Lucius Seth Huntington

Lucius Seth Huntington
Source: Library and Archives Canada
Member of Parliament
for Shefford
In office
1867–1882
Preceded byfirst member
Succeeded byMichel Auger
Personal details
BornMay 26, 1827
Compton, Lower Canada
DiedMay 19, 1886(1886-05-19) (aged 58)
New York City, New York, United States
Political partyLiberal

Lucius Seth Huntington, PC (May 26, 1827–May 19, 1886) was a Canadian lawyer, journalist and political figure. He was a Liberal member of the House of Commons of Canada representing Shefford from 1867 to 1882. He also served as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Postmaster General.

He was born in Compton, Lower Canada in 1827. The families of his parents had come to the Eastern Townships from New England. He studied law with John Sewell Sanborn and was called to the bar in 1853. There was a surplus of lawyers at the time, so he became a merchant to provide himself with additional income. He also established a newspaper in Knowlton, later moving it to Waterloo after he was hired as secretary for a railroad company based there. He ran for the Shefford seat in the Legislative Assembly in 1860, but the election was not settled before parliament was dissolved; he was elected in the election that followed in 1861. In 1863, he was appointed solicitor general for Canada East. During the American Civil War, he profited from his ownership of a copper mine; later, the market in copper collapsed and so did Huntington's profits.

In 1873, he exposed the Pacific Scandal which led to the fall of Sir John A. Macdonald's Conservatives. He then became part of a syndicate formed to continue construction of the railway. He intended to resign from his government post to enter this business venture, but was persuaded to remain in office when the Conservatives alleged wrongdoing in his sale of his interests in copper mines, since his resignation might be interpreted as a sign of guilt. In 1875, Huntington was heavily criticized for a speech where he advised English Protestants in Quebec to vote Liberal to protect their own interests versus those of French Catholics. He fell ill later in his parliamentary career and, after his defeat in 1882, moved to New York City to seek medical treatment.

He died in New York in 1886.

1882 Canadian federal election: Shefford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal Michel Auger 1,581 52.23 +42.76
Liberal Lucius Seth Huntington 1,446 47.77 -1.46
Total valid votes 3,027 100.00
1878 Canadian federal election: Shefford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Lucius Seth Huntington 1,414 49.23 +7.23
Unknown R. Nicol 1,186 41.30
Unknown M. Auger 272 9.47
Total valid votes 2,872 100.00
1874 Canadian federal election: Shefford
Party Candidate Votes ±%
Liberal Lucius Seth Huntington 1,618 57.99 +1.12
Unknown J.J. Curran 1,172 42.01
Total valid votes 2,790 100.00
1872 Canadian federal election: Shefford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Lucius Seth Huntington 1,515 56.87 -0.19
Unknown Charles Thibault 1,149 43.13
Total valid votes 2,664 100.00
Source: Canadian Elections Database[1]
1867 Canadian federal election: Shefford
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Lucius Seth Huntington 1,317 57.06
Unknown Parmelee 991 42.94
Total valid votes 2,308 100.00
Source: Canadian Elections Database[2]
  1. ^ Sayers, Anthony M. "1872 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Sayers, Anthony M. "1867 Federal Election". Canadian Elections Database. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024.