Stewart Derbishire (1794 or 1795 – March 27, 1863) was the first elected representative for Bytown in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.
Derbishire's credentials as a strong Whig won him access to notable Canadian figures who had sought refuge in New York following the abortive rebellion.
William Lyon Mackenzie, John Rolph, and Edmund Bailey O’Callaghan all granted him interviews in New York.
His conclusion was that the habitants of Lower Canada had "no practical grievances" and that the rebellion had been triggered by "the malaria of political agitation".
His last action on Durham's behalf was to carry dispatches to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in November, 1838, through the wilderness in winter, seeking troops to assist in response to a resurgence of unrest.
He re-established connections with the colonial government and became a supporter of the new Governor-General of the Province of Canada, Lord Sydenham.
Lord Sydenham was actively involved, taking all possible steps to ensure that there would be majority support for the new union Province of Canada.
Four other individuals from Bytown had declared that they sought to be elected, starting with William Stewart, who announced his candidacy in August, 1840, followed by three others over the course of the next month.
Stewart immediately issued two public protests, accusing the returning officer of partisanship in conducting the poll, but did not formally contest the results.
As a result of this pressure from the Governor General, Derbishire was elected to the first Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for the Bytown riding.
[7] In the first session of the Parliament, Derbishire was a consistent supporter of Lord Sydenham and generally voted with the moderate reformers.
However, in a letter to Robert Baldwin, the leader of the Reform campaign for responsible government in Canada West, he worried that the strong passions being raised over the issue would lead to a civil war.