A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

;1747.] RAMESAY AND THE ACADIANS. 203"In view of the above," continues Ramesay, "weorder all the inhabitants of Memeramcook to come tothis place [Beaubassin] as soon as they see the signalfireslighted, or discover the approach of the enemy;and this on pain of death, confiscation of all theirgoods, burning of their houses, and the punishmentdue to rebels against the King."iThe position of the Acadians was deplorable. Bythe Treaty of Utrecht, France had transferred themto the British Crown ;yet French officers denouncedthem as rebels and threatened them with death ifthey did not fight at their bidding against Englandand English officers threatened them with expulsionfrom the country if they broke their oath of allegianceto King George. It was the duty of the Britishministry to occupy the province with a force sufficientto protect the inhabitants against French terrorism,and leave no doubt that the King of Englandwas master of Acadia in fact as well as in name.This alone could have averted the danger of Acadianrevolt, and the harsh measures to which it afterwardsdecharge [sic] du Serment prete, cy devant, h I'Anglois, auquel ilsne sont plus oblige [sic] comme il y a et^ decide par nos puissancesde Canada etde Monseigneur notre Evesque " (literatim).1 Ramesay aux Habitants de Chignecto, etc., 25 3Iai, 1747.A few months later, the deputies of Riviere-aux-Canards wroteto Shirley, thanking him for kindness which they said Avas undeserved,promising to do their duty thenceforth, but begging himto excuse them from giving up persons who had acted " contraireaux Interests de leur devoire," representing the difficulty of theirposition, and protesting " une Soumission parfaite et en touts Respects."The letter is signed by four deputies, of whom one writeshis name, and three sign with crosses.