A crucial anniversary today involving Canada's greatest-ever political scandal. I speak, of course about the Pacific Scandal whereby Hugh Allan and his railway investor buddies gave about $5 million -- in today's dollars -- in secret donations to Sir John A. Macdonald's Conservatives to fund their national and local campaigns. More than 150 Tory MPs took railway money and it worked, as John A. and his Tories were victorious during the 1872 campaign. But, the damn burst after the safe in railway magnate Hugh Allan's Montreal office was broken into and the burglars got their hands on Sir John A.'s infamous telegram which read: "Send me another $10,0000, will not ask a second time." Once that was made public, Macdonald’s fate was sealed, though he tried to hang on to power. On August 14, 1873, seeking time, Macdonald struck a Royal Commission to study the matter. In the end, the delaying tactic failed and later that year Macdonald’s government was driven from office.  Just before, Sir John A. delivered one of his greatest-ever addresses in the Commons, defending himself before history. Here are the famous lines: "I have fought the battle of Confederation, the battle of union, the battle of the Dominion of Canada. I throw myself upon this House; I throw myself upon this country; I throw myself upon posterity, and I believe that I know that, notwithstanding the many failings in my life, I shall have the voice of this county and this House rallying round me. And, if I am mistaken in that, I can confidently appeal to a higher court, to the court of my own conscience, and to the court of posterity. I leave it with this House with every confidence. I am equal to either fortune. I can see cast the decision of this House either for or against me, but whether it be against me or for me I know, and it is no vain boast to say so, for even my enemies will admit that I am no boaster, that there does not exist in Canada a man who has given more of his time, more of his heart, more of his wealth, or more of his intellect and power, such as it may be, for the good of this Dominion of Canada." Alexander Mackenzie then took office as Canada’s first Liberal Prime Minister and Sir John A. was sent to the political wilderness. But he’d be back. caption id="attachment_577401" align="alignleft" width="532" Official portrait of Sir John A. Macdonald/caption Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.