LOYALISTS INVITED. 35

to the governor’s conduct, which he had carefully concealed, and which were known only to the council, who were bound by oath to secrecy. He expected an order from England to submit the dreaded act to the house, and was most desirous that, before that could be done, the forthcoming house should pledge itself to an approval of the sales of 1781, and thus neutralize the effect. which a knowledge of the intended dis- approval of the previous assembly might produce on the home government.

Circumstances favored his design. New York having been evacuated by the British troops,-many of them had resolved to settle in the island. A large number of loyalists were now leaving the States and settling in Nova Scotia. Efforts were made by the governor to induce some of them to settle in the island. In addressing Mr. Stuart, in 1783, he says, in reference to this subject: “ I do not as yet hear, notwithstanding my etlbrts, of any of the loyalists coming this way. They have all gone to Nova Scotia, through the influence of Mr. \Vatson. I will not, however, as yet de- spair of having a part. I am sending a person among them on purpose, and at my own expense, to carry our terms and to invite some of the principal people to our lands. If they will but come,—-and depend on the evi- dence of their own senses,—I am certain they will prefer this island to any ot‘ the uncultivated parts of Nova Scotia. It is exceedingly unlucky that. my despatches of last Novem- ber did not. reach you in time. Had the proprietors sent an agent to New York, ott'eriug liberal terms to the loyalists, they would have reaped more benefit, thereby than by all the memorials they will ever deliver to government.” “"0 find, by a letter from Mr. Stuart to the governor, dated a month later than that from which a quotation has just been given, that the proprietors were sensible of the importance of