those who were Frenchmen like themselves. The Benezets, and Lefevres, and De Normandies, of Philadelphia, came from the same soil, years ago, as did the Landrys and Galernes, and Le Blancs, and Melansons and Thibodeaus, and accordingly I find that whilst the Assembly paused in no unreasonable delay of counsel, this minute is made.
« Antony Benezet, attending without, was called in, and informed the House that he had, at the request of some of the members, visited the French Neutrals now on board sundry vessels in the river, near the city, and found that they were in great want of blankets, shirts, stockings and other necessaries ; and he then withdrew, (whereupon). Resolved, That this House will allow reasonable expenses as the said Benezet may be put to in furnishing the Neutral French now in the Province. » — (Votes, 524.)
Antony Benezet, the Hugonot Quaker, was the first almoner to these poor fugitives, and it was with no reluctant gratitude that one of their number, in the first memorial to the Assembly, said : — « Blessed be God that it was our lot to be sent to Pennsylvania, where our wants have been relieved, and we have, in every respect, been treated with Christian benevolence and charity. » — (Votes, 538).
Nothing, however, beyond the general trust in Mr. Benezet and the other citizens connected with him, was done ; for early in December the Assembly adjourned till March, 1756. Before they reassembled, it appears from the public accounts that at least 1 000 £ currency had been expended for the relief of the Neutrals.
The Assembly was convoked specially by the Governor early in February, and on the 11th their attention was called to the Neutrals by a petition from one of their number, Jan Batiste Galerm, and a list of the names of the individuals and the families of the exiles given. The petition is preserved in a translated form, but the list is unfortunately lost. The petition contains a brief and temperate statement of the causes which led to the exile of the Acadians, a strong expression of gratitude for the kindness, with which they had been received, and a protestation of their passive loyalty and more than this no one had a right to expect to the British crown. It contains no prayer for specific assistance. A bill for the relief, or, as it is rather ambiguously expressed in its title, for « dispersing » the inhabitants of Nova Scotia into the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester and Lancaster, was immediately introduced, and on the 5th of March, 1756, became a law by the Executive approval. (Votes, 537, 545).
This law is now before Me, and I can see nothing in it but considerate kindness. The exiles were to be divided, not dispersed, among the counties designated, in order « to give them an opportunity of exercising their own labor and industry, and they were to be supported at the public expense, and among the commissioners named to carry it into execution were not only those who as Friends, had been active in this and every scheme of benovelence, but those
