Description Pictou Parade BUGS

R.H. Sherwood’s
Pictou Parade
BUGS
There has been much written and said about the Spruce Bud Worm, and this problem has caused grave concern. But it isn’t the only time that Nov Scotia was concerned over the things that affected the crops. Back in the years of 1825-26, the invasion of the Hessian Fly injured the wheat, and caused a disease that affected the potato crop, so that the potatoes were very small, and some times the seed potatoes didn’t come up at all.
Each time period, it seems, has its own bug problem. This year, in Ottawa.

FREE PORT
Back in the years 1825-26, the destructive manner in which the fisheries had been conducted resulted in the fish stocks that come to these shores becoming depleted, and the fish trade fell out of Pictou ceased altogether.
With the falling off of the fisheries, the West Indies trade and the lumber trade, attempts were made to make Pictou a Free Port. Halifax was the only Free Port in nova Scotia, so that any exports from Pictou had to go to Halifax, be unloaded, then re-shipped from that port. The same with foreign items coming in for Pictou. These were landed at Halifax unloaded, then re-shipped to Pictou, with all the added expense.
In the endeavor to overcome this by making Pictou a Free Port a meeting was held in the Court House on January 8,1828, when he government was petitioned to make Pictou a Free Port. But before the petition reached England, Pictou and Sydney were declared Free Ports through he influences of the General Mining Association.
The first vessel to enter the Port of Pictou under the Free Port ruling was the Lovely hope from Boston on May 21,1828.
It is not known at this time when Pictou was a “Free Port” lost that privilege, although in some respects Pictou is a Free port. Cargoes may go out to any country without being transhipped at Halifax.

WHO HE?
With the announcement that the Town Council has sanctioned a “Jotham Blanchard Day” for June 28, MANY HAVE ASKED, “Who was Jotham Blanchard?”
Because that eminent son of Pictou has just about been forgotten by the neglect o the years, I offer this information so that hen Jotham Blanchard Day come up, our citizens will know why at long last, “The Patriot of Pictou” is being remembered.
He was the editor of the first newspaper outside of Halifax. “The Pictou Patriot” later, “The Colonial Patriot,” came of the local press for the first issue on December 7,182. That first issue criticized The Council of Twelve at Halifax, a group of self-centered men, appointed by the Governor, who had never been out of Halifax and knew nothing of the rest of the Province and cared less.
Blanchard’s editorials, advocating Responsible Government and elections made many enemies for him. He was thrown in jail, his effigy was burned in the streets of Pictou, he was spit upon, but he never faltered.
Even the great Joseph Howe, who was, with his newspaper, “The Nova Scotian,” strongly for the ruling class of the Council of Twelve, changed his mind after visiting Blanchard in Pictou. After that visit, Howe also advocate Responsible Government, but it was Blanchard who planted the seed and saw Responsible Government come to Nova Scotia.
But he ha seen the “Forgotten Patriot” of Pictou, and tis first attempt of a “Jotham Blanchard Day” is to bring alive the memory of this great man.

PARTING THOUGHT
When Memory is lost, when honour is forgot, then Patriot is truly dead.

By Roland H. Sherwood (D.LITT.)
Historical Writer