Albert James Smith
The Honourable Sir Albert James Smith | |
---|---|
![]() Hon. Sir Albert James Smith, April 1868 | |
Attorney General of Canada (Acting) | |
In office June 1, 1874 – July 7, 1874 | |
Preceded by | Antoine-Aimé Dorion |
Succeeded by | Télesphore Fournier |
Premier of the Colony of New Brunswick | |
In office September 21, 1865 – April 14, 1866 | |
Preceded by | Samuel Leonard Tilley |
Succeeded by | Peter Mitchell |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Westmorland | |
In office 1867–1882 | |
Succeeded by | Josiah Wood |
Personal details | |
Born | (1822-03-12)March 12, 1822 Shediac, New Brunswick |
Died | June 30, 1883(1883-06-30) (aged 61) Dorchester, New Brunswick |
Resting place | Dorchester Rural Cemetery |
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse | Sarah Marie Young (m. 1868) |
Children | one son (d. 30 June 1883) |
Sir Albert James Smith KCMG PC QC (March 12, 1822 – June 30, 1883) was a New Brunswick politician and opponent of Canadian confederation. Smith's grandfather was a United Empire Loyalist who left Massachusetts to settle in New Brunswick after the American Revolution.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/AJSmithHouse.jpg/240px-AJSmithHouse.jpg)
Smith entered politics in 1852 entering the House of Assembly as an opponent of the Tory compact that ran the colony and became a leading reform and advocate of responsible government which was granted to the colony in 1854. Smith became a member of the reform government that took power that year and went on to become Attorney-General in 1861 under Premier Samuel Leonard Tilley. Smith split with Tilley over railway policy and Canadian confederation with Smith becoming leader of the Anti-Confederates winning the 1865 election but was forced from office the next year by the lieutenant-governor.
He was created a Queen's Counsel in 1862.
Smith reconciled with Confederation after it became a fact and became minister of fisheries in the Liberal government of Alexander Mackenzie in 1873. He died in 1883, and was interred in Dorchester Rural Cemetery.
Electoral record
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
Liberal | Albert James Smith | 2,207 | 82.9 | |||||
Conservative | Israël Landry | 454 | 17.1 |
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Albert Smith | acclaimed | ||||||
Source: Canadian Elections Database[1] |
By-election: on Mr. Smith being appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries:
By-election on 7 November 1873 | |||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Albert James Smith | acclaimed |
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Albert James Smith | acclaimed |
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Liberal | Albert James Smith | 2,572 | 57.2 | |||||
Unknown | R.A. Chapman | 1,928 | 42.8 |
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
Conservative | Josiah Wood | 2,620 | 54.5 | +11.7 | ||||
Liberal | Albert James Smith | 2,188 | 45.5 | -11.7 |
Further reading
- J. E. Belliveau, 1976, The Splendid Life of Albert Smith and the Women he Left Behind, Windsor, NS: Lancelot Press
References
- "Albert James Smith". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
- Albert James Smith – Parliament of Canada biography
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Peter Mitchell (politician) | Minister of Marine and Fisheries 1873–1878 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Minister of Justice 1874 | Succeeded by |
- ^ Sayers, Anthony M. "1872 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024.