[RAYMOND] A RADICAL AND A LOYALIST 93 



were mutterings of a coming storm. On the 8th of August a meeting 

 was held in New York and a committee was appointed to prepare 

 and present a memorial to the Commander-in-Chief concerning the 

 matter. The memorial was prepared by Hardy, in excellent form. 

 We may quote the following paragraphs: 



"Your memorialists are much alarmed at an application which they are informed 

 fifty-five persons have joined in to your Excellency, soliciting tracts of land amount- 

 ing in the aggregate to 275,000 acres, and that they have dispatched agents to survey 

 the unlocated lands and select the most fertile spots and desirable situations. 



"Your memorialists cannot but regard the grants in question, if carried into 

 effect, as amounting nearly to a total exclusion of themselves and families, who, 

 if they become settlers, must either content themselves with barren or remote lands 

 or submit to be tenants to those whom they consider as their superiors in nothing 

 but deeper art and keener policy." 



There were at this time several thousands of loyalists at the mouth 

 of the River St. John anxiously awaiting definite information as to 

 their location. The lands had been promised them in the King's name 

 before they left New York. The hope of re-establishing themselves 

 in new homes on British soil was the beacon-star that had led them 

 northward and eastward. But now landed in the Acadian wilderness, 

 they found no adequate preparations for their reception. Congre- 

 gated in huts and tents on the rocky hillsides at St. John, weeks and 

 months passed in uncertainty and in helpless inactivity on account 

 of the delay in alloting the lands. 



The warm-hearted and impulsive Edward Winslow, who was 

 doing what he could to stir up the authorities in Halifax, speaks of 

 the poignant distress of the men of the disbanded loyal regiments. 

 "We like the Country," they said, "only give us some place we can 

 call our own and laws for our protection." 



Governor Parr's presence in St. John was certainly very desirable 

 in the fall of 1783. He tried to quell the hostile demonstrations, 

 which broke forth in Parr Town, by removing some of the ring-leaders 

 across the Bay. 



Meanwhile the firmness and decision of Sir Guy Carleton helped 

 to solve the difficulty. Hardy and his committee waited upon him 

 with their memorial and met with a favorable reception. Sir Guy 

 said that no person should be allowed to take up lands but those who 

 meant to settle on them until the loyalists were first served. He 

 assured the Committee that he would do everything in his power for 

 them and believed that they would have no cause to complain. As 

 an outcome of this episode Hardy became the recognized champion 

 of the cause of the common people. 



