12 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



give them a certain amount of influence in polities, and enable them 

 to return to legislative bodies eneri^otic representatives who protect the 

 special interests of their people and ablj' assist in the general legislation 

 of the country. Among the names of early Acadian settlers were 

 Robicheau, Poirier, Landry, Richard, Martin, Leblanc, Crirouard, D'Kntre- 

 mont, Gaudet, Hébert, Boud rot, Cormier (Cormié), Bourgeois, Melanson,* 

 Doucet, Blanchard, and Thibaudeau, whose descendants are still well 

 known in the country which their ancestors loved so well. '■ 



ni. Foimdation of Halifax.— The foundation of Halifax' practically 

 put an end to the Acadian ])eriod of Nova Scotian settlement. Until 

 that year the English occupation of the country was merely nominal. 

 Owing largely to the representations of Governor Shirley, of Massa- 

 chusetts — a statesman of considei-able ability who distinguished himself 

 in public affairs during a most critical period of American history — 

 the British government decided at last on a vigorous policy in the 

 province, which seemed more than once on the point of passing out of 

 their hands. Shirley always recognized the necessity, as well as impor- 

 tance, of establishing a British colony in Nova Scotia on a permanent 

 basis, and copies of his letters were given to Governor Cornwallis on 

 account of the valuable information they contained. This eminent man, 

 to whom full justice has never been given by Canadian historians, was 

 governor of Massachusetts in 1745, and it was largely owing to his 

 exertions that the expedition led by Pepperrell against Louisbourg was 

 successfully launched ; and had his influence prevailed, no doubt that 

 fortress, so long a menace to British interests in Northeastern America, 

 would never have been restored in 1748. He was one of the commis- 

 sioners appointed by Great liritain to come to a conclusion with France 

 as to the lightful limits of Acadie. He was instrumental in having a 

 survey made of Nova Scotia, and otherwise showed his deep interest in 

 the atfaii-s of a country so long neglected by England. An American 

 historian * only does justice to this Builder of Nova Scotia when he says : 



' Tlii-s family is supposed to have sprung from one of Sir William Alexander's 

 Scotch settlers. See "New Brunswick Magizine," Vol. I., pp. 129 et seq. ; 360: 

 Vol. III., pp. n ft seq. 



2 In the following French works there are some interesting details of the early 

 French settlers in Acadie : 



" La France au.\ Colonies. Etudes sur le développement de la race française hors 

 de l'Europe. (Les Français en Amérirjue, Acadiens et Canadiens.) Par E. Hameau, 

 Paris, 1.S5!)." 



" Une Colonie féodale en Ann-rifiue, L' Acadie (1604-1881). Par Rameau de Saint- 

 Père, 2 vols. Paris et Montréal, 1H80." 



3 See Dr. Akins's " History of the City of Halifax," in vol. VIII. of Collections of 

 the N.S. Historical Society, lHi).5, for interesting and minute details of the early 

 history of the capital of Nova Scotia. 



* See Minot's " History of Massachusetts," (vol. L, pp. 292-297) cited by Akins in 

 "Selections from the Public Documents of the Province of Nova Scotia," (Halifax, 

 N.S., 1869), p. 380. 



