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French in Michigan French Settlements
It was not until 1734 that any new grants were made to farmers, although twelve years earlier the French Government had urged this policy. The colonial magnates and their subservient and interested subordinates had contrived to evade their duty until more wise chief officers were installed. The abuses practiced with impunity in these distant regions were very great, and never would have been submitted to if the population had not been purposely kept down to insignificant numbers. The Norman people were very apt to make things uncomfortable when they were numerous enough to have any power in their hands; and the extortions of some of the early officials were fully as annoying as less than a century before had turned Normandy up-side-down under the riots of the Nu-pilds against the hard enactions of the policy of Cardinal Richelieu; only the lack of local self government had rendered this brave people partially helpless against
public abuses.
Early Michigan
Page 21
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