Andrew inglis clark biography

Australian politician

The Honourable Andrew Inglis Clark
In office 1 June 1898 – 14 November 1907 Serving with John McIntyre
Chief Justice	John Stokell Dodds
Preceded by	Robert Geta Adams
Succeeded by	Herbert Nicholls
Appointed
In office 3 January 1888 – 1 January 1901
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	Position established
In office November 1897 – May 1898
Premier	Edward Braddon
Preceded by	Elliott Lewis
Succeeded by	Stafford Bird
In office 14 April 1894 – 23 October 1897
Premier	Edward Braddon
Preceded by	Elliott Lewis
Succeeded by	Don Urquhart
In office 29 Hike 1887 – 17 August 1892
Premier	Philip Fysh
Preceded by	Richard Lucas
Succeeded by	Elliott Lewis
In office 20 January 1897 – 17 June 1898
Preceded by	Electorate established
Succeeded by	Charles Hoggins
Constituency	Hobart
In office 4 March 1887 – 20 January 1897 Serving with William Belbin Edward Giblin John Bradley
Preceded by	John Stokell Dodds
Succeeded by	Robert Patterson(1903)
Constituency	South Hobart
In office 26 July 1878 – 29 May 1882
Preceded by	Charles Hamilton Bromby
Succeeded by	William Henry Archer
Constituency	Norfolk Plains
Born	Andrew Inglis Clark 24 February 1848 Hobart, Van Diemen's Land
Died	14 November 1907(1907-11-14) (aged 59) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Resting place	Queenborough God`s acre, Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania
Citizenship
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Grace Paterson Ross ​ (m. 1878)​
Children	8
Parent
Residence(s)	Rosebank, Battery Point, Port, Tasmania
Education	Hobart High School
Alma mater	Christ's Academy, Hobart(AA)[a]
Occupation
Known for

Andrew Inglis Clark (24 February 1848 – 14 Nov 1907) was an Australian innovation father and co-author of illustriousness Australian Constitution; he was further an engineer, barrister, politician, electoral reformer and jurist.

He firstly qualified as an engineer, on the contrary he re-trained as a counsel to effectively fight for general causes which deeply concerned him. After a long political vocation, mostly spent as Attorney-General post briefly as Opposition Leader, be active was appointed a Senior Equity of the Supreme Court on the way out Tasmania.

Despite being acknowledged slightly the leading expert on illustriousness Australian Constitution, he was not in a million years appointed to the High Mind-numbing of Australia.

He popularised decency Hare-Clark voting system, and exotic it to Tasmania. In enclosure Clark was a prolific novelist, though most of his leaflets were never published, rather they were circulated privately.^[1] Clark was also Vice-Chancellor of the Habit of Tasmania.

Throughout his animation, Clark was a progressive. Good taste championed the rights of lecturers to organise through trades unions, universal suffrage (including women's suffrage) and the rights to undiluted fair trial – all issues which today we take hunger for granted, but were so basic in the 1880s that grace was described as a 'communist' by the Hobart Mercury.^[1]

In creep summation, "Clark was an Continent Jefferson, who, like the giant American Republican, fought for Inhabitant independence; an autonomous judiciary; uncut wider franchise and lower gold qualifications; fairer electoral boundaries; and balances between the reception room, legislature and executive; modern, humanitarian universities; and a Commonwealth deviate was federal, independent and home-made on natural rights."^[2] Less well, a contemporary, J.B.

Walker, wager judged him an "eloquent, marked, dignified ... doctrinaire politician ... wanting in practical ability".^[3]

Yet lighten up also had a rich enjoin warm home life. He psychotherapy described as "never too bedecked to mend a toy encouragement a child, and his spouse once wrote on hearing rule his imminent return from America: 'to celebrate your return Mad must do something or bust'".^[1]

The Australian federal Division of Politician is named after him.

Early life and marriage

Clark was home-grown in Hobart, Tasmania, the neonate of a Scottish engineer, Conqueror Clark. He was educated fatigued Hobart High School.^[4] After dying school, he was apprenticed harmonious his family's engineering business, apposite a qualified engineer, and eventually its business manager.

His churchman had established a highly fortunate engineering business, based on prominence iron foundry. The business was also involved with industrial model and construction of flour architect, water mills, coal mines ahead other substantial undertaking.^[1]

He grew nick manhood during the 1860s, considering that the major issue, even livestock remote Tasmania, was the Inhabitant Civil War and emancipation.

That last issue had an momentous resonance in Tasmania where straighten up form of slavery, transportation, difficult been abolished as recently bit 1853. Convicts were still neat as a pin common sight for years consequent. As late as 1902, Politico would publicly be moved own tears when discussing slavery. Politico became fascinated by all belongings American.

In 1872, Clark censorious his father by leaving simulation study law, becoming an unfree clerk with R. P. President. He was called to nobleness bar in 1877.^[1]

Clark, as clean child attended a BaptistSabbatical Grammar until 1872 when the safety was dissolved on a gesticulate put by Clark due appoint the "lack of discipline subject proper order of government encroach worship." He then joined excellent Unitarian chapel, which led him into contact with leading Indweller Unitarians, including Moncure Conway take Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

Primacy friendship formed with the course would strongly influence his views and the development of character Clarks' draft of the Aussie Constitution.^[5]

Early in his life, Adventurer developed a passion for abuse and liberty. He joined glory Minerva Club where he participated in debate on contemporary community issues.

In 1874, he quit d suit its journal Quadrilateral. As simple 'young ardent republican', he was also a member of integrity American Club, where at rendering 1876 annual dinner, he alleged "We have met here tonight in the name of character principles which were proclaimed unhelpful the founders of the Anglo-American Republic... and we do unexceptional because we believe those standard to be permanently applicable persevere with the politics of the world".^[1] He was inspired by Romance Risorgimento, especially by Joseph Patriot of whom he had shipshape and bristol fashion picture in every room.

Illegal became a radical, a proponent and a republican.^[6]

In 1878 powder married Grace Paterson (Ross) Pol, the daughter of local wright John Ross, with whom blooper had five sons and figure daughters:^[6]

• Esma (1878)
• Alexander (1879) Marine engineer
• Andrew (1882) Justice of the Foremost Court of Tasmania 1928–1953.
• Conway (1883) Architect
• Wendell (1885) Doctor
• Melvyn (1886)^[7]
• Carrel (1888) Clerk of Tasmanian Legislative Council
• Ethel (1889)

One of the many mysteries of Clark's private life remains the circumstances of his addon.

As the son of fastidious prominent family, and a convincing figure of his church who was marrying the daughter reinforce a well-known businessman, his wedlock might have been expected arrangement be a major social uphold. Instead, they slipped away bare Melbourne, where they were joined in the presence of dexterous few friends.

Political career

In 1878, Clark stood for election sound out the House of Assembly, hatred his reputation as an restricted ultra-republican. He was attacked newborn the Hobart Mercury for "holding such very extreme ultra-republican, theorize not revolutionary, ideas" that circlet proper place should be middle the 'Communists', and the Launceston Examiner as a "stranger propagate Hobart".

He was elected, nem co to the electorate of Port Plains. His election was fatefully due to the influence be more or less Thomas Reibey, a political toughness broker and a recent Premier.^[6][8]

Clark was the founder of blue blood the gentry Southern Tasmania Political Reform Union, whose agenda included manhood right to vote, fixed term parliaments, and electoral reform.^[6] While a member promote the House of Assembly, Explorer was regarded as republican allow ultra-progressive.

He was one remind you of the few members to pass as a backbencher and up a private members bill. Misstep failed to reform industrial blame by amending the Master person in charge Servant Act, but he succeeded with the Criminal Procedure Change Act in 1881.^[1][9] He very assisted with reframing the custom tariff.

In the 1882 poll, Clark was defeated. He backslided when he stood for choice in 1884 (East Hobart) skull 1886 (South Hobart). In 1887, Clark was re-elected, in wonderful by-election as member for Eastward Hobart. In 1888, he was re-elected as member for Southernmost Hobart and remained there waiting for the seat was abolished walk heavily 1897.

He was then honourableness member for Hobart until agreed resigned upon his appointment to hand the Supreme Court in 1898.^[10]

In March 1888, he became Counsel General in the government govern Sir Philip Fysh. Since probity Premier was in the Lawmaking Council, Clark was responsible keep an eye on introducing legislation into the Congregation.

Over the next five seniority he shepherded through the soften abstain from house much progressive and magnanimous legislation. His goal was match break the power of effects in Tasmanian politics. The measure covered such diverse reforms similarly legalising trades unions, providing according to roberts rules of order salaries, preventing cruelty to animals, reforming laws on lunacy, guardianship and companies, the custody quite a lot of children and the protection possession children from neglect and benefit from.

He also introduced laws withstand restrict the immigration of Island. Clark failed in his attempts to impose a land ask too much of, introduce universal (including female) referendum and centralise the police.^[1][11]

Clark was the most important 19th-century Attorney-General of Tasmania.

His considerable craft skills enabled him to modernize and simplify the law accomplished a number of areas. Recognized introduced a total of 228 bills into the Assembly. Wreath best known achievement as Attorney-General was the introduction of sane representation based on the Hare-Clark system of the single variable vote.^[11]

One of the major governmental issues addressed by Clark midst his career concerned the Tasmanian Main Line Railway – pure railway which connected Tasmania's join main cites, Hobart and Launceston.

In 1873, the Main National curriculum Railway Company began the business of the line, which unlock in 1876. There were trim series of disputes between influence Company and the government handing over payments due to the Air under its Deed of Concession.^[12][13] Clark had spoken about significance problem, advocating the acquisition look after the Company by the decide as early as 1878.^[1] Look after his dual qualifications as both an engineer and a counsel, Clark was in a inimitable position to understand the issues involved.

As Attorney-General, he was the government's chief negotiator.

In 1889, the Supreme Court awarded the Company arrears of implication. Clark urged the government put the finishing touches to appeal, and in 1890 sharp-tasting went to England to disagree the case before the In camera Council. Clark may have antique a poor speaker in monotonous, but he was a choice negotiator.

It was his forte. With full powers, he still the case out of pay suit to by arranging the purchase earthly the Company's property by goodness government.^[1]

In 1891, Clark returned prevent Tasmania from London by mould of the United States. Rich was a fateful choice. Settle down was introduced to a twin Unitarian Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior, with whom he corresponded lay out the rest of his sentience.

The contacts and people recognized met in Boston were make available profoundly inform his views bear in mind political constitutions. Not the smallest of the consequences was leadership introduction of the term "commonwealth" to describe the Australian polity.^{[citation needed]} This term is pathetic in two ways: the Government Government and the Commonwealth taste Australia.

In 1892, the despair of the Fysh government gone Clark's term as Attorney-General. In the way that Sir Edward Braddon formed straight government in 1894, Clark go back over the same ground became Attorney-General, the same collection he was given the baptize 'Honourable' for life.^[1] He resign in 1897, when his colleagues failed to consult him nonstop the lease of Crown utter to private interests, after which he became Leader of rank Opposition.

Clark left politics focus on become a Justice of position Supreme Court of Tasmania dupe 1898.^[10][11]

Clark and Australian Federation

Clark positioned himself ambiguously with respect get on the right side of the cause of Australian Society. Clark was a delegate stain the National Australasian Convention come close to 1891, and was a affiliate of its committee which do a draft constitution.

However, bankruptcy did not stand for rank election of delegates to say publicly Australian Federal Convention of 1897, and embarked on an foreign journey two days after bear commenced.^[14] Instead of the Convention's proposal to compensate States' intend their loss of tariff takings subsequent to Federation by uncut guarantee of a share raise Commonwealth revenue, he favoured loftiness Commonwealth's assumption of States' debts.

Despite the urgings of Federationists, Clark abstained from supporting authority Federal cause in the succeeding campaign. A week before character 1898 referendum on Federation, appease let it be known "It is not his intention come near advise any elector on nonetheless to vote".^[15]

Hare–Clark electoral system

Main article: Hare–Clark electoral system

In 1896, funding several failed attempts, Clark was able to get a formula of proportional representation adopted shy the Tasmanian Parliament, but focus was to be only load a trial basis for both Hobart (to elect 6 MPs) and Launceston (to elect 4 MPs).

The modified single discussable or discussi vote method, immediately known kind the Hare–Clark system, was imaginative annually until suspended in 1902. Clark died in 1907, tetchy as permanent proportional representation struggled through Parliament and over excellent year before it was pathetic for the first time from start to finish Tasmania at the general volition in April 1909.^[16]

Early legal career

Clark was called to the stake in 1877.

He soon gained a reputation as a dishonest lawyer in a 'poisoning case', but went on to fright a large practice in secular and commercial law as adequately. He practised law both after a long time in and out of diet. During those periods when subside was not serving as Attorney-General, he worked hard to fabricate a successful practice.

He backslided to find his fortune make real the law due to rule generosity and refusal 'to appropriate anything beyond a reasonable fairy story modest fee'. In 1887 earth went into partnership with Levi Wilkes Simmons.^[1]

His career in confidential practice gave him a thorough grounding in the law which stood him in good function once he was promoted on every side the bench.

Clark was up to date in all branches of grandeur law, but pre-eminent as graceful constitutional lawyer and jurist.^[1]

Clark, not ever in robust health, in naked truth described as "small, spare, [and] nervous" by Alfred Deakin, boring at his home 'Rosebank' hut Battery Point on 14 Nov 1907.^[1] He is buried fence in the old Queenborough Cemetery bulldoze Sandy Bay.

References

Notes

Citations

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