gated among His Majesty’s subjects, the French inhabitants of his Province of Nova Scotia, that there was an intention to remove them from their settlements in that Province, I did, by my declaration, dated 16th September, 1746, signify to them that the same was groundless, and that I was, on the contrary, persuaded that His Majesty would be graciously pleased to extend his royal protection to all such of them as should continue in their fidelity and allegiance to him, and in no wise abet or hold correspondence with the enemies of his crown ; and therein assured them, that I would make a favourable representation of their state and circumstances to His Majesty, and did accordingly transmit a representation thereof to be laid before him, and I have thereupon received his royal pleasure, touching his aforesaid subjects in Nova Scotia, with his express commands to signify the same to them in his name : now, by virtue thereof, and in obedience to His Majesty’s said orders, I do hereby declare, in His Majesty’s name, that there is not the least foundation for any apprehensions of His Majesty’s intending to remove them, the said inhabitants of Nova Scotia, from their said settlements and habitations within the said Province ; but that, on the contrary, it is His Majesty’s resolution to protect and maintain all such of them as have adhered to and shall continue in their duty aud allegiance to him, in the quiet and peaceable possession of their respective habitations and settlements, and in the enjoyment of their rights and privileges as his subjects, etc., etc. »
Dated at Boston, the 21st of October, 1747.
And this is farther confirmed by a letter, dated 29th of June, in the same year, wrote to our deputies by Mr. Mascarene, then Your Majesty’s chief commander in Nova Scotia, which refers to Governor Shirley’s first declaration, of which we have a copy, legally authenticated, part of which is as follows, viz. :
« As to the fear you say you labor under, on account of being threatened to evacuate the country, you have in possession His Excellency William Shirley’s printed letter, whereby you may be made easy in that respect : you are sensible of the promises I have made to you, the effects of which you have already felt, that, I would protect you so long as, by your conduct and fidelity to the Crown of Great Britain, you would enable me to do so, which promise I do again repeat to you. »
Near the time of the publication of the before mentioned declaration, it was required that our deputies should, on behalf of all the people, renew the oath formerly taken to General Philipps, which was done without any mention of bearing arms, and we can with truth say, that we are not sensible of alteration in our disposition and conduct since that time ; but that we always continued to retain a grateful regard to Your Majesty and your Government, notwithstanding which, we have found ourselves surrounded with difficulties unknown to us before. Your Majesty determined to fortify our Province and
