The French and the Micmacs 229

granted for the maintenance of the cwrés in Acadia. He hoped that the Bishop would let them know of

his displeasure and urge them to efface the unfavor- able impression which they had created.

In defending himself and his clergy the Bishop replied that he had carried out his instructions to have the Acadian missionaries act so as to be able to remain in the country, and that he had advised all except Le Loutre to be “outwardly neutral” (a l’ea- térieur neutres). “When it was a question of sending Canadian troops to Acadia, I asked Beauharnais to tell the officers to give written orders to the habitans when they demanded aid so that in case of failure the habitans could vindicate themselves to the English government, and that was done. I know that M. Miniac has given as much secret aid as he could to the Canadian expedition sent this year. I have heard nothing against M. Chauvreulx. On the contrary I thought him a little too active against the English, likewise M. de La Goudalie. I had heard M. Desen- claves spoken of and I have written him several times in reproof.” The Bishop then adds that prudence was not a crime and that if the missionaries had fol- lowed the wishes of some of the officers they would have been chased out of Acadia.2

This correspondence between the Minister and the Bishop illustrates some of the difficulties with which the Acadian clergy and the missionaries to the In- dians had to contend. Their hearts were with the French but they had to live within the dominions of

14C11 A, Vol. 86, September 10, 1746.