Andrew Rainsford Wetmore (August 16, 1820 – March 7, 1892) was a

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

politician, jurist, and a member of a prominent

United Empire Loyalist United Empire Loyalists (or simply Loyalists) is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester, the Governor of Quebec, and Governor General of The Canadas, to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America duri ...

family. Wetmore entered politics in 1865 with his election to the colonial

legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its p ...

as an

Anti-Confederate ''Anti-Confederation'' was the name used in what is now the Maritimes by several parties opposed to Canadian Confederation. The Anti-Confederation parties were accordingly opposed by the Confederation Party, that is, the Conservative and Liberal- ...

. His opposition to

Canadian confederation Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Canada, Dom ...

dissolved when he didn't get the appointment he expected as

Attorney-General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

in the Anti-Confederate Party's government. Wetmore

crossed the floor Crossed may refer to: * ''Crossed'' (comics), a 2008 comic book series by Garth Ennis * ''Crossed'' (novel), a 2010 young adult novel by Ally Condie * "Crossed" (''The Walking Dead''), an episode of the television series ''The Walking Dead'' S ...

and joined the

Confederation Party ''Confederation Party'' was a term for the parties supporting Canadian confederation in the British colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland in the 1860s when politics became polarised between supporters and opponents of Confederati ...

which formed the government in 1866. When New Brunswick joined

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in 1867 many prominent pro-Confederation politicians assumed positions in the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

, the courts or other offices. Wetmore was able to assume the leadership of the remaining Confederation Party forces in the legislature becoming

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...

in 1867. Wetmore's government helped finance extensions to rail lines in the province. His government also incorporated the

College of Saint Joseph College of St. Joseph was a Private Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Rutland County, Vermont. It occupies a wooded campus. Although the college was accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, it was placed on probation ...

and granted full property rights to all married women living apart from, or deserted by, their husbands. On May 25, 1870, he retired from politics to accept a position on the New Brunswick

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References

* 1820 births 1892 deaths Judges in New Brunswick Lawyers in New Brunswick People from Fredericton Premiers of New Brunswick New Brunswick political party leaders {{NewBrunswick-politician-stub