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NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS. |
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Govr. Philipps to the Duke of Newcastle.
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(Letter Book.)
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CANSO,
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Sept. 2nd 1730
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My LORD DUKE, —
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* * * * I have done myself the honor by every opportunity since my return to this Government of acquainting your Grace with the state and posture of affairs therein as far as they occurred to me.
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By my last from Annapolis Royal, dated .January 3d, your Grace may have perceived that I applied myself particularly to bringing our French Inhabitants to submit themselves to the Crown of Great Britain by swearing allegiance to His Majesty, a work which became daily more necessary in regard to the great increase of those people, who are at this day a formidable body and like Noah's progeny spreading themselves over the face of the Province. Your Grace is not unacquainted that for twenty years past, they have continued stubborn and refractory upon all summons of this kind; but having essayed the difference of Government in my absence, they signified their readiness to comply with what I should require of them at my return, for which reason I judged no time so proper to set about It as at my first arrival among them, beginning with the settlements in this River of Annapolis Royal, and how well I succeeded there, Your Grace has seen by the Parchment transmitted, which was a Duplicate of what every man from sixteen years of age to sixty has sworn and signed to.
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I acquainted your Grace at the same time of my purpose to proceed up the Bay of Fundy (as soon as the winter broke up) where the gross of the Inhabitants are settled to finish the work so well begun which I have the satisfaction to have seen fully completed, and have now tbe honour to congratulate your Grace on the entire submission of all those so long obstinate people, and His Majesty on the acquisition of so many subjects is duplicate of the instrument to which they have sworn and signed* goes herewith and is Exclusive of the other transmitted from Annapolis; they are all married and may be computed at five in a family one with another by which
* No copy of the Oath here referred to is to be found among the Nova Scotia documents.
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