The Sun.
London, England, 1801-12-18 00:00:00

SIR SIDKEY SMITft.

THE Corporation :of London, anxious to exhibit
a proalof their admiration of the gallant achieve.
Menti of Sir:St DNEY SMITH,- at the'Siege of Acre,
resolved to bestow upon him the Freedom of their-
ancient City, -and •to accompany it with thePrese„nt
of a 'valuable Sword.' Yesterday he attended at
Guildhall, in order. to . be invested with the -civic
Privileges of which he had been deemed worthy,
and to receive the symbol.of valour he had so justly
'merited: 2- • - •

The • •
ril .I,ORD MAYOR, the LAAMB ER LAIN, and
severAiltlid'Aldeitn:enlvere :ready to receive him.
He -madel&alificiearance between one and two; and
was ushered into the. Chuinherlain's OZice. The.
Loitri MAYOR received him';With the utmost
courtesy, andintroducedhim to Mr. JANIEs DIXON,
the Gentlemari:who had done himself the. honour of
voting the Thanks of the Court of -Common Conn:
cil in his fayour-4,. The CHAYIi ERLAIN then ad-
dressed.him in the following terms : •
• SIR SIDNEY SWITII.-4, give:you joy in the name of the
Lord Mayor, Aldermen; ancreornmonso the city of Lon:
don, in Compton Cvuncil assembled, and present you the
Thanks of the Court, for your gallant. and successful defence
of St: jean d'Acre, against-the desperate ?.ttack of the French
Army under the Comniand of 'General Bonaparte : And, as
4 further testimony of the sense the Court entertains. of
Your great display of' valour -on that occasion, I have.
the honour to pi'esent you tiffs Sword -(Sir Sidney received
the sword, and "pressed- it_ with fervour to his lips). I will
not, Sir, attempt a panegyric toori an aetion to which the
.tirstmatorical powe.rs in the most'eloquent,AsSeMblies have,
been con fes:.:cl unequal hut .r..annot .tielts::•eXulting on this
Itypy oceasiOn • at_ the Va.st acquiSifiviLmational reputation
acquired by your condutt at the head of a handful of Britons,
tr.-re thin ‘vho has been justly styled. the Alexander of
day, surrounded by a host or
.Conquerors till then deemed
invincible. BY this splendid achievement you'lrustrated the.
liesight.hf foe err ailf Eastindian -Tertitmjes, preYetiled
the overthrow of thtA)ttoman Power-in Asia, the dOwniall
2! its Throne in Europe', and prepared the way for that
insary ofPeace, which it is devoutly to be wished may long
Preserve.the tranquillity of the Universe, and promote friend:-
ship and goOd will among all nations. , It inusf he highly
gratifying to every of hiS Country, that this event ShOtild
eve happened'oritthe very spot. where a gallant English
Monarch ftirmcrly'displayed.suchprodigies•of valour—that a
telebr4tcd_Hittorian, recordinghis actions, struck- with the
stupendous instances of prov.,:.:ss displayed by that 'heroic
Prince, sudderllN.' exclaimed, " Am I. writing 1-tistory,v:-. r 0...
Intinfe Had:: that Historian survived to have Wit-
nessed: has recently happened at St. 'Jean d'Acrei ha
Would have exultingly resigned his. doubts; and generously.
have eont.:sse4 th:u .atiptis,: no less.ezifraordinary than those
• performed by the ,zariant Cceur de Lion, have been achieved
by Sir SinvEY '4,peeci,,epas foilosuctf by univr
acaniti,Nt.i .3 •• • •
Sit c
oiDNEY- thus• 'replied
•

Sir--111,...ociseinii that. •I should have been tlieughtivorthy
of •actdressectibus you on the part of .the City .of
tOridori in,tit4rths,..Of such high and unqualified. approbation,
I am but ill.prepared for replying in a maimer.adequately
to express tne • sentiments ' with' which I am. impressed.—
Aly confidence:. would be lesSened; did I not feel that I
vas surrounded by friends, who are dear to ine.,,auti whose.
approbition I "itin proud to have received. It shall be the
oOjeCl of my future life to merit..the Panegyric you have been
Cleased to pronaiince in..my favour. For the Freed= of your.
ity, with which You lave honoured me, I retian ypu my
sincere thanks, and shall implicitly conform to all the obliga-.
Lions' aruiexedi to it. Above rl i, J. ac.cepi.thi S tt,ord as the most
Ilonourahle reward Which Gould; have conferred on me.
In Peade it Wilrbe mk.likoliclestOrnanienf, and in War I trust,
Ishall be eye; ready, to.ictraW it in 'defence of 'my Country,,
and for the prottaion of the City of .Lonciest.—V,?sid
Plau.se4' • ' • •
, •