Nova Scotia Archives

Acadian Heartland

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

ACADIAN FRENCH.

335

branch of His Majesty's Service, and of the necessary and great expence of their transportation, I committed to the Deliberations of His Majesty's Council of this Province, whose opinion, together with the several Facts in the letters and Papers leading to it, I beg permission humbly to lay before your Lordship, as well in justification of Government upon this occasion, as for being under the favor of your Lordship's Consideration, for the future security of the Province, against the exasperated minds of this disaffected set of people, thro' their repeated expulsions, and for the quiet and progress of the new settlements, in being freed from the fears of their dispositions and attempts by themselves and the Savages to distress the more exposed Townships in their possessions and Improvements. * * * * *

My Lord &c.

JONATHAN BELCHER.

The Right Honble.

The Earl of Egrement,

&c. &c. &c.

Governor Belcher to Board of Trade.

HALIFAX,

NOVA SCOTIA,

21st October, 1762.

My LORDS, —

In my last address 7th September (Duplicate whereof with the Laws of the last Session and Copies of the Papers therein humbly referred to, is now presented) I had the honor of laying before your Lordships, the Measures of Government, in the threatening danger to the Province by the neighbourhood of the Enemy at Newfoundland, for removing the Acadians. I have the satisfaction humbly to apprise your Lordships, that this proceeding was approved by His Excellency General Amherst, as will be before you, My Lords, by the Extract from his Letter to me which I have the honor to present. In the midst of the General's expectations for landing and disposing these people in the Massachusetts Government, the most precipitate means were used to send them back to this Province, and to defeat the General's humane intentions to us in not permitting them to return to their old habitations, and thereby frustrating the great expense of their transportation. I conceived it my Lords, to be immediately necessary to commit this proceeding to the examination and