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For forty years the question of the Acadians remained unsettled。
Under the Treaty of 1713 the Acadians might leave the country。 If
they remained a year they must become British subjects。 When；
however； in 1715； two years after the conclusion of the treaty；
they were required to take the oath of allegiance to the new
King； George I； they declared that they could not do so； since
they were about to move to Cape Breton。 When George II came to
the throne in 1727； the oath was again demanded。 Still； however；
the Acadians were between two fires。 Their Indian neighbors；
influenced by the French； threatened them with massacre if they
took the oath； while the British declared that they would forfeit
their farms if they refused。 The truth is that the British did
not wish to press the alternative。 To drive out the Acadians
would be to strengthen the neighboring French colony of Cape
Breton。 To force on them the oath might even cause a rising which
would overwhelm the few English in Nova Scotia。 So the tradition；
never formally accepted by the British； grew up that； while the
Acadians owed obedience to George II； they would be neutral in
case of war with France。 A common name for them used by the
British themselves was that of the Neutral French。 In time of
peace the Acadians could be left to themselves。 When； however；
war broke out between Britain and France the question of loyalty
became acute。 Such war there was in 1744。 Without doubt； some
Acadians then helped the Frenchbut it was； as they protested；
only under compulsion and； as far as they could； they seem to
have refused to aid either side。 The British muttered threats
that subjects of their King who would not fight for him had no
right to protection under British law。 Even then feeling was so
high that there was talk of driving the Acadians from their farms
and setting them adrift； and these poor people trembled for their
own fate when the British victors at Louisbourg in 1745 removed
the French population to France。 Assurances came from the British
government； however； that there was no thought of molesting the
Acadians。
With the order 〃As you were〃 the dominant thought of the Treaty
of Aix…la…Chapelle in 1748； the highly organized and efficient
champions of French policy took every step to ensure that in the
next struggle the interests of France should prevail。 Peace had
no sooner been signed than Versailles was working in Nova Scotia
on the old policy。 The French priests taught that eternal
perdition awaited the Catholic Acadians who should accept the
demands of the heretic English。 The Indians continued their
savage threats。 Blood is thicker than water and no doubt the
natural sympathies of the Acadians were with the French。 But the
British were now formidable。 For them the founding of Halifax in
1749 had made all the difference。 They； too； had a menacing
fortress at the door of the Acadians； and their tone grew
sterner。 As a result the Acadians were told that if； by October
15； 1749； they had not taken an unconditional oath of allegiance
to George II； they should forfeit their rights and their
property； the treasured farms on which they and their ancestors
had toiled。 The Acadians were in acute distress。 If they yielded
to the English； not only would their bodies be destroyed by the
savage Micmac Indians； but their immortal souls； they feared；
would be in danger。
The Abbe Le Loutre was the parish priest of the Acadian village
of Beaubassin on Chignecto Bay and also missionary to the Micmac
Indians； whose chief village lay in British territory not many
miles from Halifax。 British officials of the time denounced him
as a determined fanatic who did not stop short of murder。 As in
most men； there was in Le Loutre a mingling of qualities。 He was
arrogant； domineering； and intent on his own plans。 He hated the
English and their heresy； and he preached to his people against
them with frantic invective。 He incited his Indians to bloodshed。
But he also knew pity。 The custom of the Indians was to consider
prisoners taken by them as their property； and on one occasion Le
Loutre himself paid ransom to the Indians for thirty…seven
English captives and returned them to Halifax。 It is certain that
the French government counted upon the influence of French
priests to aid its political designs。 〃My masters； God and the
King〃 was a phrase of the Sulpician father Piquet working at this
time on the St。 Lawrence。 Le Loutre could have echoed the words。
He was an ardent politician and France supplied him with both
money and arms to induce the Indians to attack the English。 The
savages haunted the outskirts of Halifax； waylaid and scalped
unhappy settlers； and； in due course； were paid from Louisbourg
according to the number of scalps which they produced。 The
deliberate intention was to make new English settlements
impossible in Nova Scotia and so to discourage the English that
they should abandon Halifax。 All this intrigue occurred in 1749
and the years following the treaty of peace。 If the English
suffered； so did the Acadians。 Le Loutre told them that if once
they became British subjects they would lose their priests and
find their religion suppressed。 Acadians who took the oath would；
he said； be denied the sacraments of the Church。 He would also
turn loose on the offenders the murderous savages whom he
controlled。 If pressed by the English； the Acadians； rather than
yield； must abandon their lands and remove into French territory。
At this point arises the question as to what were the limits of
this French territory。 In yielding Acadia in 1713； France had not
defined its boundaries。 The English claimed that it included the
whole region stretching northeastward to the Gulf of St。 Lawrence
from the frontier of New England。 The French； however； said that
Acadia meant only the peninsula of Nova Scotia ending at the
isthmus between Baie Verte and the Bay of Chignecto； and for
years a Canadian force stood there on guard； daring the British
to put a foot on the north side of the little river Missaguash；
which the French said was the international boundary。
There was much excitement among the Acadians in 1750； when an
English force landed on the isthmus and proceeded to throw up
defenses on the south side of the river。 This outpost； which in
due time became Fort Lawrence； was placed on what even the French
admitted to be British territory。 Forthwith on a hill two or
three miles away； on the other side of the supposed boundary； the
French built Fort Beausejour。 Le Loutre was on the spot；
blustering and menacing。 He told his Acadian parishioners of the
little village of Beaubassin； near Fort Lawrence and within the
British area； that rather than accept English rule they must now
abandon their lands and seek the protection of the French at Fort
Beausejour。 With his own hands he set fire to the village church。
The houses of the Acadians were also burned。 A whole district was
laid waste by fire。 Women and children suffered fearful
privationsbut what did such things matter in view of the high
politics of the priest and of France？
During four or five years the hostile forts confronted each
other。 In time of peace there was war。 The French made Beausejour
a solid fort； for it still stands； little altered； though it has
been abandoned for a century and a half。 It was chiefly the
Acadians； nominal British subjects； who built these thick walls。
The arrogant Micmacs demanded that the British should hand over
to them the best half of Nova Scotia； and they emphasized their
demand by treachery and massacre。 One day a man； in the uniform
of a French officer； followed by a small party； approached Fort
Lawrence； waving a white flag。 Captain Howe with a small force
went out to meet him。 As this party advanced； Indians concealed
behind a dike fired and killed Howe and eight or ten others。 Such
ruses were well fitted to cause among the English a resolve to
enforce severe measures。 The fire burned slowly but in the end it
flamed up in a cruel and relentless temper。 French policy； too；
showed no pity。 The Governor of Canada and the colonial minister
in France were alike insistent that the English should be given
no peace and cared nothing for the sufferings of the unhappy
Acadians between the upper and the nether millstone。
At last； in 1755； the English accomplished something decisive。
They sent an army to Fort Lawrence； attacked Fort Beausejour；
forced its timid commander Vergor to surrender； mastered the
whole surrounding country； and obliged Le Loutre himself to fly
to Quebec。 There he embarked for France。 The English captured him
on the sea； however； and the relentless and cruel priest spent
many years in an English prison。 His later years； when he reached
France； do him some credit。 By that time the Acadians had been
driven from their homes。 There were nearly a thousand exiles in
E