[RAYMOND] PRE-LOYALIST SETTLEMENTS OF NOVA SCOTIA 75 
of land to settlers of Irish extraction. McNutt makes many other com- 
plaints of vexations interference and of the unwillingness of Lieut. 
Governor Belcher to assist him in any way. He rehearses his own ser- 
vices stating. “That ever since the Defeat of Braddock he had been 
engaged in defence of the Protestant Interest, had been in upwards of 
Twenty Engagements by sea and land, and always served as volunteer, 
having never asked nor received one shilling for all his expence. 
That after he had undertaken the settlement of Nova Scotia he was 
offered twenty Townships upon Kennebec River, free of all quit rent, 
and that after all his loss of time and expence he thought it hard to be 
treated in such a manner.’ The Colonel says further, that had his 
plans not been interfered with he had hoped to have introduced as 
useful settlers a number of foreign Protestants without any cost to 
the country. All he now desired was that all Protestants should 
enjoy equal rights and privileges, religious and civil, “that every one 
might take their own way to Happiness, and that no person whatso- 
ever of bad morals or guilty of any enormous Iregularity may ever be 
permitted to mar any office or power amongst the People for this is 
And will be the surest foundation forsa truely Christian Establishment.” 
Colonel McNutt had friends in the Council, and at his request John 
Collier, Charles Morris, Henry Newton and Michael Francklin wrote 
a joint letter to Governor Ellis! in his behalf. 
They mention the arrival of upwards of two hundred of McNutt’s 
immigrants from the North of Ireland in November, 1762, and regret 
that difficulties unforeseen had delayed their coming to so late a time of 
the year. The lateness of their arrival would, under any circumstances, 
have been unfortunate, and more so in this instance owing to the 
opposition of those high in authority to the Colonel’s plans. 
Continuing their letter the writers say that McNutt, soon after 
his arrival, explained to the Lieut. Governor and Council that it would 
be absolutely necessary to give his people assistance in provisions to carry 
them through the coming winter. After due deliberation, and some 
opposition, it was agreed to supply them with four months’ provisions 
and that the Government vessels should transport one hundred persons 
to their lands, the others being able to provide for themselves. “The 
Council were induced to advise this measure in order to retain in the 
Province such a number of valuable settlers, having experienced that the 
few Protestants from the North of Ireland, who had been previously 
brought over by the Colonel and settled on their lands, were likely, by 
! Hon. Henry Ellis was appointed Governor of Nova Scotia in the Spring of 
1761, and held the position for more than two years. He remained in England during 
his term of office, not being in good health. 
