Draper William Henry 1801-1877 Born In London England In His


youth ran away to sea and served on an East Indiaman. Came to Canada in

1821 and taught school at Port Hope; subsequently studied law and began

practice at York. Elected to Assembly of Upper Canada for city of

Toronto in 1836, and made a member of the Executive Council. During the

Rebellion of 1837 acted as aide-de-camp to the lieutenant-governor. In

March, 1837, became solicitor-general, and in 1840 promoted to office of

/> attorney-general. After the union of the provinces retained in the

Executive Council as attorney-general of Upper Canada. It fell to his

lot to pilot the ministry through the stormy debates of the first

session, and to resist the attacks of Baldwin, Hincks, and their

fellow-Reformers. In September, 1842, saw the necessity of resigning and

gave way in order that the La Fontaine-Baldwin ministry might be formed.

In 1843 appointed to the Legislative Council, where he led the

opposition. On the resignation of the La Fontaine-Baldwin ministry in

December, 1843, accepted office with Viger, and in the exciting election

held in the autumn of 1844 obtained a bare majority for the new

ministry. In January, 1845, resigned his seat in the Legislative Council

and elected to the Assembly for London. An unsuccessful attempt to

secure the support of the French-Canadian Reform section discredited him

with the Tories of Upper Canada, and in May, 1847, withdrew from the

Cabinet, and shortly afterwards resigned his seat in the Assembly.

Appointed puisne judge of the Court of Queen's Bench for Upper Canada,

and in 1856 made chief justice of the Court of Common Pleas. In July,

1863, succeeded Archibald McLean as chief justice of Upper Canada, and

in 1869 appointed president of the Court of Error and Appeal. Continued

to act in this position until his death. =Index=: (Sir John A Macdonald era) Joins Metcalfe's

administration, 19; seeks seat in Assembly, 23-24; his administration,

24; recommends Macdonald for office of commissioner of crown lands, 26;

accepts judgeship and withdraws from public life, 27-28; commissioner to

represent Canada before Hudson's Bay Committee, 1857, 83. (Baldwin / La Fontaine / Hincks era) Appointed

attorney-general, Upper Canada, 1841, 76; his previous career, 77; his

character, 77; Baldwin's attitude to, 80; pledged to support the

administration, 81; succeeds in carrying on government, 85; in

discussion as to speakership, 88; his public policy, 90; defines his

position on question of responsible government, 91-92, 94; his nickname

of "Sweet William," 92; his successful policy, 95; difficulties with

French-Canadians, 96-97; realizes need for reconstruction of ministry,

115, 122; resigns office, 123; reads Bagot's letter to La Fontaine in

the Assembly, 124; his speech in the Assembly, Sept. 13, 1842, 127;

resigns, 132; appointed to Legislative Council, 177; opposes transfer of

capital to Montreal, 183; opposes Baldwin's University Bill, 197;

supports Metcalfe, 212; executive councillor, 216; referred to in George

Brown's speech, 224; visits Lower Canada, and reports to Metcalfe on

political situation, 236-263; forms ministry, 246; attorney-general for

Upper Canada, 247; secures narrow majority in elections, 1844, 250-251;

his political dexterity, 253-255; his University Bill, 256; his scheme

for obtaining French-Canadian support, 258-235; his policy, 266-267; his

government dying, 276; resigns and becomes puisne judge of Court of

Queen's Bench, 276; his University Bill, 293; his municipal legislation,

299; his Indemnification Bill of 1845, 307-308. (Lord Sydenham era) Solicitor-general,

introduces Union resolution in Upper Canada Legislative Assembly, 206,

213; brings in bill for settlement of Clergy Reserves question, 245;

made attorney-general, 252; appointed to same office under Union, 283.

(George Brown Era) Becomes Metcalfe's chief adviser, 20; Globe criticizes his attempt

to form a coalition, 27. (Sir Georges E. Cartier era) Forms ministry, 17. (Lord Elgin era) Acknowledges

necessity of bringing French-Canadians into Cabinet, 31; forms ministry

under Lord Metcalfe, 35; his retirement, 43. (Egerton Ryerson era) Ryerson's public

letters to, 100, 120; in the Metcalfe controversy, 126; presents case

for King's College before Legislature, 149; his Provincial University

Bill, 153; bill defeated, 155. =Bib.=: Dent, Can. Por. and Last Forty

Years; Pope, Memoirs of Sir John A. Macdonald; Read, Lives of the

Judges. For his own writings, see Morgan, Bib. Can.



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