e the York Pioneers and
other Associations assembled on Queenston Heights, near Brock's
Monument, met at a pic-nic on Monday, July 26th, 1875, to celebrate the
battle of Lundy's Lane.

"The Chairman, Colonel R. Denison, called upon Dr. Ryerson, who was
warmly received.

"After a few preliminary observations, he said that he felt it a great
privilege to be called on to address a number of those Canadians who had
laid the foundation of our country, who had given Canada a name that was
honoured throughout the world, and whose hearts beat responsive to those
noble principles that made England the glory of all nations, and British
institutions the honour of mankind. (Loud applause.) He thought the York
Pioneers might well be called the Canadian Pioneers--the pioneers of
Canadian industry enterprise, freedom, and civilization. The object of
the Society in giving an intelligent intensity to those principles that
constituted the loyalty of the people of Canada, in preserving the
traditions of the country, and in uniting in one centre the various
elements of scattered light which were connected with the earliest rays
of its opening history, were works well worthy of the defenders of the
liberties of this country. The very foundation of the York Pioneers was
a spirit of loyalty. What was that loyalty itself? It was no other than
an attachment to the institutions and laws of the land in which we live,
and to the history of the nation to which we belong. It was not merely a
sentiment of respect of the country to an individual, or even to the
Sovereign. If it gathered round the person of the Sovereign, it was
because that Sovereign represented the institutions of the people, the
overshadowing laws of the people, the real and essential freedom, and
the noblest development of the spirit of the people. Loyalty in its true
essence and meaning was the principle of respect to our Sovereign, the
freedom of our institutions, and the excellencies of our civilization,
and it was therefore a feeling worthy to be perpetuated by the people.
Shakespeare--that great apostle of human nature--has said:

"'Though _loyalty_, well held, to fools does make
Our faith mere folly; yet he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fallen lord,
Does conquer him that did his master conquer.'

"Loyalty is, therefore, faithful to its own principles, whether the
personal object of it is in prosperity or adversity.

"'Loyalty is still the same,
Whether it