A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose
1843. On his return he began the practice of his profession, and soon
816 words | Chapter 148
succeeded in building up a lucrative business. A man of Dr. Tupper’s
ambitious turn was likely, sooner or later, to take that road which
leads so many men to high public distinction, and probably when he did
so, few men in this country were ever so well equipped for such a
venture. He had a good presence, a hearty, genial address; he had read
widely, observed keenly, and could discourse volubly and captivatingly
upon any topic that arose. His extensive professional practice made him
known to nearly everybody in Cumberland; and he had the tact—as the
time was near that he had chosen for embarkation on public life—to be
less prompt in sending in his accounts, and less rigid in enforcing
payment than heretofore. Indeed, the robust and correct business man
soon attained the name of being generous. Dr. Tupper was always a
Conservative, and for the Conservative party he always expressed his
preferences. But he could not be called a Tory. There was nothing
retrogressive or narrow about him, and he did not care three straws for
custom or tradition if it stood in the way of any condition of affairs
that he considered desirable. In 1855 a general election took place in
Nova Scotia, and, in response to a call from a number of prominent
Conservatives, he offered himself for Cumberland, and was successful.
And successful, too, over an opponent no less redoubtable than the then
great lion of the Reform party, Joseph Howe. Howe was a most generous
opponent. In that contest he did not suppose that he would be defeated,
but he recognised the strength of his young opponent. From hustings to
hustings he went, at each one saying that he had no fear of the result,
but bearing testimony to the power of his opponent, and predicting that
the time was near when he would be heard from, and render a creditable
account of himself. The result of the fight, as we have said, was that
Dr. Tupper was returned to represent his native county in the Nova
Scotia legislature, where the young member for Cumberland at once
attracted notice. As a speaker he was astute, ready, sarcastic, and
often overwhelming, and for downright thunderous strength of style, no
one could come near him. In 1856 he became provincial secretary in the
Hon. James W. Johnston’s administration; in 1858 he went to England on a
mission connected with the Intercolonial Railway; and in 1864 he became
premier, on the retirement of the Hon. Mr. Johnston to the bench. In
1869 he moved the resolutions providing for a conference in Prince
Edward Island to consider a scheme for a maritime union, but that
project was afterwards merged into the larger one, which aimed at a
confederation of the whole of the British North America provinces. In
the confederation movement, Dr. Tupper took a leading part, attending
the Quebec conference, and afterwards going to England when the question
was discussed before the members of the Imperial government. In 1867 he
was created a C.B., and in the same year was invited to take a seat in
the Privy Council of Canada. This he refused, remaining a private member
of the House of Commons till 1870, when he consented to become president
of the council. In 1872 he became minister of inland revenue, and in
1873 minister of customs, which office he was soon obliged to surrender,
by reason of the defeat of the ministry. During the campaign of 1878 he
was like a lion in the fight, and his great battle-cry infused courage
into the hearts of thousands of men who wavered between the two parties.
That year the Liberals were defeated, and Dr. Tupper became minister of
public works till that department was divided, when he took the
portfolio of railways and canals. In 1879 he was created a knight of the
order of St. Michael and St. George. His connection with the Canadian
Pacific Railway is in everybody’s mind. To him more than to any other
man in Canada is due the success of that great enterprise. In 1883 he
was appointed high commissioner of Canada to the Court of St. James in
London, retaining his position as minister of railways and canals. In
this connection, Sir John Macdonald passed an act relieving the
honorable gentleman from penalties under the Independence of Parliament
Act; but after the close of the session of 1884, Sir Charles resigned
his seat in the cabinet, and retained the high commissionership. He,
however, soon re-entered active politics again. He was returned at the
last general election by his old constituency, and was appointed finance
minister on the 27th January, 1887, which office he still holds. Sir
Charles Tupper was appointed executive commissioner for Canada at the
International Exhibition held at Antwerp in 1885, and executive
commissioner at the Colonial and Industrial Exhibition held in London in
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