Nova Scotia Archives

Acadian Heartland

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

ACADIAN FRENCH.

279

granted to the commander and Garrison of Bausejour. It is observed by your Letter of the 28th June that you had given Orders to Colonel Monckton, To drive the deserted French Inhabitants at all Events, out of the Country. It does not dearly appear, Whether you meant To drive away, all the French Inhabitants of the Peninsula, which amount to many Thousands, or, such of them, as, you say, in your State of the English and French Forts, transmitted here in Govr. Shirley's Letter of the 8th of December last, were settled to the number of 8000* Families in five or six Villages in the neighborhood of Beausejour, or lastly Whether you mean, only such of the Inhabitants, as were found in Beausejour, when evacuated by the Garrison; The latter seems, rather, to have been your Intention, as you add, That if Mr. Monckton wants the assistance of the French deserted Inhabitants, in putting the Troops under cover as the Barracks in the French Fort, were demolished, he might first make them do all the Service in their Power. Let your Intention have been what it will, it is not doubted. But that you will have acted upon a strict Principle of immediate and indispensible Security to your Government, and not without having considered the pernicious Consequences that may arise from any Alarm, which may have been given to the whole body of the French Neutrals and how suddenly an Insurrection may follow from Despair; Or what an additional Number of usefull subjects may be given, by their Flight, to the French King: It cannot therefore, be too much recommended to you, to use the greatest Caution and Prudence in your conduct towards these Neutrals, and to assure such of them as may be trusted, especially upon their taking the Oaths to His Majesty, and His Government, That they may remain in the quiet Possession of Their Settlements, under proper Regulations: What has led to a more particular Notice of this Part of your Letter, is the following Proposal, that was made, no longer ago, than in the Month of May last, by the French Ambassador, vizt. "That all the French Inhabitants of the Peninsula, should have Three Years allowed them to remove from Thence with their Effects, and should be favoured with all Means of facilitating this Removal, which the English would, it was said, undoubtedly look upon, as very advantageous to themselves." Whereupon, His Majesty was pleased to order an Answer to be given, and which I now send you for your particular Information, in the following Words vizt.

* Sic 800.