é . | 
and with the best intentions toward them, a change of | 
Imperial policy took place. In view of the position taken 
by successive English statesmen against the claims of the 
French to an exclusive right, either maritime or territorial, there — 
appeared to be no sufficient reason for denying to the colonists on 
the parts of the coast in question the ordinary rights, privileges, 
and protection of British subjects. Accordingly a line of policy 
towards the colonists was adopted which might have been 
expressed, as coming from the Imperial Government, in something 
like the following terms :—“ We recognise that you are British 
“ subjects, a settled population, in a British colony, enjoying the 
* full measure of free and British institutions. Except in so 
“ far as they may be limited or abridged by the terms of the 
*“ treaties with the French, your status as colonists, and as British 
* subjects, your rights of personal liberty and of property, your 
* claim to the enjoyment of all the benefits and advantages of 
** law, order, and civilisation, are as strong and as clear as those 
* of your fellow-colonists in other parts of the island. These rights, 
“ privileges, benefits, and advantages shall be accorded and secured 
“to you. As to the limitation or abridgment of those rights 
“under the treaties with the French, we refer you to the — 
* despatches of our Foreign Ministers, and the opinions of our law 
*‘ officers. We have contended, and we shall maintain, that the 
“ treaties confer upon the French no such rights as they claim; — 
*‘ that neither on the land nor sea are their rights ‘exclusive’ as 
“ against you; that, although they have the right to catch fish 
‘in our waters, and to dry their fish on the shore, yet at this 
*“ point their rights end, and at the very utmost, so long as 
“ they are not actually interfered with or interrupted by you in 
“ the bona fide exercise of these rights, your rights, the rights of 
“ all British subjects, to use and occupy both the sea and land 
“for any purpose whatever are absolute, unqualified, and 
* unlimited.” 
It is true that the change of “ policy” which such words as 
these import was not brought about suddenly—the change was 
somewhat slow, but on that very account was considered as all 
the more “sure.” One after another the colony was permitted 
to establish upon the once-called “ French shore ” the institutions 
of full and complete government and authority. The revenue. 
laws were extended so as expressly to apply to parts of the colony 
