1878 Newfoundland general election

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1878 Newfoundland general election
Flag of the Dominion of Newfoundland.svg
  1874 November 9, 1878 1882  

31 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly
16 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Whiteway.jpg
James Gerve Conroy and Elizabeth Catherine Theresa Mary O Neill.jpg
Leader William Whiteway James Conroy and
Robert Pinsent
Party Conservative Opposition
Leader since18781878 / 1878
Leader's seatTrinity BayFerryland / Ran in Burin (lost)
Last election1813 [a]
Seats won2110
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 3
Popular vote7,813 [b] 6,174 [b]
Percentage55.86%44.14%
SwingIncrease2.svg 0.72%Decrease2.svg 0.14%

Premier before election

William Whiteway
Conservative

Premier after election

William Whiteway
Conservative

The 1878 Newfoundland general election was held on November 9, 1878 to elect the members of the 13th General Assembly of Newfoundland in the Newfoundland Colony. The Conservative Party led by William Whiteway formed the government. Whiteway, who had succeeded Frederick Carter earlier in the year, ran on a platform promoting the development of a trans-insular railway. As Anti-Confederate leader Charles Fox Bennett had retired, the opposition to the government became disorganized, and it was loosely led by James Conroy and Robert Pinsent.

Contents

Results

 PartyLeader(s) 1874 CandidatesSeats wonSeat change% of seats
(% change)
Popular vote [b] % of vote
(% change)
  Conservative William Whiteway 182621Increase2.svg367.74%
(Increase2.svg9.68%)
7,81355.86%
(Increase2.svg0.72%)
  Opposition James Conroy and
Robert Pinsent
13 [a] 1510Decrease2.svg332.26%
(Decrease2.svg9.68%)
6,17444.14%
(Decrease2.svg0.14%)
Totals314131Steady2.svg100%13,987 [c] 100%

Results by district

St. John's

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Conservative (historical)Liberal (historical)
St. John's East Robert Parsons Jr. [1]
1,014
24.36%
Michael O'Mara
1,114
26.77%
Robert Kent
Robert Kent
1,109
26.65%
Robert Parsons Sr.
John Dearin
925
22.22%
John Dearin
St. John's West Lewis Tessier
Won by acclamation
Lewis Tessier
Patrick Scott
Won by acclamation
Maurice Fenelon
Maurice Fenelon
Won by acclamation
Patrick Scott

Conception Bay

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Conservative (historical)Liberal (historical)
Bay de Verde Alfred Penney
Won by acclamation
James Rogerson
(ran in Burin)
Carbonear John Rorke
Majority of over 200 votes [2]
Francis TaylorJohn Rorke
Harbour Grace Ambrose Shea
777
33.40%
Charles Dawe [3]
823
35.38%
Ambrose Shea
Joseph Godden
726
31.21%
Joseph Godden
Harbour Main [d] Charles Furey [4] Joseph Little Joseph Little
Patrick Nowlan Patrick Nowlan
Port de Grave Nathan Norman
Majority of 153 votes
Nathaniel Rabbitts
Nathaniel Rabbitts

Avalon Peninsula

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Conservative (historical)Liberal (historical)
Ferryland Richard Raftus [5]
336
21.98%
James Conroy
602
39.37%
Richard Raftus
Daniel Greene
591
38.65%
James Conroy
Placentia and St. Mary's William Donnelly
Won by acclamation
Charles Bennett
James Collins
Won by acclamation
James Collins
Michael Dwyer
Won by acclamation
Michael Dwyer

Eastern and Central Newfoundland

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Conservative (historical)Other
Bonavista Bay Francis Winton
1,129
33.06%
James Saint (Wesleyan Conservative) [e]
629
18.42%
John Warren
George Skelton
1,071
31.36%
Charles Bowring
John Warren
586
17.16%
A. J. W. McNeilly
(ran in Twillingate and Fogo)
Trinity Bay William Whiteway
Won by acclamation
William Whiteway
James Watson
Won by acclamation
John Steer
John Rendell
Won by acclamation
James Watson
Twillingate and Fogo A. J. W. McNeilly
Won by acclamation
Frederick Carter
Stanley Carter
Won by acclamation
Charles Duder
Richard Rice
Won by acclamation
William Kelligrew

Southern Newfoundland

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
Conservative (historical)Liberal (historical)
Burgeo and LaPoile Alexander Mackay
Won by acclamation
Alexander Mackay
Burin [7] James Winter
497
26.79%
Robert Pinsent
438
23.61%
Charles Ayre
James Rogerson
488
26.31%
George Bishop
432
23.29%
James Winter
Fortune Bay [8] James Fraser
~ 560
~ 80.00%
William Wood
~ 140
~ 20.00%
Robert Alexander

Notes

  1. 1 2 As the Anti-Confederation Party
  2. 1 2 3 Note that this does not include the vote totals for the districts of Carbonear, Harbour Main, and Port de Grave, as the full results of those contests are not available.
  3. Given that the majorities are known for the districts of Carbonear and Port de Grave, it is evident that at least 14,340 votes were cast in this election.
  4. Returns are not available for this district.
  5. Although Saint was a supporter of Whiteway, the election for the district of Bonavista was fought on denominational lines, and he was referred to as a "Wesleyan" opponent of the Whiteway candidates in contemporary sources. [6]

References

  1. "To the Free and Independent Electors of the Eastern Division of the District of St. John's". The Times and General Commercial Gazette. October 26, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  2. "The Elections". Morning Chronicle. November 12, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  3. "From the Courier of Saturday". Morning Courier. October 30, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  4. "Nomination Day". Harbour Grace Standard. November 9, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  5. "From the Newfoundlander, Nov. 1". Morning Chronicle. November 2, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  6. "Nomination Day". Public Ledger. November 5, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  7. "Burin Election". Morning Courier. November 16, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  8. "Local and Other Items". Harbour Grace Standard. November 30, 1878. Retrieved June 4, 2025.

Further reading