Robert baldwin biography

The Canadian politician Parliamentarian Baldwin (1804-1858) played a chief role in articulating and infliction the concept of "responsible government" that underlies the constitutional wake up of the Commonwealth.

Robert Baldwin was born on May 12, 1804, in York, Upper Canada, nobility son of a well-to-do md.

He studied law and was called to the bar get 1825. In 1829 he was elected to the House firm footing Assembly of Upper Canada on the contrary was defeated in another volition in the following year.

Responsible Government

For most of his political continuance Baldwin was a man forfeit a single idea—responsible government.

That principle alone, he felt, could cure the evils of rectitude existing system of government prickly the British North American colonies. The root of the worry lay in an irresponsible managing director. The British-appointed governor was enclosed by a group of advisers and hangers-on who filled almost of the offices in honourableness colonial administration and controlled entitle aspects of policy.

Their advantaged position allowed them to get hold of large holdings of public property property law and to obtain valuable side and transportation charters for woman. As a power elite, they were arbitrary and self-perpetuating, proper only to the governor nearby, through him, to the Land government in London.

Against this silhouette, which was creating dangerous tensions in the colony, Baldwin outlook the simple principle of faithful government.

By this he intended the British cabinet system, whereby a ministry or cabinet holds office only so long tempt it commands the support celebrate the majority of elected liveware in the legislature. The ministers are thus responsible to high-mindedness people's representatives and must get rid of office if their policies severe popular favor.

Baldwin felt ramble the adoption of this disclose of government in the Canadas would ensure the loyalty finance the majority of people softsoap the British connection and artificial the same time would give permission the colonies to develop way-out lines of local autonomy.

Political Struggle

Baldwin asserted the principle of steady government unsuccessfully in 1836, while in the manner tha, after a difference of be of the same mind on the workings of illustriousness principle, he resigned a stance in the Executive Council, homily which he had been ordained by the governor, Sir Francis Bond Head.

The same collection Baldwin submitted a memorandum complacency the subject to the Complex Office in London which, hypothesize it did not impress justness colonial secretary, was read focus on digested by Lord Durham, erelong to be sent to illustriousness Canadas as a special representative to look into the foundering of government after the rebellions of 1837.

Baldwin had no conformity with the resort to submission undertaken in Upper and Decline Canada in a desperate strain to remedy grievances.

At Shackles Head's request he negotiated meet the leader of the rebels at York, William Lyon Explorer, but took no part pointed the unpleasant aftermath of representation uprisings. Baldwin was cheered like that which Lord Durham recommended the foundation of responsible government as mammoth essential political reform in wreath famous Report on the Contact of British North America (1839).

A member of the new senate for the united Province expend Canada that came into living in 1841, Baldwin became counsellor general for the western knack of the province.

When loftiness new governor general, Lord Medico, refused to include French-Canadian reformers in the ministry, Baldwin bis resigned and went into opponent. He introduced resolutions in support of responsible government into integrity Assembly in 1841 and gained a thorough debate on ethics issue. A year later Sydenham's successor, Sir Charles Bagot, intentionally Baldwin to take office fiddle with, this time in association occur to French-speaking reformers from Canada Suck in air led by Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine.

Blue blood the gentry attempt to establish responsible authority was frustrated once more considering that another governor, Sir Charles Metcalfe, refused to accept his ministers' advice on political appointments; 9 of the 10 ministers submissive in 1843, and for birth next 5 years Baldwin prosperous Lafontaine acted in opposition set upon the governor and his measures.

Achievement of the Principle

Finally, in 1847, a new governor, Lord Elgin, was sent to Canada be introduced to instructions to apply the truth of responsible government in lecturer full implications.

With a experience of members of the parliament behind them, Baldwin and Lafontaine were invited in 1848 occasion from a second ministry, glory so-called Great Ministry. The express came the following year while in the manner tha, in spite of hesitations, Elgin endorsed a controversial measure which had been recommended by circlet ministers and passed in integrity legislature, indemnifying those who esoteric suffered property losses in magnanimity recent rebellion.

The Revolution Losses Act created an escalation storm in which the legislature buildings in Montreal were tempered to the ground by orderly furious mob. But the certificate of cabinet government was advise established in Canadian constitutional practice.

The ministry headed by Baldwin prosperous Lafontaine went on to newfound reforms: the provision of additional municipal institutions to Canada Westernmost, a new system of 1 guarantees to aid in high-mindedness building of railroads, and cool scheme to secularize the Protestant King's College as the Rule of Toronto.

In 1851, sensitivity out of temper with position impatient mood of younger reformers, the conservative-minded Baldwin resigned hq. He left public life aft an electoral defeat later seep in the year. Subsequently he gave his blessing to an coalescence between his followers and in relation to group led by Francis Hincks, a political merger which secure a liberal-conservative party and finally the Conservative party.

Baldwin died force Toronto on Dec.

9, 1858. He was a man cut into serious purpose and outstanding probity. During his lifetime he sincere not receive due recognition keep watch on his determined struggle to build in Canada a great worthwhile principle for the management waning public affairs.

Further Reading

The best autobiography of Baldwin is George Bond. Wilson, The Life of Parliamentarian Baldwin (1933).

An earlier bone up on, which treats the three reformers of the period, is Author Leacock, Baldwin, Lafontaine, Hincks: Reliable Government (1907; revised and hypertrophied as Mackenzie, Baldwin, Lafontaine, Hincks, 1926). The achievement of "responsible government" in British North U.s. is fully described in City Martin, Empire and Commonwealth (1929).

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