I Have the Honor to Be Your Excellencys Most Obedient

/^jO y the winter of 1830; Alexander the colonial elite in an era of conflict ants" to draw up a greeting to the C^AL) Campbell of Park Corner and and scandal, James Campbell's life new Lieutenant Governor. He also Bedeque, merchant, trader, ship- was seemingly without controversy. was nominated to present the greet- builder and Treasurer of the Colony Such would not be the case with ings to the Lieutenant Governor, out- of Prince Edward Island, had become his son Alexander. lining the hope that Ready would embroiled in a political scandal, and Literate and well-spoken, he seems support agricultural and commercial was as desolate as the keening of the to have been a self-starter and, in interests and the general welfare of wind through his abandoned ship- his teens, was already a carpenter the Island. yards. It was a scandal that would and a fledgling shipbuilder. Before Campbell had done well in his have long-term financial and politi- 1800 he is credited with build- choice of a wife. In 1805 he had mar- cal ramifications for his family and ing two vessels at Park Corner. He ried Sarah Urquhart whose father, friends, diminish the importance of moved to Bedeque, at a spot near the the Reverend John, had started the Bedeque as a shipbuilding centre, mouth of the Wilmot River, and his first Presbyterian Church on Prince and reform the way the colony man- brother James later became the ship- Edward Island in 1800 at Prince aged its Treasury. builder in Park Corner. In Bedeque, Town. The Urquharts moved to It is a tragic story: one of human Alexander established two ship- Miramichi in 1802, leaving behind frailty, betrayal and deception, and yards, a store and a trading business. at least three of their daughters mar- the end of a political career. His first vessel, an 80-ton schooner, ried to Islanders. Alexander and the Eliza, probably named after his Sarah had ten children, and could mother, rolled off the stocks in 1803. boast of having the largest and fin- Family Background Before his shipbuilding career ended est home in the colony outside of he had built 17 vessels at Bedeque Charlottetown: beautiful "Bedeque Alexander was the second-eldest son and neighbouring New Workington. House," situated on 500 acres of land of James Campbell and Elizabeth In 1824, he was elected to the on the Wilmot River. Alexander fre- Townshend of Park Corner. Born House of Assembly in a June elec- quently entertained there, serving in 1778 to a prominent first fam- tion called by the new Lieutenant- up very tall drinks from very large ily, he had a privileged start to life. Governor, Colonel John Ready. One kegs on which he had neglected to Elizabeth's parents had a grant of newspaper referred to it as "a warm pay the licensing fee. land in Lot 21, which they named election" - warm in that tempers Park Corner after their home were manifested in fisticuffs with in Berkshire. James was one of resultant cuts and bruises. Campbell "I Have the Honor to be Your Governor Walter Patterson's most emerged over the other three can- Excellencys Most Obedient prominent officials, and thanks in didates with a large majority. As 77 part to large land grants from the col- testament to his status in the com- Humble Servant ony and his father-in-law of almost munity, he was chosen to chair a 2000 acres, he managed to weather public meeting at the Wellington Alexander Campbell was a politi- the political storms that accompa- Hotel in Prince Town in the fall of cal force to be reckoned with, and nied Patterson's fall from power. 1824 of a committee of "merchants, from the time he was elected to Indeed, though he was a member of magistrates, and principal inhabit- the House of Assembly in 1824, he 29 Treasurer's post, Campbell had almost £6000 plus costs in court judgments against him. By 1830 this amount would rise to almost £8000. Where was this debt to lead? Surely not, his critics must have argued, to control of the Colonial Treasury. Campbell had been asked to post an £8000 bond or "surety" to secure the Colonial Government from any misdeeds while he served. The post- ing of a bond was standard pro- cedure for colonial officials who handled money due to the Colony. However, someone must have done •%£tk- a credit check on Campbell and raised alarm bells with Ready about In the fall of 1824, freshly-elected to the House of Assembly, Campbell chaired Campbell's debt. Ready dispatched the meeting at the Wellington Hotel where the community of Prince Town a personal and confidential letter drafted its official greeting to the new Lt. Governor. This is how the building to him, by-passing the usual chan- appeared a century and a half later. nel of his office and the Colonial Secretary, dated 15 February 1828. It raised the spectre of Campbell's flourished in that arena. Moreover, to wonder why he was accumulating debt and requested another £6000 he caught the eye, and had the ear so much debt over this period of time. in sureties. It should be noted that in of Lieutenant Governor John Ready. Was it because this increase in produc- 1828, a surety did not have to secure For his able performance, Ready tivity was at a time when shipbuild- his bond. This would prove to be a rewarded him with the positions of ing and timber profits were in sharp major problem as this story unfolds. Commissioner of Roads for Lots 18, decline, or was it some other reason? The following day, Campbell, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28 and Prince Town, His financial problems became more writing from the Wellington Hotel and Justice of the Peace for Prince acute in 1827 when County in 1825. Then, in 1827, he the Cunard family was appointed High Sheriff of Prince of Halifax secured a Edward Island, a more lucrative and judgment for the prestigious position. In the House of recovery of £2400, Assembly, Campbell often chaired and the seizure of the committees, led the debate, and proceeds of the sale more often than not was chosen by of his latest vessel, the his peers to present their position to Alchymist still in the the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council. stocks at Crossman's By early 1828, it appears that Ready Point in Lot 17. In was anxious to elevate Campbell to order to assure that the position of Treasurer. they would be first in At this point Campbell's crit- line in Supreme Court ics seem to have warned Ready judgments against that, though apparently success- Campbell, they also ful, Campbell's business career paid off a £600 debt was not without difficulty. From that Campbell owed to 1808 until 1818 he had a partner, the Colonial Treasury. Samuel Welsford, who looked after The nature of this the accounts and legal affairs of the debt is unknown. business. Welsford also seemed to Another major credi- have been a moderating influence, tor was Thomas for after he departed, lawsuits for Chanter of Bideford, recovery of debts began to accumu- who was owed over late. Despite the fact that markets £3100. Chanter also in Britain were flat, Campbell began put a lien of £1200 building bigger vessels at a faster on the Alchymist not- rate. From 1824 to 1828, he launched ing that the barque seven barques, brigs and schooners, was "slender and three of which were commissioned scant security" for the by specific clients. There is no evi- Lt. Governor John Ready. Campbell quickly emerged as debt. When Governor one of Ready's brightest political stars. dence that he was not paid. One has Ready offered him the 30 moderation in the matter and work in Charlottetown; reassured Ready. to the Lieutenant Governor when "Yes the reports which have reached asked "from time to time." Yearly, with what he had. your Excellency on the state of my in March, the Lieutenant Governor A good option for Ready, it commercial affairs is so far true that would ask for the accounts to be pre- seemed, was to bring Alexander there are Large sums due by me and sented to the Council and the House Campbell and Robert Hodgson, may be, to the extent mentioned in of Assembly. Both bodies would described by Ready as "the most Your Excellency's letter of yesterday77 then set up committees to study the able men in the Assembly," into the However, he also offered this reas- report. As well, his actions were gov- Council to break the impasse. With surance: "there are also large sums erned by the Treasury Note Act and this in mind, he penned a lengthy of money due me and valuable prop- by orders-in-council. and compelling argument to the erty sufficient in my opinion to meet Campbell's appointment as Colonial Office proposing Campbell the demands against me." He has- Treasurer was at a time when rela- and Hodgson be appointed as "at- tened to add that "if His Excellency tions between the Council and pleasure," not life appointments thinks it necessary to take sureties House of Assembly were particu- to Council. In a return dispatch, to a larger amount... I feel confi- larly fractious. At stake was who Secretary Hay of the Colonial Office dent that I shall have no difficulty controlled the bulk of the colonial seemed receptive to the idea and to procure such as may be required/7 revenue. Both stakeholders were informed the Lieutenant Governor Signed: Alexander Campbell, Your at an impasse.

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