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a characteristic of this unfortunate race.
Under these impressions your committee cannot but be of opinion that it is highly [incumbant?] on the people of this province, to make exertions in behalf of those who originally were sole possessors of the soil we now enjoy & whose rescourses for existance & support from the insular situation of this country are by the progress of our improvements gradually [circumscribed?] to the narrowest limits and altho all the pecuniary resources of this province would in all probability be found in adaquate to the support of this remnant of the MicMac tribe in a state of [idleness?] & that their natural [inveterate?] habits of indolence & precarious dependance forbid the hope of their being either universally or suddenly reclaimed to a state of industry & civilisation yet your Comm. are fully persuaded that by the adoption & faithful execution of a rational & judicious plan for locating these people in a suitable situation & inducing them to settle by reasonable encouragement & by witholding all public assistance from those who would not comply with the terms prescribed, that many, especially of the younger class might be made useful members of society & the