Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-11-10

Dao4 n - 01pox10n1 euuoe, - ~ -
leaas infsnfion q anh3nd = aaSsRs ezf=f-
eisn apep this i11sGssefng - kin1-
benfssd pespis- 1hsy - anyly in1ps6peed
= re1a eh9 di1eSeses betseeR sepaRste
naeoaal ehsssetexsaGies aAd - aE1enl1y ~
ssa1y snAIgnDafion be<ueeA ths ISa1tn snd
AasIo-S&1 rnees-
Tia Rse1ls sfssMaaawnsakas
- this whole nppef essutzy setfled ~ tAs
Fserck Il called, are Gmpla minded. light
hearted. pleasure loving class. Of kindly and
mo4t hospitable naanefs and peaceabls ard
lsw-abiding 10 their senerai dsportmsnk
Th9ir fasfss are simple md their vanss com
pasAtivefy few and apparently easy to BE-
supplied. They are . peculiarly social
people and love 70 assemble in large num-
bess for the eajsyuerf Of their Innocent
psssinles, Or for the eelebfstion Of their
religions (stes. Music and dancing have
great charms for them AMI they are nat
urziiy pleased with gay coIors both in dress
aiofn their houses. Their diet i simple
ard they are In no rsy yisea to exfrnva-
ssnce In the matter Of food and drink
Though apparently caring oaly TO. the
needs and pleasures Of the passing hour,
yet many Of them bare snug little Gums,
largely In specie, sxssly slowed away in
some old cheat or other chosen repository,
to be drawn upon only In case Of actual
emergency. In their intercourse with
strangers they are polite. kind ard hospita-
bic to degree most noticeable by all who
hare Tired or jouraeyed among them, and
ia no section Of cur land viii the trar-
eiler, meeting With any mishap, or needing
rest or refreshment, be more kindly
and cordially cared for than IN
MadAwaska. The dry plank" and the
hes. bed are ever at The disposal Of the
stranger guest who may be compelled by
circumstances to throw himself upon their
good Offices and no amount of paias or per-
sooal Inconvenience is spared to render all
possible assistance in case Of mishap. 10
Q number of instances, when travelling in
q winter night and forced by the storm to
cali for shelter, have we been placed In the
warm bed, Just vacated for our comfort by
the kost and hostess. while they sought for
themselves other quarters, probably far less
comfortable. They are of the Roman
Catholic faith and are deyotedly attached
to their church and sc.upulously faithful
In religious observances. Upon this point
they are peculiarly sensitive and readily
resent anything approaching ridicule or
opposition to their cherished religion.
Thus held together by the strong bond of
religious unity, which permits no sectarian
divisions or discussions among Themselves,
and looking with extreme disfavor upon
anyone of their number who presumes to
desert the church, or even to neglect
attendance upon her ordinances, they more
naturally remain distinct people and are
less readily absorbed in the general mass
of the population of the country.
Their Methods OF Agricuitsre.
are generally Of somewhat crude and
primitive sort, a. they are extremely con-
sentative and in this Is in other matters
are slow to adopt new innovations, pre-
ferring rather to cling to old ussges.
France and Her Colonies.
Since writing the above lines. giving our
personal impressions in regard to the natural
tendency of our French fellow citizens to
remain distinct people, our attention has
been called to French work, written by
N. Rameau more than quarter
of a century ago. and entitled
"La France aux Colonies" This
author particularly emphasizes this point
and even goes farther than facts of subse-
arent occurrence would seem to warrant.
We venture to translate q few passages
hoping they may not be void Of interest in
this connection.
After speaking of the increase of the
number of Acadians in Nova Scotia during
the present century and of their complete
separation from the English residents Of
that province, NJ. Rameau says; "All
.,,tL al tr al in hoe xvff
10 the preservation of their language, of
their national character, and to the vigilant
care which they have given to these mat
ters. Notice what Halliburton, who was a
Judge in Nova Scotia, wrote in 1929,
While the Germans tend to merge them
selves in the mass of the population. the
Acadians remain distinct (emsembte) as
much as possible, preserving their religion,
their language and their peculiar customs;
they never marry with their protestant
neighbors. Among Themselves they
speak French. but it is mixed with
some words derived from the Indian
and from the English. The men, however,
generally know English, but few Of the
women understand that language
The Acadlans have a peculiar attachment
for their language and their customs, and
although their business often brings them
among the English, they never marry with
them. never adopt their manners and never
quit their villages"
These words of Judge Halliburton quoted
by the French writer, may haze been strict
ly true Of the Acadians Of Nova Scotia at
the time when they were written and may
continue to be so today. but they are rot
altogether true of their fellow countrymen
in Madawaska. There, though as rule
they marry among themselves, yet marriages
with Americans are not infrequent and
will probably become less rare as the
younger people become better educated and
the number of Americans increase in that
locality. Again says Rsmeau, in speaking
of the Acadians of Madawaska, in which
number he includes all the French popula-
ton on both sides of the upper St. John
and which be places in 1861 at about 49,
600. Communication is becoming now
more and more frequent with Lower Cana
da, and probably all the commercial rela-
tons of that country (Madswsska) will
take place in the future through the little
town Of Trois Pis:oleson on the St.
Lawrence. There is then reason
to hope that the supremacy Of
the American merchants will
gradually disappear from these villages and
tina. in consequence an end will be put 10
the Introduction into the language of the
Acadiaus of Anglicisms which have crept
into ii during the last thirty or forty years"
Despite the solieitude of this ardent
French writer. his dresm of permanent
Acadia upon the upper ST. John, with mau-
ners unchanged and language interrupted
as when the ancestors of this people peace
fully enjoyed their quiet homes "on the
shores of the basin Of Minas'' is hardly
destined to be fulfilled. To great extent
they will remain a distinct people for many
years to come, but their manners, methods
and language will gradually become more
and more like those of the American resi-
dents in their midst. Communication with
Canada is indeed becoming more easy and
frequent, but the iron horse now courses
sway across that country and, Harvesting
to his load from the grain elevators and
Touring mills of our own great western
cities, bears it back aud lays 1t down at the
doors of the French habitans on the FORTH
ern border of Maine.
The Vast Lumber Operations
upon the upper St. John. carried on for
the most part by Americans, either from
Maine or New Brunswick, employ large
numbers of the French population ard
thus their young men are brought
into immediate contact with our bust
nes, men and business methods. For
these reasons some might predict that
though no hostile military force should
come with fire and brand sgsin to disperse
this quiet people, yet the onward march of
events in the development of the country,
the opening up Of new railroads through our
own county and the establishment of new
aud varied industries might in time accom-
piish the same results to a considerable
extent. Yet could our French prophet,