End of Political Career
Whelan’s stance on Confederation as well as other issues, led him to become isolated within the Liberal party. In the election of 1867, Whelan was defeated for the first time in 21 years. There is no single cause for his defeat. He had lost support from his traditional supporters by denouncing the Tenant League and Fenianism. Moreover, his support of Confederation was unpopular with the people of PEI. On all three of these issues, his opponent, Edward Reilly, had the edge.
However, Whelan believed that the defeat came from the disapproval of the newly-appointed cleric of St. Peters, Father William Phelan, a supporter of Reilly. Whelan felt that the clergy had unduly influenced the election.
Whelan felt very bitter about this defeat and by the autumn of 1867 his health slowly deteriorated. Whelan died on December 10, 1867.
Read more about this topic: Edward Whelan
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