Nova Scotia Archives

Acadian Heartland

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

ACADIAN FRENCH.

339

inclosing some Extracts of the Minutes of the Council of Nova Scotia, by which it appears that the French have been endeavouring thro the Agency of a certain Monsieur de la Rochette, (who is said to be a Clerk to the Duke of Nivernois) to inveigle the French Acadians who remain in that Province, and persuade them to return to France, I herewith transmit to You a Copy of the Letter, by which I have signified His Majesty's Commands to His Ambassador at Paris to make immediate Remonstrance to the French Ministers upon this extraordinary Proceeding. By that Letter You will be fully informed of His Majesty's Sense of these underhand Practices, and of His Resolution to prevent their taking Effect. You will, therefore, consider it as Your Duty to keep the most watchfull Eye on the Persons who have been employed in this secret Negotiation, and to take every lawfull means of preventing any of the French Acadians from being clandestinely withdrawn from His Majesty's Government.

But necessary as it is, on the one Hand, to put a Stop to the Seduction, and secret Removal, of these His Majesty's Subjects, it seems but just & reasonable on the other that Care should be taken to provide proper Settlements for Them, as much to Their own Satisfaction as may be, consistently with the publick Safety. By the Correspondence in my Office, this Matter appears to have been under the Consideration of Sir Jeffery Amherst, General Murray, and the Government of Nova Scotia in 1761, and You will see by the inclosed Copies of Letters between The Governor of Quebec, and the late Lieutenant Governor Belcher, that a Resolution was actually taken to remove all the Acadians remaining in Nova Scotia, and settle them in some distant District of Canada. As I have no further Account of the Progress of that Measure, which appears to me the most prudent and proper that could be devised for disposing of these People to Advantage, I must desire You to lose no Time in informing me of the Reasons upon which the Execution of it was laid aside; What is the Number, and present Situation, of the French Acadians within Your Government? What are the present Intentions of Yourself, and Your Council, with respect to these People? and whether, in Your Judgment, They may, with equal Safety and greater Satisfaction to Themselves be settled in any other Province, than that of Quebec?