1869 Newfoundland general election

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1869 Newfoundland general election
Flag of Newfoundland (1862-1870).svg
  1865 November 13, 1869 1873  

30 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly
16 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Charles Fox Bennett.jpg FrederickCarter (cropped).jpg
Leader Charles Fox Bennett Frederick Carter
Party Anti-Confederation Conservative
Leader since18691865
Leader's seatPlacentia and St. Mary's [a] Burin
Last election8 [b] 22
Seats won21 [c] 9
Seat changeIncrease2.svg13Decrease2.svg13
Popular vote11,289 [d] 2,688 [d]
Percentage80.77%19.23%
SwingIncrease2.svg36.19% [e] Decrease2.svg36.19% [e]

Premier before election

Frederick Carter
Conservative

Premier after election

Charles Fox Bennett
Anti-Confederation

The 1869 Newfoundland general election was held on November 13, 1869 to elect members of the 10th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Newfoundland Colony. The Anti-Confederates led by Charles Fox Bennett formed the government.

Contents

The election was dominated by the issue of Newfoundland's potential union with the new Dominion of Canada. The incumbent Conservative coalition administration, led by Frederick Carter, supported Confederation. Terms of union were drafted by local confederates and they were passed after much debate within the Newfoundland House of Assembly. When the terms were ratified by the Canadian Parliament, Carter thought it best to put the decisive issue to a vote through a general election. Those opposed to Newfoundland's union with Canada coalesced under Bennett, a St. John's merchant who argued that Confederation would bring about increased taxation.

The Anti-Confederate campaign was vigorous and hard-fought. Bennett conducted a colony-wide tour across many outport communities, alleging that Newfoundlanders would be drafted into the Canadian Army if they voted for the incumbent government. By contrast, the Conservative opposition was unprepared to deal with the campaign, countering that Bennett was primarily concerned in protecting his personal interests rather than the well-being of the public. With the decisive Anti-Confederate victory, the Conservatives thereafter abandoned the issue of Confederation, and the debate was settled for the moment.

Results

 PartyLeader 1865 CandidatesSeats wonSeat change% of seats
(% change)
Popular vote [d] % of vote
(% change)
  Anti-Confederation Charles Fox Bennett 8 [f] 2821 [c] Increase2.svg1370.00%
(Increase2.svg43.33%)
11,28980.77%
(Increase2.svg36.19%)
  Conservative
(Confederation)
Frederick Carter 22209Decrease2.svg1330.00%
(Decrease2.svg43.33%)
2,68819.23%
(Decrease2.svg36.19%)
Totals304830Steady2.svg100%13,977 [g] 100%

Results by district

St. John's

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Anti-ConfederationConservative (historical)
St. John's East William Walsh
1,327
30.42%
W. T. Parsons
412
9.45%
John Kavanagh
James Jordan
1,325
30.38%
John Kent
Robert Parsons Sr.
1,298
29.76%
Robert Parsons Sr.
St. John's West Peter Brennan
Won by acclamation
Peter Brennan
Thomas Talbot
Won by acclamation
Thomas Talbot
Henry Renouf [h]
Won by acclamation
Henry Renouf

Conception Bay

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Anti-ConfederationConservative (historical)
Bay de VerdeRobert Reader
At least 29 votes [1]
John Bemister
Majority of 400 votes [2]
John Bemister
Carbonear [i] Francis Taylor John Rorke John Rorke
Harbour Grace [i] James Prendergast John Munn Vacant [j]
Robert Dawe [3] William Green William Green
Harbour Main Joseph Little
Won by acclamation
Vacant [k]
John Kennedy
Won by acclamation
Charles Furey
Port de Grave James Woods
733
87.89%
Robert Pinsent
101
12.11%
Robert Pinsent

Avalon Peninsula

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Anti-ConfederationConservative (historical)
Ferryland Thomas Glen
Won by acclamation
Thomas Glen
Thomas Battcock
Won by acclamation
Michael Kearney
Placentia and St. Mary's Charles Fox Bennett
882
30.34%
Thomas O'Reilly
103
3.54%
Ambrose Shea
Henry Renouf
872
30.00%
Ambrose Shea
100
3.44%
Pierce Barron
Robert Parsons Jr.
860
29.58%
Pierce Barron
90
3.10%
Thomas O'Reilly

Eastern and Central Newfoundland

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Anti-ConfederationConservative (historical)
Bonavista Bay James Noonan
697
19.39%
John Warren
539
14.99%
John Warren
Francis Winton
657
18.28%
John Burton
537
14.94%
John Burton
William Barnes
650
18.08%
Michael Carroll
515
14.33%
John Oakley
Trinity Bay [i] Robert Alsop Stephen Rendell Stephen Rendell
Stephen March Thomas H. Ridley Robert Alsop
Ellis Watson Frederick Wyatt
Twillingate and Fogo Smith McKay
1,063
44.68%
William Whiteway
208
8.74%
William Whiteway
Charles Duder
1,025
43.09%
Thomas Knight
83
3.49%
Thomas Knight

Southern Newfoundland

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Anti-ConfederationConservative (historical)
Burgeo and LaPoile Prescott Emerson
Won by acclamation
D. W. Prowse
Burin [l] Henry LeMessurier [4] Frederick Carter
Majority of 2 or 3 votes
Frederick Carter
John Woods [4] Edward Evans
Majority of 2 or 3 votes
Edward Evans
Fortune Bay Thomas Bennett
Won by acclamation
Thomas Bennett

Notes

  1. Not the incumbent, but stood in this district and won.
  2. As the Opposition Party
  3. 1 2 This figure includes Henry Renouf's double election in the districts of Placentia and St. Mary's and St. John's West.
  4. 1 2 3 Note that this does not include the vote totals for the districts of Bay de Verde, Burin, Carbonear, Harbour Grace, and Trinity Bay, as the full results of those contests are not available.
  5. 1 2 Based on incomplete figures from the previous election
  6. As the Opposition Party
  7. Given that the majorities are known for the districts of Bay de Verde and Burin, it is evident that at least 14,414 votes were cast in this election.
  8. As Renouf had also been elected in the district of Placentia and St. Mary's, he chose to resign his seat in St. John's West, triggering a by-election.
  9. 1 2 3 Returns are not available for this district.
  10. John Hayward had been elected in 1865, but he resigned his office on August 7, 1868 to accept an appointment as an assistant judge in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland.
  11. George Hogsett had been elected in 1865, but he died while in office on June 15, 1869.
  12. Carter and Evans were initially declared the victors, but the results were challenged by LeMessurier and Woods. They charged that five voters from Frenchman's Cove had voted for Carter and Evans by proxy before changing their minds at the polling booth and declaring themselves for LeMessurier and Woods. These verbal votes were accepted by the returning officer at first, but they were later rejected, and Carter and Evans were returned for the district.

References

  1. "Responding to the Courier". Newfoundland Express. November 30, 1869. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  2. "Responding to the Courier". Newfoundland Express. November 20, 1869. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  3. "Nomination Day". Morning Courier. November 10, 1869. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "The Burin Election". Newfoundland Express. November 23, 1869. Retrieved June 8, 2025.

Further reading