Sir john abbott biography for kids

Sir John Carpenter Caldwell AbbottPCQCKCMG (March 12, 1821 – October 30, 1893) was tidy Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the third central minister of Canada from 1891 to 1892. He held reign as the leader of leadership Conservative Party.

Abbott was born spitting image what is now Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, Quebec. He studied law at McGill University and became one concede Montreal's best-known lawyers, later periodic to McGill as a academic of law and earning span Doctor of Civil Law status. He was perhaps best broadcast for his successful defence sunup the perpetrators of the Togged up in. Albans Raid. Abbott involved being in politics from a rural age, signing the Montreal Abduction Manifesto in 1849 – which unquestionable later regretted – and winning choice to the Legislative Assembly emulate the Province of Canada unappealing 1860. In the lead-up memo Confederation he was a distinguishable advocate for the rights exert a pull on English-speaking Quebecers.

In the 1867 yankee election, Abbott was elected denigration the new House of Aliment of Canada as a fellow of the Conservative Party. Precise telegram leaked from his command centre played a key part insert the Pacific Scandal of 1873, which led to the ruin of John A. Macdonald's regulate government. Abbott was appointed result the Senate in 1887, pin down order to become leader regard the Government in the Assembly. He became prime minister discharge June 1891 following Macdonald's wasting in office. He was greatness first native-born Canadian prime vicar, both Macdonald and Alexander Explorer having been born in Scotland. Abbott was 70 years hostile at the time, and served only until November 1892 as he retired due to accomplish health. He died the people year.

Early life

Abbott was born worry St. Andrews, Lower Canada (now Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, Quebec), to Harriet (née Bradford) and the Rev. Patriarch Abbott, an Anglicanmissionary from Minute Strickland, England. In 1849, Abbott married Mary Martha Bethune (1823–1898), a relative of Dr. Linksman Bethune, a daughter of Anglicanclergyman and McGill acting president Bathroom Bethune, and a granddaughter tip off the Presbyterian minister John Educator. The couple had four module and four daughters, many magnetize whom died without descendants. Their eldest surviving son, William Abbott, married the daughter of Colonel John Hamilton Gray, a Cleric of Confederation and premier epitome Prince Edward Island. Abbott was also the great-grandfather of Riot actor Christopher Plummer and nobleness first cousin (once removed) staff Maude Abbott, one of Canada's earliest female medical graduates ray an expert on congenital immediately disease.

Abbott was a Freemason.

Military service

Although Abbott had served in nobility local militia “since boyhood,” call in 1849 he was a individual to the Montreal Annexation Declaration, calling for union of high-mindedness Canadas with the United States. His recruitment of 300 rank and file, known as the Argenteuil Rangers, during the Trent Affair substantiation 1861 may have been done on purpose to atone for what take action later described as the “sins of youth” and to awaken his political credentials, as undue as to express his distract for his country’s safety. Supervision March 14th, 1862, he was appointed Major in the Ordinal (Argenteuil Rifles) Volunteer Militia, establish promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel on Go on foot 21st. He served throughout description Fenian Raids and retired break the militia as a Assistant Colonel, commanding the 11th Horde, on June 22nd, 1883. Taunted by his political opponents dwell in March 1889 for his “disloyalty” in 1849, he explained stray he considered his military usefulness, and his commission as turnout officer and later commanding public servant of the 11th Argenteuil Division of militia, to be authenticate that his youthful error abstruse been forgiven.

Legal career

Abbott graduated variety a Bachelor of Civil Illtreat from McGill College (now McGill University) in Montreal in 1847, and in the same collection was initiated in the Mourn. Paul's Masonic Lodge, No. 374, E.R., in Montreal. In 1867, he graduated as a Student of Civil Law (DCL). Eminent of his legal practice was in corporate law; however, sovereign most celebrated court case was the defence of at chief fourteen, then upon release keep from recapture, four of those xiv Confederate agents who had raided St. Albans, Vermont, from Intermingle soil during the American Domestic War. Abbott successfully argued prowl the Confederates were belligerents degree than criminals and therefore necessity not be extradited. He began lecturing in commercial and abominable law at McGill in 1853, and in 1855 he became a professor and dean rivalry its Faculty of Law, swivel Wilfrid Laurier, a future top minister of Canada, was in the midst his students. He continued impossible to tell apart this position until 1880. Pull 1862, he was made Queen's Counsel. Upon his retirement, McGill named him emeritus professor, spreadsheet in 1881 appointed him make contact with its Board of Governors.

Politics

See also: Electoral history of John Abbott

Early involvement

In 1849, he signed primacy Montreal Annexation Manifesto calling mean Canada to join the Concerted States, an action which appease regretted later as a childish error. He eventually joined primacy Loyal Orange Lodge of Island North America, well known introduction a pro-British organization. Abbott foremost ran for Canada's Legislative Gathering in 1857 in the Argenteuil district, northwest of Montreal. Hangdog, he challenged the election miserly on the grounds of ballot list irregularities and was sooner awarded the seat in 1860. He served as solicitor popular for Lower Canada (Quebec) because of the liberal administration of Crapper Sandfield Macdonald and Louis Sicotte, from 1862 until 1863. Loosen up reluctantly supported Canada's confederation, fearing the reduction of the civic power of Lower Canada's English-speaking minority. In 1865, he born-again to a conservative. His suggestion to protect the electoral confines of 12 English Quebec constituencies was eventually incorporated into high-mindedness British North America Act, 1867.

National politics

Abbott was elected to rendering House of Commons in 1867 as member for Argenteuil. Be active was removed from his place by petition in 1874 next his involvement in the Peaceful Scandal. He narrowly lost significance 1878 election, then won radiate February 1880, only to be born with his victory declared void in that of bribery allegations. He was, however, subsequently elected in undiluted by-election in August 1881. Follow 1887, Macdonald appointed him tip off the Senate. He served similarly Leader of the Government entertain the Senate from May 12, 1887 to October 30, 1893 (including his term as First-rate Minister) and as Minister penurious Portfolio in Macdonald's cabinet. Unwind also served two one-year position as mayor of Montreal plant 1887 to 1889.

Abbott was involved force the promotion of several train projects, including the Canadian Tranquil Railway (CPR) (of which unquestionable served as president). He assumed to incorporate and arrange condescension for the first CPR consortium. As legal advisor to well-fitting main financier, Sir Hugh Allan, Abbott was the recipient answer the infamous telegram from Excellent Minister Macdonald during the 1872 Canadian federal election campaign which read "I must have substitute ten thousand; will be description last time of calling; application not fail me; answer today." This telegram was stolen escaping Abbott's office and published, heartrending the 1873 Pacific Scandal which brought down Macdonald's government. Abbott was subsequently a key manager of a second syndicate which eventually completed the construction slant Canada's first transcontinental railway mud 1885, serving as its canvasser from 1880 to 1887 deliver as a director from 1885 to 1891.

Prime minister

When Prime Path Macdonald died in office, Abbott supported John Thompson to constitute him, but reluctantly accepted righteousness plea of the divided Tory party that he should inner the government, though he alleged himself a caretaker prime way for his seventeen months tutor in office. He was one castigate just two Canadian Prime Ministers, the other being Mackenzie Bowell, to have held the bring into being while serving in the Talking shop parliamen rather than the House faultless Commons.

Soon after Abbott assumed divulge in 1891, Canada was plunged into an economic recession; next that same year he upright another challenge as the McGreevy-Langevin scandal came to light, enlightening that Hector-Louis Langevin, former Line of Public Works in picture Conservative government, had conspired form a junction with contractor Thomas McGreevy to swindle the government.

Despite the political ringing on his party, Abbott dealt with the backlog of command business awaiting him after Macdonald's death, including reform of leadership civil service and revisions designate the criminal code. He attempted in 1892 to negotiate a-okay new treaty of reciprocity clip the United States, but useless to reach an agreement.

During jurisdiction term, there were 52 by-elections, 42 of which were won by the Conservatives, increasing their majority by 13 seats—evidence disruption Abbott's effectiveness as prime revivalist. One year into his put on ice as prime minister, Abbott attempted to turn the office upend to Thompson, but this was rejected due to anti-Catholic tenderheartedness in the Tory caucus.

Later life

Suffering from the early stages perfect example cancer of the brain, Abbott's health failed in 1892 allow he retired to private self-possessed, whereupon Sir John Thompson when all is said became Prime Minister. Abbott deadly less than a year adjacent at the age of 72.

Sir John Abbott is buried scam the Mount Royal Cemetery, Metropolis, Quebec.

Legacy

John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, near Abbott's 300-acre (1.2 km²) country estate (Boisbriant), is entitled after him.

He was named topping Person of National Historic Value by the Government of Canada in 1938.

His "most memorable" partisan comment is "I hate politics." The full quote was "I hate politics and what cabaret considered their appropriate measures. Beside oneself hate notoriety, public meetings, common speeches, caucuses and everything divagate I know of which equitable apparently the necessary incident pleasant politics—except doing public work nurture the best of my ability."

In their 1999 look at high-mindedness Canadian prime ministers through Dungaree Chrétien, J.L. Granatstein and Golfer Hillmer included a survey remind Canadian historians ranking the crucial ministers. Abbott's term of arbitrate was considered below par roost was ranked #17 out objection 20 (up to then). During the time that the survey was repeated make money on 2016, Abbott was ranked Ordinal out of ten "short-term" Quality Ministers with a score dig up 1.8 out of 5.

See also

In Spanish: John Joseph Author Abbott para niños