The Novascotian – Nova Scotia, Joseph Howe, 1828

Joseph Howe (1804–1873) is one of the greatest journalists and parliamentarians in Nova Scotia history, best known for winning his libel case in 1835 and for promoting responsible government in Nova Scotia. Howe had published two letters signed ‘The People’ accusing the Halifax magistrates and police of gross corruption. The Attorney General brought a charge of criminal libel against him. Acting in his own defence, Howe was successfully acquitted. His acquittal became a landmark victory for freedom of the press in British North America and helped establish the principle that truthful criticism of public officials should not be treated as criminal libel.

Howe’s political influence largely rested on his ability to convey his ideas through his newspaper, The Novascotian, or Colonial Herald.

Born into a printing family, his father was John Howe, who is also featured in our archives. At the age of 13, Joseph became his father’s apprentice and after ten years of training, in 1827, he purchased a small newspaper he called The Acadian. This was not a political newspaper and showed no indication of the political advocacy that Howe would later become known for. It primarily furnished news and featured editorials on local scenery and affairs. Howe’s connection with The Acadian was brief. By the end of 1827 he purchased The Novascotian, or Colonial Herald, founded by George R. Young in 1824. The purchase price was 1,050 pounds, with annual installments of 210 pounds. By the end of 1832, Howe had paid off the entire amount. He transformed it into the most influential newspaper in Atlantic Canada. In 1843, Howe sold the paper to his former apprentice, Richard Nugent. Nugent ran the newspaper for only a few years before selling it to William Annand, whom Howe helped finance with a loan. Three years later, Annand founded The Morning Chronicle, the newspaper that, through mergers and name changes eventually became today’s Chronicle Herald. 

In February 1828, shortly after purchasing The Novascotian, or Colonial Herald, he married Catharine Susan Ann McNab, from a prominent Nova Scotia family. Catherine, along with her father-in-law, John Howe, often helped in the print shop while Joseph was away. Joseph affectionately referred to Catherine as ‘the little editor’, a reflection of the confidence he placed in her ability to help manage the newspaper during his frequent absences.

As a printer, Howe published many books by several Nova Scotia writers, including Thomas Chandler Haliburton’s internationally best-selling Sam Slick stories. The engraver of the 1840 floral masthead has not yet been identified but Charles W. Torbett is a strong candidate. Howe had employed Torbett to engrave illustrations for Haliburton’s History of Nova Scotia, demonstrating an established professional relationship between Howe and the engraver. It is plausible that Howe turned to Torbett when commissioning the newspaper’s new masthead.

It wasn’t until about 1830 that Howe started concentrating more on writing political topics. This led to him being elected to the provincial legislature in 1836. He became Premier of Nova Scotia in 1860 and opposed Confederation. In 1867, he finally accepted the fact that Confederation was a done deal and was elected to the Canadian Parliament.

In 1873 he was appointed lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia but died three weeks later. He is buried in Camp Hill Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia.