Nova Scotia Archives

Acadian Heartland

Records of the Deportation and Le Grand Dérangement, 1714-1768

ACADIAN FRENCH.

267

Inhabitants out of the Province if they refused to Take the Oaths, nothing now remained to be considered but what measures should he taken to send them away, and where they should be sent to.*

After mature Consideration, it was unanimously Agreed That, to prevent as much as possible their Attempting to return and molest the Settlers that may be set down on their Lands, it would be most proper to send them to be distribated amongst the several Colonies on the Continent, and that a sufficient Number of Vessels should be hired with all possible Expedition for that purpose.

CHAS. LAWRENCE.

JNO. DUPORT, Sec. Conc.

Governor Lawrence to Col. Monckton.

HALIFAX, 31 July, 1755.

      * * * The Deputies of the French inhabitants of the districts of Annapolis, Mines and Piziquid, have been called before the Council, and have refused to take the oath of allegiance to His Majesty, and have also declared this to be the sentiments of

    On this occasion, the inhabitants of the interior desired to have a clause inserted, not to be obliged to take up arms against the French, which was not introduced, though they declared that it was promised them, which promise is said to have been made at Minas by the persons sent to administer the Oath, though they did not venture to put it on paper. (See Gov. Mascarene's letter, p.159.) In April 1730, Gov. Philipps announced to the Council the unqualified submission of the inhabitants of the whole province, with the exception of seventeen families at Chignecto, and about nineteen families somewhere on the sea coast. It is therefore apparent that no qualified oath of allegiance to the British Crown had ever been given either by Nicholson, Vetch, Hobby, or Philipps, or was any such oath authorized or recognized by the British Government — and as Mr. Murdoch justly observes, no blundering or temporizing on the part of subordinates, could vary the position of these people as subjects, though they might, to some extent, palliate their errors, and partially account for their discontent and disaffection.
    The term "Neutral French" having been so frequently applied to the Acadians in public documents — their constant denial of an unqualified oath ever having been taken by them, and the reiterated assertions of their priests that they understood the oaths taken from time to time, in a qualified sense, (by drawing a distinction between an Oath of fidelity and one of allegiance) led the Governors at Halifax, in 1749, and at subsequent periods, erroneously to suppose that no unconditional Oath of Allegiance had ever been taken by the people of Acadia to the British Crown. — ED.
    * See Letters from Govr. Lawrence to Secty. Robinson, 1 Augt., 1754; Lords of Trade to Govr. Lawrence, Oct. 29,1754; Lawrence to Sir T. Robinson, 30 Nov., 1755; also Lords of Trade to Govr. Lawrence, March 25, 1756.