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A Biography of Robert Baldwin: The Morning-Star of Memory
The quest for responsible government took place in turbulent times. The "very strange" personality driving this quest, Robert Baldwin, comprises the stuff of narrative so compelling it seems at times less history than novel. Baldwin's intervention in Canadian history was momentous, and in this account history is intertwined with Baldwin's enigmatic private life.
Decades of research by historian Michael Cross has unearthed new insight into this highly complex, troubled, and exceptional man. In Cross's exploration, Baldwin inhabits an intricate emotional world, entangled with reflections on past and future. Cross' narrative flows with elegant non-linearity, reflecting Baldwin's own fluid psychological chronology; the memory of his wife Eliza, who died comparatively young, haunted Baldwin's often distressed mental landscape. In fact, the first chapter may contain one of the biggest surprises in any recent historical biography - taking place a month after Baldwin's death.
Even so, the book is full of comedy and charm. Cross is a delightfully polished writer, with a remarkable knack for character. Lord Sydenham is a "coxcomb" and a "rake" in the original sense of the words; Lord Elgin is an "unprepossessing little man" but with "steely determination," "a countenance stern in its frame of iron-grey muttonchops"; Louis LaFontaine is "handsome and charming but irritatingly pretentious." Interactions with the deep thinking and duty-bound Baldwin are at times chaotic collisions of markedly different personalities.
The book covers events such as the War of 1812, the 1841 Union of the Canadas, and mass migration of Irish famine refugees; it also contains a detailed chronology, portraits, maps, and paintings. Here is not just a vision of an unsettled Canada that will take many readers aback, but also an encounter with a fascinating, "very strange" personality whose profound influence changed Canadian history forever.
Decades of research by historian Michael Cross has unearthed new insight into this highly complex, troubled, and exceptional man. In Cross's exploration, Baldwin inhabits an intricate emotional world, entangled with reflections on past and future. Cross' narrative flows with elegant non-linearity, reflecting Baldwin's own fluid psychological chronology; the memory of his wife Eliza, who died comparatively young, haunted Baldwin's often distressed mental landscape. In fact, the first chapter may contain one of the biggest surprises in any recent historical biography - taking place a month after Baldwin's death.
Even so, the book is full of comedy and charm. Cross is a delightfully polished writer, with a remarkable knack for character. Lord Sydenham is a "coxcomb" and a "rake" in the original sense of the words; Lord Elgin is an "unprepossessing little man" but with "steely determination," "a countenance stern in its frame of iron-grey muttonchops"; Louis LaFontaine is "handsome and charming but irritatingly pretentious." Interactions with the deep thinking and duty-bound Baldwin are at times chaotic collisions of markedly different personalities.
The book covers events such as the War of 1812, the 1841 Union of the Canadas, and mass migration of Irish famine refugees; it also contains a detailed chronology, portraits, maps, and paintings. Here is not just a vision of an unsettled Canada that will take many readers aback, but also an encounter with a fascinating, "very strange" personality whose profound influence changed Canadian history forever.
452 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 6, 2018
Michael Cross includes in his superb biography of Robert Baldwin the hilarious story, that is symptomatic of all the book's great qualities and glaring defects, of a petition Baldwin received as Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada from a group of Magdalen Islanders asking that they be allowed to leave Canada and join Nova Scotia. The passage offers proof of the great depth of Cross' research while revealing at the same time Cross' dreadful inability to understand when expository material is required. Cross is forgetting that 99.99% of Canadian Anglophones are unaware that that Magdalen Islands even exist and that, in contrast, to English-speaking Nova Scotia the residents of the Magdalen Islands speak only French.
Because the book is published by Oxford University Press, one understands that it is intended for an academic audience rather than the general reading public. Nonetheless, Cross consistently fails to provide background information. He makes no attempt to explain the controversy concerning the Chancery Court that effectively finished Baldwin's political career. He also fails to provide any discussion on the Clergy Reserves which throughout Baldwin's career threatened to destroy his coalition of moderate and radical reformers. Cross' intent is never to conceal. He simply judges very badly when things need to be explained.
Another major problem with the book is Cross' obsession with Baldwin's macabre instruction to his survivors to have a surgeon cut an incision in his abdomen after his death in a gesture of solidarity with his much-loved wife who died due to complications resulting from a Caesarean section. Cross may have been right to have included the matter in his biography but he gave it a tasteless prominence that the reader could well have been spared.
For all its quirks and defects, Cross' biography is still a five-star biography of a truly great man. Baldwin's entire political career was dedicated to winning "Responsible Government" for Canada which meant a lot of different things to different people in Baldwin's life-time and which continues to be defined in multiple manners today. For Baldwin it meant that the cabinet be responsible to parliament rather than to the Governor General (normally a prominent nobleman appointed by the British Colonial Secretary) and the legislation originate from parliament rather than the Governor General. Baldwin would succeed through persistence and coalition building.
Baldwin's fundamental belief was that Canada should be governed by a coalition of Anglophones and Francophones. This was based on three assumptions: (1) the existence of a French community would provide Canada with a distinct culture from that of the US; (2) the Francophones were too numerous to be excluded from power; and (3) collaboration between religious communities was always beneficial.
Maintaining his reform coalition in Parliament required enormous skill because of two factors. The first was the Francophone reformers were at times prepared to compromise on the goal of Responsible Government if gains could be made for Francophone rights. The second was that some of his Anglophone supporters with Republican ideals would have preferred simply to break from England.
A problem equal to that of keeping his coalition together was finding away to counter the violence and electoral intimidation of the Tory opponents to Responsible government. Riots and arson were features of all elections. Feelings ran high and Baldwin was burned in effigy on multiple occasions in his native Toronto.
Cross makes sure that the reader never forgets how small Canada was during Baldwin's lifetime. He points out that a seat in the Canadian parliament could be secured with less than 150 votes at the beginning of Baldwin's career. Reform and Tory politicians attended the same skating parties. The Prime minister had to personally name grammar school trustees and county coroners.
Baldwin was first elected to Canadian parliament in 1829. Responsible government was achieved in 1848. Baldwin's second great accomplishment was the creation of the University of Toronto through an act of parliament in 1849. By the time he was driven from politics in 1851, Baldwin already belonged to the past. The younger politicians in his coalition wanted to promote railway construction and the development of mining through joint stock companies both of which Baldwin disapproved of. Baldwin also supported primogeniture and dower rights. He was opposed to the expansion of the electoral franchise and organized labour.
At a time when Canada was very small British colony, Robert Baldwin made decisions that allowed Canada to become a large and independent country. His determination to create a coalition with French speaking progressives established a practice that has been maintained to this day. The system of responsible government that he created prepared Canada for the day when Britain would impose independence on us. Cross's biography is a worthy tribute to a great Canadian.
Because the book is published by Oxford University Press, one understands that it is intended for an academic audience rather than the general reading public. Nonetheless, Cross consistently fails to provide background information. He makes no attempt to explain the controversy concerning the Chancery Court that effectively finished Baldwin's political career. He also fails to provide any discussion on the Clergy Reserves which throughout Baldwin's career threatened to destroy his coalition of moderate and radical reformers. Cross' intent is never to conceal. He simply judges very badly when things need to be explained.
Another major problem with the book is Cross' obsession with Baldwin's macabre instruction to his survivors to have a surgeon cut an incision in his abdomen after his death in a gesture of solidarity with his much-loved wife who died due to complications resulting from a Caesarean section. Cross may have been right to have included the matter in his biography but he gave it a tasteless prominence that the reader could well have been spared.
For all its quirks and defects, Cross' biography is still a five-star biography of a truly great man. Baldwin's entire political career was dedicated to winning "Responsible Government" for Canada which meant a lot of different things to different people in Baldwin's life-time and which continues to be defined in multiple manners today. For Baldwin it meant that the cabinet be responsible to parliament rather than to the Governor General (normally a prominent nobleman appointed by the British Colonial Secretary) and the legislation originate from parliament rather than the Governor General. Baldwin would succeed through persistence and coalition building.
Baldwin's fundamental belief was that Canada should be governed by a coalition of Anglophones and Francophones. This was based on three assumptions: (1) the existence of a French community would provide Canada with a distinct culture from that of the US; (2) the Francophones were too numerous to be excluded from power; and (3) collaboration between religious communities was always beneficial.
Maintaining his reform coalition in Parliament required enormous skill because of two factors. The first was the Francophone reformers were at times prepared to compromise on the goal of Responsible Government if gains could be made for Francophone rights. The second was that some of his Anglophone supporters with Republican ideals would have preferred simply to break from England.
A problem equal to that of keeping his coalition together was finding away to counter the violence and electoral intimidation of the Tory opponents to Responsible government. Riots and arson were features of all elections. Feelings ran high and Baldwin was burned in effigy on multiple occasions in his native Toronto.
Cross makes sure that the reader never forgets how small Canada was during Baldwin's lifetime. He points out that a seat in the Canadian parliament could be secured with less than 150 votes at the beginning of Baldwin's career. Reform and Tory politicians attended the same skating parties. The Prime minister had to personally name grammar school trustees and county coroners.
Baldwin was first elected to Canadian parliament in 1829. Responsible government was achieved in 1848. Baldwin's second great accomplishment was the creation of the University of Toronto through an act of parliament in 1849. By the time he was driven from politics in 1851, Baldwin already belonged to the past. The younger politicians in his coalition wanted to promote railway construction and the development of mining through joint stock companies both of which Baldwin disapproved of. Baldwin also supported primogeniture and dower rights. He was opposed to the expansion of the electoral franchise and organized labour.
At a time when Canada was very small British colony, Robert Baldwin made decisions that allowed Canada to become a large and independent country. His determination to create a coalition with French speaking progressives established a practice that has been maintained to this day. The system of responsible government that he created prepared Canada for the day when Britain would impose independence on us. Cross's biography is a worthy tribute to a great Canadian.
July 8, 2021
This book took me years to finish because I put it down several years ago & picked it up again.
The narrative covers a lot of the political landmines that plagued Upper & Lower Canada. There were constant conflicts and tensions between Anglo & Francophones, Anglicans & Catholics, Conservatives vs "Reformers" to name just a few. Cross meticulously traces the fissures in the party politics. At the same time, he explored the follies of many of Baldwin's contemporary allies & enemies during this awkward era of colonial development. The book is a relevant, important read but my problem is with Michael Cross's jumpy narrative. The historian flashes back 2 years and then abruptly covers a year or more ahead in time far too often. Historical timelines are like a slide-rulers & it becomes quite challenging to follow. He describes Conservative victories Robert faced and then seems to relish exploring how awkwardly & inefficiently Baldwin dealt with each one.
It was an endless struggle to follow all the conflicts. Robert Baldwin's obsession with his deceased wife, father or his detachment during long bouts of depression are all covered explicitly. There are also chapters devoted to how close family members or political allies end up betraying Baldwin. There seems to be no end to Cross's appetite to expose Baldwins' many character flaws (& opponents).
I kept wondering why had Cross chose Baldwin & how did he know Baldwin's opinions or beliefs? You would think Cross would at least credit Baldwin & LaFontaine with a few political accomplishments. They are briefly mentioned, or eluded to near the end, like irrelevant afterthoughts.
The narrative covers a lot of the political landmines that plagued Upper & Lower Canada. There were constant conflicts and tensions between Anglo & Francophones, Anglicans & Catholics, Conservatives vs "Reformers" to name just a few. Cross meticulously traces the fissures in the party politics. At the same time, he explored the follies of many of Baldwin's contemporary allies & enemies during this awkward era of colonial development. The book is a relevant, important read but my problem is with Michael Cross's jumpy narrative. The historian flashes back 2 years and then abruptly covers a year or more ahead in time far too often. Historical timelines are like a slide-rulers & it becomes quite challenging to follow. He describes Conservative victories Robert faced and then seems to relish exploring how awkwardly & inefficiently Baldwin dealt with each one.
It was an endless struggle to follow all the conflicts. Robert Baldwin's obsession with his deceased wife, father or his detachment during long bouts of depression are all covered explicitly. There are also chapters devoted to how close family members or political allies end up betraying Baldwin. There seems to be no end to Cross's appetite to expose Baldwins' many character flaws (& opponents).
I kept wondering why had Cross chose Baldwin & how did he know Baldwin's opinions or beliefs? You would think Cross would at least credit Baldwin & LaFontaine with a few political accomplishments. They are briefly mentioned, or eluded to near the end, like irrelevant afterthoughts.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews