With the end of the war and the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1763), the Acadians in Massachusetts began to signify their desire to leave.
Petitions, some with over one thousand names, were submitted by Acadians to the General Court of Massachusetts beginning in 1763. Many sought to depart the province and settle in other regions, among them France, St. Domingue (present-day Haiti), and Quebec. Having been prevented from migrating to French colonies, Acadians left the province not in a large-scale movement but in small, isolated groups. Some few, it would appear, remained in Massachusetts.
Acadian Petitions, 1763-1766
Petitions submitted to the General Court contain the names of heads of families and number of family members of Acadians wishing to leave the colony and go to France (left) or Quebec (right). The name of the Charles Meuse family appears on both petitions, although the family had been reduced by half, having separated in order to provide for their own support. Massachusetts Archives
Address of Governor Bernard to the House of Representatives,
February 13, 1766
February 13, 1766
Forwarding several Acadian petitions to the House of Representatives, Governor Bernard advised that permission be granted and funds allowed for the transport of Acadians to Quebec, believing them to be industrious British subjects, temporarily disadvantaged by circumstance. Massachusetts Archives
Read a transcript of the Address of Governor Bernard to the House of Representatives
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives
At the beginning of this Session I sent a Message to you recommending a petition of some French Acadians, to which I have received no answer. I now recommend to you another petition of the Acadians in general, which I desire you would immediately take into consideration.
Ever since I have been governor of this province I have had great compassion for this people, as every one must who has considered that it was by the exigencies of war rather than any fault of their own, that they were removed from a state of ease and affluence & brought into poverty & dependence; from which in their present situation they can see no prospect of being delivered. I have heretofore made several attempts to get them settled in some manner that might make them useful subjects of Great Britain & comfortable to themselves: but I have failed for want of ability.
[1]
You have now an Opportunity at no great Expence to dispose of these people so, that, instead of being a burthen to the province & to themselves, as they are like to continue whilst they remai[n] here, they may become a fresh accession of Wealth & strength to the British Empire in America: as It is certain that their Industry only waits for property to exert itself upon, without which no One will be industrious. I therefore hope you will improve this Occasion; and in so doing, you will unite public Spirit with Charity.
Fra Bernard
Council chamber
Feb. 13. 1766
[2]
[Address of Massachusetts Governor Bernard to the House of Representatives, 13 February 1766. SC1, Series 45X, Massachusetts Archives Collection, 1603-1799, vol. 110, pages 236-237. Massachusetts Archives.]
May, it please your Excellency,
The House have duly attended to your Excellency's message of the 9th instant, relative to the French Accadians, and by Governor Murray's letter accompanying the same we find he is ready to receive them; but your Excellency is pleased to inform us that Gov. Murray has signified to you his inability for want of a proper fund to make any provision for them upon their arrival there.
At this province has been at great expence in supporting them here, and have taken other measures to render them comfortable. The House can't think it prudent at this time that this government should be at any further expence concerning them.
”After consideration of additional requests by the Acadians for support during their proposed attempts at resettlement in Quebec, the House of Representatives denied them further aid. As a result, Acadians left for Quebec in small groups. Massachusetts Archives
Francis Bernard,
Governor of Massachusetts (1760-1769)
Portrait by Giovanni Battista Troccoli, 1925
Governor of Massachusetts (1760-1769)
Portrait by Giovanni Battista Troccoli, 1925
Following the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1763), Governor Bernard found himself having to deal with the matter of the Acadians wishing to leave the province and return home, settle in the French colonies, or settle in the newly-established British colony of Quebec. Courtesy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Art Commission
Proclamation of Governor Francis Bernard,
November 28, 1764
November 28, 1764
Faced with the requests of nearly one thousand Acadians and their attempts to relocate to the French colony of St. Domingue (Haiti), Governor Bernard found it necessary to issue this proclamation forbidding their transport, claiming that it would tend to “strengthen the dominion of a foreign prince.” Massachusetts Archives
Read a transcript of the transcript of the Proclamation of Governor Francis Bernard
By his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq; Captain General and Governor in Chief in an over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England and Vice Admiral of the Same -----
A Proclamation
Whereas I have been informed that divers Masters or Commanders of Vessels trading from this and other his Majesty's Colonies to the Colonies and Plantations of the French King in the West Indies have, for the sake of certain priviledges or advantages allowed them in their trade or for other considerations, agreed to transport number of His Majesty's Subjects late inhabitants of Acadia and Nova Scotia to the said French Colonies and plantations which practice appears to me to be in its nature criminal of very ill tendency to the British interest in general and altogether unjustifiable.
I have therefore thought fit with the advice of His Majesty's Council to issue this Proclamation cautioning all his Majesty's subjects within this Province against entering into any such agreements with any of the subjects of the French King or being any ways aiding or assisting in carrying such agreements into Execution as they would avoid being prosecuted for such offences which have so great atendency to prejudice His Majesty's Interest and to strengthen the Dominions of a foreign Prince. And all Master of Vessels departing from any Port within this Province are required to give in a list of the names of all the late inhabitants of Acadia and Nova Scotia who shall have taken their Passages on board such Vessels which list the Naval officer or his Deputies are required to transmit to me before such Vessels shall receive their clearances in order for my directions concerning them -
Given at the Council Chamber in Boston the twenty eighth day of November 1764. In the fifth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith & c
By his Excellency's Command Fra Bernard
A Oliver Secy
[Proclamation of Governor Francis Bernard, 28 November 1764. SC1, Series 161x, Transcripts of Public Documents, [vol. 2], page 424. Massachusetts Archives.]
Circular containing the Articles of Capitulation and the Proclamation
of Governor James Murray, 1766
Proclamation of Governor James Murray, 1766
This circular, published in French, details several articles agreed upon by French governor Pierre de Rigaud upon the surrender of Quebec, guaranteeing former French subjects freedom to practice the Roman Catholic faith. Newly appointed British governor James Murray promised land to persons of French origin wishing to settle in Quebec, a very appealing proposal to displaced Acadians.
Massachusetts Archives
Summary of Circular containing the Articles of Capitulation and the Proclamation of Governor James Murray
While a literal translation of this document is not provided here, the first half of the document is an excerpt from the articles of surrender agreed upon by French governor of Quebec Pierre de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil, and the British general Geoffrey Amherst. The articles included here grant the French inhabitants freedom to practice the Roman Catholic faith, allow the church hierarchy to continue unmolested, exempt the inhabitants from billeting soldiers, and guarantee the protection of personal property.
The second part of the document is the proclamation of the British governor of Canada, James Murray, offering one hundred acres of land to heads of families wishing to settle there and fifty acres for each additional family member, said lands to be tax-exempt for the first two years and at the expiration of two years taxed at two shillings a year for every hundred acres. Those receiving land grants would be required to clear their land or raise animals. Those wishing would also be permitted to settle in other parts of the province such as on the Bay of Gaspey, Chaleur Bay, or the Seven Islands and would be able to engage in cod fishing or whaling.
[Extrait de la Capitulation du Canada par mons. de Vaudreuil, 1 March 1765. SC1, Series 45X, Massachusetts Archives Collection, 1603-1799, vol. 24, pages 553-556. Massachusetts Archives.]