The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-29 00:00:00

PRICE sd.

THE PRESENTATION OF THE
FREEDOM OF THE CITY TO PRINCE
ALBERT.

Yesterday the grand ceremony of presenting the free-
dom of the City to Prince Albert, took place in the
Guildhall, which was very elegantly fitted up, and ar-
ranged for the occasion, by Mr. Herring, the upholsterer
to the Corporation.

The whole of the western portion of the spacious
building, was raised upon an inclined plane, with seats
for upwards of 800 persons, behind which were elevated
benches for the masters and boys of the City of London
School. In the eastern portion was erected a platform
(slightly raised above the mass of the spectators) on
which the Prince was to be tendered the oath of a free-
man, and on this platform were placed seats for the
Aldermen, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, and a
few ladies of rank. Benches covered with crimson
cloth were arranged round the platform, in such abund-
ance, that, upon a moderate calculation, upwards of
2,000 individuals were accommodated in the hall during
the performance of the ceremony, although many ladies
had declined to accept the invitation from the fear of
being obliged to stand for the greater portion of the
time. Over the ancient statue of Queen Elizabeth,
were suspended the arms of Prince Allont, splendidly
emblazoned, and round the hall appeared the banners of
the several Companies. Mr. Harper, the celebrated
performer upon the trumpet, occupied the gallery over
the steps leading up to the Council Chamber, with his
band, and delighted the immense company with several
airs during the long period of expectation, from half-
past two till five o'clock.
At five o'clock the hall-keeper announced to the
Lord Mayor, who was in the Court of Aldermen, that
the Prince had arrived, and his Lordship, attended by
the Sheriffs, the Chamberlain, the City Solicitor, the
Comptroller, Sergeant ArabinoMr. Frith, of the Town
Clerk's office, the Swordbearer, &c., &c., and accom-
panied by a number of the Aldermen, Mr. King, the
Chairman of the Joint Committee, Mr. Evans, Mr.
Peacock, Mr. Moore, Mr. Anderton, Mr. R. Johnson,
Mr. Potter, "and several others of the Court of Com-
mon Council, immediately procee!ed to the gate to re-
ceive his Royal Highness, who entered the Hall
amidst great cheering and waving of handkerchiefs.
The Prince was conducted to the Council Chamber,
when the Lord Mayor introduced his Royal Highness
to the Lady Mayoress and the ladies of several of the
Aldermen. His Lordship then stated to his Royal
Highness that the Chamber Court in which they stood
was the first public Court in the kingdom in which the
Royal marriage was congratulated. The Prince, who
appeared to be quite delighted with his reception, and
to be particularly well pleased with the kindness and
affability of the Lord Mayor, received the information
with a smile, and pointed to the picture of the Queen,
which is appended from the ceiling to the right of
the chair, in an expressive manner.
From the Council Chamber the Prince walked with
the Lard Mayor, preceded by the City Officers, and
followed by the Sheriffs and Aldermen to the platform
in the hall, the band playing, " God save the Queen,"
and the company applauding and waving handkerchiefs.
His Royal Highness stood at the right of the Lord
Mayor, and the proceeding commenced. Mr. Frith,
the Town Clerk, after having read the minutes of the
last Court in accordance with the usual form, Sir James
Shaw, the City Chamberlain read the following re-
solution :

" Marshall Mayor,

" Court of Common Council, February 27, 1840.

" Resolved unanimously,—That the freedom of this
City be presented to his Royal Highness Prince Albert,
Consort of her Majesty, as a testimony of affection and
profound respect entertained by this Court, for his
person and distinguished character.
" WOODTHORPE."

Mr. John Sewell, Assistant Clerk of the Chamber-
lain, read the following list of vouchers, who are called
Compurgatores, for the eligibility of the Prince, and
their joint declaration upon oath :
" Sir Claudius Stephen Hunter, Bart. and Aid., Com-

purgator.
Sir M. Wood, Bart. and All, Compurgator.

W. Taylor Copeland, Esq., Ald., Compurgator.

. _
John Ring, Esq., Compurgator.
Walter Peacock, Esq., Compurgator.

Jeremiah Evans, Esq.. Compurgator.
We declare upon the oath we took at the time of our
admission to the freedom of the City, that Prince Albert
is of good name and fame, that he does not desire
the freedom of this City whereby to defraud the Queen
or this City of any of their just rights, customs, or
advantages, but that he will pay his scot and bear his lot,
and so we all say."—(A laugh.)
The CHAMBERLAIN then proposed the freeman's oath,
which we published a few days ago, to the Prince,
who was evidently moved at that part of it where he
pledged himself to keep the peace towards her Ma-
jesty, and not to meditate any harm towards her.
Some of the ladies who stood in the immediate vici-
nity, having accompanied their husbands to the scene,
put rather a serious face upon the matter, and agreed
amongst themselves that the oath contained a very ne-
cessary caution, and was applicable to the husbands of
other ladies.
The CHAMBERLAIN then addressed his Royal High-
ness in the following words :
" Prince Albert, Sir,—ln recording the vote of the
Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, confer-
ring upon your Royal Highness the freedom of this
ancient city, it has been my pleasing duty to inscribe
your name on the roll of her citizens, in company with
Kings and Princes, Statesmen and heroes, patriots and
philosophers, who, at various periods of our history,
have received at the hands of the Corporation of Lon-
don this distinguishing mark of their honour and regard.
" In your Royal Highness we recognise an illustrious
descendant of the Saxon race, to whom this country is
so largely indebted for those lights of civil and religious
freedom, which, modified and improved by time and ex-
perience, have secured to this highly favoured land a
state of individual happiness and national prosperity
.o which no other country has yet attained.
" That the auspicious alliance of your Royal High-
with our beloved Queen may consolidate and ex-
those blessings through the peaceful and prospe-
rous reign of her Majesty, and your mutual posterity,
is the ardent hope, and will form the constant prayer of
every loyal subject of the British Crown."—(Great ap-
plause followed this address.)
Prince ALBERT, who was evidently delighted with the
whole proceeding, read the following answer, very dis-
tinctly and audibly :
" It is with the greatest pleasure that I meet you
upon this occasion, and offer you my warmest thanks for
the honour which has been conferred upon me by the
presentation of the freedom of the City of London.
" The wealth and intelligence of this vast City have
raised it to the highest eminence amongst the cities of
the world, and it must therefore ever be esteemed a
great distinction to be numbered amongst the members
of your ancient Corporation.
" I shall always remember with pride and satisfaction
the day on which I became your fellow-citizen, and it is
especially gratifying to me, as marking your loyalty and
affection to the Queen."—(Loud cheers.)
His Royal Highness, the ceremony having ended
with the general recognition of the Prince as a fellow-
citizen by long-continued and ardent applause—then
proceeded to examine the penmanship of Mr. Walter
Paton, the ornamental penman to the Corporation and
the Royal Academy, who wrote the resolution of the
Court of Common Council on vellum with exquisite
art. His Royal Highness expressed his admiration of
the piece, and requested that it might be transmitted
as soon as possible to her Majesty.
At six o'clock his Royal Highness, amidst the
cheers of the company, left the Guildhall ; he ac-
companied the Lord Mayor in his Lordship's state
carriage to the Mansion-house, where he partook
of refreshment, and expressed the great delight he felt
at the manner and circumstances of his reception. His
Royal Highness expressed his regret that he was unable
to avail himself of the pleasure of dining with his
Lordship, and took his leave, declaring that
he he rejoiced
in shaking his worthy fellow-citizen by
hand,
The ball was cleared soon after six coc :
The greatest credit is due to the Chairman and
other members of the Committee for the exertions they
made to give general accommodation.

ness

ENTERTAIN MANSION-
HOUSE UP T THE
OCCA SION OF THE
ENTERTAINMENT
PRESENTATIONCITI,TOPROINF
CTEHEALFBREERET.DOM OF
THE
The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress gave a
splendid entertainment at the Mansion-House, ou the
occasion of the presentation of the freedom to his Royal
Highness Prince Albert, but his Royal Highness, as
we have stated in, our account of the proceedings at
the Guildhall, was unable to accept the invitation, in
consequence of circumstances over which he had no
control.
We observed amongst the company his Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge, Lord Bloomfield, Sir
John M'Donald, Adjutant-General, Lady Fitzroy So-
merset, Sir John Pellay, Bart., Deputy-Governor of the
Bank of England, Mr. Bailey, Chairman of the East
India Company, Mr. G. Lyall, Deputy-Chairman of
the East India Company, Colonel Innes, Colouel Wal-
ter, Sir Felix Booth, several of the Aldermen, the
Sheriffs, the Sheriffs Elect, Mr. Cobbett, Mr. Huth,
Mr. C..;. Huth, the Rev. Dr. Croly, Mr. C. G. Jen-
kins, Mr. J. L. Seager, Mr. John Leach, Sir John
Lubbock, Sir William and Lady Poland, and a great
number of the members of the Corporation.
The health of her Majesty having been drunk with
great enthusiasm,