can never forget the feelings displayed by the loyal
militia of this province, when they were consigning to the
grave the noble hero who had so lately achieved a glorious
triumph in the defence of their country: they looked forward
to a dark and perilous future, and they felt that the earth
was closing upon him in whom, more than in all other human
means of defence, their confidence had been reposed. Nor can
they forget the countenances, oppressed with grief, of those
brave and faithful Indian warriors, who admired and loved the
gallant Brock, who had bravely shared with him the dangers of
that period, and who had most honorably distinguished
themselves in the field, where he closed his short but
brilliant career.

* * * * *

It has, I know, Sir, in the many years that have elapsed, been
sometimes objected, that General Brock's courage was greater
than his prudence--that his attack of Fort Detroit, though it
succeeded, was most likely to have, failed, and was therefore
injudicious--and that a similar rashness and want of cool
calculation were displayed in the manner of his death.

Those who lived in Upper Canada while these events were
passing, can form a truer judgment; they know that what may to
some seem rashness, was, in fact, prudence; unless, indeed,
the defence of Canada was to be abandoned, in the almost
desperate circumstances in which General Brock was placed. He
had with him but a handful of men, who had never been used to
military discipline--few, indeed, that had ever seen actual
service in the field; and he knew it must be some months
before any considerable reinforcement could be sent to him. He
felt, therefore, that if he could not impress upon the enemy
this truth, that--wherever a major-general of the British
army, with but a few gallant soldiers of the line, and of the
brave defenders of the soil, could be assembled against
them--they must retire from the land which they had invaded,
his cause was hopeless. If he had begun to compare numbers,
and had reserved his small force in order to make a safer
effort on a future day, then would thousands upon thousands of
the people of the neighbouring States have been found pouring
into the western portions of this province; and when at last
our mother country could send, as it wa