CHAPTER V. NEW BRUNSWICK. 1. The province of New Brunswick lies between Nova Scotia and Canada, having the state of Maine on the southwest and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the northeast. It comprises an area of about 28,000 square miles, and is therefore greater in extent than Nova Scotia and Cape Breton united. and rivers. 2. 'It has an extensive seacoast, and is supplied with 2. Seacoast noble rivers, two of which, the St. Johns and the Miramichi, traverse nearly the whole territory, and are navigable throughout most of their course. The former falls into the Bay of Fundy on the south, and the latter into the Bay of Miramichi, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 3. The surface of the country is broken and undulat. 3. ing, and towards the western boundary the mountain ranges rise to a considerable height. *Adjacent to the Bay of Fundy the soil is exceedingly barrer, but in other parts it is generally more fertile than in Nova Scotia. The streams are bordered by the richest meadow lands, while the quality of the soil in the highlands is indicated by a magnificent growth of forest trees of gigantic size, the export of which, for lumber and shipping, has given the province its chief commercial importance. exist The 4. The name of New Brunswick, and even its ence as a colony, did not commence till 1783. French comprehended it under the appellation of New France, regarding it more particularly as an appendage to Acadia. The English, in their turn, claimed it as part of Nova Scotia, though they appear never to have taken any measures to improve it. Surface of the country. 4. Soil and forests. 5 The name, and early history of New Brunswick. See p. 545. Brunswick, of 1763. state of the country after 5. After that peninsula had been finally ceded to Eng-bin 1748 land, the French demanded New Brunswick as belong- 6. The French ing to Canada. To support their claims, they erected claims to New forts at the neck of the peninsula, and armed the Acadians and the peace and Indians; but the peace of 1763, which gave Canada to the British, ended all dissensions on this subject. Still 7. Unoccupied the country was left nearly unoccupied, except by a few Acadians, who had sought refuge among its forests, from the relentless persecution to which they were exposed. 6. In 1762 some families from New England had settled at Maugerville, about fifty miles up the St. John; and in 1783 they numbered about 800. At the end of the war of the American Revolution, several thousands C 8. the peace of 1763. c. See p. 548. veel.) d (Mo-gerSettlements at Maugerville, Frede icon, and Madawaska. 1783. 1. Situation ANALYSIS. of disbanded troops, who had been removed from New England, were located at Fredericton; and a party of Acadians who had settled there, were ordered to Mads waska, to make room for them. 'These new colonists however, accustomed to all the comforts of civilized life, endured the most dreadful hardships when first placed in the midst of this wilderness; and it was only after severe suffering and toil, that they could place their fami lies in any degree of comfort. of the colonists. 2. Sir Guy Carleton's tion of the dation of the New Bruns wick. 7. General Sir Guy Carleton, who was appointed goadministra vernor in 1785, made great exert ons for the improvegovernment. ment of the country, which gradually, though slowly, ad1803. vanced. In 1803 he returned to England, and from that time to 1817 the government was administered by a suc 3. The foun- cession of presidents. "The foundation of the prosperity prosperity of of New Brunswick was laid in 1809, when heavy duties were levied on timber brought to England from the Baltic, while that from New Brunswick was left free. The export of timber, from that period, continually increased, till it reached its height in 1825, when, in consequence of speculative overtrading, a severe reaction was experi enced. Yet since that event, this branch of industry has rallied, and become nearly as extensive as ever, while a new impulse has been given to the prosperity of the country by the arrival of foreign cultivators. 1817. 8. In 1817 Major General Smith was appointed lieu4. Successive tenant-governor, which office he held till 1823, although during most of that period the affairs of the Province were intrusted to the care of Mr. Chipman and Mr. Bliss, as presidents; but in August, 1824, the latter was succeeded by Sir Howard Douglass, to whose exertions the country was greatly indebted. He was relieved by Sir Archibald Campbell, whose place was supplied in 1837 by Major-general Sir John Harvey, from Prince Edward Island. "On the removal of the latter to Newfoundland, John Harvey the office of governor of New Brunswick was given to 8. The north- Sir W. G. Colebrooke. During the administration of Sir boundary John Harvey, the disputed boundary between Maine and New Brunswick, which had long been a cause of controversy between Great Britain and the United States, threatened to involve the two countries in hostilities; but fortunately, in 1842, this subject of contention was rea. See p. 483. moved, by a treaty which settled the boundary in a man. ner satisfactory to both parties. administra tions from 1817 to 1837. 5. The suc cessor of Sir eastern question. CHAPTER VI. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 1. 'PRINCE EDWARD, a name substituted for the early one of St. John, is an island in the southern part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, having Cape Breton on the east, and being separated from the coasts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia by Northumberland strait,—a channel varying in breadth from nine to forty miles. This island, which has a very irregular outline, is somewhat crescent shaped, having its hollow part towards the Gulf, into which both its boundary capes project. Following its winding outline, its greatest length is about 135 miles, and its average breadth about 34. It is, however, so deeply indented by bays and inlets, that scarcely any spot is distant more than seven or eight miles from the influx of the tide. The area is estimated at 1,380,700 acres. the island: its soil, swamps, burntgrounds, &c. 2. The surface of the island presents an undulating 3. Surface of variety of hill and dale, with the hollows filled with numberless little creeks and lakes. The soil, though light, possesses considerable fertility, with the exception of the swamps and burnt-grounds. Some of the former, when carefully drained, make rich meadow-lands, but the latter, consisting originally of extensive pine forests, which have been destroyed by conflagrations, and which are over spread with black stumps, mixed with ferns and diminutive shrubs, can seldom be reclaimed. 4. Historical ion to this error in rela island. 3. 'By some it has been erroneously supposed that this is the island that was discovered by Cabot, in 1497, and named by him St. John; but it is now generally believed that the land first discovered was a small island on the coast of Labrador. 'When the French court established in America a vast domain called New France, this in- history until sular tract was of course included within its boundaries, yet, with the exception of Champlain's description, there is scarcely any mention of it until 1663, when it appears 5. Little known of its 1663. to have been granted to a French captain by the name b. (Pronounof Doublet, but held in subordination to a fishing com- ced Doob-lä.) pany established at the small island of Miscou. 'It . Valued for seems, however, to have been valued only for fishery, with which view some trifling stations were established. what. begins to 4. 'St. John began to emerge from this obscurity only 7. The island after the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, when, Acadia or Nova emerge from Scotia being ceded to Britain, a number of the French its obscurity. the island, ANALYSIS. settlers, to whom the British yoke was always odious, 1. Capture of sought refuge in this island. When Cape Breton was and its resto captured by the New England forces in 1745, St. John ration to shared the same fate; but three years later, both were restored to France by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle. 'After the second reduction of Louisburg, in 1758, that of St. John again followed, when it became permanently annexed to the British crown. France. 1758. 2. Its final conquest by the English 3. Treatment of the French 1. Their expulsion from the island. 5. The French inhabitants, however, numbering at inhabitants. that time four or five thousand, were doomed to the same relentless proscription as their brethren in Nova Scotia; and the pretext was, that a number of English scalps were found hung up in the house of the French governor. The details of the expulsion are not stated, but it appears that some of the inhabitants were sent to Canada, some to the southern colonies, and others to France; while it is admitted that many contrived to conceal themselves. So complete, however, was the desolation, that, in 1770, twelve years later, only 150 families were found on the island. 5. The peace of 1763. Lord Egremoni. 7. Flan subse adopted. quently 6. St. John was confirmed to Great Britain by the peace of 1763, but several years elapsed before judicious 6. Scheme of measures were taken for its settlement. 'Lord Egremont formed a strange scheme, by which it was divided into twelve districts, ruled by as many barons, each of whom was to erect a castle on his own property, while that nobleman was to preside as lord paramount. This ridiculous plan was changed for another not much wiser. In 1767 a division was made into sixty-seven townships, of about 20,000 acres each, which, with some reservations for county towns, were granted to individuals who had claims 8. Ineffective upon the government. Their exertions to settle the counthe proprie try, however, were not very effective, and when they resolved, as the only means of rendering the property valuable, to sell it in small lots, their prices were too high; and as their rights to the land were conditional, they could not give to settlers that kind of tenure which is the most measures of tors. 9. A separate government given to the ministrations son and secure. 7. The proprietors succeeded, however, in 1770, in procuring a government independent of Nova Scotia ; though, as already mentioned, there were then only 150 10 The ad families on the island. Mr. Patterson, first appointed to of Mr. Patter that office, brought back a number of the exiled AcadiGeneral Fan- ans, emigrants began to arrive in considerable numbers, ning. and in 1773 a constitution was given, and the first House 11. Contests of Assembly called. "Governor Patterson, however, and prietors and General Fanning who succeeded him in 1789, were insettlers. volved in contests with the proprietors and settlers, who with the pro accused them of culpable eagerness to acquire landed roperty for themselves. 1789. the island changed. 8. 'Inconvenience having been felt from the circum- 1. Name of stance that the island bore the same name as the chief towns in New Brunswick and Newfoundland, its name was changed to Prince Edward, in honor of the Duke of Kent, who, as commander in America, had directed some valuable improvements. In 1803 the Earl of Selkirk, 1803. who gave so great an impulse to emigration, carried over 2 The High an important colony, consisting of about 800 Highlanders. He made the necessary arrangements with so much judg ment that the settlers soon became very prosperous; additional emigrants joined them, and in 1840 the Highland colony numbered nearly five thousand. land colony. a. (Pronounced Da-bar-) tration of Desbarres. 4. Adminis tration of Mr. Smyth. 9. Governor Desbarres, who succeeded Fanning, though censured for his imprudence, was a man of tal- 3. Adminis ent; and at no former period did the colony advance so rapidly as during his administration. In 1813 he was succeeded by Mr. Smyth, whose violent and tyrannical conduct caused a general agitation in the colony. For several years previous to 1823, he had prevented the meeting of the House of Assembly, and when a committee of the inhabitants was appointed to draw up a petition for his removal, he caused them to be arrested. Mr. Stewart, the high sheriff, however, though at the age of sixty-six, made his escape to Nova Scotia and thence to England, where the real state of things was no sooner made known, than the governor was recalled, and Lieutenant-colonel Ready appointed to succeed him. His tyran nical con duct, and the causes that led to his removal. tration of Colonel Ready. Young and 10. The conduct of this last officer gave general sat- 5. Adminisisfaction; and in conjunction with the House of Assembly he passed many useful acts, and took various measures to promote the continued improvement of the colony. In Colonel 1831 Colonel Young received the appointment, and ruled as lieutenant-governor till 1836, in which year Sir John Harvey was named his successor. Sir John was very popular, but being in 1837 removed to the government of New Brunswick, his place was supplied by Sir Charles A. Fitzroy. 1837. Prince Ed 11. The elements of society in Prince Edward are 7. Society in similar to those found in the other British colonies. The ward Island inhabitants consist, first, of a few Indians; then of about 5000 French Acadians; and next, of emigrants, mostly from Scotland, the natives of which country form about one-half the entire population. The actual population. of the island in 1840 was about 40,000. 1840. 8. Popula tion |