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1869 Newfoundland general election
Election in Canada
Election in Canada
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| election_name | 1869 Newfoundland general election | |
| type | parliamentary | |
| party_colour | no | |
| party_name | no | |
| flag_image | File:Flag of Newfoundland (1862–1870).svg | |
| previous_election | 1865 Newfoundland general election | |
| previous_year | 1865 | |
| previous_mps | [outgoing members](9th-general-assembly-of-newfoundland-members-of-the-assembly) | |
| election_date | November 13, 1869 | |
| elected_mps | [members](10th-general-assembly-of-newfoundland-members-of-the-assembly) | |
| next_election | 1873 Newfoundland general election | |
| next_year | 1873 | |
| seats_for_election | 30 seats of the Newfoundland House of Assembly | |
| majority_seats | 16 | |
| image1 | [[File:Charles Fox Bennett.jpg | 170x170px]] |
| colour1 | EABB94 | |
| leader1 | Charles Fox Bennett | |
| leader_since1 | 1869 | |
| party1 | Anti-Confederation | |
| leaders_seat1 | Placentia and St. Mary's | |
| last_election1 | 8 | |
| seats1 | **21** | |
| seat_change1 | 13 | |
| popular_vote1 | **11,289** | |
| percentage1 | **80.77%** | |
| swing1 | 36.19% | |
| image2 | [[File:FrederickCarter (cropped).jpg | 170x170px]] |
| colour2 | 006699 | |
| leader2 | Frederick Carter | |
| leader_since2 | 1865 | |
| party2 | Conservative | |
| leaders_seat2 | Burin | |
| last_election2 | 22 | |
| seats2 | 9 | |
| seat_change2 | 13 | |
| popular_vote2 | 2,688 | |
| percentage2 | 19.23% | |
| swing2 | 36.19% | |
| map_size | 400px | |
| title | Premier | |
| before_election | Frederick Carter | |
| before_party | Conservative | |
| after_election | Charles Fox Bennett | |
| posttitle | Premier after election | |
| after_party | Anti-Confederation | |
| ongoing | 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.
Results
| Party | Leader | [1865](1865-newfoundland-general-election) | Candidates | Seats won | Seat change | % of seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (% change) | Popular vote | % of vote | |||||
| (% change) | Totals | 30 | 48 | 30 | 100% | 13,977 | 100% |
| Anti-Confederation | Charles Fox Bennett | 8 | 28 | 21 | 13 | 70.00% | |
| (43.33%) | 11,289 | 80.77% | |||||
| (36.19%) | Conservative | ||||||
| (Confederation) | Frederick Carter | 22 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 30.00% | |
| (43.33%) | 2,688 |
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
|- || |William Walsh 1,327 30.42% 412 9.45% ||
| John Kavanagh† |
|---|
| James Jordan |
| 1,325 |
| 30.38% |
| John Kent† |
| - |
| Robert Parsons Sr. |
| 1,298 |
| 29.76% |
| Robert Parsons Sr. |
| - |
| Peter Brennan |
| Won by acclamation |
| | ||
| Peter Brennan |
|---|
| Thomas Talbot |
| Won by acclamation |
| | ||
| Thomas Talbot |
|---|
| Henry Renouf |
| Won by acclamation |
| | ||
| Henry Renouf |
|---|
| } |
Conception Bay
|- | |Robert Reader At least 29 votes || |John Bemister Majority of 400 votes ||
| John Bemister |
|---|
| |Francis Taylor || |John Rorke ||
| John Rorke |
|---|
| |James Prendergast || |John Munn ||
| Vacant |
|---|
| |Robert Dawe || |William Green ||
| William Green |
|---|
| Joseph Little |
| Won by acclamation |
| | ||
| Joseph Little |
|---|
| John Kennedy |
| Won by acclamation |
| | ||
| Charles Furey† |
|---|
| James Woods |
| 733 |
| 87.89% |
| |Robert Pinsent 101 12.11% ||
| Robert Pinsent |
|---|
| } |
Avalon Peninsula
|- || |Thomas Glen Won by acclamation | | ||
| Thomas Glen |
|---|
| Thomas Battcock |
| Won by acclamation |
| | ||
| Michael Kearney† |
|---|
| Charles Fox Bennett |
| 882 |
| 30.34% |
| |Thomas O'Reilly 103 3.54% ||
| Ambrose Shea |
|---|
| Henry Renouf |
| 872 |
| 30.00% |
| |Ambrose Shea 100 3.44% ||
| Pierce Barron |
|---|
| Robert Parsons Jr. |
| 860 |
| 29.58% |
| |Pierce Barron 90 3.10% || |Thomas O'Reilly |}
Eastern and Central Newfoundland
|- || |James Noonan 697 19.39% | |John Warren 539 14.99% ||
| John Warren |
|---|
| Francis Winton |
| 657 |
| 18.28% |
| |John Burton 537 14.94% ||
| John Burton |
|---|
| William Barnes |
| 650 |
| 18.08% |
| |Michael Carroll 515 14.33% ||
| John Oakley† |
|---|
| Robert Alsop |
| Stephen Rendell |
| Stephen Rendell |
| - |
| Thomas H. Ridley |
| Robert Alsop |
| - |
| |Ellis Watson ||
| Frederick Wyatt† |
|---|
| Smith McKay |
| 1,063 |
| 44.68% |
| |William Whiteway 208 8.74% ||
| William Whiteway |
|---|
| Charles Duder |
| 1,025 |
| 43.09% |
| |Thomas Knight 83 3.49% || |Thomas Knight |}
Southern Newfoundland
|- | | || |Prescott Emerson Won by acclamation ||
| D. W. Prowse† |
|---|
| |Henry LeMessurier || |Frederick Carter Majority of 2 or 3 votes ||
| Frederick Carter |
|---|
| |John Woods || |Edward Evans Majority of 2 or 3 votes ||
| Edward Evans |
|---|
| Thomas Bennett |
| Won by acclamation |
| | || |Thomas Bennett |}
Notes
References
References
- (23 September 2025). "Coffin Not First Candidate to Run in Two Separate Districts". [[Stingray Group]].
- (24 September 2025). "Why former NDP leader Alison Coffin is running for two seats as an independent in NL provincial election". [[Postmedia Network]].
- (30 November 1869). "Responding to the Courier". Newfoundland Express.
- (20 November 1869). "Responding to the Courier". Newfoundland Express.
- (10 November 1869). "Nomination Day". Morning Courier.
- (23 November 1869). "The Burin Election". Newfoundland Express.
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