Jonathan McCully

Jonathan McCully ( born July 25, 1809 in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia; † 2 January 1877 in Halifax ) was a Canadian politician, journalist and judge. As one of the Fathers of Confederation, he is among the pioneers of the Canadian federal government established in 1867. From 1867 to 1870 he was a senator.

Biography

McCully, the son of a farmer was, after his schooling itself lessons in order to finance his law studies. In 1837 he was admitted to the bar and opened a law firm in Amherst. His liberal ideas he spread with articles in the weekly newspaper Acadian Recorder and also in the Halifax Morning Chronicle, the leading liberal newspaper Nova Scotia. He assisted in publishing the reform efforts of Joseph Howe, whereupon his party retaliated by 1848 McCully summoned into the existing of nominated members of the upper house of the former colony. In this office he spent the next 19 years.

From 1853 to 1857 McCully worked as a restructuring judge, from 1854 to 1857 he was a member of the Railway Commission. Over the years, McCully became the leading columnist of the Halifax Morning Chronicle. When Joseph Howe became prime minister in 1860, he appointed McCully Minister of Justice. In addition, he led negotiations on the construction of the Intercolonial Railway. In 1864 he took part in the Charlottetown Conference and at the Quebec Conference, where was discussed the creation of a Canadian confederation. In 1866, he was also involved in the London Conference.

Because of its pro- Confederate stance McCully was dismissed by the Chronicle, after which he earned two competing newspapers, and they united to the Unionist and Halifax Journal. His articles have brought about a change in attitude and the Parliament approved the union contract. Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald appointed McCully in November 1867, Senator. Almost three years later, he resigned and was until his death served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.