Page:Brock centenary 2nd ed. 1913.djvu/92

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BBOCE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

all crowded with people, moved op the river In procession. About eight thousand person! were \ uev< monument wbm decided upon and ii i< here above us qow. it is a wonderful monu- ment i«> have been erected by ;i Bmall community when there wbm very little wealth In the country. This monument Ii ai a column the finest and grand* est i have seen. I put it far above the column to Alexander I. in front <»f the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, ii Is about forty feet higher than the one t<> Nelson In Trafalgar Square. The National German Monument In the Neiderwald not strike me as being bo Impressive. In L859, "ii the anniversary of the battle, there w;i^ another great gathering here for the inaugura- tion of the monument I was here with a detach- ment of my corps ;m<l there rare a great many other detachments and people, and about two hun«  dred of ii»«- <>M veterans <>f the war who came again to do honour t<> their dead chief, [n the follow- ing year the late King was visiting Canada, and naturally he came here t«» <l<» honour to the memory <»f the great general and to meet the surviving demonstration and I was there on that occasion also. Could anything show more clearly the deep hold that General Brock had <>n the affection and memory of the Canadian people than th repeated gatherings? And now, after another fifty- two years, there is this splendid demonstration of respect and gratitude. I am proud thai our people have done their duty to-day, and l hope that our action will Inspire our children ;i hundred yean hence i<> commemorate i lu- great event I make uo apologies for coming here to glory over the \ Ictorj . Brock died <»n this field and our fathers fought here that we simuM !>'• a free and Independent people, and we have enjoyed that position for a hundred years, thanks to their efforts. How can we use that freedom better, than In testifying in the heartiest

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