1800 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



so long as the bow which American orators, statesmen, and lawyers 

 sometimes nowadays draw in defense of real or imaginary American 

 rights, then I must confess that they must have been most formidable 

 weapons. It is a very extraordinary view, certainly, to present, that 

 because those people fought in some former time with some persons on 

 the coast Mr. Dana does not say whether they were French, or barba- 

 rians, or Indians they at that time being British subjects, they have 

 the right to our fisheries. 



But Mr. Foster went a step further. He stated I suppose it was this 

 which set off his colleagues that we are indebted to the people of Mas- 

 sachusetts for now being in possession of Nova Scotia, and that it was 

 entirely owing to their efforts that the British flag waves to-day on the 

 Citadel, instead of that of France. Well, it was rather a bold assertion 

 to make, certainly. I believe some of these Massachusetts men were 

 fighting characters in those days. They fought with the people of Eng- 

 land, and came out because they could not live in peace and quietude 

 under British rule ; they came out and found liberty of conscience for 

 themselves, and terrified other people by burning witches, and stripping 

 Quakers, showing that after all the old British intolerance was pretty 

 well uppermost. But they were fighting people always, and they came 

 over, and no doubt fought with the French to some extent ; and for the 

 first time I knew they went down to Le Pre, and committed the abomi- 

 nable outrage of turning out all theAcadiaus ; I suppose they were com- 

 manded by General Winslow. Mr. Dana should have told Mr. Long- 

 fellow the story before he wrote Evanyeline, because probably the Brit- 

 ish might not have suffered so much in public opinion if it had been gen- 

 erally known that they were Massachusetts people who committed the 

 outrage. I am glad to this extent that the people of Nova Scotia are 

 relieved from the odium. A friend placed in my hands, after the state- 

 ment had been made, a well-known history of England containing a 

 statement which shows the spirit in which the descent was made by the 

 Massachusetts people upon the coast and upon the French. I find that 

 about that time, after they had come here and fought, and if I may accept 

 Mr. Foster's view of history as true delivered us out of the hands of the 

 French, they sent a claim to England for their services. That claim 

 was laid before the British Parliament, which, at the instance of George 

 II, voted them the large sum in those days of 115,000 for their services. 

 So besides being fighting men they were cute enough to get paid for 

 their trouble. Now by the rule qui facit per (ilium facit per se it was 

 Great Britain herself that was fighting, and these were her hired troops. 

 If the people of Massachusetts are going to set up a claim to the Prov- 

 ince of Nova Scotia and all the fisheries on the score of their fighting, 

 the money so paid to them should be given back, and 115,000 with 125 

 yeans' interest will be a sum which we will condescend to receive for our 

 fisheries and go and live somewhere else, as we must do when our fish- 

 eries are gone. 



That in really the history of that transaction in which the counsel 

 of the United States so vaunt themselves. I do not say that the 

 Massachusetts men did not fight well; no doubt they did. Mr. Fos- 

 ter says they were people who knew their rights, and knowing, dared 

 maintain them. The people of this Dominion also knew their rights, 

 uid will maintain them, too. When I know that the present learned 

 and able chief justice of Nova Scotia is sitting in this chamber, within 

 sound of my voice, as 1 now speak ; when 1 see the portraits of his emi- 

 it predecessors, and of Sir Fen wick Williams of Kars, and Sir John 

 Inglis of Lucknow (both sons of Nova Scotia), looking down upon me 



