Mitchell Peter 1824-1899 Born In Newcastle New Brunswick
Educated at the Newcastle Grammar School; called to the bar, 1848.
Engaged in the lumbering and shipbuilding trades. Elected to the
Assembly, 1856; appointed to the Legislative Council, 1860. Became a
member of the government, 1858. A strong advocate of Confederation.
Delegate to the Charlottetown, Quebec, and Westminster Conferences.
Premier of New Brunswick, 1865. Called to the Senate, 1867. Entered the
government of
Sir John A. Macdonald as minister of marine and fisheries,
1867. Resigned from the Senate, 1874, and elected to the House of
Commons. Defeated, 1878, but again elected, 1882; defeated at general
election of 1896. Appointed inspector of fisheries for Quebec, New
Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, 1897. For some years after 1885, proprietor
and editor of the Montreal Herald. =Index=: (George Brown Era) Forms government in
New Brunswick favourable to Confederation, 188. (Joseph Howe era) Accompanies Sir John
Macdonald to Halifax in 1868, 210. (Sir John A Macdonald era) Minister of marine and fisheries
in first Dominion Cabinet, 135, 138; supports route along Gulf of St.
Lawrence for Intercolonial Railway, 152-153. (Tilley era) Delegate to Quebec in
Intercolonial Railway Conference, 56; attends Quebec Conference, 77;
forms ministry in New Brunswick, 104-105; delegate to England re
Confederation, 140-141; in first Dominion ministry, 128, 129. =Bib.=:
Works: Notes of a Holiday Trip; Review of President Grant's Message
Relative to Canadian Fisheries. For biog., see Morgan, Can. Men;
Dent, Last Forty Years.