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Canadian lawyer and politician (1821-1893) who served as the third prime minister of Canada from 1891 to 1892. He was also the first native-born Canadian Prime Minister, and the first to serve as Prime Minister while sitting in the Senate rather than the House of Commons. LS signed “J. J. C. Abbott,” one page both sides, 7.75 x 10, November 6, 1878. Letter to William Hay, written during the Canadian federal election campaign of 1878, in part: "I of course could not for a moment recognise the payment of any sum of money for taking a voter home from the poll. So if any such item is in Mr. Bedard’s account, please get him to make it over again leaving it out. Such charges, as you know, would invalidate the election, and disqualify me if I paid them." He initials a postscript on the reverse, "J.J.C.A." In fine condition, with some small holes to the upper left corner.
As it turned out Abbott lost his election in 1878, then won in 1880 only to have his victory declared void because of bribery allegations. He was, however, subsequently elected in a by-election in August 1881.
In 1849 as a young man, Abbott signed the 'Montreal Annexation Manifesto' calling for Canada to join the United States, an action he regretted later as a youthful error. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, he was a prominent lawyer in Montreal where his most celebrated case was the defense of four of the recaptured Confederate agents who had raided St Alban’s, Vermont from Canadian soil during the Civil War. Abbott successfully argued that the Confederates were 'belligerents' rather than 'criminals' and therefore should not be extradited.
Autograph material of early Canadian Prime Ministers are unusually uncommon and seldom appear on the market.
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