Chandler's parents
came to Nova Scotia in the loyalist migrations and settled in
Amherst, on that strip of land connecting Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick. Here Edward was born August 22, 1800. Here he went
to school, studied law and was called to the bar, 1823. Shortly
thereafter he moved into New Brunswick.
He
was elected to the legislative assembly for the County of Westmorland
and held the seat 1827‑1836. For the years 1844‑1858,
he served on the executive council. He was a delegate to the conferences
and gave general support to confederation, but expressed strong
dislike for the extensive powers being given to the central government.
He was offered a
seat in the senate but declined, choosing to remain in the provincial
field.
He early shared
the eagerness of his fellow Nova Scotian, Joseph Howe, to see a
railway built to connect the Maritime Provinces with the St. Lawrence
colonies, 'passing wholly through British territory'.
He accompanied Howe
to Canada in 1851 and together they secured an agreement to build
an intercolonial railway. This agreement was ratified by their respective
governments. When guaranteed loans for the project could not be
obtained, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick turned to the building of
railways within their own borders.
In 1862 the
idea of an intercolonial railway was revived and in 1864 its construction
became a condition of the Maritime Provinces' consent to enter confederation.
Work was started in 1867, and, because of his interest in the project
from the beginning, Chandler was made commissioner in charge of
construction. The road was completed in 1876; Chandler saw his dream
fulfilled!
In 1878 Chandler
succeeded Tilley as lieutenant governor of New Brunswick. He died
two years later in Fredericton, February 6, 1880.
Fathers
of Confederation
