Lucius Seth Huntington
Encyclopedia
Lucius Seth Huntington, PC
(May 26, 1827–May 19, 1886) was a Quebec
lawyer, journalist and political figure. He was a Liberal
member of the Canadian House of Commons
representing Shefford
from 1867 to 1882. He also served as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
and Postmaster General
.
He was born in Compton
, Lower Canada
in 1827. The families of his parents had come to the Eastern Townships
from New England
. He studied law with John Sewell Sanborn
and was called to the bar in 1853. There was a surplus of lawyers at the time, so he became a merchant to provide himself with additional income. He also established a newspaper in Knowlton, later moving it to Waterloo
after he was hired as secretary for a railroad company based there. He ran for the Shefford seat in the Legislative Assembly
in 1860, but the election was not settled before parliament was dissolved; he was elected in the election that followed in 1861. In 1863, he was appointed solicitor general for Canada East
. During the American Civil War
, he profited from his ownership of a copper
mine; later, the market in copper collapsed and so did Huntington's profits.
In 1873, he exposed the Pacific Scandal
which led to the fall of Sir John A. Macdonald
's Conservatives
. He then became part of a syndicate formed to continue construction of the railway. He intended to resign from his government post to enter this business venture, but was persuaded to remain in office when the Conservatives alleged wrong-doing in his sale of his interests in copper mines, since his resignation might be interpreted as a sign of guilt. In 1875, Huntington was heavily criticized for a speech where he advised English Protestants in Quebec to vote Liberal to protect their own interests versus those of French Catholics. He fell ill later in his parliamentary career and, after his defeat in 1882, moved to New York City
to seek medical treatment.
He died in New York in 1886.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(May 26, 1827–May 19, 1886) was a Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
lawyer, journalist and political figure. He was a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
representing Shefford
Shefford (electoral district)
Shefford is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1867. Its population in 2006 was 100,000.-Demographics:Ethnic groups: 99.2% WhiteLanguages: 95.2% French, 3.2% English...
from 1867 to 1882. He also served as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
In the Canadian cabinet, the President of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada is nominally in charge of the Privy Council Office. The President of the Privy Council also has the largely ceremonial duty of presiding over meetings of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, a body which only convenes...
and Postmaster General
Postmaster General of Canada
The Postmaster General of Canada was the Canadian cabinet minister responsible for the Post Office Department . In 1851, management of the post office was transferred from Britain to the provincial governments of the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward...
.
He was born in Compton
Compton, Quebec
Compton is a municipality in the regional county municipality of Coaticook and the administrative region of Estrie. And Home Of the world famous Sanders Farm and Vallons Maraichers farm, organic vegetable growers in the Deep Root Organic Cooperative of Vermont....
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1827. The families of his parents had come to the Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
from New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. He studied law with John Sewell Sanborn
John Sewell Sanborn
John Sewell Sanborn was a Canadian educator, lawyer, judge and political figure.He was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire and graduated from Dartmouth College, later studying at the University of Bishop’s College in Lennoxville, Quebec. He was the principal at a secondary school in Sherbrooke...
and was called to the bar in 1853. There was a surplus of lawyers at the time, so he became a merchant to provide himself with additional income. He also established a newspaper in Knowlton, later moving it to Waterloo
Waterloo, Quebec
Waterloo is a city in Quebec, included in La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality, in the administrative area of Montérégie. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 4,054...
after he was hired as secretary for a railroad company based there. He ran for the Shefford seat in the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
in 1860, but the election was not settled before parliament was dissolved; he was elected in the election that followed in 1861. In 1863, he was appointed solicitor general for Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he profited from his ownership of a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mine; later, the market in copper collapsed and so did Huntington's profits.
In 1873, he exposed the Pacific Scandal
Pacific Scandal
The Pacific Scandal was a political scandal in Canada involving allegations of bribes being accepted by the Conservative government in the attempts of private interests to influence the bidding for a national rail contract...
which led to the fall of Sir John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
's Conservatives
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
. He then became part of a syndicate formed to continue construction of the railway. He intended to resign from his government post to enter this business venture, but was persuaded to remain in office when the Conservatives alleged wrong-doing in his sale of his interests in copper mines, since his resignation might be interpreted as a sign of guilt. In 1875, Huntington was heavily criticized for a speech where he advised English Protestants in Quebec to vote Liberal to protect their own interests versus those of French Catholics. He fell ill later in his parliamentary career and, after his defeat in 1882, moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to seek medical treatment.
He died in New York in 1886.