Vancouver Voyager: Alexander Edmund Batson Davie

Monday, June 3, 2013

Premier Davie

Alexander Davie accepted Premier Elliot's offer to become provincial secretary in May of 1877. However, the election that took place on June 22 of that year proved to be disastrous for the man. Davie was unable to convince the voters that a cabinet minister could best serve their interests. As well, Walkem was determined to destroy his imagined betrayer.

Davie returned to practising law full time. However, the lure of politics proved to be too strong for the lawyer to resist. He still practised law but in July of 1882, he was elected to the provincial seat for Lillooet.

The following January, Alexander became attorney general in William Smithe's newly formed government. During the by- election on February 15, 1883, Davie returned with acclamation. This appointment recognized his legal ability. In September of 1883, Davie was honoured again in September 1883 when he was made Queen Counsel.

In 1884, he headed a three-man commission (Elliot also sat on the commission) to investigate the disturbances at William Duncan's mission at Metlakatla caused by the demands of the Tsimshian Indians, which included compensation for their lands.

In 1884, Davie argued for the provincial rights before the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the Canada Temperance Act of 1878. B.C.'s attorney general felt that the provinces had the right under the British North America Act to regulate its own liquor sales. (The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the provinces.)

However, Alexander Davie's most significant contribution was in the area of legal reform. The gold-rush era had been chaotic and had resulted in many hasty, ill-conceived laws that had to be modernized. Not only did Davie work to consolidate and bring those laws into the right era, he also established regular sittings of the various courts.

Premier Smithe died on March 28, 1887 and lieutenant governor, Hugh Nelson, asked Davie to form a new government. Even though he was now premier, Alexander held his position as attorney general.

It didn't take long for his health to break down. On October 11, Davie left Victoria for a stay in California and the south western states to recuperate. The provincial secretary, John Robson, requested that the assembly grant permission for Davie to take an extended leave instead of forfeiting his seat. The assembly agreed and Davie expressed his view on policies and current issues through letters to Robson who essentially ran the government in Davie's absence.

Davie attempted to be an active premier when he returned on May 21, 1888 but it soon became obvious that his health had not improved. In July of 1889, Alexander Davie declined the position of justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. He did stay on as premier.

In 1882, Davie had joined the Roman Catholic Church. On August 1, 1889, he received the last rites and died of phthisis (consumption, tuberculosis). He wasn't a rich man, leaving an estate of $14,000 and a lot worth $1,500. The Vancouver Daily newspaper said he was a 'true Christian gentleman' devoted to his family.

Thanks once again to the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Alexander Davie, history, Premier, lawyer British Columbia,Victoria,politics,Lillooet

Friday, May 31, 2013

Alexander Edmund Batson Davie

Today I want to tell you about our eighth premier, Alexander Edmund Bastson Davie. However, first I want to tell you about an error I made.

On my last entry, I disagreed with the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online's statement that the CPR had completed the railroad in 1885 - the year before Vancouver was incorporated and two years before the first train arrived on our shores. Technically, they are right.

On November 7, 1885 Sir Donald Smith, a director of the CPR, drove the symbolic last spike in the railroad at Craigellachie, B.C. Craigellachie is between Salmon Arm and Revelstoke.

Here's a photo of Alexander Davie that I obtained from Wikipedia.

Alexander Edmund Bateson Davie was born on November 24, 1847 in the parish of St. Cuthbert, Wells (Somerset) England. He was the son of Dr John Chapman Davie and Anne Collard Waldron.

In 1862, a young Alexander, his father and three brothers came to Vancouver Island. Alexander left behind a brother, sister and his mother.

The Davie's men were among the first to settle in the Cowichan River valley, near what is now known as Duncan, B.C. Alexander began articling (this is training after completion of book studies to become a lawyer) with Robert Bishop in Victoria. After June of 1865, Davie worked with Robert Edwin Jackson.

Joseph Needham, chief justice of Vancouver Island, enrolled Davie as a solicitor for the Island on November 25, 1868. The following year, Matthew Baillie Begbie enrolled him on the mainland Davie was called to the bar in February of 1873. He had the honour of being the first lawyer to receive his complete legal education on the Island. On March 31, 1874, Davie was elected a bencher in the law society - a position he held for the rest of his life.

Alexander established a law practice in Victoria and from about 1870, in the Cariboo. He served as a law clerk to the Legislative Assembly between 1872 and 1874. That, and the fact Dr Davie served as a member of the Legislative Council for a short time, whetted Alexander's appetite for politics. In the fall of 1875, Davie ran for a provincial seat in the Cariboo. (There wasn't an available seat in Victoria)

Even though he stood as an independent, Davie agreed with Walkem's government concerning the pressure they applied to Ottawa to fulfil three crucial promises made to B.C. at the time of confederation in 1871: to take over its debt; to lend it money to build a dry dock and to begin construction on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Walkem reciprocated Davie's support and without that support, it is likely that Davie would not have been elected. There was much oppostition to Davie from the miners. They felt that he wasn't truly interested in their welfare.

It is also thought that Davie only feigned support for Walkem. Davie did vote with the premier on issues they agreed on but remained and independent. And when Walkem lost the vote of confidence and Elliot became premier, Davie voted with Elliot. However, such shifts were not unusual at that time because political parties weren't clearly defined.