Local history: Ballina man became father of Canadian Confederation
By Tom Gillespie
BALLINA born Edward Whelan had the distinction of becoming the father of Canadian Confederation.
Born in 1824, he was one of Prince Edward Island's delegates to the Quebec Conference. He was also a journalist, orator and advocate for responsible government.
In 1831, at the age of seven, his family all moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Growing up in Halifax, he was greatly influenced by Joseph Howe - the outstanding orator of his time in Nova Scotia - where he worked as a printing apprentice, as well as Fr. Richard Baptist O’Brien, a dynamic Irish priest who was a gifted orator as well as Whelan's teacher at St. Mary's School in Halifax.
According to Wikipedia, these two influences led Whelan to abandon his studies at the age of 18 to take up a position as editor of The Register, an Irish-Catholic, liberal newspaper.
In August 1846, Whelan was elected as an assemblyman for St. Peters in Kings County. He remained an assemblyman until the last year of his life but had sporadic attendance.
Critics of Whelan point out that his political voice lacked the passion and genius that was apparent in his printed work.
In the autumn of 1846, Whelan sought to embark on yet another newspaper venture, namely The Examiner. This publication nearly failed, but he managed to keep it going.
Whelan then devoted much of 1850 to speaking at meetings regarding the concept of responsible government. This led to Whelan's rise in stature and in April 1851, he was named to the Executive Council and also appointed the Queen’s Printer.
Within this new government role, Whelan spent much of his time defending the major liberal reforms regarding the Free Education Act, extension of the franchise, and the Land Purchase Act. These liberal reforms were not without controversy, and Whelan took the brunt of the criticism.
In 1864, the union of the British North American colonies was the topic of the day. Though the Liberals were against Confederation, Whelan supported Confederation as he saw it as an opportunity for PEI to gain more control of its own affairs.
Whelan was chosen to be one of the delegates to the Quebec Conference. Attending this conference made Whelan an even stronger proponent.
Despite his advocacy, few politicians and residents were persuaded and Whelan became disillusioned.
Whelan's stance on Confederation, as well as other issues, led him to become isolated within the Liberal party.
In the election of 1867, Whelan was defeated for the first time in 21 years. There is no single cause for his defeat. He had lost support from his traditional supporters by denouncing the Tenant League and Fenianism.
Moreover, his support of Confederation was unpopular with the people of PEI. On all three of these issues, his opponent, Edward Reilly, had the edge.
However, Whelan believed that the defeat came from the disapproval of the newly appointed cleric of St. Peters, Father William Phelan, a supporter of Reilly. Whelan felt that the clergy had unduly influenced the election.
Whelan felt very bitter about this defeat and by the autumn of 1867 his health slowly deteriorated.
Whelan died on December 10, 1867.
My colleague Terry Reilly, in his 2012 book ‘Amazing Mayo Stories’, details the life and times of 14 prominent Mayo people including Whelan.
Terry wrote: “Edward was the son of an infantryman, probably a militiaman from Leinster stationed in Ballina, most likely in the military barracks.
“Young Edward attended school in Ballina, a bright student with a bright if ultimately troubled future ahead of him in another land far from Ireland.
“In June 1830 The Ballina Impartial newspaper reported conditions in the town as follows: "Half famished, begging poor milling aimlessly around the streets of the town, minor pilfering but no major food robbery reported …. constabulary called upon to deal with increased nocturnal activity’.
“The following year the Whelan family set sail for Canada."
Terry continued: “Edward arrives a mere boy in Halifax with his widowed mother in 1831. They had gone across the Atlantic in an emigrant sailing vessel and, after alighting at one of the wharves, had the good fortune to meet the influential Hon. Joseph Howe who was taking an early morning stroll.
"Amongst the human cargo of emigrants he noticed a woman standing with a child in her arms, and a small bright boy, Edward Whelan at her side. Approaching them, he placed his hand on the boy’s head, made some enquiries of the mother and at the end of the conversation, attracted by the boy’s manner, he took him by the hand to his own home and Whelan was trained for his life’s work in Mr. Howe’s printing office.
"Part of the excellent training given to apprentices in the professions in those days came from having the youth live in the homes of their employers. When was to acquire training and expertise for his future work with his stint on The Register, where he became resistor.
"By now he had become an accomplished public speaker, having honed his debating skills through membership of the Young Men’s Catholic Institute. He built up a reputation for being a polished public speaker. He was marked out as a young man to be noted. He became identified with those agitating for reform of the political system controlled by Family Compacts in the Maritime Colonies who controlled the media, the printed press and ensured the public received a tailored message.
"Joseph Howe recommended the services of his young protege, and so it was, at the age of 19, Edward Whelan sailed from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island.
"At the age of 21 he was chosen as a candidate to represent the Second District of King’s County in the House of Assembly. He carried the day with his cogent reasoning and powerful oratory.
"Whelan’s rise to fame was meteoric, becoming the outstanding member of the Liberal Reforming Party which won Responsible Government for Prince Edward Island in 1851.
"As the summer of 1867 advanced Whelan showed signs of failing health and at noon on Tuesday, December 10, he passed away at the age of 43.
“His funeral was one of the most imposing ever witnessed."