The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-21
For the National Era.
The NEUTRAL FRENCH IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
PART ".

PART ".
If ever tho Neutrals had been induced 10
maintain, for one moment a sincere attachment
TO the British Government, the treatment which
they received from that Government had swept
it all away and left most unrelenting hostili-
~ in its place; and the conquest of Canada,
though it made favorable change ia their
condition, SO far as regarded personal comfort,
and secured to them freedom from many an
noyances to which they had been subjected
from the anti-Catholic and anti French spirit
of the people, was still not without its dark
side to them. 1t destroyed the only reasonable
hope Of return to Acadie which they could
have entertained for they had hoped that TIE
French King would be so successful in the war
as to be able to dictate, as a condition Of
peace, their restoration to thoir country. Their
history, from this time forward is marked with
attempts to emigrate to France, or to French
Colonies.
During the year 1860, many changes had
occurred in the Governments of Massachusetts
and of Nova Scotia. Pownall was transferred
from the chief magistracy of Massachusetts, to
that of South Carolina; and Francis Bernard
the Governor of New Jersey, took his place
Gov Lawrence, of Nova Scotia, had died, and
the administration Of affairs devolved upon
Province. King George ii, Also had died d.
ring this year. and bis successor was proclaim
ed at Boston on December Both Thomas
Hutchinson, appointed Lieutenant Governor In
1853, continued to hold that tfice.
We cannot illustrate Gov. Demands DISPOSE
ton towards the Neutral French, better than
by quoting from one Of his messages to the
General Court, some years after his accession.
He wrote:
ever sinoo | have been Governor of this
Province, have had great compassion for this
people, as every one must who has considered
that it was by the exgencies of war; rather
than by any fault of their owp, that they were
removed from state of ease and affluence,
and brought into poverty and dependence"
During the year 1851, tide of emigration
flowed in upon the old Acadian country, chiefly
from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Con-
necticut. From the north of Ireland, also,
many emigrants came. The original intention
of the British Government was to have given
up the lands Of the Neutrals to military set
tiers; but they were persuaded by Gov. Law
renee to abandon this design, and the greater
part of the country had been for many years
soan6ly settled; enigrants being deferred from
venturing there, on account OF the difficulty Of
removing during time of war, and by the fear
of being compelled to yield possession to the
former occupants, when peace should be made.
During the summer of 1862, four French
ships of the line appeared of Newfoundland,
and, after ravagiug the country near the sea-
coast and destroying few email settlements,
sailed to attack the town of st. John, which
surrendered without resistance. The people
of Nova Scotia were Immediately overcome
with great dread of similar visitation; and
among the measures which they took for de-
fence, besides laying an embargo and declar.
ing the existence of martial law was q seizure
of all the Acadians whom they could fad in
Kings county, formerly the district of Mnas.
This alarm appears to have been in great
measure unnecessary, for o powerful British
fleet Law in the harbor of Halifax Neverthe.
less, the Acadans whom they seized, hun
dred and thirty in number, together with very
MANY others. who were in confinement at Hall
fax, were shipped to Massachusetts,, and des.
patches were sent to Gov Bernard, requesting
him to make preparations for their reception
But the Governments of Massachusetts, had
learned lesson from their past experience,
and when the transports arrived, they were
ordered by tho Governor to anchor under the
guns of Castle William. The Nova Scotian
dispatches were referred to committee of the
Assembly, for the General Court was then in
session. This committee, on September Itch,
reported unanimously against granting per-
mission to land and their report was readily
accepted. As the General Court was soon after
prorogued, nothing was left for the feet except
to sail back to Nova Scotia, which it accord
ingly did.
On February 10th, 1863, the treaty of Paris
was signed, and peace restored between Great
Britain and France. The expenses of the
Neutrals to the Province, up to this time
amounted to fi2,750.
But Louis XIV was not unmindful of the Aca-
dams, and offered, through the Duke of Niver-
nois his ambassador at London to provide
transports for the conveyance to Franco of oil
Of them who should wish to leave America,
stating that he looked upon them as come of
his most faithful subjects" One thousand and
nneteen-nearly the whole number in the
Province--exprcssed their desire to embrace
this offer They drew up a liss of their names
which shows that they consisted of one hun
dred and seventy nine families, embracing
three hundred and twenty heads of families
three hundred and sixty three sons and three
hundred and thirty-six daughters. An abstract
of this list was forwarded by Bernard to the
Lords Of Trade. But from various causes this
expedition was abandoned. Some interesting
comments upon it we find in letter. copy of
WHICH, u pItoeIfcV ononS VIC C1ase hlCuiFcc
which vas addressed by the Governor and
Council to Andrew Oliver, then Secretary of
State, afterwards Lieutenant Governor under
Hutchinson. They wrote
"As the French King looks upon them as
his subjects, he must look upon them as pris-
oners OF war and therefore, by agreement be-
tween the two Crowns, Great Britain is entitled
to a reimbursement of the expense that has
accrued by supporting them.. This reimburse
ment you will please apply for, pursuant to the
agreement aforesaid; and if by any means it
should fail in that method Of application, you
will erdeavor, in pursuance of the General
Courts direction, to obtain it In the way you
Judge most suitable
They seem generally inclined to remove
out of the Province. If this should be the case,
and we lose the benefit of their service now
they might be made useful subjects, after that
we have been at the charge of supporting them
while they were looked upon as enemies the
Province hath an equitable claim to q reim-
bursemeut, at all events. 1t was much against
their inclination that they received them as
first; but, out of dqtiful regard to his Majes-
ty's service, they were permitted to come among
us, and were supported by us, while some of our
neighb0ring Governments refused those who
were sent to them, many of whom afterwards
found their way into this Province, and in
creased our CHARGE
About this same time, a gentleman named
Robin, French Protestant who had obtained
from the Crown the grant of tract of land
in New Brunswick, lying on the Miramichi
name in the Gulf of S. Lawrence, invited
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