1st General Assembly of Newfoundland

1st General Assembly of Newfoundland
History
Founded 1832
Disbanded 1836
Preceded by Created
Succeeded by 2nd General Assembly of Newfoundland
Leadership
Elections
Last election
 Newfoundland general election, 1832
Next election
 Newfoundland general election, 1837

The members of the 1st General Assembly of Newfoundland were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in November 1832, the first general election for the colony.[1] The general assembly sat from January 1, 1833[2] until 1836.

John Bingley Garland was chosen as speaker. Thomas Bennett replaced Garland as speaker in 1834.[3]

The first session of the general assembly met in a tavern and lodging house in St. John's operated by a Mary Travers; the elected assembly met on the ground floor and the appointed Board of Council met on the upper floor. A different location, the Old Court House, was used for the second and subsequent sessions.[4]

In 1833, the assembly passed a Revenue Bill which would provide much-needed funds to support the operation of the colony. The bill was subsequently rejected by the Legislative Council. The governor and British Government intervened in support of the legislation, which was submitted again and this time approved by the council.[5]

Sir Thomas John Cochrane, although he had been opposed to the concept of representative government in the colony, became its first civil governor and was responsible for the implementation of the new system of government. The governor's support was required on any new legislation and he had the power to prorogue the assembly. Cochrane was removed from office in 1834[6] and replaced by Sir Henry Prescott.[7]

A Newfoundland general election was held in 1836 but the results were set aside by Chief Justice Henry John Boulton because the writs for the election did not bear the required Great Seal. A new election was called for the following year.[5]

Members of the Assembly

The following members were elected to the assembly in 1832:[2]

Member Electoral district Affiliation[nb 1][8]
William Brown Bonavista Bay Conservative
William Hooper Burin Conservative
Robert Pack Conception Bay Liberal
Peter Brown Liberal
Charles Cozens Conservative
James Power Liberal
Robert Carter Ferryland Conservative
Thomas Bennett Fogo Conservative
Newman Wright Hoyles Fortune Bay Conservative
Roger Forstall Sweetman Placentia and St. Mary's Liberal
John Wills Martin Conservative
John Kent St. John's Liberal
William Thomas Conservative
Patrick Kough Conservative
John Bingley Garland Trinity Bay Conservative

Notes:

  1. ↑ Indicates political orientation rather than party membership

By-elections

By-elections were held to replace members for various reasons:

Electoral district Member elected Affiliation Election date Reason
St. John's William Carson[nb 1] liberal 1833 W Thomas named to Executive Council[8]
Trinity Bay William Bickford Row[nb 1] conservative 1833 JB Garland named to Executive Council[8]

Notes:

  1. 1 2 Acclaimed

References

  1. ↑ "Electoral Districts and the Vote". Memorial University.
  2. 1 2 Journal of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland : anno tertio regis Gulielmi IV : first session of the first General Assembly. John Shea. 1833.
  3. ↑ "The Speaker of the House of Assembly". House of Assembly.
  4. ↑ "The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly". Canadian Parliamentary Review. Vol 34 (3). 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Government Structure, 1832–1855". Newfoundland Heritage. Memorial University.
  6. ↑ Hayne, David, ed. (1972). "Cochrane, Sir Thomas John". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. X (1871–1880) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  7. ↑ Hayne, David, ed. (1972). "Prescott, Sir Henry". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. X (1871–1880) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  8. 1 2 3 "Elections". Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador. pp. 681–82.
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