The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-07

the live stock, the husbandry tools. and most Of
the household furniture of these people. were
LETT in the Province of Nova Scotia. and that
very few have brought with them any goods or
estate of any kind soever.
I'm the Southern Colonies, where the winters
are moro mild, employment may be found, so
as to prevent any great expense TO the Govern
ment; but here they are a dead weight for
many of our own inhabitants are scarcely able
to find employ sufficient to support themselves
during the winter seaeOn.
The removal IF the French inhatitants
from Nova Scotia seems to be as fully connect
ed with the protection and safety of that Prov
lnce as the removal of the encrOachments made
by the subjects Of the French King, and we
doubt not your excellencY thinks this matter
comes under your immediate care and dIrec-
ton, In consequences Of the commission Won
have lately received from his Majesty Oar
other necessary and unavoidable charges are
as much as We can bear. We therefore car
nestly pray your excelleGcy to give such direc-
tiOns 10 this affair as that this Government
may be freed from any further charge in rela-
ton to It, and reimbursed the sums already
advanced"
Shortly after the presentation OF this ed
dress, several acts were passed. dcfining more
precisely the relative duties of the Neuirals and
of the magistrates Of the towns in which they
were placed
One great mistake into which many Of the
Neutrals fell-thOse in Massachusetts proba-
bly, less than any otheTs-Was an assum7,ioL
OF the position that they were prisoners OF war
and refusal 10 work, and n demand to be
supported by the public, on this ground. Tue
facts In the case were these: Ia IVA the year
after Acadie was coded 20 Great BritGio. Mr.
Nicholson arrived In America, commissioned
by the King as Governor Of Nova Scotia Eo
left 1t to the option Of tie Acadians either to
become subjects Of the British Crown, or to
remove from the Province within d year Re-
peated applications we're made 10 them 20 take
the oath Of allegiance, but they invariably re-
fused. The threat of removal was never exc
cuted. In l7l9. Nicholson was succeeded by
Mr. Phillips, who Issued q proclamation sum
mOnlng them to take the oath. After con FER
ences between the Governor and deputations
OF the inhabitants, obedience 70 the summons
was generally refused, many grievances which
they prOfe-sed to have suffered from the British
being alleged by the Acaiians in defence.
Governor Phillips, having no positive inStruc-
tons as to what course of ectiOn be should
adopt under these circumstances, sailed for
England to obtain directions from the Home
Government. Soon after his departure, the
81
to prevail upon many OF the Acadians TO take
the oath, and when Phillips returned. it was
again administered to nearly thousand of the
inhabitants, in this form
We sincerely promise and swear, by the
talth OF a Christian that We shall be entirely
faithful, and win truly submit ourselves to his
Majesty, King George, whom we acknowledge
as Sovereign Lord Of New Scotland OF Aoadie
50 God help us "
And at the same time, they were promised
to quote their okn language, that they should
have the true exercise of their religion. and
be exempted from bearing arms and from being
employed in war, either against the French or
Indians" This exemption from military ser
wee gave to them the name, which they ever
after retained, of Neutral French"
In l747. the Acadian deputies were required
70 renew this oath, ia behalf Of all their people
no mention of exemption from bearing arms
was made at this time. In I749, Halifax wac
nEgtAdssa9r Agndt ht0T6g II Ed gffd GsRT syEba
oath Of allegiance unoOnditionally. lis sUm-
mons vas not obeyed and the Neu.~als express
Cd their desire sooner than t. obey it, to emigra5e
to tho lale Of 81. JJhn, and put themsei7es an
der the protection OF France. But Co-nvalliss
demand was not insisted upon. last before
the removal Of she Acaiisns, IN 1855, oaar'y
hundred Of thair principal men were order 4 to
appear before Governor Lawrence and h.SC-"r-
,il, at Halifax, ard there it was required CT
hem to take the cath, with no exemption a. 90
military service, but theYIT,fused. 10 visw f
these facts and Of the circumstances OF Their
removal, many Of the exiles, Gs VIC have sl.i,
thought that the conduct Of Great B-itaiI
towards them had b-en such as 10 justify them
IN regarding themselves, uGder the JIcseut CIR
"a prisoners Of war. But they seen
found that this position was unteBabe, for most
Of them had no option but 10 w0I k or to starye,
neither the Provincial nor the Home Govern
meuts ever recognising their clam to be treat
ed Ike captured enemies.
The reluctance to receive any more Of tho
Neutrals which was expressed in the address
Of the General Court to Shirley, WAS uaivoI sal
" fel5 The trouble and expense created ~
those already received became every day moro
and more onorOus. Bcsides, the Province had
a serious cause Ct complaint egsiLe5 the Gov
eminent Of Nova Scotia n respect to theic treat
ment by Winslow's troops.
Nevcr;hale5s the Legislature wa=, OF several
Induced 70 coLsClt 20 the Cdmissj.n
Of more Neuttais, contrary to tho wishes of tao
public. and with considerable reIuct5lCo.
IN AyriI, 1856, seventy-two Ecn,Fal3 were
brought TO the Province By Co. PNb.5, aud
were taken in charge ~ Meters AlthJrp CLd
Hancock, agents for the Nova SCOtiln Goyer--
rcnt. They We're forbidden to Icuain in Mas
saohusetts, and Slr. Hancock vas ordered %
.hip them TO North Carolina. On May Ilth,
they addressed petition to the Council, setting
forth that they were formerly inhabitants of
the country around the Passage of Baccaccaux,
On Cape Sable, g place far distant and feGg-
rate from other settlements in Acec.e, where
they employed themselves wholly IL ihhluT,
and depended upon tho esa3 Tor their HyC.l-
hood - that their situation had been such a. 70
enable them Ctten TO afford assistance 20 ship
wrecked British seamen, and that they had
many times saved them from peri>hing; th25
they had always been on good Germs wish tho
English had furnished their fishermen with
supplies and never mClcstcd them by woId or
deed. They represented that il was not with
them as with most others; that removal 70
Southern Colony would not better their cond-
ton, SIS it would that Of those Acadians who
had supported themselves by agriculture and
not by fishing; for in North Carolina they would
be "quite excluded from those means Of sub5ist-
ence to which they have always been acgus-
toned, and obliged to seek their living EcIl
cCltivating lands, aud perhaps bringing for
ward new oDes, with which they are wholly
unacqusiuted, go that they must needs fnd
themselves reduced TO the greatest misery"
They therefore prayed that they might &c
allowed to remain in Massachusetts,, and sup
port themselves in the fishing towns, by these
seafaring employments in which they had al
ways been engaged. But little heed was gwen
TO this petiaon. A vessel was provided for their
transportation but, after embaTking, they
came on shore by force and refused to go on
board again. Mr.. Hancock appeared before
the Council, and requested authority 70 compel
their decentralization. or else permission for
them to remain in the Province. Permission
was granted to them to remain for fourteen
DAYS at the end Of which time their case WIS