Elgin James Bruce Eighth Earl Of 1811-1863 Lord Elgin Era His Qualities As A
statesman, 3-4; his success in Canada, 4; his lineage, 5-6; his personal
character, 6-8; education, 6; his contemporaries at college, 7; enters
Parliament, 8; accepts governorship of Jamaica, 9; death of his first
wife, 9; his successful administration in Jamaica, 10-12; returns to
England, 1846, 13; accepts governor-generalship of Canada, 13; his
second marriage, 14; influence of Durham, 15; contrasted with Durham,
15
his arrival in Montreal, 1847, 16, 26, 40, 41; views on the
political situation, 41-43; obtains from Imperial government
reimbursement of plague expenses, 48; his tour through Upper Canada, 49;
on agricultural associations, 50; dissolves Parliament, 50; calls upon
La Fontaine and Baldwin to form administration, 52; comments on
character of new government, 52-53; his letters to Lord Grey, 54-56;
views on the French question, 55-56; his antipathy to Papineau, 56; on
economic conditions, 57-58; on annexation sentiment, 58; on
inter-imperial trade, 58-59; his course in connection with Rebellion
Losses Bill, 71-78; attacked by mob, 74; Imperial government approves
his action in signing bill, 78; second visit to Upper Canada, 79; raised
to peerage, 80; condemns Annexation Manifesto, 81; on causes of
commercial depression, 82; urges reciprocity with United States, 82,
101, 107; vindication of his policy on Rebellion Losses Bill, 83-84;
views on education, 88-89; his admiration for Baldwin, 104; on
parliamentary representation, 118-119; on an elective Upper House,
120-121; visits England in 1853, 123; tribute from United States
minister in London, 123-124; visits Washington and negotiates
Reciprocity Treaty, 124; resents John Sandfield Macdonald's rebuke, 129;
on the appeal to the country in 1854, 132, 133; opens fifth Parliament,
135; advises repeal of Imperial Act of 1840, 164-165, 167; on the
attitude of the Church of England in Canada, 169; his efforts to kill
annexation sentiment, 189-190, 194, 195; his efforts to secure
reciprocity, 196; visits United States and negotiates treaty, 197; signs
treaty June 8, 1854, 198, 201; succeeded as governor-general by Sir
Edmund Head, Dec. 19, 1854, 203; parting address from Legislature, 203;
his reply, 204-205; his last speech in Quebec, 205-208; returns to
England, 209; views on colonial self-defence, 209-212; accepts mission
to China, 212; his part in suppressing Indian Mutiny, 213; negotiates
treaty of Tientsin, 214; official visit to Japan, 214; negotiates treaty
of Yeddo, 214; returns to England, 215; British apathy as to colonies,
215; becomes postmaster-general in Palmerston government, 215; Lord
Rector of Glasgow University, 215; his second mission to China, 215;
governor-general of India, 216; his tour in Northern India, 218; holds
Durbar at Agra, 218; suppresses Nahabu outbreak, 218; illness and death,
Nov. 20, 1863, 218-219; his views on Imperial honours, 222; his
principles of self-government, 227; on British connection, 229, 231; on
the status of a constitutional governor, 231-232; beneficial results of
his policy, 233, 235; on colonial self-government, 239-240; on the
American political system, 257-258. (George Brown Era) On causes of depression in
Canada, 32; his far-sighted statesmanship,--views on imperial unity, 33;
introduces self-government in Canada, 33; and the Rebellion Losses Bill,
34-38. (Sir John A Macdonald era) Succeeds Cathcart as governor-general, 26; upholds
responsible government, 32-33; gives assent to Rebellion Losses Bill,
36-38; mobbed in Montreal, 38; sober second judgment of the people
justifies his action in approving the bill, 41; his action approved by
British government, 42; effects Reciprocity Treaty with United States,
45, 98, 216. (Tilley era) Brings about Reciprocity Treaty, 29. (Baldwin / La Fontaine / Hincks era) Mentioned,
75; attitude to responsible government, 138; chosen by Liberal
government as governor-general, 272; his character, 272; his grasp of
the colonial situation, and attitude towards responsible government,
273; first to apply successfully the principle, 273; liberally
interprets his instructions, 274; marries Durham's daughter, 274; a
thorough believer in Durham's doctrines, 274; his statesmanlike grasp of
the true attitude of the governor, 274-275; enters Montreal, January,
1847, 275; Hincks on, 275-276; Draper on, 277; dissolves Parliament,
Dec. 6, 1847, 278; his solution of the Canadian question, 282-283; calls
Parliament at Montreal, Feb. 25, 1848, 283; sends for La Fontaine to
form ministry, 284; his high opinion of second La Fontaine-Baldwin
ministry, 285; interview with Baldwin and La Fontaine, 285-286; brings
session to a close, 286; on commercial depression in Canada, 301;
consents to Rebellion Losses Bill, 321; mobbed in Montreal, 305, 322,
324; his attitude towards the bill, 332-334; loyal reception to in
Toronto, 338. (Egerton Ryerson era) Concedes full measure of responsible government, 126.
(Sir Georges E. Cartier era) On education in Quebec, 5; urges Cartier to enter Cabinet, 22; and
the Rebellion Losses Bill, 32; his letter to Lord Grey on the state of
the country in 1849, 44; most enlightened and most popular governor
before Confederation, 98; aids cause of responsible government, 98. (Joseph Howe era)
Attends public dinner to Joseph Howe at Toronto 1851, 138; represents
British North America at Boston railway celebration, 1851, 250. (William Lyon Mackenzie era)
Assents to Amnesty Act, 480. =Bib.=: Morgan, Cel. Can.; Dent, Can.
Por. and Last Forty Years; Dict. Nat. Biog.; Walrond, Letters of
Lord Elgin; Wrong, The Earl of Elgin; Le Moine, Le Comte d'Elgin
(R. S. C., 1894).