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No 92

Halifax, 25th August 1837

      It will probably be in your Lordship's remembrance that in 1814 a large number of Refugee Slaves were brought to this place from the United States by the orders of Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane.

      They were settled in the neighbourhood of Halifax, and for the first two years received rations from Government; but they have since been in a great measure dependent on the charity of the Inhabitants of this Town and the County of the Provincial Legislature.

      It was soon found that this climate was ill adapted for them, and that they never could prosper here,—the lots on which they were placed being of very small dimensions, and miserably sterile. His Majesty's Government, therefore, benevolently offered in 1820 to convey them to Trinidad, to which Island they had been invited by the Governor, Sir Ralph Woodford; but of this offer only 80 or 90 chose to avail themselves. It was hoped that, on hearing of the kind reception which these met with at Trinidad, the rest would be disposed to follow, and many did in fact express such an inclination at first;—but on the arrival of a Transport with orders to take them there, they one and all refused to go, influenced, it is thought, by the absurd apprehension, which it was not found possible to remove, that it was intended to return them to their old masters, or to make them Slaves again in the West Indies.

      The same offer has at different periods, and since the passing of the Emancipation Act, been renewed,—but wretched as their condition is and must, I apprehend, continue to be here, has always been resolutely rejected. Here, they are determined to remain: nor will they consent as I have proposed, to be distributed in detachments, in different parts of the Province, where good land might be provided for them, and where, with the assistance of the wages which they might occasionally obtain as Laborers, they, with industry, might earn a comfortable livelihood. But about 100 or 120 of the 250 families, of which this population consists are willing to proceed in a body to some other part of the Province.

      These poor people being in the early part of last Winter in a more destitute condition than usual, I took occasion to bring their unhappy case under the consideration of the Council and Assembly, in a message, of which I inclose a copy; and a Committee of the House having in consequence visited the several Black Settlements the enclosed resolution was subsequently presented to me.

      As they persist in their refusal to remove, except in a large body, I required the Surveyor General to point out the most eligible site for the location of about 100 families and to furnish an estimate of the expense of laying out Lots for them. In the letter from him, which I have the honor to transmit, that expense