title than was his predecessor Archibald, and argued in favour of education and hunting/fishing rights for aboriginal groups. Despite some successes, however, he was unable to prevent the withdrawal of many Métis from the province (there were some suspicions about Morris's own speculation in land previously owned by the Métis). In 1874, with Manitoba's finances in peril, the provincial government appealed to Ottawa for assistance. Ottawa agreed to provide aid, but demanded that the Legislative Council be eliminated in order to cut expenses. When the council twice rejected bills that would have resulted in its demise, Morris intervened by offering recalcitrant councillors lucrative government positions elsewhere. Due to Morris' mediation, Manitoba's Legislative Council became the first provincial upper house to be abolished in 1876. Morris stepped down as Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories in 1876, after it was made a separate jurisdiction. While losing this position, he also gained the Lieutenant Governorship of Keewatin District, a new territory which stretched up into the Arctic. He held this position until 1877, when he resigned as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba and returned to Ontario. Morris sought to return to the federal House of Commons in 1878. After losing the Conservative nomination in the Manitoba riding of Marquette, he decided to contest nearby Selkirk instead. He was defeated by Canadian Pacific Railway spokesman and Independent Conservative Donald A. Smith by 555 votes to 546, and subsequently returned to Ontario again. Later in 1878, Ontario MLA Matthew Crooks Cameron was appointed as a judge, and the provincial seat of Toronto East became vacant. Morris contested the riding as a Conservative, and defeated his Liberal opponent J. Leys by 1891 votes to 1846. The Conservatives were in opposition to the Liberal government of Oliver Mowat in this period, and Morris served as the opposition house leader. In the general election of 1879, he personally defeated Mowat in Toronto East by 2132 votes to 2075 (though Mowat also contested Oxford North, which he won easily). Morris again defeated Leys by a narrow margin in 1883, but did not seek re-election in 1886, once more for medical reasons. The Conservatives were never able to form government in Ontario during Morris's time in the provincial house. Morris continued to serve as a prominent figure in the Presbyterian Church in Canada following his retirement. He died in 1889, at age 63. References External links Negotiating the Numbered Treaties: