CANADA'S APPEAL TO HISTORY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 171, 10 July 1908, Page 4

CANADA'S APPEAL TO HISTORY

TKI'CKX'I'KNUY OF T.UIO FOUA'DATIOX <)!•' CAXADA ItY SAMUEL BE CIJAML'IjAIX OX .rUJA' 3, l(it)8, AXD O I.M.M IiMOIIAT'IOX OF UEXISKAL Vi'OLI'TCS VICTORY OX THE PEAIXS OF AMtAIIAU OX SEi'TKAIMR 13, 1751).

j In I'oiiiirt'tnm with the Icret'iiU'iinry of the foundation of tin l Dominion, Canada has made an appeal to all English and French speaking peoples to assist in preserving .md dedicating as an Imperial I'ark the historic Plains of Abraham, upon which fell Hie two gallant generals .Monleahn and Wolfe. It is proposed aho to commemorate by suitable memorial-* Hie names of those who, .m the troublous days of early settlement, were intimately associated with the history of the Dominion. The appeai. abridged, is as follows: "The Plains of Abraham stand alone among the world's immortal battlefields as ih' pl;)i'c where an empire was lost and won in the clash of arms. "Vamoos as they are, however, the Plains are not the only baltlelield at Quebec, nor even the only one that is a source ol pride fo the French and Fnglish speaking peoples. In less than a. century. Americans, British, French, and French-Canadians look part in four sieges ami five battles. Sonic of the battles were decisive; but the losing side 'was never disgraced, and the winning side was always composed of allied forces who shared the triumph among them. American Hungers accompanied Wilfe in 17511; and in 1775 FrenchCanadians helped Cal'letort to save the future Dominion from the attacks of the revolted American colonists under Montgomery' and Arnold. 't was in 100S that Champlain built his "abitacion" (where Quebec now stands) against the menace of the wilderness, the year 1!)0S is the tercentenary of the foundation of Canada, and affords a unique opportunity to set this priceless ground apart from the catalogue of common things, and to preserve it as an Anglo-French heirloom for all time.

''ln -Tunc, 1759, Admiral Saunders led up the St. Lawrence the greatest fleet then afloat in tlio world. Saunders was a star of the service even among the galaxy then renowned at sea. With liim were the future Lord St. Vincent, the fntnrp Captain Cook, who made the first British ehart of the river, and several more who rose to high distinct ion. His ileet comprised a quarter of the whole Royal Xavy; and, with its convoy, numsail of every kind. "Wolfe, wont out, half-despairing, twice repulsed, at last saw his chance, j'laninng and acting entirely on his own initiative, lie enmned three?"days of iinely combined manoeuvres. 011 laud and water, over a front of thirtv miles, bv the consummate stratagem which placed 'nvrrrlorp 11 nu red lines across the plains of Abraham exactly at the favorable moment.

'' Meanwhile, Montcalm had dony all he I'Oiild against false friends and open enemies. He hud repulsed Wolfe's assault at Montmorency, and checkmated every move he could divine through the nearly impenetrable screen of the British fleet. He spurred oil to reconnoitre the red wall that had so suddenly sprung up across the pjains. lie had no choice nut instil nt notion. 1 Montcalm towered aloft and alone—tlio last groat J'YenehI man of AYestern World. Ho never I stood higher in all manly mindi than I on. that fatal day.' He fouqlit like a I general, and died like a hero, j " Never wore staunchor champions than | those two leaders and their six hriga.'Let us Teinember how, on the I victorious side, the young commander was killed in the forefront of the find, ahnve all. let us remember ho»v J:*siin«r the (wiii re,iio l .Vji of AVolfe and Montcalm tlictusi'lvcs should l»e; when tin; one was so consummate in the viel<'ry, and llu- other so trulv glorious iii defeat.'

_ "The raitses ol' ([„■ .strife are Inn# smco on I worn ami cast aside: only its eluvalrv remains. Shall we fail lo'dcdical.e what our fore lathers have so con-

as |lk> OJ | (t jioJd of glory- to us all.' it is uuf. to IH' thought of. Nollim-;- remains. therefore, except the lime and trouble and cN.i>eiise of makj's u ' w f 'J I'ei'oinr, in fae'. and naiue, l»al tleiield Park. This will include {he best of whal nm>l always he known as the Plains of Ahiaham, and I he l.esf n[ every oilier of aetion Dial can he preserved in whole or in pari, Ap,'>!aers within these limits

could he diiiM'ii to commemorate fhe names ol eleven historic. characters---Chnmplain. who founded Canada: .\lonteaim, Wolfe, Nevis, .Murray, Saunders.

and Yanqnelin, who fought for her: fi'ok and Bougainville, iiie eireimmavignl.ors, who did yeoman service; ami ''ronteiiae and Caiieton, ■who saved her in difl'erent ways, kit to the same end.

-Actiiiw on a suggestion made to his Excellency tlie Governor l»v Earl Crov, the (j-overnor-Oeneral of Canada, the Minister for JEdueation lias decided io place Canada s appeal before the schoolchildren of Kew Zealand, and to ask

en eh child .should give one pennv lo assist, in dedicating n l( , fSatliefie'ld Tarl<

><n Imperial manorial of tho great vie;eryjhat not only firmly established Anglo-Saxon supremacy in North Amerbut eventually brought about that lasting peace ami solid friendship that mark the present relations between the descendants of the two great nations— Britain and France—on the western continent.