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Mi'kmaq Holdings Resource Guide

Petition of Father Simon Lawlor regarding the Mi'kmaq school in Cape Breton, addressed to the House of Assembly and accompanied by a report of the committee to which it was referred, concurring with Lawlor's opinion in his letter.
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for Indian Education, and even the Bounty of a Nation has spread the light of knowledge over the Indian Ocean, whilst the Aborigines of this Province are still worse than what we found them, poor in the extreme, given up to intemperance, and the evils resulting therefrom, destitute of education, their fishing and hunting nearly exhausted, and themselves, as destitute wanderers, must soon become a burden upon the generosity of the Province. Your Petitioner further begs leave to state, that if some proper person was established to instruct them in their moral and religious duties, they might in time be restrained from their habits of intemperance, induced them to cultivate their lands, and instead of poor miserable outcasts become a blessing to themselves, and of use to society. That one of the Indians in my Jurisdiction is well acquainted with the English as well as his own language, and if proper Books, which are there published, were purchased for their use, great improvements might justly be expected. That your petitioner has already attended them several times a year in their different settlements, instructing them in the above; but unless some remmunneration will be allowed, it will be impossible for him to continue. Your petitioner concluded by representing to your Honors, that by your Honors taking the above into consideration, and if, in your wisdom, you may deem proper to grant any assistance towards the distressed Indians, he will cheerfully accept the task, and as in duty bound to &c &c
Simon Lawlor


Date: 1829

Retrieval no.: Commissioner of Public Records — Mi'kmaq and Government Relations series Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 volume 430 number 167 1/2

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