The Portland daily press., 1895-01-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

New France IN new England. by
James Phinney Baxter, A. M. Published
by Joel Munsell's Sons, Albany, N. Y.
To the mem bers of the Maine Historical
Society, the appearance of this volume
was no surprise. They were aware that
the author, who is also the president OF
the society, had given much attention to
the subject, had had access here and
abroad to original documents before un-
known, or but little known. and that
the results of his researches were in due
time to be published.
Seldom has anticipation had happier
realization. The outward look OF the
volume corresponds to it's contents,
which might properly be called an edi-
tion de luxe, though it is not SO entitled.
And better than outward adornment Is
the execution of the task to which the
author addressed himself. From the
first page to the last there is abundant
evidence OF an earnest purpose, careful
research and conscientious conclusions.
The proofs of Mr.. Baxter's position,
proofs drawn it must be borne in mind
from original and indisputaple sources,
are SO ample and conclusive as to insure
conviction at every stage OF the argu-
ment.
The main points of the contention are
ID that the French planned the con-
quest of North America, beginning,
however, with New England; (2) that
in the prosecution of their great design
they sought the destruction not only of
New England. but of New York as well,
and indeed every English settlement in
America; (3)that the military governors
Of New France were aided and encour-
aged by the French Jesuits; az that the
best known of these was Father Rale,
stationed at Norridgewock; (5) that
Rale's own letters addressed to From
tenac, Vaudreuil and other military
off GERS at Quebec, as also letters written
to his nephew and brother, prove his COM
plete control of the Abenakis at Nor
ridgewock, who always called him to
their councils, and never presumed to
s(6) that Rale constantly excited their
warlike propensities and encouraged their
hostile expeditions against the scattered
and defenceless English bamlets, which
were by his advice invaded and burned,
while ministers with their flocks were
ruthlessly externinated, or carried into
exile;l ~ that it followed from this that
the English or the Norridgewock In
dams, ."must CO."
After suffering long from these Eur-
derous attacks, the English mustered
their forces, with which they made a
successful attack on the A banakis at the
village of Norridgewock. Rale was shot
while loading his own gun TO shoot the
English. The Indians were scattered,
and this particular tribe ceased to be
formidable, fleeing to Canada.
Most of these Vaccinations were after
Acadia had been ceeded to the English,
and the French Jesuits excluded from
the territory, because they were known
to be incendiaries. Nevertheless, they
always assumed lofty tone of superiority
Their emissaries slew peaceful Protes-
tant ministers without mercy, but when
Rale was slain in battle the French were
furious. The sum of it is that the
French acted as unit, priests and peo-
pie, both being subject to strict military
rule and animated by warlike spirit
They fired the Indian heart by ever tell
ing them that the English were robbing
them of their lands, while they 1.-THE
French) were really aiming themselves
at nothing less than the conquest of the
entire continent, including it's dusky in
habitants. Confding in their military
organization and the prestige of Louis
XIV, they promised the savages French
protection, which they assured the In
dams was ample to secure them, and to
drive the English from their coasts.
But the event proved quite otherwise.
For more than a century the French and
English fought duel to determine
which people should possess not only
North America, but Southern Asia, and
also become the strongest power at sea.