UNITED STATES AND CANADA 161 



lain, who met with an enthusiastic reception. Mr. 

 Chamberlain made a long speech to them. After 

 referring to the origin, history, and objects of the 

 Order, he expressed his hearty sympathy with it, 

 and his fervent hopes for its future prosperity. He 

 assumed that the majority of the company present 

 were British Americans, and he wanted them to 

 consider what that appellation implied. They were 

 Americans first of all, and he congratulated them 

 upon their choice, for in that Greater Britain be- 

 yond the seas they would find all the characteristics 

 of the Great Britain they had left behind at home. 

 While sharing in the duties and responsibilities and 

 privileges of their new life, and in the future fortunes 

 of America, they had not surrendered their great 

 inheritance of the past of England — the thousand 

 years of glorious tradition. Their Order had 

 shown that allegiance to the new land was not in- 

 compatible with affectionate regard for the old 

 home. 



He believed that the cordial friendship of these 

 two great nations was the best guarantee for the 

 peace of the civilised world, and it was to promote 

 that object that he came there, accepting at twenty- 

 four hours' notice the difficult Mission with which 

 he had been entrusted by the Queen. That Mission, 



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