Artist: Frederic Steiger
Portrait Hung: 1951

Election and Approbation of the Speaker (16 June 1846, Journal)

“And the Members having withdrawn to the said Eastern Chamber, Mr. Glen (addressing the Clerk) and seconded by Mr. Nugent, proposed— That the Honourable John Kent be the Speaker of this House.

And the choice of the House having fallen upon the said Hon. John Kent, he was taken from his place by Mr. Glen, and conducted to and placed in the chair, and thereupon he addressed the Members present as follows:

Hon. Gentlemen and Gentlemen— I have to express my sincere thanks for the high honor you have conferred upon me in choosing me to be your Speaker. I beg to assure you that it shall be my constant study to merit the confidence you have reposed in me by a strict attention to the duties of the important office with which you have been pleased to invest me ; and I trust by your assistance and support to guard and maintain at all times the privileges of this house consistently with a due regard to the prerogatives of the Crown.”

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3rd^st General Assembly, 5^th Session (16 June 1846).

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Election and Approbation of the Speaker (14 December 1848, Journal)

 “The Members then retired to the principal Committee Room and, Mr. Winser addressing himself to the Clerk Assistant of the late General Assembly, seconded by Mr. O’Brien, proposed John Kent Esq, and Member for the District of Saint John's to be their Speaker.

And the choice of the House having unanimously fallen upon John Kent, Esquire, he stood up in his place and expressing the sense he had of the honour proposed to be conferred upon him by the House, submitted himself to their choice, and he was taken out of his place by Mr. Winser and Mr. O'Brien and conducted to and placed in the chair accordingly.

Whereupon Mr. Speaker elect addressed the Members as follows:

Gentlemen,—The honor you have done me by unanimously electing me to the chair of this Assembly I deeply appreciate. The only drawback to my feelings of satisfaction is the sense I entertain of my own deficiency satisfactorily to discharge the duties of this important office, however, am consoled by the reflection that my labours will be lightened by the support and assistance I may confidently rely on receiving from every member of this Honourable House.”

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4^th General Assembly, 1^st Session (14 December 1848).

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Election and Approbation of the Speaker (31 January 1853, Journal)

"And the House having returned, Edmund Hanrahan, Esq. addressing himself to the Clerk, (who standing up pointed to him and then sat down) proposed to the House, for their Speaker, John Kent, Esq., and moved "That John Kent, Esq. do take the Chair of this House as Speaker," which motion was seconded by Robert John Parsons, Esq.

Whereupon, P. F. Little, Esq., addressing himself to the Clerk, (who standing up pointed to him and then sat down) proposed in amendment, seconded by George J. Hogsett, Esq. That the following words do stand part of the question, and be added thereto,

Resolved,—Whereas it is incompatible with the independence of this House that the Speaker's Chair should be filled by an officer of the Government, under ordinary circumstances; but considering the limited number of Representatives, the anomalous nature of our constitution, and the condition upon which Mr. Kent accepted the office of Collector of Her Majesty's Customs, viz :

That he should be untrammelled the advocacy of Responsible Government, therefore Resolved,—That the choice of this House in this instance shall not be construed into a precedent or a vote of confidence in the Executive.

The question was then put by the Clerk, " That John Kent Esq. do take the chair as Speaker of this House and the House dividing thereon, there appeared— Division on original motion.

For the motion, 7. Mr. Hoyles, Mr. Hanrahan, Mr. Hayward, Mr. Bemister, Mr. March, Mr. Kent.

Against the motion, 7. Mr. Little, Mr. Hogsett, Mr. Winser, Mr. Emerson, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Shea, Mr. Parsons.

And the numbers being equal, it passed in the negative.

The question on the amendment being then put by the Clerk, it passed in the affirmative, without division, and Ordered accordingly.

Mr. Kent was then conducted to and placed in the chair by Mr. Hanrahan and Mr. Parsons, when he addressed the House as follows:

Gentlemen, I have to express my sincere thanks for the high honor you have conferred upon me in choosing me to be your Speaker. I beg to assure you that it shall be my constant study to merit the confidence you have reposed in me by a strict attention to the duties of the important office with which you have been pleased to invest me; and, I trust, by your assistance and support, to guard and maintain the privileges of this House, consistently with a due regard to the prerogatives of the Crown.”

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5^th General Assembly, 1^st Session (31 January 1853).