1878 Newfoundland general election

Election in the Colony of Newfoundland September 2023 1878 Newfoundland general election Colony of Newfoundland Flag of Newfoundland (1870–1904).svg parliamentary no no 1874 Newfoundland general election 1874 Outgoing members November 9, 1878 Elected members 1882 Newfoundland general election 1882 31 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly 16 x160px 006699 William Whiteway 1878 Conservative Trinity Bay 18 21 3 7,813"VoteTotals" 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. 55.86% 0.72% James Gervé Conroy and Elizabeth Catherine Theresa Mary Ó Néill.jpg 400 60 160 155 260 Robert John Pinsent.png 200 60 160 0 65 E62020 James Conroy and Robert Pinsent 1878 / 1878 Opposition Ferryland / Ran in Burin (lost) 13"Opposition" As the Anti-Confederation Party 10 3 6,174"VoteTotals" 44.14% 0.14% Premier William Whiteway Conservative William Whiteway Premier after election Conservative No 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. Results  Party Leader(s) 1874CandidatesSeats wonSeat change% of seats(% change)Popular vote"VoteTotals"% of vote(% change) NL Conservative (historical) rowConservativeWilliam Whiteway182621367.74%(9.68%)7,81355.86%(0.72%) NL Liberal (historical) rowOppositionJames Conroy and Robert Pinsent13"Opposition"1510332.26%(9.68%)6,17444.14%(0.14%)Totals314131100%13,987Given 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.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) Liberal (historical) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|St. John's East |rowspan=3 NL Conservative (historical) background| |rowspan=3|Robert Parsons Jr.To the Free and Independent Electors of the Eastern Division of the District of St. John's https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/timesgeneral/id/20076/rec/5 4 June 2025 The Times and General Commercial Gazette 26 October 18781,01424.36% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Michael O'Mara1,11426.77% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Robert Kent |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Robert Kent1,10926.65% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Robert Parsons Sr.† |- | |John Dearin92522.22% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |John Dearin |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|St. John's West | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Lewis TessierWon by acclamation |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Lewis Tessier |- | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Patrick ScottWon by acclamation |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Maurice Fenelon |- | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Maurice FenelonWon by acclamation |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Patrick Scott |} Conception Bay NL Conservative (historical) Liberal (historical) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Bay de Verde |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Alfred PenneyWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Rogerson‡(ran in Burin) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Carbonear |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John RorkeMajority of over 200 votesThe Elections https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/mchronicle/id/18914/rec/6 4 June 2025 Morning Chronicle 12 November 1878 | |Francis Taylor |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Rorke |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Harbour Grace |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Ambrose Shea77733.40% |rowspan=2 NL Liberal (historical) background| |rowspan=2|Charles DaweFrom the Courier of Saturday https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/morncourier/id/14610/rec/1 4 June 2025 Morning Courier 30 October 187882335.38% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Ambrose Shea |- | |Joseph Godden72631.21% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Joseph Godden |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Harbour MainReturns are not available for this district. |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Charles FureyNomination Day https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/hgstandard/id/7017/rec/1 4 June 2025 Harbour Grace Standard 9 November 1878 |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Joseph Little |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Joseph Little |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Patrick Nowlan |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Patrick Nowlan |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Port de Grave |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Nathan NormanMajority of 153 votes |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2 NL Conservative (historical) background| |rowspan=2|Nathaniel Rabbitts |- | |Nathaniel Rabbitts |} Avalon Peninsula NL Conservative (historical) Liberal (historical) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|Ferryland |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2|Richard RaftusFrom the Newfoundlander, Nov. 1 https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/mchronicle/id/18894/rec/1 4 June 2025 Morning Chronicle 2 November 187833621.98% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |James Conroy60239.37% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Richard Raftus |- |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Daniel Greene59138.65% |NL Liberal (historical) background| |James Conroy |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Placentia and St. Mary's |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William DonnellyWon by acclamation | | |NL Liberal (historical) background| |Charles Bennett† |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James CollinsWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Collins |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Michael DwyerWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Michael Dwyer |} Eastern and Central Newfoundland NL Conservative (historical) Other |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Bonavista Bay |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Francis Winton1,12933.06% |rowspan=3 NL Conservative (historical) background| |rowspan=3|James Saint (Wesleyan Conservative)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.Nomination Day https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/publicledger/id/25173/rec/1 4 June 2025 Public Ledger 5 November 187862918.42% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Warren |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |George Skelton1,07131.36% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Charles Bowring† |- | |John Warren58617.16% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |A. J. W. McNeilly‡(ran in Twillingate and Fogo) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Trinity Bay |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William WhitewayWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William Whiteway |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James WatsonWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John Steer† |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |John RendellWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Watson |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=3|Twillingate and Fogo |NL Conservative (historical) background| |A. J. W. McNeillyWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Frederick Carter† |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Stanley CarterWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Charles Duder† |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Richard RiceWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |William Kelligrew† |} Southern Newfoundland NL Conservative (historical) Liberal (historical) |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Burgeo and LaPoile |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Alexander MackayWon by acclamation | | |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Prescott Emerson† |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke rowspan=2|BurinBurin Election https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/morncourier/id/14621/rec/1 4 June 2025 Morning Courier 16 November 1878 |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Winter49726.79% | |Robert Pinsent43823.61% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Charles Ayre† |- |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Rogerson48826.31% | |George Bishop43223.29% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Winter |- |bgcolor=whitesmoke|Fortune BayLocal and Other Items https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/hgstandard/id/5531/rec/3 4 June 2025 Harbour Grace Standard 30 November 1878 |NL Conservative (historical) background| |James Fraser~ 560~ 80.00% | |William Wood~ 140~ 20.00% |NL Conservative (historical) background| |Robert Alexander† |} Notes References Further reading http://www.canadiana.org/view/32953/401/650/0 The Canadian parliamentary companion and annual register, 1879 1879 Mackintosh Charles H Charles H. Mackintosh 399–400 2009-10-28 Riggs Bert 1981 General Election #13: November 4, 1878 (sic) https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/cns_enl/id/86 Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, volume 1 St. John's Harry Cuff Publications Ltd. 4 June 2025 1878 Category:1878 elections in North America Category:1878 elections in Canada Category:Pre-Confederation Newfoundland Category:1878 in North America Category:1878 in the British Empire Category:19th century in Newfoundland