Edward Patrick Morris, 1st Baron Morris
Encyclopedia
Edward Patrick Morris, 1st Baron Morris (May 8, 1859 – October 24, 1935) was a lawyer and Prime Minister
of Newfoundland
.
Born in St. John's, Morris was educated at the University of Ottawa
, joined the bar in 1885, and was a counsel for the British
government during the North American fisheries arbitration in 1910 receiving a knighthood in 1904. Morris served as governor of the Newfoundland Savings Bank from 1889 to 1913 and was elected to the Newfoundland House of Assembly
in 1885 as an independent. He joined the Liberal
government of Sir William Whiteway
as Attorney-General from 1889 to 1895.
Morris was the most senior Roman Catholic politician in Newfoundland and had enormous influence as a result. He had a strained relationship with Whiteway's successor as Liberal leader, Sir Robert Bond
, splitting with him to form the Independent Party which he led from 1898 to 1900. Morris formed an alliance with Bond to defeat the Tories and served as minister of justice from 1900 to 1907 in Bond's government. In 1907 he again broke with Bond and formed the People's Party
. Both parties tied in the 1908 General Election. Robert Bond
was asked to form a government. He refused saying he could not because he could not elect a speaker, without losing a vote and thereby bringing down the government. Morris said he could form a government and was made Prime Minister
. He lost a confidence vote and then called an election. He led his party to victory in the 1909 election with a clear majority. He served in that position through the First World War
.
His People's Party
government enjoyed strong support from the dominion
's Catholics but was largely opposed by Protestants. As a result of a wartime crisis over conscription
, and the decline of his popularity due to accusations of wartime profiteering and conflict of interest, Morris decided that it was necessary to have a government that had support from all denominations and so he invited the opposition in the House of Assembly
to join a National Government which was formed in 1917 to oversee the duration of the war. Morris retired from politics at the end of 1917 after eight years in power.
In 1918, Morris was elevated to the British peerage as the first Baron Morris
. Lord Morris moved to London
and took his seat in the House of Lords
. He lived the rest of his life there, only returning to Newfoundland once. He died in London, in 1935, at the age of 76.
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
.
Born in St. John's, Morris was educated at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, joined the bar in 1885, and was a counsel for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government during the North American fisheries arbitration in 1910 receiving a knighthood in 1904. Morris served as governor of the Newfoundland Savings Bank from 1889 to 1913 and was elected to the Newfoundland House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
in 1885 as an independent. He joined the Liberal
Liberal parties in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation)
For the modern Liberal Party see Liberal Party of Newfoundland and LabradorSeveral earlier groupings functioned in the Dominion of Newfoundland under the name Liberal Party of Newfoundland from the granting of responsible government to the island in the 1850s until its suspension in 1934 when the...
government of Sir William Whiteway
William Whiteway
Sir William Vallance Whiteway, QC KCMG was a politician and three time Premier of Newfoundland. Born in England, Whiteway emigrated to the island in 1843 and entered the law in 1852. In 1859 he was elected to the House of Assembly as a member of the Conservative Party of Newfoundland and became a...
as Attorney-General from 1889 to 1895.
Morris was the most senior Roman Catholic politician in Newfoundland and had enormous influence as a result. He had a strained relationship with Whiteway's successor as Liberal leader, Sir Robert Bond
Robert Bond
Sir Robert Bond was the Prime Minister of Newfoundland from 1900 to 1909. He was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, as the son of merchant John Bond. Bond grew up in St. John's until 1872 when his father died and left the family a good deal of money...
, splitting with him to form the Independent Party which he led from 1898 to 1900. Morris formed an alliance with Bond to defeat the Tories and served as minister of justice from 1900 to 1907 in Bond's government. In 1907 he again broke with Bond and formed the People's Party
Newfoundland People's Party
The Newfoundland People's Party was a political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland before it joined Canada.The party was created by Attorney-General Edward Patrick Morris in 1907, when he split from the ruling Liberal Party to found his own political vehicle...
. Both parties tied in the 1908 General Election. Robert Bond
Robert Bond
Sir Robert Bond was the Prime Minister of Newfoundland from 1900 to 1909. He was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, as the son of merchant John Bond. Bond grew up in St. John's until 1872 when his father died and left the family a good deal of money...
was asked to form a government. He refused saying he could not because he could not elect a speaker, without losing a vote and thereby bringing down the government. Morris said he could form a government and was made Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. He lost a confidence vote and then called an election. He led his party to victory in the 1909 election with a clear majority. He served in that position through the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
His People's Party
Newfoundland People's Party
The Newfoundland People's Party was a political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland before it joined Canada.The party was created by Attorney-General Edward Patrick Morris in 1907, when he split from the ruling Liberal Party to found his own political vehicle...
government enjoyed strong support from the dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
's Catholics but was largely opposed by Protestants. As a result of a wartime crisis over conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
, and the decline of his popularity due to accusations of wartime profiteering and conflict of interest, Morris decided that it was necessary to have a government that had support from all denominations and so he invited the opposition in the House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
to join a National Government which was formed in 1917 to oversee the duration of the war. Morris retired from politics at the end of 1917 after eight years in power.
In 1918, Morris was elevated to the British peerage as the first Baron Morris
Baron Morris
Baron Morris, of St John’s in the Dominion of Newfoundland and of the City of Waterford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1918 for the lawyer and politician Sir Edward Morris upon his retirement as Premier of Newfoundland....
. Lord Morris moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and took his seat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He lived the rest of his life there, only returning to Newfoundland once. He died in London, in 1935, at the age of 76.