Nova Scotia Archives

Au cœur de l'Acadie

Archives concernant la Déportation et le Grand dérangement, 1714-1768

ACADIAN FRENCH.

109

lands to Protestant subjects only. This delay has occasioned several of these Inhabitants to settle themselves on some of the skirts of this Province, pretty far distant from this place, notwithstanding proclamations and orders to the contrary have been often repeated, and it has not been thought advisable hitherto to dispossess them by force, for the reasons, I presume set down in the above article. If they are debarred from new possessions they must live here miserably and consequently be troublesome, or else they will continue to possess themselves of new tracts contrary to orders, or they must be made to withdraw to the neighbouring French Colonies of Cape Breton or Canada.

Since I have had the honor to preside here, my study has been to make these French Inhabitants sensible of the difference there is between the British and French Government, by administering impartial justice to them and in all other respects treating them with lenity and humanity, without yielding anything wherein His Majesty's honor or interest were concerned.

The neighboring French at Cape Breton will naturally watch all opportunities of disturbing the peace of this Province, especially at this juncture and in case of a war with France, and if occasion of disgust was given to these people

sworn in senior Councillor on board the Beaufort, transport, in Chebucto harbor, 14th July, 1749. About the year 1720 he transmitted to the Plantation Office and the Board of Ordnance a complete description of the Province, with suggestions regarding its settlement and defence. In 1744 he defended Annapolis, and beat off the French force under Du Vivier. He was engaged on the part of the Province of Nova Scotia in conjunction with Governors Dummer and Wentworth, of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, in negotiations with the New England Indians, which resulted in the treaty of 1725. He proceeded to New England for the same purpose in 1751, under the directions of Governor Cornwallis, where he was occupied for some time in conciliating the Indian chiefs. He soon after obtained leave to retire from active service in consequence; of his advanced age. In 1758 he was gazetted major general, and resided in Boston until his death, which took place on 22nd January, 1760. He married Elizabeth Perry, a native of Boston, and left a son and daughter. — (Hist. and Gen. Regr. N.S. Documents.)
The late Judge Foster Hutchinson of Halifax and the late Deputy Commissary General W. Handfield Snelling were his grandsons. Governor Mascarene in his letters to the Secretary of State, &c., coniplains of the very small remuneration which he received for his long and arduous duties in sustaining British authority in Acadia; never having received any allowance from General Philipps, the Governor, for his services during the long period he administered the Government; though, after the death of Governor Armstrong, an offer of remuneration had been made him by Philipps, which was afterwards withdrawn. He mentions having to subsist, in his old days, wholly on the half pay of his lieut.-colonelcy. — (Mascarene's Letters; Nova Scotia Documents.)