^, ^l>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ;/j 1.0 I.I I^IM 1112.5 14 11112 if IM IIIM 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 < 6" — ► Photogiaphic Sciences Corporation « :\ \ % V ^^1. ^^^^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) S72-4S03 'St/ #? CIHM/JCMH Microfiche CIHM/ICMK Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et biroua.of relifcviMg herself ol a su- perabundant population, by transporting a portion of it to her Colonies, which are thinly inhabited, and only wishes to ;iscertain the best means of carrying her benevolent intentions iuto effect. That such is her object no one can reasonably doubt, and it the Emigration is conducted on principles of prudence and sound judgment, the result cannot but prove (generally speakrog) highly beneficial to these Provinces. It is my Intention, however, to spralc only as regards one of them, the Peninsula of Nova-Scotia; a Country well known, and whose Coast was ac- curHt.'ly snrvejed, and in a sreat measure settled, Ion.' before the foot of a European liad lett its print in the wilds of Upper Canada, or m the FoiTsts of New Brunswick. It cannot, therelore, be a matter of surprise if ui this Province, (compa- ratively small andseaboumh you find almost every jpot, at all calculated for CuUivatio», already ecu- pied, and all the b«st Land in thfrftetintr^rfbp««»^ of. It is true thousands of Acres still remain to the Crown, unappropriated ; but, tf 6t for Agricultural yvurpeses, they must besought for in the Wilder- ness where no track or path exists, or fertilizing itream to convey the produce to the Coast. Yoa Tvill look in vain for unf ranted Lands m the neigh- bonthood of Windsor, Cornwallis and Annapolis, or on the Rivers which empty themselves into St. Mary's Bay. Trace the course of the Shubenaca- die, the Musquodohoit, the Stewiacke, the Truro Kivers and River Philip, "and you will find their fertile b^^nks already in occupation. Apply for a locationonthe Marshes of Cumberland, at Pictou, or on the best part of our Northern Coast, and you will be told it is all private ;ironerty. Of our boundary on the Atlantic, it will be «ufl5cient to remark, that from Cape Canso to Cape Sable, with little intermission, the land (if indeed huge masses of Granite can bear that denomination) is totally unfit for Agriculture. Its numerous harbours, it is true, are admh'ably adapted for fishing stations, and were we to expect an importation of Fishers, instead of Weavers, would well deserve our serioui consideration. In thus addressing yon publicly, and as a Stranger, it is necessary that 1 should anticipate some questions which you would naturally ask me ; for instance, such as my authority for the asserti* ons I have made ; I might answer, from strict re- •earch in the Surveyor General's Office, but that would bfi a falsehood. With some truth I might aver •t^ 'i*i-m» tit m siiittitmt^^w. .*fc«.,,»;«|ii**- i^vdf, that they are the result of my own obser- vation and enquiry ; but I prefer giving you a more convincing proof, and will therefore tell you that they are the result of experience, ol deaif bought experience to many. AUhou»'h direct and encouraged Emigratioi) from the McSher Country to this, is a scheme some- thing new to us, the formation of Settlements ta by no means so. We have had four within the last twelve years, the Sherbrooke and Dalhonsie (MiU- tary Settlements) Hammond Plains and Preston rBlack Settlements). That at Sherbrooke was formed in 1816, when the OflScer whose name i bears was Lieutenant Governor of the Province ; it was principally composed of disbanded Soldiers from the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Regi- ments, which were reduced iq this Country. The Dalhousie Settlement was laid out two or three years after, under tlie auspices of our present Go* yernor in Chief, on the disbandment of the 98th Regiment, which also took place here. The Set- tler* of both received great encouragement from Government : for eighteen months or two years, Provisions were gratuitously furnished (hem and their families, and many of them became Out Pen- sioners of Chelsea Hospital an advantage which poor Emigrants from the North of England or South of Ireland, cannot expect to enjoy. The Settlements at Hammond Plains and Preston, that I have denominated " Black Settlements,^^ are com- posed of the Negro Slaves which were carried off from the Coasts of the SoutUero States during the last last American War by Sir Ale^^indcr C.pchr?^n« and made a present by that Admiral to the Pro^ yince of Nova Scotia : (It oiay be mentioned by way of parenthesis, that these are the Gentry for vhom John Bull has lately paid to the United States, the good round sum of i;300,000* byway of Indemnification; such was the Decree of the Mighty Autocrat of the North, the President's firmest hut most distant Ally.) These poor shivering? Devils have striven hard, with the barrenness of the Soil, and Inclemency of the Climate, and it would be injustice, were I not to add, that they ^re a quiet, industrious and sober Race. I must remark by the way, that it is their own fault (or rather the fault of designing and mischievous people for illadvisin'g them) that they are not in a Climate more genial to their birth and habits. When this abduction, or whatever name you please to giv"J it, took place, and no remedy could be applied, Go- vernment determined on sending them to Trinidad, made most liberal arrangements for that purpose, allotted them portions of Land in the Island, and hired Vessels for their conveyance : before, how- ever, this beneficial measure could be accomplish- ed, the idea got among them (or rather was circu- lated as I before observed) that they were to be sent back to their old Masters, or landed in some part « (( The Slave Convention having been ratified by th« " United States, His Majesty's Minister, Mr. Vaughan, • has paid over to Mr. Clay ^600,000 or one half oftha ♦• entire Sum, agreeable to the 3d Article of the e«,id *♦ Convention."— New York Albion, 20th Jan. 1827. I ''■r n i mOtf AM^ U 8 phri of the West Indies, where they would ftgafn become Slaves ; the consequenre wa^, that verj fev'orthem would embark, and here they reniaiu to this day, a burden on the Commuaity at large. It h hardly known how these poor creatures manage to subiiist, especially at Preston, where the Land is much worse than at the other Settlement : in the Summer you may see them by dozens in (lalifax, havini;^ come eight or ten miles to sell a few berries, the produce oi' the woods, or Tubs and Brooms of their own manufacture, on which traffic they most- ly depend; theii' distress is, however, so well knowjt here, that charity is administered to them with an open ^and, otherwise their lot would be moit de- plorable indeed. If your time would admit, I would advise you to visit these Settlements ; threa of them are within a day's ride of Halifax : take a list of the original Settlers ; 'enumerate those that remain ; examine the Soil, and draw your own conclusions. If you are not disposed for occular proof, I hardly know where to refer you : these spots are little visited ; our prinCiVal and best in- formed Natives are not much addicted to Travel, and seldom leave the ** High^' for the " Bye" "Way. I believe you must apply to the Disciples of old Fsaac Walton, and they are mostly among the Officers of the Garrison, for if our old Patricians have but a slight spice of the " Viator" in them, they have still less of the *' Piscator." Should these Settlements not be found in a prosperous •tate, after more than ten years trial, you will naturally seek jior the cause. Can it be that no trouble V wm '^ S - IronWe WM taken in the selection orihe tan^ ?— I say, impossible, Ihe verj names of two of them •re asuflSciertt denial to the supposition, and would afford an ample guarantee, ^v^ ail otfier proof wanting. But these Personages may have been imposed upon ?^Still impossibie-a more upright and honorabJe Man, than the Surveyor General does i^Mexht. If, therefore, I am right inth^ denial of both suppositions, you must allow with nie, that future Settlements will stand no bfttter chance of success in this Coimtry ; unices indeed, the liberality of Government in their formation extendi to tvhat might be considered to border on profusion It matters little whether these Commu- nities are formed of Soldiers or Mechanics, human nature will be found alike, and the pernicious ha- bits ofour old Inhabitants in the immoderate use 01 Spirits, will be much sooner acquired, than their dexterity in handling the Axe. iu * f *^i"^'>^«s«'Jenousrl,, at least, to prove that this is not a Country calculated for Emigration on an extensive iScale—There may be, and^doubt- eis are, spots ofCrown Lands, which I have over- looked, where a few Settlers, with common advan- tages, would be likely to prosper. If ^so, there is at present a body of Men at Hahfax,t Men of ho- nesty, ability and intelligence, from every Countr and lownship in the Province, well qualified from the.f local know^ledge, to afford you ample infor- _ mation t When this Letter wassentto the preas. the Houae of Awembly was sitting.— Editor. 10 ff miti#n of a pTasetlcal" nature ; and sbouW yaur vfewt' ftxteutl tc more 3