Acadia - Government

Government

Acadia was located in territory disputed between France and Great Britain. England controlled the area from 1654 until 1670 and control was permanently regained by its successor state, the Kingdom of Great Britain, in 1713. Although France controlled the territory in the remaining periods, French monarchs consistently neglected Acadia, failing to contribute much, if at all, to its defence, development, colonization, or administration, leaving the colonists to rely on themselves. The government of New France was located in Quebec, but it had only nominal authority over the Acadians. Landlords owned wide swaths of the land, and while they sometimes collected dues from the settlers, they exercised no other legal powers.

With no strong royal authority, the Acadians implemented village self-rule. Even after Canada had given up its elected spokesmen, the Acadians continued to demand a say in their own government, as late as 1706 petitioning the monarchy to allow them to elect spokesmen each year by a plurality of voices. In a sign of his indifference to the colony, Louis XV agreed to their demand. Male elders of the community settled internal disputes and spoke to the government on behalf of their neighbours, sometimes with the help of the priests.

Most of the immigrants to Acadia were French peasants whose oppression by the noble landholders had left them with a deep suspicion of those in authority. This suspicion was transplanted to those in authority in Acadia as well, be they French or English. Acadians regularly protested the actions of local administrators and clergymen to higher authorities in Quebec and France. If their appeals failed, which they usually did, the Acadians would procrastinate or resort to passive resistance techniques, including subterfuge, to continue defying the authorities. Administrators complained of constant in-fighting among the population, which filed many petty civil suits with colonial magistrates. Most of these were over boundary lines, as the Acadians were very quick to protect their new lands.

Governance under the British after 1710

After 1710, the British military administration continued to utilize the Deputy system the Acadians had developed under French colonial rule. Prior to 1732 the Deputies were appointed by the Governor from men in the districts of Acadian families "as ancientest and most considerable in Lands & possessions,". This appears to be in contravention of various British Penal Laws which made it nearly impossible for Roman Catholics and Protestant Recusants from holding military and government positions. The need for effective administration and communication in many of the British colonies trumped the laws. In 1732 the governance institution was formalized. Under the formalized system the colony was divided into eight districts. Annually on October 11 free elections were to take place where each District, depending on its size, was to elect two, three, or four Deputies. In observance of the Lord's Day if October 11 fell on a Sunday the elections were to take place on the immediately following Monday. Notice of the annual election was to be given in all Districts thirty days to the election date. Immediately following election Deputies, both outgoing and incoming, were to report to Annapolis Royal to receive the Governor's approval and instructions. Prior to 1732 Deputies had complained about the time and expense of holding office and carrying out their duties. Under the new elected Deputy system each District was to provide for the expense of their elected Deputies. The duties of the Deputies were broad and included reporting to the Government in Council the affairs of the Districts, distribution of Government proclamations, assist in the settlement of various local disputes (primarily over land), and to ensure that various weights and measures used in trade were "Conformable to the Standard".

In addition to Deputies several other public positions existed. Each District had a clerk who worked closely with the Deputies and under his duties recorded the records and orders of government, deeds and conveyances, and kept other public records. With the rapid expansion of the Acadian populace there was also a growing number of cattle and sheep. The burgeoning herds and flocks, often free-ranging, necessitated the creation of Overseers of Flocks. These individuals controlled where the flocks grazed, settled disputes and recorded the names of individuals slaughtering animals to ensure proper ownership. Skins and hides were inspected for brands. After the purchase by the British Crown of the Seigniorial rights in Acadia various rents and fees were due to the Crown. In the Minas, Piziquid and Cobequid Districts the Seigniorial fees were collected by the "Collector & Receiver of all His Majesty's Quit Rents, Dues or Revenues". The Collector was to keep a record of all rents and other fees collected, submit the rents to Annapolis Royal, and retain fifteen percent to cover his expenses.