Early Political Career
In 1864 Laurier became a lawyer and joined a Montréal law
firm. In 1866 he
settled in Arthabaskaville in south central Québec.
Laurier's first venture into politics came in 1871, when he ran for the Québec
provincial legislature from Arthabaska. His opponent had held the seat for some
time and was expected to win again. Laurier campaigned hard and won decisively.
In 1874 he resigned his seat in the provincial house to run for federal
Parliament. He was successful. His first important speech, spoken French and
made in french, glorified the British Empire. He stressed that his liberalism
was of the moderate British type, not the radicalism of the European continent
that been attacked by the Pope. Although he failed to gain immediate support for
his program, he opened a way for Catholics to vote for him with a clear
conscience.
