The Portland daily press., 1869-02-01

The DEadawaskians.

Il
Public attention was arrested rev uays
since, by the presentation OF seveiai i.p a.tin
from the people in the MaoaWasha Seltie-
ments. asking the aid OF the Heate' Wliham
Dinla1 Esn a taIi. sedate looking man with
a lonm apostolic beard, is the Representative
from Fort Kent, and by the chances OF the
lot he occupies one of the back seats in the
peculiar and is composed mostly OF the
French settlers in the Madawaska territory.
He is infexibly Democratic of course, and
his constituents had no sympathy with the
struggle to defend the government against
the lebels. In one day Mr.. Dckey present
ed the petition OF George Serly and others
lor an appropriation to build bridge over
Fish liver; also of the inhabitants of D'Aigle;
of Walagrass OF st. Francis; and OF ST.
John in aid OF the petition OF G. Serly. Al
so petition of Mrs. +. Dickey and Others, la
dies oil Fort Kent, for an appropriation for
High School; also inhabitants of Wala9rtsss
for assistance for school; and petition ior
an appropriation Tor the same purpose. Also
petition of the inhabitants OF st. Francis tor
assistance in establishing a school.
These petitions come, mainly, from pecu-
liar people, as large part OF the Madawaska
settlements is occupied by persons OF French
origin, VINO still retain much OF their ancient
language and many OF their customs almost
unchanged; are slow to welcome improS E.
ments that involve change, and are prone 10
cling to the water courses Tor their farms and
their homes. These petitioners asking aid
from the State for educational purposes, may,
in view of past indifference and neglect, on
their part, be regarded as indications of a
change OF view, aid some measure OF pro-
gress, slight to be SURE, but hopeful in its di
rection.
1t will be remembered that the first settlers
in Madawaska were the remnants of French
iamiiIes of the population of Acadia, who
we're broken up by the British in the time of
the French war in 1755.y In the campaign
against the French in the summer OF 1855
Under Gen. John Winslow, VINO was joined
at the head of the Bay of Fundy by Colonel
Monckton, who took command, the French
forts were captured and the whole region
placed under martial rule. This should have
been satisfactory as properly within the legit
innate result of war. But most cruelty was ii
determined to utterly destroy the French set
Elements, under the timid plea that the Aca.
dams would aid their French brethren in
Canada. The innocent and ha ipy people
were seized in their houses, fields and
churches, and conveyed on board English
vessels. Families were broken, never to be
united; and to compel the surrender of those
who fed to the woods, their starvation was
5OuSul NY uCotluCti vi tuCh CUPS.
In one short month their paradise had be-
come desolation, and happy people were
crushed in the dust and scattered to the
winds. A remnant of them fled to the st.
John, and Settled few miles above the city,
and there remained about twelve years.
When Gen. Howe's forces were driven from
Boston by Washington, in the time of the
American revolution, they sailed to st. John,
where they were disoanded. They were suf-
tered to encroach again upon the devoted
people, who again left their bones and fled
up the river to a point above Grand Falls,
where it is said" british vessels could not follow
them" The land occupied by them embraced
an extent of seventy-five miles npon the river
st. John, commencing near the present boun-
Diary line, about two miles west of Grand
Falls, n. D., and extended up the river to the
St. Francis settlement. The first settlers
consisted of some eight or ten families. Later
others followed, and among them many
Acajians, as well as large company OF
French Canadians who came across
the wilderness from the river st.
Lawrence, distance of eighty miles,
They made their Journey upon snow shoes,
and hauled their children and effects upon
hand-seds. For many years the nearest
place from which these people could obtain
the indispensable necessaries of life was
kiviere de Loup, upon the st. Lawrence,
eighty miles distant; and Fredericton, one
hundred and fifty miles eastward They
were shut out from the world, and for many
years in the now almost century since their
settlement, surrounded by dense forest and
enduring all the hardshipS and privations in
cident to such seclusion, they learned to
subsist almost entirely upon the products of
their farms and the labor OF their hands.
On the settlement of the Northeastern
Boundary these people became citizens Of
Maine and of the United States; popula-
tIon of about five thousand; all French,
and unacquainted with our language; pos
sessing a rei Jon different from our own
and maintained by an exacting priest
hood; strongly attached TO old customs and
habits, and Indifferent to all Improvements.
They lad been twice wrecked and peeled,
and ruined by the hand OF government; and
they, o. all people in the world, most desired
10 De let alone. They are voters, now; and
their experience under the various mani
pulations OF partizans cannot have been faY-
orable to the purity OF the ballot, or the sane
tity oil the public law.
Various efforts have been made by the
State authorities to promote education in
MadawasBa, and for many years, with slight
success; the money appropriated by the State
has often been diverted to other purposes
than that OF education, or pocketed by the
agents. There is now fund OF $1,000 in the
State treasury, the interest of which is ded-
icated to the purposes of the education OF the
people in the Madawaska settlements. This
fund was the proportion OF this people of the
surplus revenue.