[221] “Nous nous regardons aujourdhuy Maistre de Beaubassin et des Mines puisque nous en avons Chassé les Anglois; ainsi il ny a aucune difficulté de forcer les Accadiens à prendre les armes pour nous, et de les y Contraindre; leur declarons à cet effêt qu’ils sont dechargé [_sic_] du Serment preté, cy devant, à l’Anglois, auquel ils ne sont plus obligé [_sic_] comme il y a été decidé par nos puissances de Canada et de Monseigneur notre Evesque” (_literatim_). [222] _Ramesay aux Habitants de Chignecto, etc., 25 Mai, 1747._ A few months later, the deputies of Rivière-aux-Canards wrote to Shirley, thanking him for kindness which they said was undeserved, promising to do their duty thenceforth, but begging him to excuse them from giving up persons who had acted “contraire aux Interests de leur devoire,” representing the difficulty of their position, and protesting “une Soumission parfaite et en touts Respects.” The letter is signed by four deputies, of whom one writes his name, and three sign with crosses. [223] _Shirley to Newcastle, 29 April, 1747._ On Shirley’s relations with the Acadians, _see_ Appendix C. CHAPTER XXIII. 205 1740-1747. WAR AND POLITICS. GOVERNOR AND ASSEMBLY.--SARATOGA DESTROYED.--WILLIAM JOHNSON.--BORDER RAVAGES.--UPPER ASHUELOT.--FRENCH “MILITARY MOVEMENTS.”--NUMBER FOUR.--NIVERVILLE’S ATTACK.--PHINEAS STEVENS.--THE FRENCH REPULSED. From the East we turn to the West, for the province of New York passed for the West at that day. Here a vital question was what would be the attitude of the Five Nations of the Iroquois towards the rival European colonies, their neighbors. The Treaty of Utrecht called them British subjects. What the word “subjects” meant, they themselves hardly knew. The English told them that it meant children; the French that it meant dogs and slaves. Events had tamed the fierce confederates; and now, though, like all savages, unstable as children, they leaned in their soberer moments to a position of neutrality between their European neighbors, watching with jealous eyes against the encroachments of both. The French would gladly have enlisted them and their tomahawks in the war; but seeing little hope of this, were generally content if they could prevent them from siding with the 206 English, who on their part regarded them as their Indians, and were satisfied with nothing less than active alliance.