The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-07-29, Page 24Tiger Dunlop Days...Page 10
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Tiger won
election
in protest
The first member of parliament for Huron was Captain
Robert Graham Dunlop who lived with his more famous
brother, Dr. William "Tiger" Dunlop at Gairbraid across
the Maitland River from Goderich.
Captain Dunlop represented Huron iri the Provincial
Legislature from 1835 until his death in February 1841,
about a week after the Act of Union came ,into force.
Two candidates were proposed to succeed him. The
Canada Company put-up James McGill Strachan, eldest
son of the Bishop of Toronto and brother-in-law of Com-
missioner Thomas Mercer Jones of Goderich. The Col-
borne Clique nominated William Dunlop as . their
candidate.
It was a stormy election with both candidates and their
supporters fighting hard for the yote.
The population in Huron in 1841 was about 6,000, but only
free -holders might vote — that is, those who had paid for
their land in full. Fewer than 300 persons could qualify to
vote.
One historical account records it thus:
"By the time the poll was opened Monday morning
many had arrived at Rattenbury's Hotel, and more than
one carried a sore head from a blow of an axe handle when
he disagreed with some of the newcomers.
"Axe handles were the weapons carried by not a few
and when rival bands met, with banners flying and wear-
ing the colours of their candidates — red for Captain
Strachan and Blue for Dr. Dunlop — these weapons were
likely to be used with considerable energy.
"The genial doctor quietly disposed his Highlanders
around the hotel and they allowed the voters to come in,
one by one.
"Votes were entered slowly, because one vote had to be
entered each hour, for if one hour elapsed without a vote
having been registered the election was over and both par-
ties were anxious to give time for every last straggler to
arrive. •
"The result at th end of the week showed 149 for "The.
Tiger" and 159 for Captain Strachan.
"The returning officer, Henry Hyndman, advised a pro-
test. Dr. Dunlop acquiesced and Daniel Lizars was the
moving spirit of the inquiry. His -indefatigable industry in
discovering evidence was wonderful.
"The election trial was a costly and memorable one in
which scores of electors were examined as to their legal
right to vote and it ended in the seat being given to Dr.
Dunlop, since he had secured a majority of those who
were duly qualified to exercise the franchise."
The Tiger won, probably because he was so popular
with the people. As one historian wrote in 1948, "His
warm-heartedness and his personal interest in the settlers
made him by all odds the most popular man in Huron
County in the eighteen -thirties.
There was great jubilation in Goderich when news
reached -here of Tiger's victory. A group of residents
assembled at the Steamboat Hotel to celebrate, and
"many a glass went around" according to legend.
Numerous festive dinners were held.