Edward Palmer
Encyclopedia
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
and resided in Prince Edward Island until his death. He is considered one of the Fathers of Canadian 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...
, despite his opposition to Confederation, as he was a delegate to both the Charlottetown
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from the colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation...
and Québec Conference
Quebec Conference, 1864
The Quebec Conference was the second meeting held in 1864 to discuss Canadian Confederation.The 16 delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island had agreed at the close of the Charlottetown Conference to meet again at Quebec City October 1864...
s.
Early life
Edward Palmer was the son of James Bardin PalmerJames Bardin Palmer
James Bardin Palmer was an Irish-born land agent, lawyer and politician in Prince Edward Island. He represented Charlottetown in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1806 to 1818....
, an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
barrister who had come to the Island at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and Millicent Jones. He attended grammar school before becoming a law clerk in his father's law firm. He was called to the bar in 1830 and thereafter he worked as a lawyer, land agent, land proprietor, politician and a judge, being appointed Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1873. He was a very active politician and later a judge. He married Isabella Tremain in 1846. He acted as a land agent and was a landed proprietor but, after experiencing long term conflict with his tenant farmers, he sold his substantial landholdings in 1870.
Political life
He was elected as member of the Prince Edward Island House of AssemblyLegislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown....
for Charlottetown and Quebec in 1835. He soon established himself as one of the leading Conservatives. He was often viewed as a champion of the status quo, being against responsible government, against union of the colonies of British Norths America, and against land reform. He was also much given to conflict in the assembly, frequently arguing with both George Coles
George Coles
George Coles was a Canadian politician, being the first Premier of Prince Edward Island, and a Father of Canadian Confederation....
and Edward Whelan
Edward Whelan
Edward Whelan . Edward Whelan was one of Prince Edward Island's delegates to the Québec Conference and one of the Fathers of the Canadian Confederation. Edward Whelan was also a journalist, orator, and advocate for responsible government.-Early years:Edward Whelan was born in 1824 in Ballina,...
. In 1849, Palmer became the leader of the Tories in the provincial assembly. In 1859, he became premier, only to be pushed from office by his colleague John Hamilton Gray
John Hamilton Gray (Prince Edward Island politician)
John Hamilton Gray was Premier of Prince Edward Island from 1863 – 1865 and one of the Fathers of Confederation...
in 1863. He was first appointed to the Legislative Council in 1860 and when that body became elective he retained his seat.
His views against 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...
placed him in direct opposition to John Hamilton Gray. Their conflict fractured the Tory party and damaged the union cause, eventually resulting in both Palmer and Gray resigning from Cabinet. Palmer, however, retained his position as attorney general.
Palmer remained ardently opposed to Confederation after 1864. He also opposed the "Better Terms" offer made by Canada in 1869. Instead, he favoured a free trade deal between Prince Edward Island and the United States. In 1872, Palmer changed parties and joined the Liberal, anti-Confederation government of Robert Poore Haythorne
Robert Poore Haythorne
Robert Poore Haythorne was a Prince Edward Island politician and premier. He was born in England to a prominent family, his father having been mayor of Bristol on several occasions....
. When the financial burden of a railway project forced Prince Edward Island to the brink of economic collapse it was the Haythorne government, of which Palmer was a member, that sought the union with Canada in 1873. After Prince Edward Island joined the Confederation, Palmer became a Queens County judge and was later elevated to Chief Justice. He held that title until his death.