August 28, 1867

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GEORGE BROWN DEFEATED IN SOUTH ONTARIO; LIBS LEADERLESS

George Brown, leader of the Liberal Reform faction has been defeated in his bid for a seat in the House of Commons. Brown was defeated by Tory Thomas Gibbs who had represented the constituency in the last Legislative Assembly of Canada. The campaign was an intense and bitterly fought affair, seen to be a litmus test for the two parties across the Dominion.

The poll books showed Brown with a slim 11-vote lead at the close of the first day of polling. That lead evaporated by the end of the second day with Gibbs polling a total of 1,292 votes to Brown’s 1,223.

Brown and Gibbs campaigned vigorously with meetings held throughout the constituency nearly every day since Brown announced his candidacy in mid-July. It was not uncommon for Brown to speak at these meetings for upwards of three, four, and five hours at a time.

It was revealed during one of these meetings that claims by Thomas Gibbs that he had donated $500 to the Volunteer Relief Fund for militia-men injured at the Battle of Ridgeway was false. This revelation was not enough, in the face of government notes according to the Liberals, to weaken Mr. Gibbs’s popularity in the constituency he had represented in the late Legislative Assembly of Canada.

In a somewhat surprising result, Liberal Dr. William McGill has carried the provincial seat, securing 1,367 votes to 1,059 to Tory Dr. D. Tucker.

The Liberals are suggesting that Dr. McGill’s victory is the result of Mr. Brown having diverted Tory attentions from that race. The large gulf between Dr. McGill’s result and Mr. Brown’s result, however, suggest that perhaps Mr. Brown was rejected by voters in South Ontario for more personal reasons.

Brown’s defeat raises questions for the viability of the Liberal/Reform movement in the country. Brown held only a de facto leadership position for the party. It remains to be seen now what the effect of Brown’s misfortune will have on the party as a whole, not just in this campaign, but in future campaigns to come.

In Kingston, the prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, was elected to the House of Commons.

Overall, the standings in the House of Commons as of August 27 are:

• Government supporters - 14 seats
• Liberals - 7 seats

The Liberals have taken a 5 seats to 2 seats lead over the Conservatives in Ontario.

OFFICIAL RESULTS FOR AUGUST 27, 1867

CARLETON (ONTARIO)

House of Commons — final results

• John Holmes (Liberal-Conservative) 1087 ELECTED
• John Rochester (Conservative) 1006

Ontario Legislature

• John Skead (Conservative) 939
• Robert Lyon (Mayor of Ottawa) (Liberal) 987 ELECTED
• Adam Eastman (Independent) 131
• William Kidd WITHDREW

KINGSTON

House of Commons

• Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald (Liberal-Conservative) 735 ELECTED
• Dr. John Stuart (Liberal) 142

Ontario Legislature

• Dr. Maxwell W. Strange (Conservative) 705 ELECTED
• Dr. John Stuart (Liberal) 128

SOUTH ONTARIO

House of Commons

• George Brown (Liberal) 1223
• Thomas Gibbs (Liberal-Conservative) 1292 ELECTED
• R. J. Wilson WITHDREW
• Dr. R. J. Gunn WITHDREW
• S. B. Fairbanks WITHDREW
• Abraham Farewell WITHDREW
• J. B. Bickell WITHDREW

Ontario Legislature

• Dr. William McGill (Liberal) 1367 ELECTED
• Dr. D. Tucker (Conservative) 1059
• W. H. Gibbs WITHDREW
• Truman P. White WITHDREW
• G. H. Grierson WITHDREW
• W. H. Mitchell WITHDREW
• N. W. Brown WITHDREW

OTTAWA

House of Commons

• Ed. McGillivray WITHDREW
• J. M. Currier (Liberal-Conservative) DECLARED ELECTED
• Philip Thompson
• E. Martineau
• Alexander Gibb
• M. K. Dickenson

Ontario Legislature

• Richard Scott (Liberal) — 810 ELECTED
• H. Friel (Conservative) — 368 (WITHDREW AFTER FIRST DAY OF POLLING)