GOODWIN
PUDDINGTON
(N. B. I hâve made some Blunder by the loss of the Principal List of those who Embarked — but the number of Soûls that Embarked on board of thèse Transports were 2921 — how many embarked afterwards I know not.)
The Remainder of the Neutrals remaind untill more Transports arrived Thirty days Provisions was Ship^ on board for Each Soûl at the rate of
llb Beef p week with Cabbages Turnips Potatoes &c as 51b flower much as they chose to carry with apples & other 21b Bread matters.
Thèse Neutrals had agreed among themselves that in case they should be sent away — that when they were under sail in the Bay Fundy that they wereto rise on the navigators — throw them over board and cârry ail the Transports into the River St John» where they were to Land and défend themselves with the assistance of ail the Tribes of Indians — but Providence orderd it otherways At the time of weighing anchor the wind being at East South East — soon blew a violent Gale of Wind — it overtook them immediately after they passed Cape Porcupine or Blow-
medown — ^both men & women became sick unable to move which together with the DarkneBS of the night preveated their design — and they remaind sick untill they were so far in the Océan as to be out of their knowledge what course to steer when the Storm was over it Blew excessive hard at North West and Winter coming on, that many of the Transports were obliged to send before the wind — ^untill they made the Land of England and France where some of the Transports did arrive and landed their passengers.
Others went to the southern parts of America & some to the North wards.
What Instructions the masters of thèse Transports had in respect to Landing of the Neutrals I know not neither do I know what number were sent from Beau Bassine and Annapolis & other Parts where they were.
Lawrence's character. ^
We are extreamly obliged.to y ou for your favour of the 3<* July last and for your assiduity in our affairs.
We can assure you S^ that we were allmost without hopes of being considerd as English Subjects — ^the Haughty & disdainfull Behaviour of our Gov^ to ail our Remonstrances tho' tenderd with the utmost Submission gave us much reason to think he was countenanced at Home by those whom we had ail the Reason in the World heretofore to think were the Patrons and Principal Supporters of this Infant Settlement, and Especially when it was publickly declared by the Governors Créatures That
1. British Muséum. — Brown M.SS. — Papers relating to Notra Scotia, 1748-1 767. ~Add. MSS. Vol. 19072. In-4o, fol. 43. No 33.
En tête de ce manuscrit se trouve la note suivante de la main de Mr A.-B> Grosart :
'* A long Letter (sixteen closely written pages) addressed to aome one in England by the Colonists concomiiig the State of the Province ....
'* This is a high-toned and most vigorous Letter : and lays bare with most withering scom the character of Governor Lawrence. . . .It reminds one of the complaints of the elder Puritans in the days of Charles. . .
*' This M. S. most important
** See N** 35. From this I apprehend the présent N* 33 was addressed to Paris while in England."
DOCUMENTS SUR L'aOADIE 143
those Gentlemen in Office hère who had ever been Solîcitous to forward and Promote the Seulement and who had in every Point behaved with Honesty and Integrity Especially the Judges of the Courts of Justice & some of the Council would soon be displaced. The Only men who hâve been the means of keeping the Inhabitants from deserting in a Body and Supported the Rights & Libertys of the People.
Your letter has revived the Hopes of the Inhabitants and it has been great comfort to them to find an Englishman in England who has their unhappy State & Condition at heart and commiserates their Bondage under Oppression and Tyranny.
We are sensible of the Difficulties in England & the unsettled State of the board of Trade which may retard our aflfairs — but we are not without hopes thro' your Care and Assiduity weshall meet with success in having an Assembly our Native inhérent Right soon order'd to be Establish'd hère, and we cannot help expressing our Extrême Satisfaction to find that it was the Lords of Trade most earnest Intention to hâve an Assembly instanUy settled as we are very sure it is of ail things in the world the most necessary step to strenghten and Establish this settlement and Invite Inhabitants to come & settle among us.
We cannot but express our most hearty sorrow that my good Lord Halifax has at this Critical Conjuncture resignd his Place at that board. We are ail to a man perfectly assur'd of that good Lords sincère attachment to the Interest of the Colonies and look upon him truly as the father of this Colony and are fuUy perswaded that he will use his utmost endeavour to remove from us our oppresser and th« oppresser of ail his good Purposes a Person unknown to him and recommended to my Good Lord by Persons on whom he relied and those whom we are sure were not acquainted with his bad Heart and mischievous Intentions One of whom is General Hopson who has had sufficient Reason to alter his Opinion, the other is Gen^ Cornwallis whois too much a friend to this People if he could be convinced of the Ill-treatment and unjust oppressions this Tyrant has been Guilty off ever to Countenance or Support him.
Thèse are ail the Friends he has at Home, for on this Side the Water he has none either of the Inhabitants or Gent"^ of the Army — ^who hold him in the utmost Contempt except those formerly mentiond to you his Agents in oppression — perhaps you will be more Suprizd to hear how this Gentleman who sometime ago was only a Painters Apprentice in London should hâve advanced himself to such heighths — We are obliged to
confees that he bas a good address, a great deal of low cunning, is a most consummate flatterer, bas Words full of tbe Warmest Expressions of an Upright Intention to perform mnch Good tho' never Intended and with mucb art most Solicitously Courts ail Strangers wbom he thinks can be of any Service to bim. by tbese and sucb Arts bas he risen to be wbat he is and Elated with bis success is outrageously bent upon tbe destruction of every One that does not concur in bis measures.
And we beg leave to make tbis Remark which we désire y ou will read at tbe end of Twelve Montbs that if hebe notremoved Nova Scotia will be lost to the Orovm oj Great Britain and the test oj the Ooloniea be Endanger^d of sharing the same Fate which ought to be tbe utmost concern of every Englisbman to prevent.
And that you may in some measure understand tbe Import of tbis, be bas prevaild with my Lord Louden torepresenthome, tbe necessity of put» tbis Colony under a Military Government, & of suspend» the Charters <fe Laws of tbe other Colonies, the conséquence of which we apprebend, will be a Struggle in tbe Colonies for Liberty, and a conséquence to fatal to name ; and wbile tbe Contentions subsist there, tbe French will penetrate into tbis Province : indeed they bave no feazible Conquest left them but tbis Colony at présent & if tbis Colony be lost and the others loose their Liberties it is difficult to say, wbat the EfTect will be, but tbe worst is to be feard.
We could say many things concerning tbe affairs in tbis Part of tbe World, which nearly concern us, but we are confident you'U bear them from better bands, for they must needs be public.
We cannot but express our most sincère acknowledgements of Gratitude and Thanks to tbe Bight Hon"® M^ Pitt, that great Patron of Liberty, for tbe Great Condescension be bas shown, in taking notice of our afiTairs ; and so far as is reasonable & just, we doubt not of bis Concurrence and assistance to procure us Redress.
In answer to your remarks that tbe Quorum of Sixteen is too large for the proposd number of 22 for the whole Assembly it is so in our opinion, but it was tbe Résolve of Council.
Our Désire of baveing ail Placemen excluded the Assembly was from tbe Circunstances of tbe Colony under tbe présent Governor. Tbe Voters are allmost ail dépendent, tbe Officers are wbolly so, it would therefore be the Governors Assembly & not tbe Peoples, and Laws made according to bis Pleasure and no grievance will^be redressd — but if a Gov»" be appointed who
DOCUMENTS SUIt L^ÀCADtS 145
has tli-e Interest of the Colony at Heart, and the welfare of the People, tliis would be an immaterial Point.
The reason why triennial Assemblies was proposed was întended only for the first Assembly in Order to settle the Colony under an English Assembly. Otherwise Foreigners being th« most numerous and the Time near approaching when they will be Naturalizd bj a 7 years Besidenoe the future Assemblies may be mostly foreigners, which will be Dangerous to this frontier Settlement.
As to the Article of Judges a Good Gov^ will avail more for the Advanoem^nt of Justice, and then a Good Judge will be under no concern least he be dis]^aced.
Another of the Governors Acts is to misrepresent & abuse ail below him he has publickly calld his ^ouncil a Pack of Scoundrills, the Merchants a Parcel of Vilians and Bankrijupts, and has represented at home the whole as a People discontented and Bebellious We hâve authority of his saying & declaring this from his own mouth before many Officers both of the Army and Navy — Is it possible S^ that People can be easy under such a 6ov^ We dare appeal to our two former Governors for our behaviour under their Administrations and whose conduct to us was the very reverse of this Gentlemans,
Beleive us S^ We are not Captious, We are not that Tarbu" lent People we hâve been represented our Interest obliges us to be otherwise we désire nothing incondatent mth the Prérogatives of the Crown we désire none other than the Liberties Enjoyd by the other Colonies which his Majesty hasgraciously been pleased to promise by his Boyal Proclamation.
Our distresses bave arisen from the Malevolent disposition of our Gov^ & his Créatures. Were they removed and a Gov»* of hu,manity appointed and acquainted with the Constitution of Engish Men and an Assembly settled you would soon hâve the Pleasure of hearing of the încrease of and success of this settle^ ment for we are well assured 500 familles would remove from the Massachusetts and settle immediately hère and weknow the Oflfer has been made the Gov*" and rejected upon their requiring an Assembly to be ûrst settled that they mighthave proper Laws for their Begulation & Security of their Property.
As for the Evidences of Peoples leaving the Colony for want of an Assembly those that are already gone, it will take time to coUect them as they are dispersd in the Colonies and tho' an hundred Familles more are upon the Point of removing they are Extrême fearf uU least if they should be found ou to bave
Î46 I.B CrAKA0A-FBAKÇAI»
Given sucb Evidence they shoald be denied passes, for yDu must know the GoV obliges every master of avessel to enter into Bond uuder the Penalty of fifty pounds forfeîture for every Person they carry away without Licence first obtaind under hîs Hand and this is imposed, mrithout the least Shadow of Law or Order of Council, nor can an y Inhabitant go three nulles from Town withoui a Certificate from a Justice of Peace so that Halifax 18 really a Prison to ail Intents & purposes.
As for what you mention of the I>epositions not coming under the Seal of the Province We beg leave to inform you That ît has never been allow'd to be fix'd to any Papers but their own instead whereof the Gov»* fixes his Prirate Seal and must see ail the Evidences or his Secretary therefore to Such kind of Evidence it would be impossible to procure that and for want of the Province Seal many hâve sufferd in their Law Suits in the neighbouring Colonies or obliged to be at the Expence of sending Witn esses where their Suits hâve been depending which are Bome among the many Rights we are debard of.
But we hope before this Time many Complaints hâve reachd the Eîar of the Minister and that it will shortly evidently appear if it is not already manifest That whilst this Gov"^ has the least influence in American Affairs 80 long wiU ruin and confusion attend thern and this Truth General Shirley at Home & Lord Charles Hay when he comes Home will as We are inform'd make Evident to Démonstration for it is generally beleived that what ever Specious Crime may be alledged against Lord Charles Hay his Confinement was solely owing tothe Governors insinuations to my Lord L.. d.. n upon a private disgust to that Lord for Examining too freely into the Expences of Batteries <fec and speaking too Contemptibly of what had been done for the mighty sums Expended in Nova Scotia.
We had not touchd upon those matters but as we think Providence more immediately seems to concern itself in discovering the Villianous Arts of the Authors of our Calamities and hope will direct its measures in pouring Vengeance on the man whose sole aim seems to hâve been to blast the good Intentions of his Country and to make ail Subordinate to him misérable.
It is with pleasure we hear that the Acct» of Nova Scotia will be strictly enquired into as we are very sure if they were sifted to the Bottom it will be found That not less than ten thousand Pounds, of Rum, Molasses (of which there was not less than 30,000 Gallons which alone was worth £3000) Beef Pork &c of Provisions and much merchandize for theSupply of the Indians
DOCUMENTS SUR l'aCADIE 147
& frencîi Inhab*^ were taken in Beau Séjour neither distributed as a Reward to the Captorsnor Aocounted for exoept someSmall Quantity of Beef & Pork sold to the Commieeary Mr Saul on M' Bakers Supply which was extrême bad A decay'd and certify'd by the Gov^ for Provisions sent by Gov^ Sliirley,
That the Transports were kept near three months after the French Neutrals were ready for Embarkation at an immense Expcnce and the New Engl* Troops kept 6 months after the service was over for two spécial Reasons to oblige them to enlist into the Regulars and to defeat General Shirley in raising a suflBieient number of Troops necessary for the Summers Campaign by whicli means Oswego was lost and the Expédition to Crown Point was rendred abortive We appeal to Gen^ Shirley for the Truth of this,
That the Cattle &c of the french Inhabitants were converted to private uses of which we know 3,600 Hogs & near 1,000 Head of Cattle was killd & packt at Pisgate only & sent by water to other Places & what at other Forts is yet a secret AU unaccounted for to the Amount of a very large sum& he & his Commissary are now under Great perplexity & contriving to cover this iniquitous Fraud.
That £30,000 has been laid out on Batteries not worth 30 pence for the Defence of this Place in the Judgment of every Person aequaintedtherewith.
It is possible he may produce Vouchers to Cover ail his Frauds for if the true ones should fall short he has those under him who hâve been used to such kind of work & can readily supply the deficiency , but if a Governor was sent out with Orders to înquire into thèse or at least to take Dépositions we are very sure the whole will be Clearly made to appear.
148 L£ CANADA-FBÂNÇAIS
EXTRAGTS FBOM A DeSPATCH TO JuDGE BeLCHER ON HIB APPOINT-
MBNT TO THE PrBSIDENCY OF THE CoUNCIL OF NoVA SOOTIA
DATED WHITBHALL MaRCH 3» 1761. ^
(sîgned) DuNK. Halifax
W. G. Hamilton W. Slofbr
" It bas been represented to Us that Gov'' Lawrence had encouraged êL protected the dissorderly part of the railitary under bis GovS in eeveral outrages on the property, persons, and even the lives of the inbabitants ; Sometimes by assuming illégal powers ; and at others by abusing those whicb were lawfuUy vested in bim for better purposes ; by frequently interrupting the free course of Justice, in discharging while under prosecution, and in enlarging after conviction, soldiers and officers guilty of destroying fences, violent assaults, & many other far greater enormities."
" Several very beavy Charges bave likewise been made against Gov'" Lawrence with respect to the Contracts which were entred into both on account of the Provisions distributcd to the Weak Settlements of the Colony, and the Vessels which bave so long been kept uponthe establishment, for the service of the Province."
EXTBACT FBOM Dr BrOWN's MS, RELATING TO LaWRENCE's ABUSES. *
'* With New England malice — ^this exclam** foUows.
*' How wicked must those men be, who thus dec« their country <fe by that means expose bis Majesty's Colony & subj^ to the weakest efforts of Louisbourg or Canada. Such persons no doubt would be glad to see this important Colony annexed to the Crown of France that they might never be called to acc^for th^r Abuse of the trust reposed in them & their misapplicationoftle Nations money.'' "
