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The dislike and distrust felt at first towards the poor Acadians thus brought into Massachusetts was very great owing to the prejudice against their nation and their religion. This appears in an address presented to the Governor, deprecating their residence here, especially their being quartered in Boston:
"The receiving among us so great a number of persons whose gross bigotry to the Roman Catholic religion is notorious, and whose loyalty to his Majesty is suspected, is a thing very disagreeable to us."
"Far asunder, on separate coasts, the Acadians landed;
Friendless, homeless, hopeless they wandered from city to city.
Friends they sought and homes; and many, despairing, heart-broken,
Asked of the earth but a grave, and no longer a friend nor a fireside.
Written their history stands on tablets of stone in the churchyards."
The Acadian exiles were sent to the various towns in New England, and the selectmen were ordered to bind out to service all children for whom places could be found. Thus many were torn from their parents and put to serve hard task masters and to perform heavy toils.
In the execution of these (perhaps under the circumstances necessary) orders, instances of great inhumanity occurred, actual violence being used to separate parents and children.
One aged Acadian petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts, stating his suffering at the hands of town officers, that his hands and feet were tied, and he was nearly strangled to prevent his running after and calling out to his children who were carried away.
Some of these Acadians drew up a joint petition to the General Court, praying for a redress of their grievances. It is signed by persons from Chelmsford, Waltham, Oxford, Concord, Worcester and Andover, all in Massachusetts. The signers from Andover were Jacques Esbert and