1869 Newfoundland general election

Election in the Colony of Newfoundland September 2023 1869 Newfoundland general election parliamentary no no File:Flag of Newfoundland (1862–1870).svg 1865 Newfoundland general election 1865 outgoing members November 13, 1869 members 1873 Newfoundland general election 1873 30 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly 16 170x170px EABB94 Charles Fox Bennett 1869 Anti-Confederation Placentia and St. Mary'sNot the incumbent, but stood in this district and won. 8"Opposition" As the Opposition Party 21"Renouf" This figure includes Henry Renouf's double election in the districts of Placentia and St. Mary's and St. John's West. 13 11,289"VoteTotals" 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. 80.77% 36.19%"Incomplete" Based on incomplete figures from the previous election 170x170px 006699 Frederick Carter 1865 Conservative Burin 22 9 13 2,688"VoteTotals" 19.23% 36.19%"Incomplete" 400px Premier Frederick Carter Conservative Charles Fox Bennett Premier after election Anti-Confederation no 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. 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. Henry Renouf ran in both St. John's West and Placentia and St. Mary's. After this election, no person ran in more than one seat until the 2025 Newfoundland and Labrador general election.Coffin Not First Candidate to Run in Two Separate Districts https://vocm.com/2025/09/23/coffin-not-first-candidate-to-run-in-two-separate-districts/ VOCM Stingray Group 24 September 2025 23 September 2025Kilfoy Cameron Why former NDP leader Alison Coffin is running for two seats as an independent in NL provincial election https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/alison-coffin-seeks-two-seats-nl-election The Telegram Postmedia Network 24 September 2025 24 September 2025 Results  Party Leader 1865CandidatesSeats wonSeat change% of seats(% change)Popular vote"VoteTotals"% of vote(% change) NL Anti-Confederation rowAnti-ConfederationCharles Fox Bennett8As the Opposition Party2821"Renouf"1370.00%(43.33%)11,28980.77%(36.19%) NL Conservative (historical) rowConservative (Confederation)Frederick Carter222091330.00%(43.33%)2,68819.23%(36.19%)Totals304830100%13,977Given 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.100% Results by district Names in boldface type represent party leaders. † indicates that the incumbent did not run again. ‡ indicates that the incumbent ran in a different district. St. John's NL Conservative (historical) Anti-Confederation |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|St. John's East |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3|W. T. Parsons4129.45% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |William Walsh1,32730.42% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Kavanagh† |- |NL Anti-Confederation background| |James Jordan1,32530.38% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Kent† |- |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Robert Parsons Sr.1,29829.76% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Robert Parsons Sr. |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|St. John's West | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Peter BrennanWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Peter Brennan |- | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas TalbotWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas Talbot |- | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Henry RenoufAs 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.Won by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Henry Renouf |- |} Conception Bay NL Conservative (historical) Anti-Confederation |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Bay de Verde |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John BemisterMajority of 400 votesResponding to the Courier https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/nfldexpress/id/12447/rec/10 8 June 2025 Newfoundland Express 20 November 1869 | |Robert ReaderAt least 29 votesResponding to the Courier https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/nfldexpress/id/12468/rec/14 8 June 2025 Newfoundland Express 30 November 1869 |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Bemister |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Carbonear"NoReturns" Returns are not available for this district. |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Rorke | |Francis Taylor |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Rorke |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Harbour Grace"NoReturns" |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Munn | |James Prendergast |NL Vacant background| |VacantJohn 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. |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William Green | |Robert DaweNomination Day https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/morncourier/id/13046/rec/1 8 June 2025 Morning Courier 10 November 1869 |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William Green |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Harbour Main | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Joseph LittleWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Joseph Little |- | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |John KennedyWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |George Hogsett† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Port de Grave | |Robert Pinsent10112.11% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |James Woods73387.89% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Robert Pinsent |- |} Avalon Peninsula NL Conservative (historical) Anti-Confederation |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Ferryland | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas GlenWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas Glen |- | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas BattcockWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Michael Kearney† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Placentia and St. Mary's | |Thomas O'Reilly1033.54% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Charles Fox Bennett88230.34% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Ambrose Shea |- | |Ambrose Shea1003.44% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Henry Renouf87230.00% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Pierce Barron |- | |Pierce Barron903.10% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Robert Parsons Jr.86029.58% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Thomas O'Reilly |} Eastern and Central Newfoundland NL Conservative (historical) Anti-Confederation |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Bonavista Bay | |John Warren53914.99% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |James Noonan69719.39% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Warren |- | |John Burton53714.94% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Francis Winton65718.28% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Burton |- | |Michael Carroll51514.33% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |William Barnes65018.08% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Oakley† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Trinity Bay"NoReturns" |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Stephen Rendell |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Robert AlsopWon by 22 votesSenior Elinor Alsop, Robert 10 https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/alsop_robert_10E.html 2026-03-02 |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Stephen Rendell |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Thomas H. Ridley |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Stephen March |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Robert Alsop |- | |Ellis Watson |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Frederick Wyatt† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Twillingate and Fogo | |William Whiteway2088.74% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Smith McKay1,06344.68% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William Whiteway |- | |Thomas Knight833.49% |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Charles Duder1,02543.09% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Thomas Knight |} Southern Newfoundland NL Conservative (historical) Anti-Confederation |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Burgeo and LaPoile |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Prescott EmersonWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |D. W. Prowse† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Burin 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. |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Frederick CarterMajority of 2 or 3 votes | |Henry LeMessurierThe Burin Election https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/nfldexpress/id/12452/rec/11 8 June 2025 Newfoundland Express 23 November 1869 |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Frederick Carter |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Edward EvansMajority of 2 or 3 votes | |John Woods |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Edward Evans |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fortune Bay | | |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas BennettWon by acclamation |NL Anti-Confederation background| |Thomas Bennett |} Notes References Further reading Blake, Raymond B. “Newfoundland and Canada: Confederation and the Search for Stability.” in Reconsidering Confederation: Canada’s Founding Debates, 1864-1999, edited by Daniel Heidt, (U of Calgary Press, 2018), pp. 237–62. online Blake, Raymond B., and Melvin Baker, Where Once They Stood: Newfoundland's Rocky Road to Confederation (U of Regina Press, 2019) ch. 1. Cadigan, Sean. Newfoundland and Labrador: A History (2009) pp. 131–136. Hiller James K. 1997 The Confederation Election of 1869 https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/election-confederation-1869.php Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador 8 June 2025 Killer, James. “Confederation Defeated: The Newfoundland Election of 1869.” in Newfoundland in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: Essays in Interpretation, edited by James Killer and Peter Neary, (University of Toronto Press, 1980, pp). 67–94 online Mayo, H. B. “Newfoundland and Confederation in the Eighteen-Sixties,” Canadian Historical Review 29#2 (1948): 125–42. online Riggs Bert 1981 General Election #10: November 13, 1869 https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/cns_enl/id/82 Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, volume 1 St. John's Harry Cuff Publications Ltd. 8 June 2025 "The Debate: Confederation Rejected, 1864–1869" Heritage Newfoundland & Labrador (1997) online with attached video 1869 Category:1869 elections in North America Category:1869 elections in Canada Category:Pre-Confederation Newfoundland Category:1869 in North America Category:1869 in the British Empire Category:19th century in Newfoundland Category:November 1869 in North America