itain assured the freedom of more than 3,000 slaves and paid for
them, a fitting prelude to the great Act of 1833 whereby she freed
800,000 slaves and paid L20,000,000 for the privilege.[30]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] So far at all events as appears from any records that I have seen
it is just possible however that "La Liberte, le neigre" mentioned in
de Meulles' Census of Acadia in 1696 was a black slave,
notwithstanding his name.

[2] From 1720 on, Annapolis Royal had a fairly firm government and
settlement but it was not until Halifax was founded that it became
certain that the country would remain English.

[3] This and most of the facts, dates, etc., in this chapter are taken
from the Rev. Dr. T. Watson Smith's fascinating article _The Slave in
Canada_ in the _Nova Scotia Historical Society's Collections_, Vol. X,
Halifax, 1899.

[4] (1762) 2 George III, c. 1 (N. S.), _Statutes at Large, Nova
Scotia_, Halifax, 1805, p. 77.

[5] It is referred to in a letter from Ward Chipman to Chief Justice
Blowers to be mentioned later. See post, p.

[6] This Act was continued in 1784 by (1784) 24 George III, c. 14 (N.
S.). _Statutes at Large, Nova Scotia_, p. 238.

[7] "Halifax currency" was at this time nine-tenths of Sterling L10
currency = L9 sterling and the 5/ dollar being 4/6 sterling.

[8] It will be remembered that in the Treaty of Peace it was agreed by
Article VII "His Britanic Majesty shall with all convenient speed and
without causing any destruction or carrying away any negroes or other
property of the American inhabitants withdraw his armies, garrisons
and fleets from the said United States...."

Sir Guy Carleton claimed that the Negroes who had taken refuge in the
British lines at once lost their status of slavery and became free.
They were "not Negroes or other property of the American," a rather
technical not to say finely drawn distinction but _in favorem
libertatis_; and in any event Britain would not betray the helpless
who had put their faith in her.

[9] Washington did make a claim; but the United States had not carried
out its part of the contract and Britain would not and never did pay.
Jones' _Loyalist History of New York_, Vol. 2. p. 256, says that the
number of Negroes who found shelter in the British lines was 2000 at
least; probably this is an underestimate. Hay's _Historical Reading_
at p. 249 gives the number of Negroes who came into Nova Scotia with
their Masters at least 3000--and of free N