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Tranflated from the FRENCH. t O N D O N : Printed for S, Bladoit, at the Pj^-^;7/, in Pater'nofier-Rew. mdccivi, [ Prlcf One Shilling, J T ^■■■■•■■Ill J" f , M' V tV ^ I :' / >-;! x)-i^ll 'Jib m mm ri uijovj ai H i" ■ ■ ■ I = ■ "' " ■ (■'■ .^o ' ■ ■ ' -^ ■ -■ ■'■'■'■ -T^'T' rr • ^ '^1'' ^ :mii ■ Imm^tit i ;y.. ■:\ c. V.' o .7 *t^* * *i>* ** * '. I ^ -IB- -' ' ^ l.«l '}•;' I * ^ '■ItHir J»i if /■<(»»•« i", • if- <■■.. ■£ L E 1* T E R, e?^. p: <■'■ IN what calamities ar . oui* ambitious, enter- prifing minifters going to involve us ? That luft of extending the dominion of cur Grand Monarch, by means right or wrong, will I fear at laft prove the utter ruin of the fiailic empire. Our fort'ign trade is in effefl already ruined ; and, if our attempts Ihould happen to be attended with ill fuccefb (and for my part I can fee no hopes of bettei")^ the confeduence mud be, that this nation will be more humoled and difgraced than it was in the war to which the peace of Utrecht put an end in the year 1713. .. I t We have always been fufferei's ty our wars Vith the EngUJhi and though in the laft we came off conquerors oft the continent, yet by the ter- rible loflcs we fuftained in our fhipping at fea for the laft two years, it was vifible to the whole French nation, that if hoftilities had been wholly confined to that element, or continued on it but A year or two longer, ovr naval force muft have tmmmx,;^ B been r" Hi Mi I t >• ii- <» t » J been ruined perhaps beyond repair. And pray what better have we to expe£t, in cafe our mini- i^crs (bould be fp frefutn^f^stts^ and tempt the ivrath of Heaven fo tar, as in earnelt to enter into a war with Great Britain \ at a time when (he is fo vaftly fuperiorto us in her naval fquadrons, as well as ftrongly fortified by the forcrs which our minifters have given them time to raifc at home, and h^r (Irong alliances fd^xned abroad ? After reading fo many pamphlets, wherein, as you fay, the Englijb have been made aggreflbrs» and the caufe of France hath been defended as the moft juft and upright, you wijl dqubtlefs wonder what can induce rue to tax our minifters with^r^- fumptiont and tempting the wrath of Heaven. Thefe words, you will fay, call for aa expl^atioa ; and methinks I fee you in the condition of a man ira** patiently expei^ing one. Alas! my friend, I fear the remedy will appear worfe to you than the dif- eafe : in removing one pain fr9m y9U,i; ml^4« % apprehend that I %ali only ip^fe into it at^oth(;r, which muil give you real torm|:nt. I R^uft tell you then, that you have be;en; ^&!^&9)^^y^ iip~. pofed on by thofe pamphlets^ ^\^ ^^}!^'^^'. felves utterly falfe, and were written, ]?y the. hire;. lings of our court, with no otijer. vjjRW, b^t to ipi-, fit up our people to fupport theii* meafures, and prejudice the neighbpuring natipfi^ agf^|i^^ X^t Mnglifh, particularly the G^pwi prinfes, by « falie reprefentation of fadts. Our nf)iniil£r:s ^9p?d, by that artiBce, either to draw them ii^o alliances with France^ or at leaft prevent themfrqai^^nter-. ing into any with Great Britain. B^t h9W un** happily have they mifcarriefl in thejr. dei^gn^ Their attaupt has had a contrary efiedtr The 7 Britifk ., .. r i ^ : ... Eriiijb tniniftcrs hiVc bijim fbb'manV fcf burs thii fihie fh for^aft. They anticipated them in all their defighs, and r/en ih their application lo fo- reign courts, whoti^ thr^y had prepoflcltcd with tht juftic6 of their, pretentions, and to whom they had reprdfcntcdl the proceedings of our niini- (Vers in a Very uhfaVourable light, long before they offered* their ^^//^/ ind miilated memorials id tfitJir perufiil, Whith have onlV fervcd to con- firrii thte aifciifttlohs of the Brim court. If I appear to be an advocate for the EngVtfh^ or to fpeak in their behalf, you may already fee tlic grounds for it. I am" perfuaded our mini- ftifrsnave been afting at very linjult part by them y and as Hieaveri i^ill neVer favour the caufe of injUflfice, neither ought any good Catholic to ap- prove of \i. Befides, I think I' already fee the hand of God vifibly ftretthed out to oppofe and Waft the de(i]^hs of ou!r pblrtrcians, by the difap- pointments and crofiSs which hithdfto they have met with in ail their proceedings. But to return to my fubjedt : • . ■"> - Bf partial ahd i«ff///tf/t''i memorial?, I mckn" tKi edition of thetn printed in 1754 at tht Louvre, Thefc you iniasinc ptrhips contaift all which paflfed between the minifters of both nations du- ring'their negotiation J btit in this you are greatly miSaktfh. J here wps anothei* memorial deli- vered In, by wajr of 2S^/v to that of our nilniftersj which hath been omitted in their edition, for the reafons mentioned in the hiftory which follows of thofc trahfadtions. It is oh this account that I give the epithets oi partial and mutitdted to the Loiivi'c imprcilion : artd asltis folelyfram'thelaft B 2 Frptii f f 4 1 Fnnch memorial contained in ihe faid edition, that thpfe pamphlets, publifhed in favoqr of tho French fyftem, have drawn all their authoritiei, you may cafily judge whether they c^n be trafts likely to give a juft and true reprcfcntation of fads. If they were, is it tP be imagined the Re- fly would be fupprefled by our minitters ? For what end can you conceive it to be kept out of your fight, but to conceal from you the ftate of things, rcpre fented in a ijght extremely different from that in which they appear in the memoris^ publifhcd by oujrs ? ' • As to the Summary Di/cufton, which you ^ni to place fuch entire dcpendance on, it is no more than an abridgment of that memprial j and the Dutch obfervaior^ (which you have an opinion of), only the eccho to, or comment on, the Summary Difcujfion. So that, from what has been faid, you may reafonably conclude, what is really the cafe, that you are not to expcdl from them a true llatc of the affair, or indeed the truth of any fadl which docs not favour the intered of our nation. Thofc pamphlets, in ihort, are written to impofi and fnifieadt not to declare the truth, qr inform you. They are publilhed under the dirc<5tio!n of our piinifter?, to fupport their fyftem concerning the rincUnt limits of Acadiij and to ruin the credit of the Englijh in foreign courts j by reprefenting them in as bad a light as they are able to paint tlteni, no matter whether the colours be true or Thofe authors know they cannot well deceive rreri oi underftanding, and difintereftcd: theii* chief dtfji^n is on the weak and credulous^ who arc ge? . . nerally [ 5 ] fierally captivated by the firft report of things, and reldom quit their prejudices. Put, after all, this is a miflaken notion : for fuch are not the perfons who are able to promote their caufe; nor are fuch writings fit to influence the men of weight and good fenfe either at home or abroad. I can afTure you, here they have a very different conception of things from, what you entertain at the Hague, They wcr» du- bious of the fyilem of our miniders all along ; but, fince they have feen their memorials, they are convinced that it is a downright/r^«^, a bare- faced impofition. They are alhamed to fee a caufe, which they have hitherto crjed up as the molt clear and evident, (hould owe all its fupport to mifreprcfenting and fuppreflfing fadls, wrong quo- tations, and endiefs chicaneries. Tht-y wonder how they could venture to prcfent fuch a com- pound of falfehood and abfurdities to minifters of foreign courts } who mull be offended no lefs at the low opinion it difcovers ours to have of their capacities, as the impofition defigned on their reafon and difcerninentt You may judge what opinion they entertain of the Summary Difcujfion. The publication of this piece, they fay, is a very impolitic ftep of pur minifters, as it puts it in the power of all people of the mofl moderate capacitiet every where to dif^over their artifices and falfe glofTes *, which might h^ve been concealed from them by being confined to the voluminous memorials (hepnfelves, to which very few would ever be able to have recourfe. Sothat they conclude they have, at means, brous^ht their fyftem into a more {>y A- At } gjeneral r 6 ] general difcredit, and weakened their intereft by the lofs of fuch a confiderable, as we)) as inte- refting party of men, who otherwife, in all pro- bability, might have been prejudiced in their fa- vour no lefs than the reft. However that be, this is certain, that th^ middle clafs of people, as well as great numbers of the nobility, are greatly diflktisHed with the conduA of our minifter»on this occafion; and think it very hard that the nation fhould be forced intoamoft expenfive, as well ashazardous war, to fupport an unjuft and chymerical fyftem of their own framing: the impofition of which' they have expofed tathe world thcmfeivcs, by affigning yicadiS one fort of antient limits oner year, and another very difltrent fort the next; By fuch conduct the nation's credit nnift be ruined to fuch a degree that aH foreign powers will be afraid to truft us; and fborn to enter in- to an alliance with a nation which has been ca« pable of ailing fuch an unjuft, and indeed perfi- dious part, in direct violation of the moft folemrr treaties. Already we experience the efFeds of their pernicious mcafurcs, m finding ourfelVes un- able to gain one confiderable ftate either to join us or declare themfelves neuters j while fome of the prime powers of Europe have made no Ifcruple to enter into an alliance with the Englijb. Muft not this arifc from their being thoroughly con- vinced of the juftice of their caufc ? Is it to be imagined that they would have leagued with them had they found them proceeding on dif- honed principles, and aiming to defraud our Monarch of his iuft rights ? • - Ifhall is f 7 1 i t (hall drop the further purfuit of this fubje^^ here, becaufe I (hall have an occafion to fay more upon it hereafter ) and return to the court writers, whom I reprefented as fet to work, not to in- form, but miflead the public. You would clear* ly perceive this, were you critically to examine chofe pieces, or to read the memorials them> felves, efpecially, accompanied with the Reply of the Englijh commiflaries, which has dete£led a great SctX of rery unfair dealing on our fide ; and was for that reafbn fupprelTcd by our mini- (lers in the above-mentioned edition printed at the Jjouvre. This Reply has opened the eyes of (Treat numbers of people here, as well as in other countries, who before faw a good deal of reafon to be diflatisHed with thofe memorials : which, being fpun out to a very voluminous bulk, and introducing feveral matters which feem not per- tinent to the lubjeft, were confidered as com- piled rather to perplex the caufe, and fmother th« truth, than to bring it to light. For the whole matter in difpute turns on the Hngle quedion, IVhat are the ant tent limits ofAcadie^ ceded by France in the treaty of Utrecht ? A point which people of judgment conceive might have been through- ly difcufled in a very few (heets of paper. ^ *♦- The fufpicion arifing from this circumftancs made the curious more inquifitive into the cafe \ and, by tracing things from one hand to ano- ther, the connoifleurs pretend to have difcovered the original fpring of our minifters fyftem. They do not fcruple to declare, among their friends and acquaintances whom they can truft, that it is a contrivance let on foot by thofe in power, foon af- ter the treaty of Utrecht^ in order to get back, by "! l^ r 8 ] by addrcfs, from the Englijht the country ofJca" die; which, to procure a peace in 1713, I^ew^ is XIV. was, in ? manner, compelled agatnfl: his will CO cede to them. It is well known with what relufkance that prince parted with all Acadie to the Queen of Great Britain •, and how much he laboured to in* duce her to reftorc it, in lieu of a very tempting equivalent, or rather more than equivalent: wnich, however, had no influence on hert (he being in- flexibly refolved to have the right of poflefllon yielded up. But, although Lewis U Grand was fodefirous to- have recovered Acadie^ which, in 1 7 10, had been taken by the ^nglijb, in the re- dudion of Port Royal ; yet it does not appear that he ever had the lead defign of getting it again out of the hands of that nation by unrair or col- Jufive means : nor does fame offer to fully his glorious memory, by the imputation of fo atro- cious a delign. This fcheme to dupe the EngUJh out of Acadi^^ is faid to have been laid by the minifters who were in place in the beginning of the regency of the Duke of Orleans, The firft thiqg to be done, was to fettle a plan to proceed upon. This was a difficult matter, as they found the claule of cef> Hon fo itrongly worded, and drawn up with fo much precaution, that they could not find out any flaw or miftake on which to ground a pretext for difputing the EngUJh title to the whole* or ipvcn to a part ; inafmuch as Franci cedes tbt whole of Npva Scotia^ or Jcadie, without excep- tion : which plainly implied, that, by the treaty, the Enilj/b were entitled to all the country which '-^ f 9 ] at any time before had gone under either of thefc two names. They had, befides, formally taken pofleffion of it in Juguft 1714, in prefence of the French commiflaries fent by the governor of Lewijbourg in IJle- Royals {ov Cape Breton,) to carry that part of the treaty into cxecutioni However, as the country was ceded according to its antient limits, and thefe limits were not exprefsly fpeciBed in the treaty, as me-thinks they ought to have been \ they refolved to take ad- vantage of thefe words, and infift that the Eng-- lift) were far from being intitfed to ill Nova-Sco' tia or Acadii : under pretence that they were in- titled, by the treaty, to no more of the country in queftion than what was contained within the antient limits oi Acadii', and chat thofe antienf limits were much more contra^ed than the mo- dern. , This obje6bion to the EngU/h pretenfions was darted in 17 19, by our comnrifTaries who were appointed to fettle the boundaries between Canada and the province of HudfofCs Bay \ but as our minifters had not yet determinedrwhat limits were to be given to lYitvt antient Acadii, nothing farther palled at that time on the occafion. However, foon after, they fecm to have come to fome fort of determination iu the matter, fince the Sieur William de rifle, who, in his maps pubiifhed before the treaty of Utrecht, extended the bounda of Acadie confiderably beyond the peninfula > in that of all America^ fet forth in 17.23, reftrains them to fomewhat lefs than the peninfula: which he is fuppofed to have done by dire^ion of the minifters at that time in place. C .^ w-. ^' Thuc fl I • (; r t i& :&' 1^ Thus things ftood, without any appljcation made on our nde to the Englijh^ about Tettling the limits of this country, till the year 1 740 or 1 744 *, when father Charlevoix^ the Jefuit, in his Hijiory of New France, undercook to treat of the antienf limits oi ^cadie.. In doing this, it feems, he is charged with mi^uoting paffages of authors^ and mifreprefenting fa^s \ for wjiich he has been fer Vetcly handled by a late'£»f/^ -writer. He affirms, **^ That, inl the opinion of iii the hiftorians and geographers, excepCtng Cbamfkin and Denys, jlcadii \w\v^% the wfaolp peninfula." And, atr though, among the limits which he has collected from authors, he does not take upon him to de>- iermine Which are the /fff/iVa/'limits, nor to fet up his own Opinidn^ agaiuft chat Ckf io many other learned nMn'i y^ he found a. flaw in wording the treaty of Utrecbt^ which, in his judgment, reduced jicadie to lefs than the peninfula; fince, by' the ceflidn of Acaiie, and aifo Port -Riyal^ it 'appeared as if Fart- Royal diid: opt belong to it. -At length, the treaty of j^ixla Cbape/U having reftoretf peace xo Eurefa^ our minifllers, aft^r fp tnatiy years deferring the i»gociation> refolved to fet it on foot $ -and having Jixt on a plan pf -fimits, in 1 749 fent over the Siear Dttrand to the Efiglifin Mimfters with a mrmorial \ wherein the circumfertnce of the whole peninfula was afTigned to be the ansient limits of AcadUy and that upon the authority of aUthe bifiotiaiHs and maps Ojf ^H Nations. Here then, at laft, the antient limits of AfadU fecmed to be fixed by our miniilers ; and it would have been well if they had adiicred to that detcr.- mination : for tiien, although they Ihould not 3 have t [ >I ] have been able to make good their fyftem ; yet, they might have avoided the diihonourable im- putation, which is now fafi'ened upon (hemt of having coritrived that fcheme ob purpoTc to gain their point, andidcfraud the EwgUJh or their right. •t ■ ; But there is a fatality attending ^it frauds and impoficions of this kind, which generally infatu- ates the contrivers, and renders their defigns li- able to a detediion, wliereof the prefent cafe af- ibrds a remarkable inftance : for next year, whea the Engliflj commiilaries came to PaHs to diCc^fs^ this affair of the li-nits, que commifiarics af- fif^ncd for the antient limits of Acadisy the cpa/l of the peninfula^ from Cape St. Mary* rounds Cape Sable to Canfedu. . -..^F The Engti/h commiiTaries furprlzed, as weH they might, at this alteration (about a point which they conceivled xjughc to be inv^ariable, and which they imagined was well known to them) de- manded the reafon for it ; and infifled ** that the French mintfters ought to adhere to the limits which had been fixed by them the year before, and dtfcribed by theSieurDirrd;;^: alledging, that they could not, a£ pleafure, recede from the limits they had once propoftd, and fubftitute others in their ftead : that this (lie wed that they in reality did not know themfelves what the antient limiitk were ; and gave a fufpicion that their difl:in6kion about antient limits, was only a contrivance of theirs, to impofe on the Englifi)^ and get back again by fraud what they had betorc given up to thcnv by treaty." -i fti!»*< r^-. C 2 f>.- T i 'A i ' / "/* ; [ '2 ] jioft • .ft To this, it Teems, they made a vfery odd an- fwer, allcdging, *• That the S'leur Durand was " not fent over to fettle the limits} and had been '* deceived in his notions about the antient limits •' of Jcadiif by depending on the Englijh maps *' and other bad authorities." Thus throwing the blame of the miniflers on Mr. Durand. But this is looked on here as a poor fhift, and which, indeed is not at all probable : for how can it be fuppofed that gentleman drew up his memorial out of his own head; or would venture to pre- fcribe any bounds to Acadie without their ex- prefs directions ? Far from it ; we are told, that before Mr, Du^ rand was fent over to London the minifters had feverai conferences for chufing a plan of limits out of thofe mentioned by Father CbarkvoiXy- about which they were much divided. i '■'■1 Some were for allowing the EngUJh the whole peninfula of Acadie: becaufe they thought they could not allow them lefs, as Acadie^ in the opi< tiion of all the beft hiftorians, comprifed fo much ; and that the more they allowed the com* plainants, the more ready they would be to com^ ply with thei terms. Others were for reducing the bounds of Acadie^ to the coaft from Cape St. Mary to Canfeau, ac- cording to the defcription of Denys : alledging that the exprefs teftimony of a perfon who had been fo long in the country itfelf, and might therefore be fuppofed to know the bounds of it, would be of more weight, in fixing the point, than the declaration of hiftorians and geogra- phers, T I % [ '3 ] phcrs who never had been on the foot. They added alfo, that they had for it only the aOer- tion of Pere Charlevoix, who, as it appeared, was very apt to commit miftakes, and cited none of thofe authors excepting one. A third party were for reftraining the bounds of Jcadie to thofe, afcribed by the lame father to Cbamplain, from Cape Sable to Canfeau, They afligned for a reafon, that fince they were for re- ducing the limits with which Acadii was ceded by the treaty of Utrecht, they might as well re- duce them to that extent as any other ; and it might be prefumed, that if the Englijh would comply to accept of the firft redudion, they would not go to war rather than accept of the fecond. They added, that if the circumftance, of Denys having been in Jcadie, gave more authority t6 the limits affigned by him than thofe affigned by the hiftorians, there was much ftronger evidence to fupport the limits afcribed to Champlain, as this perfon went with the firft difcoverer to jca- die, where he refided three years at St, Croix and Port-Royal \ and confequently was better able to give an account of its antient bounds than Denys, who did not go thither till 30 or 40 years after. All agreed that the bounds fuppofed to be de- fcribed by Champlainy were fupported on much better authority, as being more antient than thofe of Denys ; which therefore were unanimoufly rejected. ^«l then it was alledged by one of the minifters, " that, on examining the palTage in *' queftion, it would appear that the reverend father had greatly miftaken the fenfe of that author, and quoted him wrong." This threw them into a new perplexity, and occafioned far- ' ther (C (( ; 1 . t 14 1 ther debates •, in whic;h fomc were ftill for cround- ing their fcheme oh that pa/fage dfcribecl to ChamplatHt notwithftanding the objedtion. They alledged, that although the paffage referred to in Champlain might differ from that of father Charlevoix ; yet, as by a little ftraining it might be made to bear the fame fcnfe, it ought to be pitched on, for the reafons before metitioned. Others, on the contrary, declared, that the pai"^ fages were fo di^erent, that it would be ittipof- (ole t;o make one pals for the other ; and tW, by^ajttempting it, they wpuld both explode their dpfi^n, and brtng reflexions on the ivell-meatiing tefuit: who might, they laid, have mifquoted his author furpojely^ with a View to ftrve the in- terefts of his prmce. Hci'cupon one or two miniHers, lel^ zealous in the anfair than the reft, took, occalion from this difagreement of fentiments, to advife them t6 drop their fcheme, and let their neighbours enjoy the right which they had to the whole of Acadti in its Targeft fenfe by the treaty of Utrecht \ telling them, " that they were miftaken, if they ima- •* gined the EngUJh^ from their paft indolence, ^' would fuffer fo great an impontion on theni ; •« that it was a dangerous experiment ; and that, •« if they did not make out extremely clear what ** they undertook to prove, they would by their ** attempt only bring difgrace on themfelves and «* the nation." ,^ This advice, however, paft for nothing with thfc other minifters, whp were determined at all events to proceed : and accordingly, after a good deal of debates the firll opinion concerning the ancient limits was adopted } and a memorial being drawn , ,. . - , yp i "t «5 1 . Up on that foot, Mr. Durand was fcnt over with it to England, as hath been before related. '^ *,' However, our politicians having reconfidered the objections which had been made to their plan of limits i and being convinced that it was not fb defenfible as they could have wifhed it : to make fure of their point, thought proper to fend orders to the governor or Canada to build one or more forts, it requifite, at Beau-Bqfin, and on the ifthmus of ChigniSioi thereby to confine the Englijh to the peninfula, and hipder them from entering on the continent-part of Acadie, which they claimed in virtue of the treaty of Uirecbt, explained by their new-coined, fyftem of ancient limits. It was not till aftei; the Sieur Durand was dif- patched for EngUnd^ that they begun to looH for authorities to Uipport their fyftem ^ in which fearch they diftovered thofe paflages in Cham* flain fo expref^ly contrary tO it. This gave them great perplexity •, and the rather as they faw it would lay them under a neceflity of alter- ing their limits, and fixing on either thofe afcribed by Charlevoix to Cbamplain himfelf, or elfe thofe defcribcd by Detr^Sy which they had before re- jqdted : for they perceived that the authority of hiftorians Woula be of no weight againft that of a traveller who had been in the country ; and that it was neceflary to oppofe the authority of one traveller to that of another. Moft of them were inclined to pitch on the limits afcribed to Cbamplain, as he was much the earlier traveller of the two, had furveycd all the coaft froip the mouth of the river St: Laurence to Cape Cod in [ i6 ] in New England^ and had been above twenty years governor of Canada. But it was obje(5led, that lif they made ufe of the bounds afcribcd to him by Charlevoix, and the Englijh (hould difcovcr thofc pafTages before mentioned ; they would overthrow this palTage, which is indeterminate, by oppofing to it that in which he cxprcfsly declares the river St. Laurence to be its northern boundary. They were likewife put in mind of what had been ob- ferved in a former council : that, i comparing the paflage which mentioned the limus, and on which they propofed to ground their new fyftem, with the original, it appeared that father Charlevoix had committed fome miftake in citing it. For thefe reafons the fyftematic minifters thought it would be better to adopt the limits defcribed by Benys \ and the rather '\s they would be flrongly fupported by the arguni^nt drawn by Charlevoix from the words of the treaty of Utrecht, which cedes Acadie, and alfo Port Royal, as if this place was out of uUadii: an argument which overlooked fettling fyfte This feemed to be a lucky difcovery, and ref- vived their hopes. However, it was objected by thofe on the other fide, that they ought not to rely much on that kind of proof j which, fup- pofmg it of any folidity, would be overthrown by another paflage of Champlain, which exprefsly de- clares Port- Royal to be in Acadie. To obviate this objcdlion, the advocates for Benys went To far as to affirm, there was no danger that the paf- fages of Champlain, which they (hould fupprefs in their memorial, " would ever appear againft *' them i fincc the Englijh, they laid, were too "indolent ever to give them feives the trouble [ '7 ] ** to nuke a fearch (Iriift enough to difcover paf^- ** fages which lie To imich out of the way as " thofc in qucftion." The two minifters who were againft the im- pofition in general, irritated at their raninefs, to ride the credit of the nation on a chance which Teemed to have a thoufand to one againd them \ advifed them once more to leave the Englijb lA full poirefTion of their rights, and abandon their fyftem \ " which, they laid, was feeble enough ** before, but could not poflibly (land on the foot of the intended alteration : as it plainly evinced that they did not know what the antient bounds of AcadU were when they drew up Durand's memorial, and confequently that the whoie was a contrivance formed by them to over- rrach and defraud the Englijh" They added^ That the firil fyftem of limits required much more fubftantial proofs to fupport it than they were in poiTeflion of: but that, as for this new-fangled one, whofe contradi^ioii of the other could admit of no fort of defence, the lead flaw or dcfedt found in it would bring it to the ground at once with difgrace; not only to the prefent forgers of it, but to all the mv^ nifters who had been in the management of affairs fince the treaty of Utrecht^ as it was known to have been lb long in agitation at the court oi France.** To this the reft replied, that they were refolved to venture it •, and the rather as they had provided againft ail events, by otder- ing forts to be built on the ifthmus of Cbeigniffa, This inftance furnifhed the difTentihg minifters with a new argirment againft the new fyftem } C( tc ct «( (( c< (( t( (C C( t( (( C( C( <( tl C( ct ^! p ft as ^MIMipMiPIM*' njiSjpp'W."*'-** rA ^r » I .JI»t ■»>* ' >*"■**' .; 3&- ''.'-IWH" < '.a agreed upon ; I fhall, in the next place, ac* .'. quaint you with the fucccfs which it hath met with, and what is lilcely to be the fate of it. Our commiflaries appointed to confer with thofe of the Englijh, come to Parts for that pur- pofe, adled wrong at firft fetting out, whether of their own heads, or by dircdion oi the miniftry, 1 have not learned : for, as if afhamed of the in-o novation in the fyftem, or afraid to reveal it, they fufFered the Englijh commiflaries to fend to them 2 or 3 times, before they would let them know what their ideas of the antient limits were. This ill-timed fhyncfs or refervednefs, you may be fure, fcrved only to add to the furprife of the EngUfh commiflaries ; and encreafe the fufplcion which the change of our fyftem gave them, that our court intended no fair play. •» However, the £»f/i/^ commiflaries, glad no doubt of the alteration,f as it furniOicd them with as ftrong a proof as they could defire of the fyfttem of ourS being an impofturc, and that the limits which they propofed were of their own making), drew up a memorial^ in which they did net fail to take advantage of that innovation. It was prcfented on the nth of January 1751 to our commiffa- ries, w!io were extremely elated, when they came to fee that the fatal paflages of Cham' lain were not cited by them •, and complimented themfelves on the judgment which they had pafled on the pe- netration of the Englijh : not confidering at the fame time, that the Englijh commiflaries might have hud no occaflon for citing thofe paflages ; and that, fuppofing the omiffion of them had been owing to overfight, yet their memorial was penned with a great deal of judgment and ftrength. D 2 The ' ( <( ti i( C( (C <( (i (( f 20 1 The miniftcrs who voted for the new fyfteiTi were particularly fevere upon the two who op- * pofed it) and took care to let tbcm know* **how much inferior they ought to e(teem their dif- cernment to that of the many which thc-y op- pofcd." The two miniftcrs, in thcr turn, put them in mind, **that th; negotiation was no' yet at an end •, that they might expe6^ a reply to their memorial or anfwcr, which mig^t fupply the de- fed: (if it was one) of the EngUJb memorial i and that, in fhort, if thole paHages did not appear in fuch /vtf^/y, yet they could not be long con- ♦* cealed from the inquifitive eyes of fomc of the Englifh nation, who would make the dtfcovery; which, whenever it happened, would bring to light the impofition, and fix on the whole na- tion in general, as well as tbemfelves in parti- cular, a brand of infamy, from which the King ** himfclf would not be exempted -, a confidera- *'• tion which« above all othecs, ought to make *' them take care of what they were a-doing," The other miniftcrs heard this part of the rc- monftrance not without fomc concern : but their dcfire to get the country of Jlcadie^ fo much the object of their wifhes, out of the hands of the Englijhi and the new hopes of fuccefs which their memorial had given them, for the reafon aforefaid, made them refolve at. all hazards to perfift in the courfe they had begun. '* If thofc *• pafTagcs, faid they, do not come to light bc- ^' tore limits ar€ fettled, we care not how fooji *» they are difcoverd afterwards." B^fides, they flattered thenrkfclves, from the, patience with which the Enrlijh had fp long fufFered thcen- frpachments oF ovir pcppie in North Amfrieayipzx' ticulviy 1v^ - M « r 21 ] ticularly in tbe country in quedioni thtSiVtrCnon which, ever fincc the treaty oiUtncbt^ they had difcovered to a foreign war i and from the tortni- dable ideas which they fuppofed the late conquefts in h'landirs had given them of the Frenth power. From thefe confiderations, I fay, they flattered thcmfclvct that the Englijb minifters would fub- mit to any terms which they (hould infill on -, and take their reafons for difputing their title to all Acadie to be fubftantial, were they ever fo weak or frivolous. And it is to thefe defpicable notions which they had formed to themfelves of the power, as well as underftanding, of the Briti/h nation, that the connoiQ with the conient of the King, had folemnly yielded up to them» and renounced all manner of right to : that they had brought themfelves into ut- ter difgrace, and what was worfe had diflio- noured the nation, with the King at their head ; who could be only excufable on a iuppofition that it was the fole contrivance of his mini- «* fters, who concealed the fraud from him : that ** his Majefty would not have fuffercd them to " proceed, if he had known how bad a founda- *' tion they went on ; and in fhort, that he is in- <' capable of conienting to ilich an infamous •« aaion." cc cc cc cc cc cc He advifed them, therefore, as the only means to retrieve the injury done to all parties, to drop their defign at once, make an apology for the miftake. and acknowledge the pretenfions of the Engiifi to be ftriftly juft. He added, that it was not too late to do all this, fince the affair at prefent lay only in the breads of the minifters of both nations, and was not become public. He added, '* that a blot was no blot till it was hit; " and that therefore, when it (hould be known •♦ that they fubmitted to the authorities found in ** Cbamplaini as foon as they were produced to " them, I" (I ^^ M if* ** them, the world would be inclined to think " they had overlooked them j and that, if they " had difcovered them before, thev would not *' have proceeded in an affair whicn they knew " to be both groundlefs and wrong." The minifters in the oppofition, patiently heard tlie reproaches of their colleague without reply : but, being enamoured with the charms of their darling fyftem, in anfwcr to that part of his dif- courfe which advifed them to drop it, th' ' faid, that they had proceeded too far in it to think of going back ; and that it would redound more to their difgrace to acknowledge their errot than to perfift in it. " To own ourfelves in an error, *' continued they, would rather induce (he worl^ " to fufpedl, than acquit, us of the fraud ; where- " as, our perfifling to juftify what we have done, might, at lead, incline them to think that, how- ever we may be millaken in our judgments, wq did not forge our fyftem, as you fay, with an intention to defraud our neighbours of their property. The only way therefore to pre- ferve our credit, which as yet hath not been impeached by any but the Englijh, is to per- fevere in fupport of our fyftem •, and take the remainder ot Acadii from them by force^ as we have already begun to do, if they will not *' give it up to us by fair means." V ' To this their antagonift replied, " That it " would never be in their power to acquit them- " fclves of a concerted delign to defraud the " Englijh nation any other way than by the me- " thod he propofed : that if they perfifted in ** their attempts, their varying fo enormoufty in E *' their C( C( (( (C C( <( <( cc (C it Ir —■->•*>' — r-^ t ((' (C C( cc it (i <( «( il [ 26 ] their report of the bounds would for ever fatten on them the imputation of fraud i which their feizing on two parts in three of the coun- try almoft at the beginning of the conferences, by building forts on the ifthmus of C/&/f«/<57c, would confirm beyond alK doubt : nor would, continued he, your taking the remainder from the Englijh acquit you of the charge of defrauding them, unlefs you can make it ap- pear that the way to atone for one flagrant piece of injuftice is to commit another." This expoftulation of the two minifters had no more influence than the former on their colleagues, who refolved to profecute their projefl, right or wrong; and fin ce they found it would be in vain to undertake to anfwer the EngliJJj Reply ^ which, in reality, is unanfwerable, they deter- mined to be filent, and purfue other meafurcs. They had already employed both fraud and Ibrce. Of this lall the world was already fenfible, and would, they knew, be foon made acquainted with the other. Since, therefore, they faw they mult be condemned in the opinion of the world for what they had already afted in both thofe capa- cities ; they judged tiiey had as good go thorough Hitch with the work, and make ufe of the fame inftryments to compafs their defign. Havins; refolved therefore, without more de- lay, to feize the peninfula of Acadie by furprize, they gave orders at Brejl and other ports to^fit out fliips with the utmoffc difpatch and fecrecy, to be fent on that expedition. But, as they were fenfible that an event of this nature, when it came to be known, would make a great noife in the world, and ^ ("•K <4 t and caiife them to be condemned for breach of treaties, they refolved to diftribute the EngUflj memorials and their own anfwer, without the Reply, at all the foreign courts of Europe \ in or- d.r to prejudice them in their favour, and render them the 'more eafy to receive their juftification when there ftiould be occafion for it. »« .» In vaiin did the two oppofing minifters remon- » ftrate, " That they ought to have no dependence- : on their memorial-, that, with all the artifice » employed in drawing it up, it was far from being a fatisfaftory anfwer to the memorial of the EngliJJi commiflaries, or from containing any . thing fufficient to invalidate the ftrength of . the evidence on which their pretenfions were founded : that befides, their fupprefling the .> Reply to their anfwer, a circumftance which »> could not be long unknown, would not only ;< render their caule fufpicious, but would be looked on by thofe courts where they prefented their memorial, as an attempt to impofe on^^* thciTj, by offering them a partial, and unfair^£ ftate of the contioverfy." j", -^ tfc (C t( C( (( cc (( (( (( (( t( I( •cs "Z.. (C (C tc iC C( i( tc (( (I ft The other minifters anfwered, "That if their memorial did not overthrow the Englijh pre- ^ tenfions, yet, it was fo contrived, by the great u quantity of mixed matters of different kinds, ,*, and the method obfcrvcd.in anfwering the ob- », jeflions of the Englifi, as well as in fupporting i,» their own allegations; that, at leafl, it would j^ render their pretenfions doubtful, and puzzle fo- reigners in whofe favour to decide,, wiiigh was as much as they then aimed at : that, belides, as their diftributing the memorial was defignedonly E 2 " for i^ f> j; / ' ! •rtrt .^Jf- >•. (( (I i« «t cc :i' cc «( (( C(- cc C( . lt1 he world r point i ncfed noc • :rcd, nor :ntcd the tee ftood irs,' and their re- I, at any e Gallick ot, they . cruple to cci and., €ncfit of,, >m thofe , it was ?r ftrata- , and this . in what . . liftribute , c feveral . convc- . :caution fhould if pof- : leirend . lat they printing at, as it , le two . h their . , were . as had . 1 r 29. ] «* been printed, provided the Efigl/fi minidert- *♦ would not print th^merporials." . This propofal, the En^IiJb .min'i^trSf who fuf- peded no deceit, agreed to j and as thev had not yet committed the memorials to the prcls, laid 1 the thought of it entirely afidc. Ours, on the. contrary, proceeded to finilhotheir jmprcflionj and as foon as the time proper for cxpofing them was come, delivered them tQ the minifters of all ; the foreign courts, not .forgetting, even thofe of Great Britflin ; who, it ii likely, ware ibmcwha; furprized at the unexpeded prefent. , However, the effefls which our minifters pro- pofcd from this artifice to dupe the Englijh^ were in a good meafure frudrated by an accident which none could have thought would ever have hap- . pened. For while they waited for the proper junc- ture to diftribute their memorial, ih^ EngU/b author before- mentioned, moved it feems by the Encroach- ments, as they are calkd, of our nation in jifodii or Nova- Scotia, took it in his head 10 write in de fence of i\it Britijb title to the whole. oi thofe two countries united under thof? different names, a- againft the arguments advanced by father Char-r levoix, in his Hijiory of New France, to prove that by the treaty of Utrecht x\ity were intitlcd to but a fmall part of the provinces which they claimed. This little piece, which charges that hiftorian with ignorance and want of moral honeily ; with chicanery, prevarication, mifciting authorities* and perverting the fenfe of pafTages (in the fame manner as our commiflaries have been charged) with corrupting the words of authors, and even of the treaty of JJlrecht ; in il^ort, with nume- rous I I* I #; rous falfifications, and other literary crimes, little lefs than forgery : this little piece, I fay, ap- peared abr £ two months before our miniftcrs had didriouted their memorials, and it was im- mediately publifhcd in French, both at Paris and the Hfigue. And as, among a great many other proofs in it, thofe paffages of Champlain^ fo often mentioned, were produced ; it, in ail probability, helped to prepoifefs foreigners in favour of the Enpijh prctenfions, and to prevent their being prejudiced by the memorial of our minifters till i'uch time as the Engli/h edition of that memorial, accompanied with the Reply, was publifhed : of %vhich notice was given at the courts abroad, as foon as that of our minifters appeared at them. What was ftill more unfortunate on the fide of cur minifters, who have in every thing been dupes to themfelves, they kept playing faft and loofe, in the propofals made by our ambaffador, with thofe of the Englijh, fo long that they be- gan to perceive it was all an amufement -, and thence fufpefting the defign of our naval prepa- rations, (which at laft were difcovcred by, or to them) gave immediate orders for putting feveral ftrong fleets to fea. In this they ufed Sch dili- gence that, getting the ftart of oi/is, they ar- rived in America before them ; . attacked our fleet, took one or two of the king's ftiips, and prevent- ed them from landing forces in Acadie, as they defigned, in order to difpoflefs the Englijb of the peninfula, to which they had before confined them. This difafter in fhort overturned at once the darling projed which our minifters had fo much fct their hearts on, and to bring which to bear, . they a i»; [ 3» ] , they had (b long racked cheir brains, and invented fo many ftratagcms •, not fcrupling, fo they could but gain their point, which they deemed of the lall importance, to ruin their own reputation, by breach of treaties, lofe the affeftions as well as good opinion of their neighbours, by attempts to inipofe on them, and hazard the welfare of the nation by engaging it in a dangerous war. Such daring things will minifters undertake, who, more than ordinary zealous to enlarge the intereft and power of their prince, ftick not at any thing to compafs their ends. Soon after this difappoint- ment, or, if you will, defeat of our American tx- pedition, the Englijh took from us our forts on the idhmus of Cbigni£io ; and now, encouraged by thefe fuccelTes, began to feize our merchant- fhips at Tea, and carry them into their ports, which were foon Hlled with them. This they did, and conti- nue dill to do, under pretence of indemnifying themfelves, as well for the great expenccs which our minifters have put them to, by obliging them to fet on foot, on this occadon, all their force both by Tea and land (in which expences poflibly they intend to include the large fublidies given tu foreign princes for afTillance) as for the damages fuftained for many years pad, by the incroach- ments and depredations committed by our coun- trymen of Canada, and their Indians, on the Eng' lijh colonies. How will our minifters be able 'to anfwer the involving our nation, by their unjuft projefts, in- fo many calamities, (hould the EngUJh compel them to make the fatisfaftion which they demand, over and above confirming their claim with rc^ fpecl to Acadie ? Better, in that cafe, the country had t .■?;>' [ 3^ ] had been funk in the Tea, or fwailowed up by zti carchau^ke, and themfclves with It, than ever they mould have begun fuch an unjulland unfor- tunate difpute. This, my friend, is the fecret hiftory of the condudt of our miniders, and the methods taken by them to fupport and carry into execution their ill-contrived, romantic fynem ) which being founded in injuftice, they fkw could only be fup- ported by injuftice : but all their artifices prov- ing ineffeduali they fi'nd themfeives and the na- tion immerged in great perplexity, and likely to be involved in greater calamity, unlels they can extricate themfdves by an unjuH war, of which they ought always to dread the event ; or, what is more eligible, a good accommodation, pro- cured by doing juftice to their neighbours, whom they have fo highly injured and provoked. Methinks, in e^ery thing our minifters have afted wrong : their whole conduft feems to be a chain of obvious errors. May it not be faid they have been infatuated ? Was it not enough to lay a fcheme to defraud the Enptfi of the greater part of Acadtiy to the whole ot which they have an undoubted right, as the whole was in the mod exprefs terms given up to them by the treaty of Utrecht ? Was it not enough, I fay, for our mi- fiiders to lay the fcheme to defraud them of that valuable province ? (Alas ! to our cod we know ic to be a vailuable one !) But they mufl; attempt alfo to impofc on all Europe befides, by a mifre- prefentatioD, as well as fuppreflion of evidence, which it was impoflible for them long to con- ceal J and that ortly with a hopcj a very unccr- .... tain I 'im t 3J 1 ti\n hope, of gaining their ends in America^ by the conqueft of the fmali remainder of AcadU^ which they had not yet feized, before their col- lufion (huuld come to be difcovered. I repeat it^ may they not be faid to hare been infatuated^ in purfuing fuch mcafures, which, however fuccefsful, muft have terminated with infamy to our nation ; and jullified the common reflexion of infincerity, ind want of faith^ which is thrown on us by our neighbours on all fides ? will not the event eftablifh through Europe the proverb of Gallicafidesi already received in fome countries not far dUUnt P The gaining of Acadii^ it muft be acknow- ledged, would be a point of Vail importance^ with refpcdl both to our poWcr and commerce : but fuppofing it was greatly more advantageous to our nation than it would be, how could our minifters think it for the intereft of the French nation to purchafe it with the facriflcc of juftice^ honour, and integr;*:y \ which ought of all things to be moft dear to every peopK who would be defirous to live in friendlhip and efteem with orh r 34 1 but thofc who have fomc dependence on thtPrenck court, on account of fubfidies, or other advan- tages, will for the future hold us in the ucmoli contempt, if not abhorrence : nor will lefs than u long feries of upright conduct be able :o reco- ver our loft reputation, or reinitate us in the good opinion of our neighbours which we have loft. Thefe melancholy reflections are greatly aug- itiented by the diftrifted pofture ef our afTair^. Our minifters baffled, as well in theif defign of wrefting Aeadie out of the hatids of the Englijhi as in that of impoflng on the underftandmg of foreign courts •, are, for all the beft face which they put oii it, in reality in the utmoft confu- fion, and at a lofs how to adb. Their whold fcheme was founded on a fuppofed certainty of fuccefs } and as they never had the leaft fufpicion &f having their defigns fruftrated, they made no provifion againft a mHcarriage which they never thought poftible. ' Difappointed as to their 'expedhtions abroari'v and having n6 fleets able to withftaMUd the Englifh at home, they know nt)t what plan of meafures to purfue. They had originally but three courfes to take, to attack Flafi£rs and the empire by land, to invade Great Britain by fea, or to fend a large body of forces to America, "With regard to the firft, our Minifters have the mortification to fee that ihe glory of France has received a fignal check ; as it appears that, after all their threatenmg to pour in their troops into the ncighbcuring countries, they find them- : - 4 * fclvcs )'-? [ 35 ] ftlve« obliged to drop that projedl, and turn their forces fome other way. Have they not aU^ ready reduced the nation to fuch an abjea degree of contempt, that certain little dates, which hi*re- tofore trembled at her Qiahted threats, and com- plied with almo\ ^fl. "d. ps. ' '!• be icn '4^ be nft or nd ft- ■'■' ■ ^ ii^ rA •I [ 37 ] You'll fay, that embarkation of troops will be followed by another. Not immediately, fure, un- Icfs all our tranfport-veifels and King's fhips (hould return fate; and, in cafe they (liuuld, we could not hope to land any more at the fame place of the coaft, nor within a confiderable fpace on each fide, as to be fure thofe parts would be ftron^ly guard- ed by men of war j and, if the fecond body of for- ces be landed at a confiderable dillance from the firft, in all probability both will be defeated and deftroycd before they can have an opportunity of joining each other. f I hope our minifters do not flatter thcmfelves with the expe«^ation that our troops will be joined by any confiderable number of mal-conteni:. Thar would be, I fear, a fatal deliTion. Whatever room theie might have been for fuch a hope fome years ago, care has been taken fincc to curb the fpirit of rebellion, and reftrain the aflembling of difafFedcd perfons. This is manifeft in the Imall number of Jncobites, who joined P E in his late progrefs through great j-art of England ; when the number ot Englijh troops then on foot to check them was but very fmall to what it is at prefent. Befides, there never was fuch a fpirit known among the Englijh as on this occafion, as if all parties were united ^^ainft the dcfigns of our minifters : fo that we c.in have but very few, if any, friends to reckon upon ; ind even thofe few would not venture to appear, unlefs our troops fhould gain fuch fignal and fuccelTive viftories, as might give them reafonable hopes that our forces would entirely-fubdue the whole Britijh nation. But furely nothing can be more chimerical, than to fuppofe ever fuch an event as this (hould happen j ■ ■«^i. r 3« ] happen •, as if it could be poflible that all the fofi^ ces which our nation fhould be able to land, fup- pofing them to be 30 or 40,000, jhould ever be able to conquer 8 or 10 millions of courageous people like the EngUJb, On the contrary, it is to be with goc/d reafon apprehended, that if ^double the number 1 have mentioned of troopa fhould be landed in England, very few, if any, would be left alive to return to France \ confideri* ing what a dreadful flaughter muft neceiTarily be the confequence whenever the troops pf the two nations fhould meet in battle; as the French Yto\i\(X be animated by their natural bravery, and the Englijh edged on by indignation and refentment. | 'Tis faid they look upon the conduA of our minifters in this affair as one of the mofl atror cious impofitions and aflFronts that ever was at- tempted to be put on any nation ; that this pro> vocation, added to the great antipathy which they have to our nation, whom they look on as their pikiural enemies, has fo keenly irritated them, that they will rife to a mtin, if rcquifite, to op. pole an invafion : ind many of the moft ianguin: fort have, on this occafion, been heard to fay, that they could wifh a million of Frenchmen would come over, that they might have the pleafure to revenge their quarrel by deflroying them all. So heinoudy, it f^cms, they in general take this af^ fair, iligmat'.r.fig us with the epithets o^ perfidious^ treacherous, fraudulent, deceitful, circumventing, audacious, and the like; not confidering, that M^hatever injury may be done them, it is the a^ of our minifters, not of our people, who are, for the general, diftatisfied with the meafures they are taking.) :^i?-^^-: --^ w,, j. .^^,..>,.. ■„ • iK ii. ••'-;! cti ii'-\h ■!:.-: V , . The "% «■ t J9 ] The third courfe therefore, namely, the fending troops to Ntrth jimmcoy to oppofe x}ntEngtiJh in tjiat part of ythe world, feems to be the tnoft ra* tional and' promifmg of fuccefs of the three. And ijideed it is with a view to difguife fuch a defign, that, in the opinion of many, our troops have been ordered to march towards the coaftl before mentioned. If this be their intention^ oar mimfters are doubclefs purfuing a right meafure: for« not- withftanding the Emglifi} minifters have hitherto adted with uncommon feorefy and circumfpedion, as well as penetrated beyond what mighc have been exped^cd from them, into the defigns and irhemes of ours ; yet there is a probability that ^v attention maybe io much taken up with preventing the fuppof^d invaflon from d^ French ^oafts^ that they will ncgle^ the no lefs import- ant afH^ir of their colonies, and give us an oppor- tunity of tranfporting a fufficient number of for- ces to America, -.»' I >■ ■ i :'« Betides, while the Englifi> are fo divided theft^ iiow in their operations, and in no fmall conltr^ jion for want of union, as well as good regula- tion, if we c^ but flip men thither trom chne to time, wr n.a/ be able to ftand our ground, and cut-out *'• n.i^ance of troublefome work for them. i i>to, for Want of fufficient forces from Greas I Hi^n^ and fending a large fum of money over m r^fe forces out of the cotenies, they have done but little againft us: nor will they ever be able to do us tmich mifchief, fo long as they are fo ill prepared, and do things by iialvcs. Biit^fliould once the thought come into •■-tiAi - .f ■ . ^ their f %. ? [ 40 I their heads, to mufter all the ftrength of the Nor- thern provinces, and, in cor^undion with fome European troops, attack Rebeck ; they would put an end to the quarrel there at once, and fecure themfelves for ever after from being annoyed, ei- ther by our people or the Indians^ who would by that means become their friends and allies. Till this is done, we have not much to appre- hend from them : but it is our good fortune, that the Engli/h often overlook the moft obvious ad- vantages, and do not always flioot at the right mark. I have been pofitively aflfured, that they , might very eafily have driven us beyond the ri- ver St, Laurence the firft campaign, if they had taken proper meafures ^Sfreas now we are ftronger than ever we wt. the fouth of that river in all parts, excepting iu Nova Scotia^ which we fo unhappily loft, and J fear irrecoverably : I won't fay, however, by any negledb or mifcon- du6t on our fide, except in tne breach of peace. . By all means, therefore, the attention of dur minifters (hould be continually turned towards America ; which, after all, is the proper place for carrying on the war : for it is evident that wc fhall get nothing by confining it to Europe^ far- ther than in making repi-ifals on the Englijb £hip- ing, by our privateers and the king's ihips. But then, the Englijh have got fo far a-head of us in that article, and feized fo great a number of our merchant-men, that we fliatl hardly ever be able to come up with them. Nay, at the rate they go on, backed with fuch formidable fleets, they ^m determined not to leave us any, as well as to dcftroy all the king's (hips, if they can come at them : but, the Holy Virgin be thanked, we have i [ 41 ] have ftrong pores for their fccurity ; and yet, un- Jefs they put to Tea, what will become of our trade? This has indeed been attributed to our king's lenity : but was in reality owing to the conilerna- cion which that unexpeftcd, but well-judged pro- ceeding of the Englijb, threw our miniders into, and the diftradtions which in confequence di« vided their councils, not knowing what method to refolve on ^ Ibme advi^.ng one thing, fome ano • ther, and fcarce two agreeing in the fame fenti- ments. Mean time our merchants knew not what conflrudtion to put on their delay in coming to a refolution. It was rumoured, that fome who were moft forward for pulhing the fyftem of antient limits, were feized with timidity, in- fufcd into them by the refplute behaviour of the EngUJb J who till then, they imagined, durft not re- fent even worfe injuries than thofe they had done the: that others were feized with a fit of re- morfe, for having given into a difhonourable fcheme to defraud them of a country which had been lo formally yielded to them j while fome were for making up matters with the Englijhy and granting their demands. Not only, as they hs ' reafon to believe by their refolute behaviour, that they would not fuffer themfelves to be impofed on : but aifo from a fenfe that it was not in the power of our nation to fupport the fyftem of our mini- ilerseven if it was juil; and that their mifcarrying in their attempt would bring no iefs difhonour on the nation than the fraudulent contrivance itfelf. In fine, fome went fo far as to fay, that an ac- commodation with the Englijh was adually agreed %-' . OR [ 4* ] on by our mihifters ;; and that they fuffered them to take our (hipping, in order to indemnify them- felves for the expences we had put them to by Qur incroachments in America on the Britijh terri- tories, in confequencc of that iniquitous fyftem. If this was really the deHgn of our minifters, in fuffering thofe captures to be made, I cannot but think it was as iniquitous as their fyftem ; and that they have treated our nation no lefs inju- rioufly than they have done the Englijh : although that is nothing to be wondered at in French mini- ftcrs, by whom we have been reduced to the ftatc of flavery, in which we arc now involved \ and from whom, confequently, we can never expert any good merely for our own fakes. Prejudiced people, and thofe of fmall refledli- on, are mightily incenfed againd the Englijb for fcizing our Ihips. They judge, from what the nation fuffers, without confidering the provo- cations we have given them for a long courfe of years. We not only took all opportunities of encroaching on their territories, and building ■ forts, as they complain, on their frontiers, but in the very time that a negociation was on toot for fettling the limits of Acadie^ our people not having patience to wait for the determination, feized on all the northern part on the continent, to the fouth of St^ Laurence River ; and built forts on the idhmus of CbigneSlo and at St. John*& Ri- ver, before the conferences were well begun. As if our minifters (without whofe orders or confent, to be fure, it could not be done) were determin- ed, as the Engt^j complain, to keep the country, right ' 4 [ 43 ] right or wrong, and even though the difputp fhould be decided againft them. This ftep, indeed, feemed to (hew a confciouf- nefs that they were in the wrong, and that the point would be decided againft them, as in effed it is. It was, befides, a notorious infraction of the peace and infult on the EngUJh nation, who yet fubmitted to all .his, till tkey were waked out of their lethargy by our troops invading the Ohio country, and building forts, firft on the fouth- eaft fide of the Lake ^>/V, then on the Ohio itfelf ; after taking that of the Engli/h, and driving them bac' /er the Apalachian (or Alligany) mountains into . irginia. The Englijb, alarmed at thefe hoftilities, and at the preparations which our minifters were making at Breft and other ports, for fupporting them, as well as to put Canada and our other American pof- feifions, in a good (late of defence -, or, as they give out, to conquer by furprize the peninfula of AcadiSf which remained in tneir hands : the Eng- lijhy alarmed, I fay, at length by thefe proceed- ings, and more ilill by our miniders at foreign courts menacing an invafion, began to concert mea- fures, not only to avert the dangers which threat- ened them} but alfo to indemnify themfelves for the lolles and damages which they aJledged to have fudained by our incroachments. They be- gan to put the lad of thofe two refolutions in execution, by taking our (hipping, without de- claring war or giving us any warning; and by che rapidity of their fcizures, have gone a great way already to ruin our foreign trade. How can it be thought that God would aflift the here cks, fo vifibly as he has done in all their undertakings on G 2 thii { +4 1 th\% occftAon, againft thofe who profcfs the holy catholick, ?• i '>nly true religion, if they were pot in the n.y ', aid we in the wrong? The merchants who have been fuflfercrs by thofe captures*, and they who have been preju- diced by their clamours, call them pyracies and fea-rohberies. The Englilhj in this point, have exceeded us in politenefs, as they only ftiled our feizures in Nova-Scotia and other parts of North wfmfT/Vtf,, encroachments or depredations. What I am mo(l concerned, and f^rized at, is that our miniilers have adopted thofe vulgar terms •, and made ufe of them, as well in their late demand at the court of London^ as in their declarations ac thofe of the other dates of Europe: becaule it fcems to difcover vexation more than refentment } and is like fhewing their, teeth when they cannot bite. In reality, the flighty coolnefs of the an- fwer returned by the Englijh niinifler, fhews that they took it in the fame light. However, it muft be confelFed that the only chance they have to bring them to a compliance, is to bully them in- to it, as often hitherto ours have done. How happy would it be for us if we had fomc of their former minifters to deal with ! The more fober and confiderate people, how- ever, among us take thefe proceedings of the Engl^ in a different view : and from what I have already faid upon the fubjeft, I may con* elude you reckon me one of that number. They fay they cannot blame the Englijh : that the firft hoflilities, breach of peace, and depredations were committed by the French in America, as hath been already fpeciBed j and that therefore they had an undoubted [ 45 1 undoubted right to make reprifals, as well as to prevent a defcent i by depriving *Franct of the means of affeAing one. But there are many at Paris who will not hear of any right our neigh- bours have to call us to an account, although, they are ready tio allow, we gave them fome pro« vocations in America : as if our nation had a pri- vilege to injure any other, at leaft* the Engliflf^ with impunity. As to the charge that the Englijb were the firH; aggrcfTors, by the feizure of (hips within the European feas; it is a doubttul cafe, which will be very difficult to decide, as there was a capture likewife on our part, at or near the fame time*, the di^'" ^ffion of which mu(b depend on the evidence of a date, which each party may be apt to fb-ain in their own favour. Befides, from ihe at^tion being committed by each party un- known to the other, it is manifelt that both ivere equally determined to commit hoftilities, or, if you will, break the peace on this fide of the ocean } and therefore the nation which gave the firfl blow may not be faid to be the aggrelTor more than the other. For any thing that ap- pears yet to the contrary, the feveral courts of Europe confider the thing in this light, indepen- dant of the faid menace. But fuppofmg, at word, that the Englijh were the firft aggreflors in Eu- rope, yet they know the confequence of fuch a proceeding; and if they thought fit to run the ha- sard of it, I do not fee, for the reafons aTore- faid, that they are to be blamed. For my part, I mud own, I join in opinion with thofe who judge favourably of their condudl, and think that hitherto they have done nothing but what. i \ I f 46 J in the eyes of all impartial lookers-on, they may be able to juftffy both by the laws of reafon and na- tions. I wiHi our minifters could judify theii condu6l half fo well, or had taken their meafures half To judicioudy. Confidering the conduct of our neighbours under former adminiftracions, eve- ry body here is furprized at their refolution, firm- nefs, wifdom, and, above all, their profound fe- crecy, in this. Every thing feems to be carried on in a feries of prudent meafures, which they change for the better wherever any thing falls amifs : they apply remedies as Toon as ever a defeat appears in their plan of operations^: offi- cers and governors are removed on the leaft mif- behaviour : they (leadily purfue the feveral points they have in view : the whole goes on eafily, as in a regular piece of clock-work *, and nothing tranfpires of their defigns till they come to be put in execution. Such condu6b muft command fuccefs i and is like that which prevailed when England was attacked by the invincibli armada of Spain Can we hope that our fleet (hall have bet- ter fortune ? i : Whence can this ftrange alteration in Britijb councils proceed ? Is it owing to the fuperior ca- pacity and integrity of the prefent fet of miniften who are placed at the heim ? A great deal, no doubt, is to be afcribed to thofe happy inci- dents : but there is another advantage on the fide of the Englijh on this occafion, which contri- butes greatly to this felicitous fituation of their affairs s an advantage which I could from my foul wi(h was on my country's fide, and that is, the uprightnefs of the intentions of the Engli/b court, and the manifefl juftice of their caufe. Fronr .[ 47 ] From this Spring flows all the advantages which they at prefent feem to be in full •pofSlTion of, among which, are to be accounted as chiefs a formidable alliance abroad, and unanimity at home, invigorated by the prefence of a warlike king and dauntlefs prince y as well as with a re- foulute fpirit in the people, the like of which, it is faid, hath hardly ever appeared in the nation before. It is very evident, that the laws of nature and fociety are naturally calculated to favour and fup- port the caufe of juftice, independently of the i'ncerpciitlon of providence : but when both feem to unite againll us, may I not well fay, that our miniftcrs are tempting the wrath of Heaven, as well as of the Earth againft them ? And be- ing left to ourfelves, unafTided either by God or our neighbours, is it poflible our minifters can expert a happy iffue of their projects P Ought they not rather to fear that they will bring down greater evils upon us ? And if they ftill obfti- nately perfift in their unjuft ineafures, will they not give the world too much room to believe, tli-w they think providence hath no part in the government of mundane affairs^ and that, in (hort, it is tied to the longed fword and the largeil cannon f Our court ought not to Hatter itfelf with the hopes of bringing the Englijh to lower their terms of accommodation. Iheir minifters feem to have taken particular care to provide againd that necefllty, by the great preparations and alliances which they have made. They are doubtlefs de- termined at leaft to have every inch fecured to them [ 48 ] them which they may be intitled to by the treat/ •f Utrecht^ confirmed by that of Aix la CbappiUe^ before they enter into any treaty. This appears from their remarks on the demands of our court % and if this was not their Hxed refolution, can it be fuppofed that they would put themfelves to luch an immenfe expence ? Can it be imagined that the vaft fums ot. money beftowed on fubfidies on this occalion, arc dcfigned to enrich foreigners to the impoverifhing themfiives ? or to procure, by giving up any of what they hold to be their juft prctcnfions, a peace which they might have had at firft by the fame means, without load- ing themfelves with fuch intolerable burthens? No, it can never be thought that fo many milli- ons as it muft cod them are defigned to be thrown away. They have experienced the ill effefts of fuch temporary expedients, which, to fave a little more expences, after being at a vaft deal, have left things unfettled, as they were before, with- out remedying the inconveniencies. By this ill- advifed parhmony, every peace made by former minifters hadonly ferved as a truce ; not to ter- minate the war, but to put off the evil for a time. This pernicious practice has put the nation to infinitely greater charges than if they had been at all the expence at once which it would have coft them to put their affairs on a good, as well as liable footing. For this reafon it hath been the policy of our court, which is fenfible of the advantage, to aft in fuch a manner as to oblige the Englifij to ex- pend their riches in procuring alliances ; and even to t 49 ] to make war from time to time, to oblige them to expend them the fader. It is true, this policy puts the kins to a vaft expence of treafure } but then it exhaults the finances o(tht Euglijh infinitely more. By this means we have brought them to fuch a pals, that in a few years they muft have been forced to give up to our king, not only all which they have put tliemfelves to fuch innnite charges to lave, but alfo themfelves into the bar* gain } and be reduced to fubmit to the pow- er of France^ without the expence perhaps of either blood or treafure. Seeing therefore that they can have no lafting peace otherwife, they feem determined to make one effedhial effort, by exerting all their ftrength, let it cofl what it will, to procure the terms which they in jullicc exped. Thus, by one extraordinary expence they pro- pofe to avoid continual e)^aordinary expences ; id for the future to fave the millions laid out in jfidies. Thefe, draining the nation of its wealth, and requiring more than it could fpare, has in- volved it fourfcorc millions in debt, Engltjh money ; which amount to more than 1600 mil- lions in ours. A mofl prodigious fum ! almod beyond a Frencbman\ conception or belief. It was thought by our miniflers, at the treaty of Aix la Chappelle^ the Englijh were exhaufled to fuch a degree that another war would go near to do their bufinefs. This, then, is the criti- cal war, if it fhould come to that, by which, according as their miniflers manage it, our neigh- bours are to fland or fall. If they clap up a peace, 4s at other times, and leave things un- settled, they xnull inevitably be ruined, by re- H turning [ so ] turning to their old pernicious fyftem of making peace to go to war again : but if they perfevere with firmnefs in tiie courfe they have begun, they mult infallibly gain their ends at prefent -, and, by the means already mentioned, be able here- after to defend themfelves againft ail the world, without calling any foreigners to their alTiilance. The war thus managed, however expenfive, in- ftead of ruim'ng them, will fjt their affairs on a fecure foundation ; and bring them out of debt by means of the immenfe favings which will put it in their power to difchargp them. I am afraid, therefore, that our minifters will have reafoii to repent this attempt to force Acadie out of the hands of the Englijb \ and that it will appear in the end to be a very unfortunate quarrel to France. It is apparent already, that we have brought them acquainted with their own ftrength, and that henceforward they will depend wholly on themfelves : for fuch a fpprifing change of meafures, fuppprted by fo much refolution and good condudt, as hath not been known in Bri- tijh minifters ever fince the peace of Utrecht^ feems to indicate, that, as foon as the florm is blown over, they intend to train their mi itia, and remove the pretence for fubfidies. If it turn out ctherwife, and the old mejfures lliould take place again, our nation will have as fair a chance as they had before i and, by only purfuing their former practice, of keeping them in apprehen- fions of our power, fo as to induce them to continue paying fubfidies, we fhall in a few years more be fure of our prey. r '.u ii ..;fi; <'i>. M jteW*>)»,4M*«Sl#«>»« ■ [ 51 ] If the Englijh, thus taught by our miniftert* (hould baffle all their defigtis } if that nationf w! ich before would nearer venture to face ours, without being affiftcd by numerous allies, Ihould now, unafTilled, and alone, not only, enter the lifts with Us, but defeat all our attempts againft them, bbth by fea and land, what a dreadful difgracc would it bring upon the French nation, fo long held to be almofl: invincible ? In what contempt would it fubjeft our power, which could no longer be looked on as formidable? Had not therefore ou** minifters better allow them their juft demands, than to rifk the lofs of the nation's fame, and our Grand Monarch's glory, by endeavouring to eftablifh their already ex- ploded, as well as unjuft and ill-contrived, fyf- tcm ? ' " '•- • -■■,■'- • V ^ . >. We are difputing with the Englijh the pollcf- fion of the lands along the Ohio^ as we'! -s Acadie\ two countries of the utmoft importance to them for fccuring their colonies. To Ipeak impartially, they cannot part with the firft, without expofing their middle colonies to be invaded by our troops, or the Indians in our tntereft ; nor can they ler. us have Jcadie, without endangering their northern colonies, by fuffering us to enclofe them on that fide i and yielding a va(t traft of coaft, furnilhed with the bcft ports in all North America, from whence we might at pleafure difturb the peace and commerce of all their plantations. What an abfurdity, then, muft it be in the author of the Summary Difctijfton, to imagine that the Engtiflj, after rcfufing at any rate to fuffer the Icaft redudtion in the bounds of Acadic^ would yet H 2 give t 5» 1 give up to our King St, Jobn^s Riv^, This would in effeA be giving up the whole, under an- other name; and parting with. provinces after be- ing at infinite charges to avoid ic. . v We ought to conf^nt ourfelvcs with the pof- feflion of Canada and Louijiana ; and could our people contain themfelves within proper bounds, I believe the Englijh would live in sood neigh- bourhood with them, and never chink of taking either from them. This 1 have reafon to believe -, becaufe they have made no attempts f hat way v/ithin our memories, and have even fuffered our people to encroach much upon them. But I know not what a pacific, indolent people, roufed out of their fupinc indolence, and too far provoked, may dp. By fetting up unjuft claims to their territo- ries, aggravated by attempts, both of coliufion and force, to wreft them out of their hands ; we may provoke them, as firft difcoverers of North America^ to fet up a title to both Canada and Louifiana^ and take them from us : as they might ealily do, were their colonies united, or would only exert part of their ftrength. Should this evil befal us, as I fear at length it may, it will be entirely owing to the pervcrfenefs of our minifters; who are doing all they can to force a liftlefs people to a6lion, whether they will or not, by pufhing impofuions beyond all bounds. So that, after all, the Englijh may have reafon to fay, the French are their bell friends. Nothing could happen more unluckily than a war at this time, when France is fo much divided within itfelf ; and almoft ready to break out in civil wars, between the clergy and the parliaments. ^ X What [ 5J 3 What advantages might not be taken by our neighbours on every (ide, to ftrip us of all which -we have from time to time wrened from them ; and wl)o knows what they may attempt, ihould our defign againft Great Britain mifcarry with con- fidernble lofs ? This pofture which our affairs are in, both at home and abroad, is certainly not agree*- able to the wifb^s of our minifters ; for although they put the bell face upon it, their being at a loft how to a£b appears in sdl our meafures, and per- plexity in our councils. There is a defpondency alfo, and a diflatisfa^tion, vifible anrKMig them % which never fails to (hew itfelf when the defigns which the minifters of any nation have in hand are not (Irii^lyjulliBable. This alwayscreatesafe;>r and diffidence, heightened by a confcioufnefs of guilt in the action, which diHradbs their judgments, and often throws them upon wrong meafures. 1 wifli the nation may come off without lofs or difgrace ; but I dare not wi(h our minifters fuccefs. Reli- gion, my dear friend, will not fuffer me ; left, in wiihing profperity to a caufe which to me appears highly unjuft, I ihould do wrong to my neigh- bour, and offend God. 1 Things however are come to fuch a pafs, thai a very little time muft determine the dil'pute about the antient limits of Acadit^ either by the fword, which fometimes hews down juftice ; or elfe by what is much more to be wifhed, an equitable accommodation, fuch as may give content to both nations, and reftore lafting harmony, as well as peace, once more between them. But this muft be brought about forth wi:h before cur com- merce be quite ruined, otherwife it will be of no life. This MM [ 54 ] Thia is'^a happinefs which every lover of his country m aft aniendy defire. But what hope is there, that iour minifters^ who have a^ed (o pervcrJely hitherto, will give ear to reafon, till they ice our commerce utterly ruined, and cur fleets deftroycd ? Titrcq l - ai«: :5i ;::,., ; . There isi no redrefs, therefore, of otir affdifs to be expc^ed from them. To whom, then, Ihail we turn our eyes for relief ? There is only one refour ktiy dear friend, which I have to (a; ubc^ the occanon. What- ever further occui'jl of moment^^ I (hall not fail to communicate it to you. Ipd^e interim, I have the honour to be, 5^^♦^^^ ' " H:l\.- Paris, F^b»§p 1756. •X -*■''■ -^ F > 9lV ^ J^ 5. ♦93lDi ■■ 1 Ilii ■:^: ERRATA. Pag. 5. L 22. for as read /i'jn «/. Pag. 6. 1. II. for ff^ced n-^d dragged. v< ;t? 5l.'' V-^.. ■*H ,/ .^50*;^.^- '•%■<'