1856 Toronto municipal election

none March 2023 April 2023 1856 Toronto municipal election presidential 1855 1856 01 07 1857 All 28 members of Toronto City CouncilMayor appointed by majority of City Council John_Beverley_Robinson.png John Beverley Robinson 15 John_Hutchison.png John Hutchison 11The 1856 City of Toronto Municipal Election was the city's 22nd municipal election. Polling occurred on the first Monday and Tuesday of the year, January 7 and 8. Elections for Aldermen and Councilmen were held in seven wards and for the Municipal License Inspector. After the election, John Beverley Robinson a member of the family compact and strong supporter of the railroads, was elected Mayor by City Council, beating John Hutchison a Toronto merchant, who had a reputation for opposing corruption. Background By the standards of 1850s civic politics, where riots disrupted voting in 1855 and 1857, the election of the Council for 1856 was quiet.Forging a consensus : historical essays on Toronto 1984 Published for the Toronto Sesquicentennial Board by University of Toronto Press Victor Loring Russell, Toronto. Sesquicentennial Board 978-1-4875-8021-6 Russell Victor Loring Toronto 988215315 100 The issues that animated the campaign included awarding a major public works contract to complete The Esplanade, the controversy around establishing Separate Schools for Roman Catholics, and taverns licenses.Dec 28, 1855 Mr St. Germain's Address: To the Electors of St. James' Ward 3 The Globe (1844-1936) The Esplanade Contract In 1853, the City of Toronto passed the Esplanade Act to fill in land along the city's waterfront to provide a route for railways to cross the city and a public promenade along the waterfront. The contract was awarded to Gzowski and Company to construct the Esplanade, but multiple issues created a scandal, and in April 1855, City Council voted to annul the contract. However, the decision to cancel the contract led the Grand Trunk Railway, depending on the waterfront route, to threaten to place its track along Queen Street. This led to numerous public meetings and tremendous public pressure to finish the Esplanade.Goheen Peter G. Cultural Encounters with the Environment : Enduring and Evolving Geographic Themes Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2000 0-7425-0105-1 Murphy Alexander B. 60–66 The Struggle for Urban Public Space: Disposing of the Toronto Waterfront in the Nineteenth Century Johnson Douglas L. Haarman Viola City Council negotiated with the Grand Trunk Railway during the election campaign to construct the Esplanade. A primary concern was who was obligated to pay for crossings over the rail corridor, the city, or the railway.November 21, 1855 The Grand Trunk Railway Entering the City 1108 The Globe (1844-1936) A special meeting was called on January 13, 1856, after the election but before the new City Council was sworn in to approve the contract, with the modification that the city was responsible for paying for and building any ramps or bridges over the railway tracks, instead of the Grand Trunk Railway. Despite the previous controversies, the outgoing City Council approved the contract unanimously.January 14, 1856 Special Meeting of City Council: Settlement of the Esplanade Difficulty 2 The Globe (1844-1936) Election of the Mayor After the municipal election, City Council convened on January 21, 1856, to elect a Mayor. The proceedings were well-attended, with the gallery filled with spectators eager to witness a contest between John Beverley Robinson, who represented the Family Compact and John Hutchison, supported by the city's burgeoning mercantile community.January 16, 1856 The Mayoralty 2 The Globe Alderman Dunn nominated Robinson for the position of Mayor, with the motion seconded by Councilman Davis. Alderman Dunn argued in favor of Robinson. He was the most qualified candidate and the only St. Patrick's Ward nominee not represented in the mayoral office for some time. Alderman Crooks nominated John Hutchison for Mayor, challenging Robinson's competency and criticizing him for not taking an interest in Council business when he was Alderman in 1854 and for not running for Council in 1855. Crooks also accused Robinson of arranging Councilman Moodie's absence from Council for the vote.January 22, 1856 City Council Proceedings - Election of Mayor 2 The Globe In an attempt to influence the mayoral election, Councilman Moodie, an employee of the Grand Trunk Railway and a vocal supporter of Hutchison, was dispatched by his employer to Montreal three days before the election of the Mayor by City Council, despite his objections.January 19, 1856 The Mayoralty: Infamous Conduct of the Grand Trunk Company 2 The Globe Notwithstanding the controversy, Robinson was elected Mayor by a majority of 4, with the motion carried 15 to 11. City Council Results Each ward elected 2 Aldermen and 2 Councilmen. There were ten open seats in the 1856 election, and 15 members of the City Council stood for re-election. Two incumbents lost, Angus Morrison (elected to the Provincial assembly in the summer of 1854) and William Graham.January 7, 1856 The City Election 2 The Globe (1844-1936) St. James' Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen John Harrington Elected 427 40.9% N/A RobinsonJohn Hutchison Elected 346 33.1% N/A Hutchison Hewitt Lost 272 26.0% N/A N/A Councilmen John Wilson(X) Elected 317 32.4% +2.3% Robinson John Cameron Elected 244 25.0% N/A Hutchison Thompson Lost 174 17.8% N/A N/A Mitchell Lost 158 16.2% N/A N/A A.H. St. Germain Lost 84 8.6% N/A N/A St. Andrew's Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen John Worthington Elected 279 41.9% N/A RobinsonR.P. Crooks (X) Elected 205 30.8% -4.9% HutchisonRitchey Lost 182 27.3% N/A N/A Councilmen Henry Prettie (X) Elected 276 42.9% +15.2% Robinson Henry Sproat Elected 229 35.6% N/A Robinson Charles Fisher Lost 138 21.5% +3.7% N/A St. John's Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen John Bugg (X) Elected 347 52.1% +16.3% Hutchison Richard Dempsey Elected 319 47.9% +15.8% Robinson Councilmen Robert Moodie Elected 336 46.8% +12.6% Absent Joseph Rowell (X) Elected 241 33.6% +3.6% HutchisonCarnegie Lost 141 19.6% N/A N/A St. David's Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen William Henderson (X) Elected 340 37.0% -3.2% Hutchison John George Bowes Elected 318 34.6% N/A Robinson Brooke Lost 261 28.4% N/A N/A Councilmen Adam Beatty (X) Elected 328 32.8% -10.1% Robinson John Carruthers (X) Elected 235 23.5% -13.8% Hutchison James Mallon Lost 221 22.1% N/A N/A William Ramsey Lost 215 21.5% N/A N/A St. Lawrence Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen Alexander Manning Elected 204 39.1% +12.0% Hutchison William Strachan Elected 180 34.5% N/A Hutchison D.K. Feehan Lost 138 26.4% N/A N/A Councilmen William Davis Elected 199 36.2% N/A Robinson William Murphy (X) Elected 176 32.0% -5.7% Robinson Ernest Lost 175 31.9% N/A N/A St. George's Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen John Duggan (X) Elected 172 42.1% -5.5% Hutchison G.A. Philpotts(X) Elected 122 29.8% -5.9% Robinson Brunel Lost 115 28.1% N/A N/A Councilmen Geo. Neeting Elected 127 35.4% N/A Hutchison Edward Wright (X) Elected 131 36.5% +5% Absent James Myers Lost 101 28.1% +4.4% N/A St. Patrick's Ward Position Candidate Votes % ± Vote for Mayor Aldermen John Beverley Robinson Elected 279 47.3% Candidate Johnathan Dunn (X) Elected 171 29.0% -21.7% Robinson Adam Wilson (X) Lost 140 23.7% -25.6% N/A Councilmen T. Shortis Elected 231 40.4% N/A Robinson Theophilus Earls (X) Elected 206 36.0% -6.9% Robinson Reeves Lost 135 23.6% N/A N/A References 1856 Category:1856 in Canada West Category:19th century in Toronto