16th General Election: 31 October 1885
Party composition: Reform 18, Liberal 13, Independent 1. Total Assembly membership: 32
The election was contested by a Reform Party which replaced Whiteway’s Conservatives. Sir Robert Thorburn of the Reform Party took over as Premier. The Reform Party campaigned on a policy of not compromising with Catholics. Thorburn broke his election promise by inviting Catholic Liberals to join his government. The Reform and Liberal parties merged, to form a larger Reform Party. Meanwhile William Whiteway, the former Conservative leader, set up a new party. As the name Liberal was not being used, Whiteway adopted it for his new party. It must therefore be appreciated that the Liberal Party which contested the 15th general election was a different party from the Liberal Party from the 16th general election onwards.
Read more about this topic: General Elections In Pre-confederation Newfoundland
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