The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-03-23


the oath of allegiance, but they were Cath
olics and the oath was so framed that they
as consistent Catholics. conld not take it
Indeed, the New Englanders, many OF
whom were probably the immediate de
scendants of the Puritans of Cromwel's
army and who composed in great part the
army of the invaders, very probably were
glad of the opportunity to do this in order
that they might have pretext for the in
Fiction of wrongs that they would not have
dared to intlict without it. Yankee shrewd-
ness was pretty much the same one hun
dred and ten years ago as now. After the
Acadians were conquered, or rather after
they were disarmed, for they never made
any resistance that amounted to any thing,
their couquerors We're for 4 little while per
] picked to know what to do with them
| However, English viudictiveness and Yam
/ kee ingenuity were equal to the emergency
and it was resolved that they should be
carried into exile, and this barbarous and
/ Internal resolution was Immediately carried
/ into effect.
! 1t is upon an incident connected with the
/ Punishment Of the Acadians that Longfel-
/ low has founded the beautiful ANA touching
! story of "Evangeline. We refer TO the
| burning of the village of Grand Pre-,
peaceful hamlet on tue shore of Acadia,
the home Of Gabriel and his betroghed -
Before recounting the story of Evange
| limos waDGnrinrs ha aiS Of N
destruction of the settlement and Danish
ment of the Acadians as an
Exile without an emo, and without an ex
ample in story.
Far asunder, on separate coasts the AGA
dams landed;
Scattered were they, like ftkes of snow,
when the wind from the northwest
Strikes aslant through the fogs that darken
the banks of Newfoundland.
rlend!ess, homeless, hopeless, they wan
dered from city to citv.
From the cold lakes of the North to sultry
Southern SavannaS,-
From the bleak shores of the sea to the
lands where the Father of Waters
Sei2es the hills in his hands, and drags
them down TO the ocean,
Three thousand of these inoffensive farm
ers and artisans were scattered throughout
the then thirteen colonies of Great Britain.
TO some extent, probably we should say to
very great extent, this despotic exercise
of power, this trauscendent consummation
Of rindictiveness and cruelty brought its
own punishment with it. The unfortunate
Acadians were reduced at once from a state
nt m n of #
lies were separated and friends forever
parted. The climate of their place of exile
was different from that of their native
country, and being beggared, dispirlted
and mary of them heart broken, they be-
came burden upon the people among
whom they were forced to reside. Many of
these poor people were brought to Mary |
land. Those of them that settled in Balti
more appear to have been better contented |
han those who were scattered throughout
the rural districts of the State. for the de |
>cendants of some OF the former are said |
yet to reside there, while most of the lat |
ter, as well as those who, for time, re- !
sided in Lancaster county, were, as we
nave seen, charge upon the more indus |
trious and prosperous people of the com |
munites in which they lived. and, in some I
cases, were sent to Louisiana and Canada /
at the public expense. Such is the sad !
story of the French Neutrals, and it is |
much to the credit of the gentlemen com !
posing the count of Cecil county, hun I
bred and ten years ago, that they provided !
the means to transport these poor, wander
ing exiles to their friends Whether the |
sad and sorrow stricken Evaugelne ever
rod the soil of Cecil county IL her lifelong
search for her beloved Gabriel. we know !
not, but very likely The histories of some |
of the exiles .hat lived here for twelve |
weary wears, did we but know them, may
have been as sad, if not as pathetic and !
romantic as hers. QCILP.