St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-08-30
The Acadians.

The province of Acadia, in the PENN
s,,1o of Nova Scotia was coded by France
IN Enoland in 1913. The Inhabitants,
however, continued to expect and desire
-ar,nion with France. In 1865 an expedl-
tion was fitted out in Massachusetts, and
called for Nova Scotia, May 10Th OF that
year under the command of Gen. Moncton,
and landed in June, and soon conquered
the whole of the peninsula.
The Acadians, doubles sympathlzed
with their countrynen of French descent,
and gained thereby the enmlty OF the
British governor, who required every one
Of them to take the oath of allegiance to
tho British crown, and at the same time,
renounce allegiance to France. Ihls, the
Acadians refused to do. The British gen
era1 then ordered them to instantly go on
boad the British ships and be transported
to other chimes. They were driven at the
noint of the bayonet from their homes
and transported in British ships to Lou
isiana. which then belonged to France,
settled along the coast, the bayous, rivers
and 1skes. of Southwest Louisiana. In
the hurry of embarkation, friends and
relatives were separated, and never saw
each other again until they found each
other in their new home and perhaps
some were never united again, on earth.
The story of ''Evangeline" by Longfei-
low. was true as TO it's main features. Last
summer we were shown the tree, under
which Evangeline, is said to have rested,
while she was engaged in hunting Tor her
lover, 1t stands upon the banks OF the
beautiful Teche, and forms part of pic
turesque grove of live-oaks.
The Acadians, who were brought to this
country against their wills, were cescen-
| dants of French people, who em1grateo
| from France in the nth century. Their
education, opinions, and principles, were
| nrovincial rather than French, by reason
of their long absence from the Northern
country. Hence they brought with then
to Louisiana, ideas and habits formed
after the provincial pattern, rather thar
| the French.
Being so different in many respects
| from those inhabitants of Louisiana, Wht
came to this country direct from France
thew did not mipgle with them to any con
| siderable extent, but formed communltle'
| of their own, and lived quiet, peaceful
and uneventful life.
The name Acadians by which they Wer'
| first known, was soon contracted or cor
| rupted into the term "Cajan" by Whlcl
they are frequently known.
For some reason unknown to us man.
of these people. object to the name caJan
THERE'S certainly no disgrace in being de
scendant of the innocent people who wer
driven from their homes in Acadia, ant
settled in this country and we can see n
| reason for being ashamed of the name, Q
of it's contracted form, Cajan.
/ These Acadians, who are still in thu
region, are quiet, hospitable and accom-
modating people. They are entirely dis
tinct from the descendants of those VIII
came to this country directly from France
but they have some of the French charac
teristics, among which are politeness, v
yacity hospitality etc. Their educations
opportunities being very meager, many
them are uneducated but they show con
mendable zeal in avaiiing themselves i
the improved and increasing facilities Il
educational advantages.
They also readily adopt the new methoe
and new machinery, introduced by II
Northern immigration of the last fe
wears, and are rapidly accumulstin
wealth; and increasing in intelligence.