The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-21 00:00:00

Presentation of the Freedom of the City to

Garibaldi,

General Garibaldi, amidst immense applause,
and after standing a few moments as if wrapt in
thought, in reply to the Chamberlain's address,
spoke in English as follows:
My Lord Mayor,—lt is certainly impossible for me to
express the gratitude I feel to you as the rept esentative of
the glorious and great City of London, for the honour you
have conferred on me to-day. My Lord Mayor, I am
prouder of that honour certainly than the first place in vier
—the first rank in war—the first honour in war—because I
consider it the greatest honour for me to be a freeman of
this glorious city—(cheers)—the focus of the civilisation
of the world. (Cheers.) Ido not exaggerate, I think, in
saying this, because I have seen now that this city is the
very centre of liberty. Here there are ho strangers, because
every inhabitant is at home in England. (Cheers.) I re-
peat, that it would be impossible for me to express my
gratitude to you and to the City of London, but I have to
thank you not for my own proper self alone, but for the
sake of my country, which looks to England for any succour
she can have in war, and certainly all my countrymen never
can be grateful enough to the English people for their sup-
port, their sympathy, and their material aid given to
oppressed peoples—given under every circumstance. This
is not the only occasion on which I have had the happin, se
to meet the English people. I have been happy will' them
in many places in the world and at many times. In America
particularly, under some circumstances under the protection
of the British flag, I have been saved. In China [ received
favours from the English people so great that it is impossible
for me to forget in all my lite, and in every part of the world
my gratitude, my affection, and my love fur the English
people must be imperishable. (Cheers.) lam grateful
for my country, too, for the sympathy shown it by the
English people, and in their behalf and my own I thank
you.
The General then resumed his seat amidst
immense cheering.

A special meeting of the general committee of the
Garibaldi Reception and Testimonial Fund was held
at the London Tavern last evening for the purpose
of considering the unexpected approach of the ter-
mination of Garibaldi's visit to England. Mc. Ed-
ward Miall presided, and the proceedings, which
lasted for nearly three hours, were throughout very
noisy and disorderly. In nearly every instance the
speakers declined to regard health as the primary
cause of Garibaldi's departure, but affirmed most
positively that the General was influenced in his
decision by representations made to him from
foreign Governments through every possible channel
that could be devised. Mr. Seely, who was present,
gave all these assertions the most complete denial.
He said that owing to the number of the towns
which Garibaldi had engaged or proposed to visit,
exceeding 30 in all, his friends perceived that they
could not be keot witnoat seriously endangering his
health. Accordingly, on Sunday night last the
Duke of Sutherland, Earl Shaftesbury, General
Eber, Colonel PeHrd, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Negretti,
and himself met at Stafford-house to consider the
propriety of limiting the General's visit to six or
eight of the principal towns of the kingdom,
affording the remainder an opportunity of pre-
senting addresses to him at those places, if they
should think such a course desirable. The General
replied that it would be impossible for him to draw
a line, and that he would in preference leave Eng-
land at once. That very morning the Duke of
Sutherland, Earl Shaftesbury, Count Ssffi, General
Eber, Colonel Peard, Mr. Negretti, Mr. Stansfeld,
and Mr. Humbro had endeavoured to induce the
General to reconsider his determination, but without
any result. Mr. Negretti, following Mr. Seely,
recounted the fatigues which had been undergone by
the General during his stay in London, and assured
the comrai(tee 'hat every effort that might be made
would beuseless. The kindness that had been extended
towards the General was undoubtedly sincere, but
was of to, demonstrative a character for an invalid.
After a great deal of angry declamation, the fol-
lowing resolution, moved by Mr. Nicholay, and
seconded by Captain E. Dresser Roger, was unani-
mously carried :
" That it is at this moment very inexpedient, and
in the interests of true liberal principles highly un-
desirable, that General Garibaldi should be induced
to leave this country, more particularly as the rea-
sons of his departure are not fully stated."
After appointing a deputation to visit General
Garibaldi for the purpose of inducing him to post-
pone his return to Caprera, the meeting separated.