of his competitors, lay largely among wealthy and influential people, and was attended with much pecuniary profit. He soon came to be looked upon as a rising man, who would sooner or later have to find his way into political life. The time was not long in arriving. At the elections which took place in the autumn of 1850, M. Letellier for the first time offered himself to the electors of the County of *Kamouraska as a candidate for a seat in the House of Assembly of Canada. he was successful, and during the following session took his