[RAYMOND] NOVA SCOTIA UNDER ENGLISH RULE 63 
following proposals. That forts be built and garrisoned; that free 
transport be provided for the settlers; each to receive a grant of fifty 
acres upon his arrival; double that quantity to be granted to carpenters 
and other artificers; the same to soldiers in garrison who should turn 
planters, their pay to continue for one year after the grant, every soldier 
to have leave to carry his wife with him, transport to be paid by Gov- 
ernment; encouragement to be given to: intermarriage with the Indians; 
grants now restricted to 500 acres to any one person to be extended 
to 1,000 acres, free from fines and quit rents for ten years; the Governor 
and Council to be empowered to make laws until there should be a 
sufficient population for an Assembly. 
Here at least was a definite, though somewhat crude, plan, which 
with a little elaboration might have been fruitful of results; but no 
immediate action was taken and the old policy of drift was followed. 
Meanwhile the Acadians continued to multiply and to feel a more 
deeply rooted affection for the land of their forefathers. A dozen years 
had now passed without a change of political masters. They began 
to realize that the existing state of affairs was likely to continue, and so, 
upon being again requested to swear allegiance to the British Crown, 
they offered to take the oath on condition that they should not be 
compelled to bear arms against the French or Indians. The authorities 
of Nova Scotia, however, would not consent to such a modification of 
the oath. 
It would be tedious to enumerate the attempts made by the 
various governors and administrators of Nova Scotia to induce the 
Acadians to take an unqualified oath of allegiance. All were unsuccess- 
ful until Governor Philipps in 1730, after an absence of eight years in 
England, prevailed upon them to take the following oath:— 
“Je promets et jure sincèrement en foi de chrétien que je serai 
entiérement fidéle et obéirai vraiment sa Majesté le Roy George le 
second, qui je reconnais pour le souverain seigneur de L’Accadie ou 
Nouvelle Ecosse. Ainsi Dieu me soit en aide.” 
Controversy respecting the Oath of Allegiance. 
The Acadians always declared that when they took this oath it 
was upon the understanding that they should be exempted from bearing 
arms. Commenting on this Hannay observes, “If that were the case, 
it only goes to show that twenty years after Acadia had become a British 
province the French inhabitants still refused to regard themselves as 
British subjects.” Governor Philipps evidently did not regard them 
as a very loyal people for, writing in November, 1732, to the Duke of 
Newcastle, he says: “I have sent to their Lordships a report of the 
gentlemen of the Council upon the present state of the Province, which 
