Macdonald, John Sandfield

(1812-1872)

   Born in St. Raphaels, Glengarry. In 1840 called to the bar, and practised in Cornwall. In 1841 elected to the Parliament of the recently united provinces of Upper and Lower Canada; and in 1849 solicitor-general in the La Fontaine-Baldwin government. In 1852-1854 Speaker; and attorney-general in the brief Brown-Dorion ministry; premier in 1862, and resigned, 1864. Formed the first government of the Province of Ontario, 1867; defeated in the House and resigned, 1871.

   Index: E Returned in elections of 1848, 50; his discourtesy to Lord Elgin, 127-131; Hincks succeeds in humiliating him, 135-136. B Offered seat in Cabinet by John A. Macdonald, 100; enters George Brown's ministry, 102; called on to form government, 1861, 142; an enthusiastic advocate of the "double majority," 142; in Confederation debate, 182-183; asks Brown to go on mission to Washington to discuss reciprocity, 192, 196. Md Upholds principle of "double majority," but later throws it overboard, 79; separate schools established by his administration, 1862-1863, 82; refuses John A. Macdonald's offer of a seat in the Cabinet, 1858, 84, 85; leads the moderate "Reformers," 84-89; forms ministry with Sicotte, 1862, 88-89; government defeated same year on vote of want of confidence, 89; refuses to resign, and reconstructs government by joining forces with Brown, Dorion, and the Rouges, 89; resigns, March, 1864, 90; objects to passing of resolutions adopted at Quebec Conference without submitting them to the people, 119; becomes leader of provincial government in Ontario at Confederation, 141; his character, 141-142. T Resigns in 1864, 68.

   Bib.: Dent, Can. Por. and Last Forty Years; Taylor, Brit. Am.