The real celebration of the centenary of the battle and the fitting
remembrance of the hero who gave up his life for Canada one hundred
years ago, has already taken place in the six thousand schools by six
hundred thousand scholars of this premier Province of Ontario. By this
vast army of patriots in the making there has been celebrated within the
past few days in song and story the splendid heroism of the immortal
Brock, and the work done by him for our common country a century ago.
In that great work he was nobly seconded by the brilliant young
Glengarrian Macdonell, who, like his illustrious leader, fell on the
slope of this sacred hill.
In this dread contest there fought side by side regular soldier and
militiaman; the noble red man and the freed black man contended against
a common enemy to that freedom and that constitution that every Briton
loves so well.
It was indeed a proud thing for Canadians to remember that whilst there
was a great Imperial officer to lead the little band, close beside him
in the great struggle there ever stood a valorous Canadian aide-de-camp.
Yes, for every regular that contended for the maintenance of British law
and authority in this Canada of ours there were fighting by his side the
farmer and the tradesman of those heroic days.
Was not this prophetic of that future co-operation between mother and
daughter states? Was it not full of the deepest meaning for us of the
twentieth century? Could we not say "Thy people are my people and my
people thy people"? As in the days of yore, so in these days of Canada's
abounding prosperity and increasing national greatness, there would be
found men and means for any national or Imperial emergency that the
future might have in store for us.
Our magnificently proportioned Canada must have a magnificently
proportioned soul if she would fulfil her high destiny of eventual
leadership in the band of sister nations within an Empire indissolubly
bound by ties of love and sacrifice. In enlarging the soul of our people
such celebrations as these have their sure and certain part, and the
thrill of Brock's great name will stir this people's soul so long as
Canada shall endure.
* * * * *
A brief and eloquent speech was also made by Mr. W. M. German, M.P.,
Welland, Ont.
[Illustration: MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE AT QUEENSTON HEIGHTS
Alexander Fraser, LL.D., Dr. Alexander Dame, Col. Geo. S. Ryerson, Miss
Helen M. Merrill, John Stewart Carstairs, B.A., Allen W. Johnston.]
APPENDIX I.
HIGHLAND HEROES IN THE WAR OF 1812-14[1]
By Dr. Alexander Fraser, Toronto
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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