text:  Proud indeed may be the district that can claim within herself the birthplaces of Burns and of Cunningham; and proud may we all be--and we are proud from yourself my lord to the humblest individual who bore a part in the proceedings of this memorable day--that we have the opportunity of testifying our respect to the genius that will defy the encroachment of time: and which has shed and will continue to shed a splendour and a glory around the land that we love so well! My lord I am honoured in having to propose "The memory of the Ettrick Shepherd and of Allan Cunningham