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174 |
NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS. |
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(Translated from the French.)
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GENTLEMEN, —
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We have cause to be much astonished at your conduct. This is the third time that you have come here from your departments, and you do nothing but repeat the same story without the least change. To-day you present us a letter signed by a thousand persons, in which you declare openly that you will be the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, only on such and such conditions. It appears to me that you think yourselyes independent of any government; and you wish to treat with the King as if you were so.
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But you ought to know, that, from the end of the year stipulated in the treaty of Utrecht for the evacuation of the country, those who chose to remain in the province became at once the subjects of the King of Great Britain.
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The treaty declares them such — The King of France declares, in the treaty, that all the French who shall remain in these provinces, shall be the subjects of His Majesty.
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It would be contrary to common sense, also, to suppose that one can remain in a province, and possess houses and lands there, without being subject to the Sovereign of that province.
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Therefore, Gentlemen, you deceive yourselves if you think that you are at liberty to choose whether you will be subject to the King or no. From the year 1714, that no longer depended upon you. From that moment, you became subject to the laws of Great Britain, and were placed precisely upon the same footing as the other Catholic subjects of His Majesty.
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Being then undoubtedly the subjects of his Britannic Majesty, you ought to have taken the oath of Allegiance to your king the moment you were required to do so. You have always refused, Gentlemen, to take this oath without an unexpressed reservation. You tell me that General Philipps granted you the reservation which you demand; and I tell you, Gentlemen, that the General who granted you such reservations, did not do his duty. I tell you further, Gentlemen, that this oath has never in the slightest degree lessened your obligations to act always and in all circumstances, as a subject ought to act, according to the laws of God and of your King.
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Gentlemen, you allow yourselves to be led away by people who find it to their interest to lead you astray. They have made you imagine it is only your oath which binds you to
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