16 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
B. E. Charlton. The kindly voice and the helping hand have de- 
parted never to return, but the influence and example of their noble 
lives and actions remain as an undying heritage. 
Early in the present year, as subjects and citizens of the British 
Empire, we, in common with our brethren throughout the world, 
were startled with the sad news of the death of that great Queen 
and beloved Sovereign, whose wise administration had been excelled 
only by the virtues of her womanly character. ‘To such an extent 
had her name and person become associated with the permanence 
of our national life and the progress of the century that we had 
refused to believe her mortal. We loved and served her in life as 
becometh a free people to serve a wise and noble ruler ; we reverence 
her memory in death, and shall bestow upon her illustrious son that 
homage to which his inherited virtues are justly entitled. 
In common also with the other parts of our Empire, we are 
still called upon to extend aid and sympathy to our Colonial brethren 
in South Africa, whose homes have been violated by a semi- 
barbarous invader. We unite in the hope that peace may soon 
crown the efforts of our arms, and that the blessings of Anglo-Saxon 
enlightenment and justice shall have free scope to remove whatever of 
blind hatred the past may have engendered. While, however, 
lamenting the protraction of the war, we, of this country, who can 
form some conception of the difficulties of the present war from 
considering the extent of our own Dominions, cannot but be 
amused at the unreasoning attitude of so many of our arm-chair 
critics. The struggle which gave the Anglo-Saxon supremacy in 
America was measured not by years but by decades, or I might 
even say by centuries. The spirit of determination which animated 
our fathers will not, I trust, be found wanting in the present 
generation. 
A more pleasing feature of our national history of the present 
year was the opportunity afforded us, in common with the other 
portions of the Empire situated beyond the seas, to join in welcom- 
ing among us the heir-apparent to the Imperial Throne. No stronger 
proof of the solidarity of our people and of the deep affection which 
they hold toward the reigning house could be required than the 
uniform expressions of devotion with which in every part of the 
Empire Their Royal Highnesses have been greeted. Their tri- 
