Nova Scotia Archives

African Nova Scotian Diaspora

Draft of letter from Charles Morris, Surveyor General, to Lt. Col. Addison on the subject of the Black Refugees. Not dated
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Dear Sir
I was in hopes the weather would have permitted our paying another visit to the settlement of the blacks at Preston and offer you an opportunity of viewing the whole of their [illegible] two alotments & [illegible] improvements and have enabled you to make a favorable report to his excellency the governor for his human consideration! Since the arrival of them poor blacks upon our shores it is with sincere regret I speak it - I have not discovered a disposition to [promote?] the benevolent object so warmly manifested by our most worthy governor of placing them people on convenient lots of good land near the capitol when their worth might be relieved & every encouragement afforded to put them in a way by [perseverence?] & [illegible] to support themselves in comfort - the common sentiment has been - let them that encourage their coming among us maintain them or answer for the consequence - we want none of the Seed of Cain [illegible] us & by adverting to the sentiments of the [illegible] of [illegible] it is the [natural?] [illegible] to the [illegible] from their report is [illegible] obvious - that they wish to [illegible] as much as [illegible] to the [illegible] of the men of color!, and [illegible] by their poor people imagine that they have no friend, but our [benefice?] top & hit for his humans [interpreter?] in a supply of [province?] & clothing they must have greatly suffered thru the [inclining?] of the winter - when [are?] [illegible] the [illegible] of the [scarer?] before land [illegible] be provided for them, the [illegible] [priority?] of many encumbered with large families almost naked many of them not [habituated?] to a northern climate - their food & diet [illegible] different from what they have been, [illegible] accustomed to [illegible] as may have been with various [distress?] - I think little [more?] could be expected from them that has been accomplished [illegible] they have created & nearly finished [illegible] of our hundred


Reference: Commissioner of Public Records collection Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 volume 419 number 81

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