Charles Daoust
Encyclopedia
Charles Daoust was a lawyer, journalist and political figure in Canada East
.
He was born in Beauharnois
, Lower Canada
in 1825, the son of a farmer, and studied at the Collège Saint-Pierre at Chambly
. He originally planned to become a priest but later articled in law with Lewis Thomas Drummond
at Montreal
and was called to the bar in 1847. During his time in Montreal, he contributed to the newspaper L'Avenir
. He then set up his law practice at Beauharnois. Daoust returned to journalism, as editor for Le Pays from 1853 to 1859 and again from 1864 to 1865. In 1854, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Beauharnois. Daoust supported Joseph Papin
's proposal for a school system not based on religious affiliations, a viewpoint opposed by the clergy in the province. He was defeated in the general elections held in 1858 and 1861. In 1856, he married his cousin Angèle Doutre. In 1859, he returned to the practice of law, in partnership with his cousins/brothers-in-law, Joseph and Gonzalve Doutre. Daoust was a member of the Institut canadien de Montréal
and served as its president in 1860. He was opposed to Confederation
, because he felt it would diminish the importance of the province's elected representatives.
He died of tuberculosis
at Montreal in 1868.
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
.
He was born in Beauharnois
Beauharnois, Quebec
Beauharnois is a city located in the Beauharnois-Salaberry Regional County Municipality of southwestern Quebec, Canada and is part of Greater Montreal Area. The city's population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 11,918...
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1825, the son of a farmer, and studied at the Collège Saint-Pierre at Chambly
Chambly, Quebec
Chambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
. He originally planned to become a priest but later articled in law with Lewis Thomas Drummond
Lewis Thomas Drummond
Lewis Thomas Drummond was a Quebec lawyer, judge and political figure.He was born in Coleraine, County Londonderry in Ireland in 1813. His father, an attorney, died while he was young and he came to Lower Canada with his mother in 1825...
at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and was called to the bar in 1847. During his time in Montreal, he contributed to the newspaper L'Avenir
L'Avenir
L'Avenir is a daily newspaper published in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company is part of the Groupe L'Avenir, a media group of the DRC. The content of the paper is primarily French, and includes content written in Lingala and Swahili...
. He then set up his law practice at Beauharnois. Daoust returned to journalism, as editor for Le Pays from 1853 to 1859 and again from 1864 to 1865. In 1854, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for Beauharnois. Daoust supported Joseph Papin
Joseph Papin
Joseph Papin was a lawyer and political figure in Canada East. He served on the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and founded the Institut canadien de Montréal-Career:...
's proposal for a school system not based on religious affiliations, a viewpoint opposed by the clergy in the province. He was defeated in the general elections held in 1858 and 1861. In 1856, he married his cousin Angèle Doutre. In 1859, he returned to the practice of law, in partnership with his cousins/brothers-in-law, Joseph and Gonzalve Doutre. Daoust was a member of the Institut canadien de Montréal
Institut canadien de Montréal
The Institut canadien de Montréal was founded on 17 December 1844, by a group of 200 young liberal professionals in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Institute was a public library and debating room for the literary and scientific society, which would later come into conflict with the Roman Catholic...
and served as its president in 1860. He was opposed to Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, because he felt it would diminish the importance of the province's elected representatives.
He died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
at Montreal in 1868.