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| Brock's response to Hull's proclamation |
When General Hull issued his
proclamation, Brock had to respond
in kind in an effort to reassure
supporters of the King that the British
were in control and would not
abandon the defence of Upper
Canada. It was also designed to
warn the many American sympathizers
in the colony that they owed their
allegiance to the British crown.
Brock, unlike Hull, was able to back
up his words with action. Here's
the text of the proclamation,
which was issued at Fort George
on July 22, 1812.
Brock's Proclamation
The unprovoked declaration of War,
by the United States of America, against
the United Kingdom, of Great Britain and Ireland, and its dependencies,
has been followed by the actual invasion of this Province in a remote
Frontier of the Western District by a detachment of the Armed Force of
the United States. The Officer commanding that detachment has thought
proper to invite his Majesty's subjects not merely to a quiet and
unresisting submission, but insults them with a call to seek voluntarily
the protection of his Government. Without condescending to repeat the
illiberal epithets bestowed in this appeal of the American Commander to
the People of Upper Canada, on the Administration of his Majesty, every
Inhabitant of the Province is desired to seek the confutation of such
indecent slander in the review of his own particular circumstances:
where is the Canadian Subject who can truly affirm to himself that he
has been injured by the Government in his person, his liberty, or his
property? Where is to be found in any part of the world, a growth so
rapid in wealth and prosperity as this Colony exhibits,-settled not thirty
years by a band of Veterans exiled from their former possessions on
account of their loyalty, not a descendant of these brave people is to be
found, who under the fostering liberality of their Sovereign, has not
acquired a property and means of enjoyment superior to what were
possessed by their ancestors. This unequalled prosperity could not have
been attained by the utmost liberality of the Government or the
persevering industry of the people, had not the maritime power of the
mother Country secured to its Colonists a safe access to every market
where the produce of their labor was in demand.
The unavoidable and immediate consequence of a seperation from Great
Britain, must be the loss of this inestimable advantage, and what is
offered you in exchange? to become a territory of the United States and
share with them that exclusion from the Ocean, which the policy of their
present Government enforces.-you are not even flattered with a
participation of their boasted independence, and it is but too obvious
that once exchanged (estranged) from the powerful protection of the
United Kingdom you must be reannexed to the dominion of France, from
which the Provinces of Canada were wrested by the Arms of Great
Britain, at a vast expense of blood and treasure, from no other motive
than to relieve her ungrateful children from the oppresion of a cruel
neighbor: this restitution of Canada to the Empire of France was the
stipulated reward for the aid afforded to the revolted Colonies, now the
United States; the debt is still due, and there can be no doubt but the
pledge has been renewed as a consideration for Commercial
Advantages, or rather for an expected relaxation in the Tyranny of
France over the Commercial World.-Are you prepared Inhabitants of
Upper Canada to become willing subjects or rather slaves to the Despot
who rules the nations of Europe with a rod of Iron? If not, arise in a
Body, exert your energies, co-operate cordially with the King's regular
Forces to repel the invader, and do not give cause to your children when
groaning under the oppression of a foreign Master to reproach you with
having too easily parted with the richest Inheritance on Earth - a
participation in the name, character and freedom of Britons.
The same spirit of Justice, which will make every reasonable allowance
for the unsuccessful efforts of Zeal and Loyalty, will not fail to punish the
defalcation of principle; every Canadian Freeholder is by deliberate
choice, bound by the most solemn Oaths to defend the Monarchy as well
as his own property; to shrink from that engagement is a Treason not to
be forgiven; let no Man suppose that if in this unexpected struggle his
Majesties Arms should be compelled to yield to an overwhelming force,
that the Province will be eventually abandoned; the endeared relations
of its first settlers, the intrinsic value of its Commerce and the
pretensions of its powerful rival to repossess the Canadas are pledges
that no peace will be established between the United States and Great
Britain and Ireland, of which the restoration of these Provinces does not
make the most prominent condition.
Be not dismayed at the unjustifiable threat of the Commander of the
Enemies forces to refuse quarter if an Indian appear in the Ranks. The
brave bands of Natives which inhabit this Colony, were, like his Majesty's
Subjects, punished for their zeal and fidelity by the loss of their
possessions in the late Colonies, and rewarded by his Majesty with
lands of superior value in this Province: the Faith of the British
Government has never yet been violated, they feel that the soil they
inherit is to them and their posterity protected from the base Arts so
frequently devised to over reach their simplicity. By what new principle
are they to be prevented from defending their property? If their Warfare
from being different from that of the white people is more terrific to the
Enemy, let him retrace his steps-they seek him not-and cannot expect to
find women and children in an invading army; but they are men, and
have equal rights with all other men to defend themselves and their
property when invaded, more especially when they find in the enemies
Camp a ferocious and mortal foe using the same Warfare which the
American Commander affects to reprobate.
This inconsistent and unjustifiable threat of refusing quarter for such a
cause as being found in Arms with a brother sufferer in defence of
invaded rights, must be exercised with the certain assurance of
retaliation, not only in the limited operations of War in this part of the
King's Dominions but in every quarter of the globe, for the National
character of Britain is not less distinguished for humanity than strict
retributive Justice, which will consider the execution of this inhuman
threat as deliberate murder, for which every subject of the offending
power must make expiation.
GOD SAVE THE KING
proclamation, Brock had to respond
in kind in an effort to reassure
supporters of the King that the British
were in control and would not
abandon the defence of Upper
Canada. It was also designed to
warn the many American sympathizers
in the colony that they owed their
allegiance to the British crown.
Brock, unlike Hull, was able to back
up his words with action. Here's
the text of the proclamation,
which was issued at Fort George
on July 22, 1812.
Brock's Proclamation
The unprovoked declaration of War,
by the United States of America, against
the United Kingdom, of Great Britain and Ireland, and its dependencies,
has been followed by the actual invasion of this Province in a remote
Frontier of the Western District by a detachment of the Armed Force of
the United States. The Officer commanding that detachment has thought
proper to invite his Majesty's subjects not merely to a quiet and
unresisting submission, but insults them with a call to seek voluntarily
the protection of his Government. Without condescending to repeat the
illiberal epithets bestowed in this appeal of the American Commander to
the People of Upper Canada, on the Administration of his Majesty, every
Inhabitant of the Province is desired to seek the confutation of such
indecent slander in the review of his own particular circumstances:
where is the Canadian Subject who can truly affirm to himself that he
has been injured by the Government in his person, his liberty, or his
property? Where is to be found in any part of the world, a growth so
rapid in wealth and prosperity as this Colony exhibits,-settled not thirty
years by a band of Veterans exiled from their former possessions on
account of their loyalty, not a descendant of these brave people is to be
found, who under the fostering liberality of their Sovereign, has not
acquired a property and means of enjoyment superior to what were
possessed by their ancestors. This unequalled prosperity could not have
been attained by the utmost liberality of the Government or the
persevering industry of the people, had not the maritime power of the
mother Country secured to its Colonists a safe access to every market
where the produce of their labor was in demand.
The unavoidable and immediate consequence of a seperation from Great
Britain, must be the loss of this inestimable advantage, and what is
offered you in exchange? to become a territory of the United States and
share with them that exclusion from the Ocean, which the policy of their
present Government enforces.-you are not even flattered with a
participation of their boasted independence, and it is but too obvious
that once exchanged (estranged) from the powerful protection of the
United Kingdom you must be reannexed to the dominion of France, from
which the Provinces of Canada were wrested by the Arms of Great
Britain, at a vast expense of blood and treasure, from no other motive
than to relieve her ungrateful children from the oppresion of a cruel
neighbor: this restitution of Canada to the Empire of France was the
stipulated reward for the aid afforded to the revolted Colonies, now the
United States; the debt is still due, and there can be no doubt but the
pledge has been renewed as a consideration for Commercial
Advantages, or rather for an expected relaxation in the Tyranny of
France over the Commercial World.-Are you prepared Inhabitants of
Upper Canada to become willing subjects or rather slaves to the Despot
who rules the nations of Europe with a rod of Iron? If not, arise in a
Body, exert your energies, co-operate cordially with the King's regular
Forces to repel the invader, and do not give cause to your children when
groaning under the oppression of a foreign Master to reproach you with
having too easily parted with the richest Inheritance on Earth - a
participation in the name, character and freedom of Britons.
The same spirit of Justice, which will make every reasonable allowance
for the unsuccessful efforts of Zeal and Loyalty, will not fail to punish the
defalcation of principle; every Canadian Freeholder is by deliberate
choice, bound by the most solemn Oaths to defend the Monarchy as well
as his own property; to shrink from that engagement is a Treason not to
be forgiven; let no Man suppose that if in this unexpected struggle his
Majesties Arms should be compelled to yield to an overwhelming force,
that the Province will be eventually abandoned; the endeared relations
of its first settlers, the intrinsic value of its Commerce and the
pretensions of its powerful rival to repossess the Canadas are pledges
that no peace will be established between the United States and Great
Britain and Ireland, of which the restoration of these Provinces does not
make the most prominent condition.
Be not dismayed at the unjustifiable threat of the Commander of the
Enemies forces to refuse quarter if an Indian appear in the Ranks. The
brave bands of Natives which inhabit this Colony, were, like his Majesty's
Subjects, punished for their zeal and fidelity by the loss of their
possessions in the late Colonies, and rewarded by his Majesty with
lands of superior value in this Province: the Faith of the British
Government has never yet been violated, they feel that the soil they
inherit is to them and their posterity protected from the base Arts so
frequently devised to over reach their simplicity. By what new principle
are they to be prevented from defending their property? If their Warfare
from being different from that of the white people is more terrific to the
Enemy, let him retrace his steps-they seek him not-and cannot expect to
find women and children in an invading army; but they are men, and
have equal rights with all other men to defend themselves and their
property when invaded, more especially when they find in the enemies
Camp a ferocious and mortal foe using the same Warfare which the
American Commander affects to reprobate.
This inconsistent and unjustifiable threat of refusing quarter for such a
cause as being found in Arms with a brother sufferer in defence of
invaded rights, must be exercised with the certain assurance of
retaliation, not only in the limited operations of War in this part of the
King's Dominions but in every quarter of the globe, for the National
character of Britain is not less distinguished for humanity than strict
retributive Justice, which will consider the execution of this inhuman
threat as deliberate murder, for which every subject of the offending
power must make expiation.
GOD SAVE THE KING
| MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ISAAC BROCK |
