Page:Brock centenary 2nd ed. 1913.djvu/82

 BROCK CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION •■ 'I'M-* Major-General calli the serious attentioo

(»f r\.i\ iiiiliii;iin;iii in the efforts making l.\ the

enemy iii destroy and lay sraete this flourishing country; thej must be sensible of the great stake thej have to contend for and will, bj their cond ict, conyince the enemy that they are aot desirous "f bowing their Decks to ;i foreign yoke. The M General is determined i" devote his beat energies t<> the defence of the country, and has qo doubt that, supported by the seal, activity and determina- tion <>f tin* loyal Inhabitants of this Province, he will successfully repel every hostile attack, and preserve t<» them Inviolate all thai they hold dear. w

The result of the arar proves how well Brock himself lived up to these sentiments. was col of our making. ( >n the L8th of June, 1812, President Madison declared arar against Great Britain, arith Canada as the point of attack. The •• Right of Search," the power to search for contra* band or for deserters on board of American ships, claimed by Britain, but was resisted by the United stairs. Strange to say, this claim was abandoned by Great Britain the very day before war was declared by President Madison, yet tin- war was declared and went <>n. it will be readily seen that Canada had absolutely nothing to do with this war <>r its alleged cause, the " Right of Search"; and yet, In making this war on Canada, the United States placed Itself on record as approv- ing a forcible invasion of a neighbouring peaceful country and of Involving it In all the horrors of war. At that time the United States had eight million people, Upper Canada had barelj eighty thousand. At the eery outset the Americans placed apon s arar footing one hundred and seventy-five

thousand men, srhereas their wen* less than ten

thousand men of all kinds capable of bearing arms

in Upper Canada. These lijjures •_ r i\«* us an Idea

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