Charles Cowper

Early life

Charles was the third son of the Rev. William Cowper and his first wife Hannah. He was born in Drypool, Hull, Yorkshire, England and was brought to Sydney by his father in 1809. Educated by his father, in 1825 he joined the public service, and when 19 years of age was appointed clerk of the Clergy and School Lands Corporation. He held this position for some years.

In 1831 Charles married the second daughter of Daniel Sutton. When the Clergy and School Lands Corporation was dissolved in 1833, Cowper went on the land and held extensive properties in Cumberland and Argyle counties.

Legislative Council

Cowper was first elected as the member of the Legislative Council for the County of Cumberland in 1843 after a bitter contest against James Macarthur and held his seat until 1850. In September 1848 he sent out a circular convening a meeting to consider the establishment of a railway company. This became the first railway in New South Wales started on 3 July 1849. As it proved impossible for the company to finance the railway, it was taken over by the government six years later.

After coming last in the election for the City of Sydney and failing to win County of Cumberland, at the end of 1851, Cowper was elected for County of Durham. He had opposed transportation since the 1840s and had presided at a public meeting protesting plans to revive transportation in October 1846. He also fought transportation vigorously in the Council and in May 1851 he became president of the Australasian League for the Abolition of Transportation, which included representatives of New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and New Zealand. The association actively campaigned in Britain and, partly as a result, the British Government announced in December 1852 that there would be no more transportation to eastern Australia.

Premier

: When responsible government was established, Cowper was elected a member of the first Legislative Assembly in 1856 for Sydney City, which he represented until its abolition in 1859.

Although Cowper was popular in 1856, his open association with the radicals, including Parkes, James Wilshire and Robert Campbell ruled him out from being considered for the premiership. He was offered and declined the position of Colonial Secretary in the first ministry under the leadership of S. A. Donaldson. Following Donaldson's resignation in August, Cowper was asked to form Government, but he had no more success than Donaldson in establishing majority support, and was in particular attacked over his choice for Attorney General, James Martin, who had not yet been admitted as a barrister. He was beaten in a no confidence motion and resigned on 2 October.

Cowper turned down a place in the Parker ministry. He subsequently opposed Parker's proposal to create 40 new members in the House, and distribute them according to population, because it did not widen the franchise.

Second ministry

: In September 1857, the Parker Government was defeated and resigned, and Cowper became Premier again. This was a ministry of many changes, no fewer than 13 men holding the seven positions in its life of just over two years. In December, his Government lost a vote on a proposal to increase the rents of pastoralists and to levy an assessment on their stock, but this time Governor Denison agreed to call an election, held in January 1858. Cowper did well enough to remain Premier, but he did not have a reliable majority. His Government amended the Electoral Act to provide vote by secret ballot, universal manhood suffrage, representation primarily by population and more equal electoral districts. It also created 40 new municipalities, established district courts and prohibited grants to support public religious activity. At the June 1859 election, Cowper was returned for East Sydney. His government was beaten on a vote on his educational bill on 26 October 1859 and Cowper resigned from the Assembly the next day. William Forster became Premier and John Robertson became leader of the Opposition. In March 1860, Cowper was appointed to a five-year term in the Legislative Council.

Third ministry

: Robertson formed Government in March 1860 with Cowper as Chief Secretary, and proceeded to bring forward his radical land legislation, involving free selection of crown land before survey and, when blocked in the Assembly, he called an election on the land issue in December. At the election, Cowper returned to the Assembly representing East Sydney. All the candidates who publicly opposed land reform and the abolition of state aid for religious purposes were defeated.

Robertson handed over the Premiership to Cowper on 10 January 1861, while Robertson concentrated on the land bills as Secretary for Lands. Cowper simplified the political situation by sending Parkes to England to recruit immigrants on £1,000 per year.{{cite AuDB |first=Bede |last=Nairn |title=Robertson, Sir John (1816–1891)

Fourth ministry

: Cowper's party won the February 1865 election and he became Premier for the fourth time, but he had difficulty in maintaining control of the Assembly. In January 1866 Martin and Parkes, who had returned from London, defeated him and he resigned his seat to look after his private interests in February 1867.

Fifth ministry

: In the December 1869 election, he recontested East Sydney unsuccessfully, but was elected to represent Liverpool Plains.

Death

He died in London on 19 October 1875 and was survived by Lady Cowper and children. He is buried in a family grave on the western side of Highgate Cemetery.

Honours

Cowper was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1869, and a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1872.

The federal Division of Cowper in New South Wales was created in 1900, and named after Sir Charles Cowper.

Notes

References

1. McClurg, John Harold Crozier. (1975). "Historical Sketches of Brisbane". Library Board of Queensland and Royal Historical Society of Queensland.
2. Blainey, Ann. "Rusden, George William (1819–1903)".
3. {{Dictionary of Australian Biography
4. Ward, John M. "Cowper, Sir Charles (1807–1875)".
5. {{Cite NSW Parliament
6. Cowper, Hon. Sir Charles
7. {{London Gazette. (1 July 1869)
8. {{London Gazette. (23 February 1872)