Mackenzie, William Lyon

Mackenzie, William Lyon
born March 12, 1795, Springfield, Angus, Scot.
died Aug. 28, 1861, Toronto

Scottish-born Canadian journalist and political agitator.

He immigrated to Canada in 1820 and became a merchant in Upper Canada (later Ontario). In 1824 he founded a newspaper in Queenston, the Colonial Advocate, in which he criticized the ruling oligarchy in Upper Canada. Elected to the province's assembly (1828–36), he was expelled six times by the conservative majority for his newspaper's invectives against the government. A list of Canadian grievances against British colonial rule that he published led to the recall of the province's governor. In 1837 he led 800 followers in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the provincial government. After attempting to rally his forces on Navy Island in the Niagara River, N.Y., he was jailed for violating U.S. neutrality laws. He returned to Canada in 1849 and later served in the Canadian Parliament (1851–58).

* * *

▪ Canadian journalist and revolutionary
born March 12, 1795, Springfield, Angus, Scot.
died Aug. 28, 1861, Toronto

      Scottish-born journalist and political agitator who led an unsuccessful revolt against the Canadian government in 1837.

      Mackenzie emigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1820 and became a general merchant. Responding to the discontent in Upper Canada (now part of Ontario), he became involved in politics. In 1824 he founded a newspaper in Queenston, the Colonial Advocate, in which he criticized the ruling oligarchy. Later that year he moved to York (as of 1834, Toronto); there his newspaper office was sabotaged by political opponents, but, with the damages awarded, he set up an improved plant and became leader of the radical wing of the province. Elected as a member of the provincial Parliament for York in 1828, he was expelled six times by the Tory majority, mainly because of fierce invectives against the Tories in his newspaper, only to be returned each time by the York electors. He visited England in 1832; well received by the colonial office, he caused the dismissal of several officers in Canada. While in England he wrote Sketches of Canada and the United States, stating Canadian grievances. In 1835 he was returned to the provincial Canadian Parliament in a reform administration. A report by Mackenzie's committee on grievances exposed the inadequacies of colonial rule and caused the British government to recall the current governor, but the new governor was the even more autocratic Sir Francis Bond Head. Mackenzie was elected mayor of the new city of Toronto in 1835; but he lost his parliamentary seat in 1836, along with other prominent reformers accused of disloyalty.

      Mackenzie then began seriously to consider rebellion, and he founded a more radical news paper, the Constitution, in which he supported ideas of Jacksonian democracy (the policies of U.S. President Andrew Jackson). As corresponding secretary for the extreme wing of the Reform Party, he communicated with Louis Joseph Papineau (Papineau, Louis-Joseph) in Lower Canada (now in Quebec), who was already planning rebellion. An economic depression in 1837 brought many newcomers to Mackenzie's rural meetings; that December he assembled 800 followers near Toronto and planned to seize the governor and set up a provisional government. Inadequate organization and control resulted in failure, however, and Mackenzie escaped to the United States. When an attempt to rally his forces on Navy Island in the Niagara River collapsed, Mackenzie was charged by the United States with breaking neutrality laws and was imprisoned for 11 months. While serving time in a Rochester, N.Y., prison, he wrote The Caroline Almanack, expressing his disillusionment with U.S. politics.

      Mackenzie was pardoned and allowed to reenter Canada in 1849. In 1851 he was elected to Parliament for Haldimand. Allied to the Radicals, he maintained his position of extreme independence and incorruptibility, refusing several government positions. He opposed the development of large-scale corporations and clung to the ideal of an agrarian democracy and small-scale industrialism. He was forced to resign in 1858 because of illness. After his death he became a symbol of Canadian radicalism.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mackenzie,William Lyon — Mackenzie, William Lyon. 1795 1861. British born Canadian insurgent and member of Parliament (1828 1836 and 1851 1858) who led an armed insurrection in Toronto (1837) to protest colonial rule. * * * …   Universalium

  • Mackenzie, William Lyon — (1795 1861)    Mc His personality, Goldwin Smith on, 3; Dr. Harrison on, 4; W. J. Rattray on, 5, 6; first to enunciate principle of responsible government, 5; a man ahead of his time, 6; his loyalty, 10; not an annexationist, 11; constitutional… …   The makers of Canada

  • Mackenzie, William Lyon — (12 mar. 1795, Springfield, Angus, Escocia –28 ago. 1861, Toronto, Canadá). Periodista y agitador político canadiense nacido en Escocia. Inmigró a Canadá en 1820 y fue comerciante en Alto Canadá (más adelante Ontario). En 1824 fundó un periódico… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • William Lyon Mackenzie — (* 12. März 1795 in Dundee, Schottland; † 28. August 1861 in Toronto) war ein schottisch kanadischer Politiker und 1834 erster Bürgermeister Torontos. Während des Oberkanada Widerstandes 1837 spielte Macke …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • William Lyon Mackenzie — William Lyon Mackenzie. William Lyon Mackenzie (12 de marzo, 1795, Angus, Escocia 28 de agosto, 1861, Toronto) fue un periodista y agitador político canadiense de origen escocés. Emigró a Canadá en 1820 y se convirtió en co …   Wikipedia Español

  • William Lyon Mackenzie King —  À ne pas confondre avec son grand père, William Lyon Mackenzie. Pour les autres articles homonymes, voir King et Mackenzie. William Lyon Mackenzie King …   Wikipédia en Français

  • William Lyon Mackenzie — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Mackenzie.  À ne pas confondre avec le premier ministre: William Lyon Mackenzie King, son petit fils Wi …   Wikipédia en Français

  • William Lyon Mackenzie (fireboat) — William Lyon Mackenzie # 334, named for Toronto s first mayor William Lyon Mackenzie, is a fireboat for the Toronto Fire Services. It was built in 1964 to provide marine fire fighting as well as ice breaking capabilities. In 2004 the fireboat was …   Wikipedia

  • William Lyon Mackenzie King — 10° Primer Ministro de Canadá 29 de diciembre de 1921 – 28 de junio de 1926 …   Wikipedia Español

  • William Lyon Mackenzie King — Not to be confused with William Lyon Mackenzie, Mackenzie King s grandfather. The Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG PhD (Harv.) MA (Harv.) MA (Tor.) LLB (Tor.) BA (Tor.) …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”