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Acadian settlement began in present day
Nova Scotia in 1605, with the establishment of Port Royal in the
Annapolis Valley. By
1613, the colony was prospering.
It was also at this time that the British first attacked
Acadia. They razed
and captured the village. Acadia
was now in British possession.
In 1632, the British returned possession of
Acadia to the French with the signing of the Treaty of St.
Germain-en-laye. From
then on there was a steady stream of French immigration to
Acadia. But the
North American continent, and the possession of Acadia, became
part of the various treaties in Europe during the wars for
European supremacy. As
such possession of Acadia migrated between the French and
English.
In 1713, with the signing of the Treaty of
Utrecht, Acadia became a British possession and Acadians became
British subjects. However, the French-English conflict in the
region remained.
The British wanted the Acadians to swear
allegiance to the Crown of England.
Many Acadians refused and wanted to exclude themselves
from any part in the French-English conflict.
They did not want to take up arms against their native
France and preferred to live peacefully on their farms.
They were neutral. The
British feared this neutrality.
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The Justification Given for the Expulsion
Circular Letter from Govr. Lawrence to the
Governors of the Other Colonies.
Hallifax in Nova Scotia, 11th
of August, 1755
These Inhabitants were Permitted to Remain in Quiet
Possession of their Lands, Upon Condition they Should take the
Oath of Allegiance to the King within one year after the Treaty
of Utrecht by which this Province was Ceded to Great Britain ;
With this condition they have Ever Refused to Comply without
having at the Same time from the Governor an Assurance in
Writing that they Should not Be Called Upon to Bear Arms in the
Defence of the Province And with this General Phillips Did
Comply of which Step His Majetsy has Disapproved, And the
Inhabitants Pretending Therefrom to be in a State of Neutrality
between His Majesty and His enemies have Continnally Furnished
the French and Indians with Intelligence, Quarters, Provisions
and Assistance In Annoying the Governmente, and While one Part
have Abetted the French Incroachments By their Treachery, the
Other have Countananced them by Open Rebellion.
And Three Hundred of them were Actually found in Armes in
the French forte at Beausejour When it Surrendered.
Notwithstanding all their former Bad Behaviour as His
Majesty was Pleased to Allow me to Extend Still further His
Royall Grace to Such as would Return to their Duty, I Offered
Such of them as had Not Ben Openly in Arms Againste us a
Continuance of the Possession of
their Lands If they would take the Oath of Allegiance
Unqualified with Any Reservations whatso Ever, But this they
have Most Audaciously as Well as Unanimously Refused, And if
they would Presume to Do this when there is a Large Fleet of
Ships of War in the Harbour And a Considerable Land Force in the
Province, What Might Not wee Expecte from them When the
Approaching Winter Deprives us of the Former, And When the
Troops Which are only Hirede from New England Occasionally and
for a Small Time Have Returned Home?
As by this Behaviour the Inhabitants Have forfeited all
title to their Lands and any further favour from the Goverment ;
I Called together His Mahjesty’s Council att which the
Honourable Vice Admiral Boscaven & Rear Admiral Mostyn
Asssisted to Consider By what Means We Could with the Greatest
Security and effect rid Ourselves of a Set of People who would
forever have Ben an Obstruction to the Intentions of Settling
this Colony and that it was now from their Refussal of the Oath
Absolutely incumbent Upon Us to Remove.
As
to their Numbers Amount to Near Seven Thousand Persons.
the Driveing them oft With Leave to Go Whither they
Pleased, would have Doubtless Strengthened Canada, With so
Considerable a Number of Inhabitants, and as they have no
Cleared Land to Give them at Present, Such as Are Able to Bear
Armes, Must have ben Immediately employed In Annoying this ande
the Neighboring Colonies, to Prevent Such an Inconveniency, it
was Judged a Necessary, and the Only Practible Measure to Divide
them among the Colonies, where they May be of Some Use as Most
of them Are Healthy Strong People, And as they Cannot easily
collecte themselves together Again it will Be out of their Power
to Do any Mischief, And they May Become Proffitable and it is
Possible in time Faithful Subjects.
As this Step was Indispensibly Necessary To the Security
of this Colony Upon whose Preservation from French Incrochments
the Prosperity of North America its esteemed in a Great Measure
Dependant. I have
not the Least Reason to Doubt of your Excellency’s Concurrence
And that will Receive the Inhabitants I now Send and Dispose of
them in Such Manner as May Best Answer Our Designs in Preventing
their Reunion.
As the Vessells employed in This Service are Upon Monthly
Hire I beg the Favour of you to Expedite as Much as Possible
their Discharge And that they May Be Furnished with a
Certificate of the Time thereof Agreable to the Form Enclosed.
I am, Sir,
Your
Most Obedient and
Most
Humble Servant
Chas.
Lawrence
The Deporation Orders
On September 2, 1755, Acadians in Grand Pré
were presented with the following order:
These words were translated into French by Mr. Beauchamp
(Isaac Deschamps) , a Swiss merchant.
To the Inhabitants of the district of Grand
Pré, Mines, River Cannard, &c., as well ancient as young
Men and Lades.
“Whereas His Excellency the Governour has Instructed us
of his Last resolution Respecting the maters Proposd Lately to
the Inhabitants, and as ordered us to Communicate the same to
the Inhabitants in General in Person His Excellency be desierous
that each of them Should be fully Satisfyed of His Majesty’s
Intentions which he has also ordered us to Communicate to you
Such as they have been given Him.
I therefore order and Strictly Injoyne, by these
Pressence to all of the Inhabitant
as well of the above named District as of all the other
Districts. both old men & young men, as well as all the Lads
of ten years of age to
attend at the Church of Grand
Pré on Fryday the 5th Instant, at Three of the Clock
in the afternoon that We may Impart to them what we are ordered to Communicate
to them : Declaring that no Excuse will be admitted on any
Pretence whatsoever, on Pain of Forfitting Goods and Chattels on
Default.
“Given
at Grand Pré, Second of September in the 29th year
of His Majesty’s reign A.D. 1755.
“John Winslow”
At the Church 418 men were read the
following words delivered in French by an interpreter.
“Gentlemen,
- I have received from His Excellency Governor Lawrance.
The King’s Commission, which I have in my hand and by
whose orders you are Convened together to Manifest to you His
Majesty’s Final Resolution to the French Inhabitants of this
his Province of Nova Scotia. who for almost half a Centry have had more Indulgence Granted
them, then any of his Subjects in any part of his Dominions.
what use you have made of them
you your Self Best Know.
The Part of Duty I am now upon is what thoh Necessary is
Very Disagreable to my natural make & Temper as I Know it
Must be Grevous to you who are of the Same Specia.
But it is not my Business to annimedvert, but to obey
Such orders as I receive and therefore, without Hesistation
Shall Deliver you His Majesty’s orders and Instructions vizt.
That your Lands & Tenements, Cattle of all Kinds, and
Live Stock of all Sortes, are Forfitted to the Crown with all
other your Effects Saving your money and Household Goods and you
your Selves to be removed from this his Province.
Thus it is Preremptorily His Majesty’s orders That the
whole French Inhabitants of these Districts, be removed, and I
am Throh his Majesty’s Goodness Directed to allow you Liberty
to Carry of your money and Household Goods as Many as you Can,
without Discomemoading the Vessels you Go in.
I Shall do Every thing in my Power that all Those Goods
be Secured to you and that you are Not Molested in Carrying of
them of and also that whole Familys Shall go in the Same Vessel.
and make this remove, which I am Sensable must give you a
great Deal of Trouble as Easey as His Majesty’s Service will
admit and hope that in what Ever part of the world you may Fall
you may be Faithful Subjects, a Peasable & happy People.
I Must also Inform you That it is His Majesty’s
Pleasure that you remain in Security, under the Inspection &
Direction of the Troops that I have the Honr. to Command.”
At this point Winslow declared the Acadians
the King’s prisoners. He
also ordered the following:
All officers and Soldiers and Sea Men Employed in his
Majesty’s Service as well as all his Subjects of what
Denomination Soever, are herby Notifyed That all Cattle vizt
Horsses, Horne Cattle, Sheep, goats, Hoggs, and Poultrey of
Every Kinde. that
was this Day Soposed to be Vested in the French Inhabitants of
this Province are become Forfitted to his Majesty whose Property
they now are and Every Person of what Denomination Soever is to
take Care not to Hurt Kill or Distroy anything of any Kinde nor
to Rob Orchards or Gardens or to make waste of anything Dead or
alive in these Districts without Special order.
Longfellow’s poem, Évangéline tells the
story of the Acadian expulsion and its consequences to a young
Acadian woman, who lived in Grand Pré at the time of the
deportation orders.
Note: All letters and orders are
transcribed exactly as they appear in the Journal of John
Winslow.
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