Brown, George

(1818-1880)

   B His place as a Maker of Canada, ix; complains that Upper Canada is inadequately represented and dominated by Lower Canada, ix; an ardent advocate of Confederation, x; relations with John A. Macdonald, x; and with Roman Catholic Church, x; his birth and parentage, 1; character, 1; lifelong opposition to slavery, xi, 1-2; views on Presbyterian Church government, 2; emigrates to America, 2; establishes the British Chronicle at New York, with his father, 4; comes to Canada, 1843, 4, 5; described by Samuel Thompson, 4-5; establishes the Banner at Toronto with his father, 5-6; character of the Banner, 5-7; begins fight for responsible government, 9-10; establishes the Globe, 1844, 20; its objects, 20-21; speech before Toronto Reform Association, 1844, 21-22; refuses to drink toast to Metcalfe, 27-28; presents address to Elgin, 36; his quarrel with the Clear Grits, 40; defeated in Haldimand by W. L. Mackenzie, 40; defines political situation in 1850, 42-43; his reply to Cardinal Wiseman's pastoral letter, 44-45; his political principles, 46-47; takes issue with Hincks's government, 48-49; advocates secularization of Clergy Reserves, 55-57; runs for Kent--his platform, 61; advocates free schools, 62; views on higher education, 62-64; his election for Kent, 64; arouses French-Canadian hostility, 65; attacks Hincks-Morin government, 66-67; increasing power in the Legislature, 69; prodigious industry and capacity for work, 69; attitude towards Lower Canada and Roman Catholic institutions, 70; advocates representation by population, 71; becomes the mouthpiece of Nonconformist sentiment in Upper Canada, 71; tribute of the Cobourg Star, 72-73; pen-picture by James Young, 73-74; growth of the Globe--its declaration of principles, 74-75; in favour of prohibition, 75,76; defeats Malcolm Cameron in Lambton, 77; the alliance with the Rouges, 78-79; his friendship with Dorion, 80-81; presses for representation by population, 84; attacked by Macdonald, 87-91; his interest in prison reform, 91-93; personal charges disproved, 93-97; elected for Toronto, 1857, 99; carries a motion disapproving of selection of Ottawa as capital, 100; government defeated and he forms administration, 101-102; relations with Sir Edmund Head, 103-104; defeated on question of dissolution, 106; the "Double Shuffle," 106-108; his fight against negro slavery, 112-119; relations with Roman Catholics, 121-128; opposes denominational schools, 121-123; and clerical control, 123-128; views on Confederation, 130-132; 137-138; his temporary retirement from public life, 139, 141; defeated in East Toronto, 141; opposes "double majority," 143; sails for England, 1862; interview with Duke of Newcastle, 143; marries Anne Nelson, 144; reception in Toronto on his return, 144; assails Separate School Bill in the Globe, 145; accepts Act of 1863 as a final settlement, 145, 146; his letters on the political crisis, 1864, 150; proposes a federation system of government either for Canada alone, or for all the British North American provinces, 150; the negotiations looking towards Confederation, 151-161; opposes an elective Senate, 164-165; well satisfied with the results of the Quebec Conference, 165-166; convert to Intercolonial Railway scheme, 166; explains the new constitution in Toronto, 166-167; writes Macdonald from England on favourable reception of the Confederation scheme, and deplores almost universal sentiment in England in favour of Canadian independence, 167; his speech in Parliament on Confederation, 171-175; writes of need of haste in putting through Confederation, 182; opposes submission of Confederation scheme to the people, 185; Macdonald's negotiations with, as to formation of new administration, 189-191; accepts Belleau as premier, 191; his interest in reciprocity, 192; differences with his colleagues on reciprocity terms lead to his resignation from Cabinet, 193-197; his connection with Confederation, 199-209; Holton's appeal to, 201; his interest in the North-West Territories and their acquisition by Canada, 211-221; his connection with the Reciprocity Treaty of 1874, 223-233; attacks protectionist budget, 233; hostile to Canada First party, 237-238, 239, 241; his family relations, 243-244; death of his wife, May 6, 1906, 244; his children, 244; writes Holton as to his retirement from public life, 245-246; defines his attitude as a journalist, 246-247; relations with Liberal leaders after his retirement, 247-248; farming on his Bow Park estate near Brantford, 248; appointment to the Senate, December, 1873, 248; the Simpson libel suit, 249-250; attacks Judge Wilson in the Globe, 250-252; sued for contempt of court, 252; his defence, 253; shot by George Bennett, 255-256; his death, May 10, 1880, 258; estimate of his character and public life, 258-265; as a journalist, 265. C Cauchon's antagonism, 24; relations with Quebec Liberals, 28; his policy of representation by population, 28; fights for Protestant and English supremacy, 28; Cartier takes strong stand against his aggressiveness, 68; comes into power with the Reformers, 99. E Arrives in Canada and enters journalism, 111; attacks French-Canadians, 112, 113-114, 137, 225; becomes leader of the Clear Grits, 112; enters Parliament, 113; his influence there, 114; urges representation by population, 117-118; attacks Hincks, 125, 140; distrusted by Liberals, 138; his warm support of Confederation, 225. R Opposes Sir Charles Metcalfe, 126; opposes separate schools, 224, 225-226; conflict with Ryerson over separate schools, 233. BL His speech before Reform Association, Toronto, 1844, 223-224, 225; establishes Globe, March 5, 1844, 223-224; his relations to the Reformers and the Clear Grits, 224, 342; attacks Roman Catholicism, 343. T Makes overtures to government, looking towards Confederation. 69; at Charlottetown Conference, 74, 75; delegate to Quebec Conference, 76; opposes coalition government, 128. Mc Defeated by W. L. Mackenzie, 486; relations with Mackenzie, 487; Haldimand election, 488; Alexander Mackenzie's good offices, 496. Md Macdonald's great antagonist in Canadian public life, 51; pre-eminent as a reformer, 52; comes to Canada from Scotland in 1844, 52; founds the Globe, 52; his character, 52-53; contrasted with Macdonald, 53-54; first opposes Clear Grits, then becomes their leader, 54; attacks racial and religious ideals of Quebec, 54-55; question of Clergy Reserves, 55; his solution of representation by population, 71-72; opposes proposal for elective Legislative Council, 75; his quarrel with Macdonald, 80-81; opposes separate school system, 82; forms ministry with Dorion--the "Short administration," 85; its defeat, 86; his influence declining, 89; opposes Sandfield-Macdonald-Sicotte ministry, 89; they join forces, 89; proposes coalition to further Confederation, 92-93; enters Taché ministry, 102; quarrel with Macdonald patched up, for the time, 102; delegate to England in regard to Confederation, defence, reciprocity, etc., 120-121; his entrance into coalition ministry largely due to Lord Monck, 121; resigns from Cabinet, 123; supports Confederation, but resumes old hostility to Macdonald, 123; attempts to break up coalition, 136-137; appointed to Senate by Mackenzie, 138.

   Bib.: Taylor, Brit. Am.; Dent, Can. Por. and Last Forty Years; Mackenzie, Life and Speeches of the Hon. George Brown.