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NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS. |
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PRESENT
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Chas. Lawrence, Esq., President.
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Jno. Collier, Councilor
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Willm. Cotterell, Councilor
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Robt Monckton, Councilor
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Jno. Rous, Councilor
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The President acquainted the Council that six French Families, consisting of Twenty-eight Persons I who had deserted their Lands in this Province were arrived at Halifax, and desired to be permitted to return to their said Lands. The Heads of the said Families being called in and asked the Reason of their quitting their Lands, They declared that upon the first Settling of the English at Halifax, they were so terrified by the Threats that Mr. Le Leutre had used and his declaring the great distresses they would be reduced to if they remained under the Dominion of the English, That they, on that account, had retired and were set down on the Island of Cape Breton, where they had remained ever since; but that the Land there being so very bad they were utterly incapable of subsisting their Families, and had applied to the Governor of Louisbourg for leave to return to their former Habitations, to which he had consented. They further declared that if the Council would permit them to enjoy their former Lands, that they were willing to take the Oath of Allegiance to His Majesty, and that their future Behaviour should be unexceptionable.
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The Council being of Opinion that the return of these People might have a good Effect, not only on the German Settlers, many of whom had formerly deserted to the French, but also on the other French Inhabitants, by voluntarily taking the Oath of Allegiance to His Majesty, unqualified by any reservation. And it appearing that they were in very great distress being intirely destitute of all necessaries, It was Resolved that they should be permitted to return to their former Possessions, and that Twenty-four of them being the most necessitous, should be allowed Provisions during the Winter, and that the other four should have a Week's Provisions given them to Subsist them till they returned to their former Habitations at Pisiquid where they would be assisted by their Friends and Relations.
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The said Inhabitants then very chearfully took the Oath of Allegiance to his Majesty, appointed to be taken by the french Inhabitants. * * * * * *
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JNO. DUPORT, Secy. CHAS: LAWRENCE
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