Page:Richard - Acadie, reconstitution d'un chapitre perdu de l'histoire d'Amérique, Tome 3, 1916.djvu/421

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N^o. II.

(See Vol. I., page 344, and Vol. II., page 135).

LAWRENCE’S CHARACTER^[1]

Sir,

We are extremely obliged to you for your favor of the 30^th July last and for your assiduity in our affairs.

We can assure you, sir, that we were almost without hopes of being considered as English subjects. The haughty and disdainful behavior of Governor Lawrence to all our remonstrances, though tendered with the utmost submission, gave us much reason to think he was countenanced at Home by those we had all the reason in the world heretofore to think were the patrons and principal supporters of this infant settlement, and specially when it was publicly declared by Governor Lawrence’s creatures, that those gentlemen in office here, who had ever been solicitous to forward and promote the settlement and who had in every point behaved with honesty and integrity, specially the Judges of the courts of justice and some of the Council, would soon be displaced. They are the only men who have been the means of keeping the settlers from deserting in a body and supported the rights and liberties of the people.

Your letter has revived the hopes of the inhabitants, and it has been great comfort to them to find an Englishman in England who has their unhappy state and condition at heart and commiserates their bondage under oppression and tyranny.

We are sensible of the difficulties in England and the unsettled state of the Board of Trade which may retard our affairs ; but, we are not without hopes, through your care and assiduity, that we shall meet with success in having an Assembly soon ordered to be established here ; and we cannot help expressing our extreme satisfaction to find that it was the Lords of Trade’s most earnest intention to have an Assembly instantly settled, as we are very sure it is of all

1. British Museum. — Brown MSS. — Papers relating to Nova Scotia, 1748-1757. — Add. MSS, Vol. 19072. In 4 to fol. 43, N^o. 33.

   At the top of this letter, A. B. Grosart of London, the owner of Brown’s Manuscript, has added with his own hand :

   « A long letter (sixteen closely written pages) addressed to some one in England by the Colonists concerning the state of the Province.

   « This is a high-toned and most vigorous letter : and lays bars with most withering scorn the character of Governor Lawrence. It reminds one of the complaints of the elder Puritans in the days of Charles…

   « This MS. most important.