Artist: Frederic Steiger
Portrait Hung: 1951

Election (6 March 1890) and Approbation (7 March 1890) of the Speaker (Journal)

“And the Members being returned to the Assembly Room, the Honorable the Premier addressing himself to the Clerk, who, standing up, pointed to him and then sat down, moved that George Henry Emerson, Esq., one of the members for the District of Placentia and St. Mary's, do take the chair as Speaker of this House, which motion was seconded by Dr. Dearin, and the question being put thereon passed in the affirmative, and ordered accordingly.

Mr. Emerson was then conducted to the chair by the Honorable the Premier and Dr. Dearin, when, standing on the step, he addressed the House as follows:

Gentlemen: I beg to thank you for the high honor yon have conferred upon me in electing me as Speaker of this Assembly; in accepting this office I am fully sensible of the responsibility it involves. I trust, however, that by your assistance I shall be enabled to discharge my duties fairly and impartially, feeling assured that in maintaining the dignity and in preserving the rules and orders of the House, I shall have your cordial co-operation.”

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16^th General Assembly, 1^st Session (6 and 7 March 1890).

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Election (15 February 1894) and Approbation (16 February 1894) of the Speaker (Journal)

”And the members having returned to the Assembly Room, the Honourable the Premier addressing himself to the Clerk, who, standing up, pointed to him and then sat down, moved that George Henry Emerson, Esquire, one of the members for the district of Placentia and St. Mary's, do take the chair as Speaker of this House; which motion was seconded by A. F. Goodridge, Esquire, the leader of the Opposition, and was supported by Mr. Murray.

No other member being proposed as Speaker, Mr. Emerson was unanimously called by the House to the chair, and was conducted to the chair by the members who proposed and seconded him; whereupon Mr. Emerson, standing on the step, addressed the House as follows:

Gentlemen, I am deeply grateful to you for the high honor which you have conferred, no less than the confidence which you have reposed in me by my unanimous election to the distinguished situation of Speaker of the House of Assembly. While, however, I express these sentiments, I cannot but convey to you, at the same time, the doubts which I entertain of my own abilities and experience for the proper performance of the functions which attach to so important an office. It is not on myself that I place any reliance, but to the members of this Assembly shall I look for both assistance and support to enable me to maintain its rights and privileges, and to preserve with impartiality that proper order and regularity which will greatly contribute to give stability and effect to our proceedings as a Legislative Assembly."

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17^th General Assembly, 1^st Session (15 and 16 February 1894).