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etting back Cape Breton; 〃To restrict those aspiring English Colonies;〃 mere Ploughers and Traders; hardly numbering above one million; 〃to the Space eastward of the Alleghany Mountains;〃 over which they are beginning to climb; 〃and southward of that Missiquash; or; at farthest; of the Penobscot and Kennebunk〃 (rivers HODIE in the State of Maine)。 'La Gallisonniere; Governor of Canada's DESPATCH; 〃Quebec; 15th January; 1749〃 (cited in Bancroft; History of the United States; Boston; 1839; et seq。)。 〃The English Inhabitants are computed at 1;051;000; French (in Canada 45;000; in Louisiana 7;000); in all 52;000:〃 History of British Dominions in North America (London; 1773); p。 13。 Bancroft (i。 154) counts the English Colonists in 〃1754 about 1;200;000。〃' That will be a very pretty Parallelogram for them and their ploughs and trade…packs: we; who are 50;000 odd; expert with the rifle far beyond them; will occupy the rest of the world。 Such is the French exuberant notion: and; October; 1745; before signature at Aix…la…Chapelle; much more before Delivery of Cape Breton; the Commandant at Detroit (west end of Lake Erie) had received orders; 〃To oppose peremptorily every English Establishment not only thereabouts; but on the Ohio or its tributaries; by monition first; and then by force; if monition do not serve。〃
Establishments of any solidity or regularity the English have not in those parts; beyond the Alleghanies all is desert: 〃from the Canada Lakes to the Carolinas; mere hunting…ground of the Six Nations; dotted with here and there an English trading…house; or adventurous Squatter's farm:〃to whom now the French are to say: 〃Home you; instantly; and leave the Desert alone!〃 The French have distinct Orders from Court; and energetically obey the same; the English have indistinct Orders from Nature; and do not want energy; or mind to obey these: confusions and collisions are manifold; ubiquitous; continual。 Of which the history would be tiresome to everybody; and need only be indicated here by a mark or two of the main passages。
In 1749; three things had occurred worth mention。 FIRST; Captain Coram; a public…spirited half…pay gentleman in London; originator of the Foundling Hospital there; had turned his attention to the fine capabilities and questionable condition of NOVA SCOTIA; with few inhabitants; and those mostly disaffected; and; by many efforts now forgotten; had got the Government persuaded to despatch (June; 1749) a kind of Half…pay or Military Colony to those parts: 〃more than 1;400 persons disbanded officers; soldiers and marines; under Colonel Edward Cornwallis;〃 Brother of the since famous Lord Cornwallis。 'Coxe's Pelham; ii。 113。' Who landed; accordingly; on that rough shore; stockaded themselves in; hardily endeavoring and enduring; and next year; built a Town for themselves; Town of HALIFAX (so named from the then Lord Halifax; President of the Board of Trade); which stands there; in more and more conspicuous manner; at this day。 Thanks to you; Captain Coram; though the ungrateful generations (except dimly in CORAM Street; near your Hospital) have lost all memory of you; as their wont is。 Blockheads; never mind them。
The SECOND thing is; an 〃Ohio Company〃 has got together in Virginia; Governor there encouraging; Britannic Majesty giving Charter (March; 1749); and what is still easier; 〃500;000 Acres of Land〃 in those Ohio regions; since you are minded to colonize there in a fixed manner。 Britannic Majesty thinks the Country 〃between the Monongahela and the Kanahawy〃 (southern feeders of Ohio) will do best; but is not particular。 Ohio Company; we shall find; chose at last; as the eligible spot; the topmost fork or very Head of the Ohio;where Monongahela River from south and Alleghany River from north unite to form 〃The Ohio;〃 where stands; in our day; the big sooty Town of Pittsburg and its industries。 Ohio Company was laudably eager on this matter; Land…Surveyor in it (nay; at length; 〃Colonel of a Regiment of 150 men raised by the Ohio Company〃) was Mr。 George Washington; whose Family had much promoted the Enterprise; and who was indeed a steady…going; considerate; close… mouthed Young Gentleman; who came to great distinction in the end。
French Governor (La Gallisonniere still the man); getting wind of this Ohio Company still in embryo; anticipates the birth; sends a vigilant Commandant thitherward; 〃with 300 men; To trace and occupy the Valleys of the Ohio and of the St。 Lawrence; as far as Detroit。〃 That officer 〃buries plates of lead;〃 up and down the Country; with inscriptions signifying that 〃from the farthest ridge; whence water trickled towards the Ohio; the Country belonged to France; and nails the Bourbon Lilies to the forest…trees; forbidding the Indians all trade with the English; expels the English traders from the towns of the Miamis; and writes to the Governor of Pennsylvania; requesting him to prevent all farther intrusion。〃 Vigilant Governors; these French; and well supported from home。 Duquesne; the vigilant successor of La Gallisonniere (who is now wanted at home; for still more important purposes; as will appear); finding 〃the lead plates〃 little regarded; sends; by and by; 500 new soldiers from Detroit into those Ohio parts (march of 100 miles or so);〃the French Government having; in this year 1750; shipped no fewer than 8;000 men for their American Garrisons;〃and where the Ohio Company venture on planting a Stockade; tears it tragically out; as will be seen!
The THIRD thing worth notice; in 1749; and still more in the following year and years; had reference to Nova Scotia again。 One La Corne; 〃a recklessly sanguinary partisan〃 (military gentleman of the Trenck; INDIGO…Trenck species); nestles himself (winter; 1749…50) on that Missiquash River; head of the Bay of Fundy; in the Village of Chignecto; which is admittedly English ground; though inhabited by French。 La Corne compels; or admits; the Inhabitants to swear allegiance to France again; and to make themselves useful in fortifying; not to say in drilling;with an eye to military work。 Hearing of which; Colonel Cornwallis and incipient Halifax are much at a loss。 They in vain seek aid from the Governor of Massachusetts (〃Assembly to be consulted first; to be convinced; Constitutional rights:Nothing possible just; at once〃);and can only send a party of 400 men; to try and recover Chignecto at any rate。 April 20th; 1750; the 400 arrive there; order La Corne instantly to go。 Bourbon Flag is waving on his dikes; this side the Missiquash: high time that he and it were gone。 〃Village Priest 'flamingly orthodox; as all these Priests are; all picked for the business'; with his own hands; sets fire to the Church in Chignecto; 〃inhabitants burn their houses; and escape across the river;La Corne as rear…guard。 La Corne; across the Missiquash; declares; That; to a certainty; he is now on French ground; that he will; at all hazards; defend the Territory here; and maintain every inch of it;〃till regular Commissioners 'due ever since the Treaty of Aix; had not that ROMISH…KING Business been so pressing' have settled what the Boundary between the two Countries is。〃Chignecto being ashe