The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-21 00:00:00

LORD CLYDE AND GENERAL SIR J.

OUTILIM IN THE CITY.

Yesterday, at 2 o'clock, a Court of Common Coun-
cil, at which the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor pre-
sided, was specially convened at Guildhall, for the
purpose of presenting the freedom of the City of
London to General Lord Clyde and Lieut.-Gen. Sir
James Outram in person, in grateful recognition
of their distinguished military services by the citi-
zens at large. The presence of men so renowned,
and whose later career is inseparably identified
with recent events of such commanding interest,
lent to the ceremony unwonted attraction, and the
Council-chamber in which it took place was densely
crowded on the occasion. The whole of the members
of the Common Council were present to a man, and
the greater part of them, resigning their seats for
the accommodation of the host of ladies who were
in attendance, stood in a compact mass on the floor
of the chamber throughout the proceedings. The
members of the Court of Aldermen, wearing each
his scarlet robe of office, mustered in proportionate
numbers, and among them were Sir Robert Carden,
Sir John Musgrove, Sir Henry Muggeridge, and
Messrs. Salomons, Hale, Humphery, Lawrence,
Challis, Finnis, Mechi, Conder, Phillips, and James
Lawrence. The Sheriffs, Alderman Abbiss and Mr.
Lusk, with the Under-Sheriffs, were also present,
as was also Mr Commissioner Kerr and all the minis-
terial officers of the Corporation:
About half-past one o'clock—earlier than was
anticipated—Lord Clyde, attended by Colonel Met-
calfe and Colonel Norman, officers of his staff,
arrived at Guildhall, followed by General Outram,
who was accompanied by Lady Outram and Mr.
Ontram, their son. They were first conducted to
the chamber of the Court of Aldermen, and as they
passed across the hall on their way were warmly
greeted by the crowd assembled there. Six com-
panies of the London Rifle Brigade, under the joint
command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hicks and Major
Alderman Rose, and attended by their band, were
posted in the open space in front of Guildhall, as a
guard of honour ; and the boys belonging to the
Cadet Corps of the brigade lined the lobby stretch-
ing from the hall to the Council Chamber.
Shortly before 2 o'clock the Lord Mayor took the
Chair, and immediately aftewards Lord Clyde and
Sir James Outram, each of whom wore the uniform
of a general officer, were introduced to the Court by
Mr. Charles Reed, Alderman Conder, and Mr. Doi-
lond, the mover and seconders of the resolutions
conferring the freedom. As they entered, and took
the seats assigned them on the left of the chief ma-
gistrate, they were greeted with an enthusiastic
and prolonged cheer. General Outram appeared
in extremely delicate health. The Lady Mayoress,
Lady Outram, and Mrs. Metcalfe occupied seats near
the distinguished Generals. Mr. Woodthorpe, the
Town-clerk, then read the subjoined resolutions,
unanimously agreed to by the Court of Common
Council on the 7th October, 1858, during the
Mayoralty of Sir Robert Carden :
" That the freedom of the city, with a sword of
the value of 100 guineas, be presented to the Right
Hon. Baron Clyde, Commander-in-Chief of her Ma-
jesty's forces in the East Indies, in testimony of the
distinguished services he has rendered to this coun-
try, and particularly for his operations at Lucknow,
which have resulted in the reduction and occupation
of that important position, the dispersion of the
rebel force from their great rallying point, and the
undoubted confirmation of the ascendancy of the
British arms."
(Cheers.) Again,

" That the freedom of this city, with a sword of
the value of 100 guineas, be presented to Lieutenant-
General Sir James Outram, K.C.8., in testimony of
the signal services rendered by him in suppressing
mutiny and rebellion in the V East Indies, and in
admiration of his high personal and public character,
exemplified through a long period of military ser-
vice in the East, as a brave, skilful, and patriotic
soldier."

(Cheers.) Official documents were also produced
by Mr. John Sewell, Clerk of the Chamber, indi-
cating that Lord Clyde and General Outram had
been unanimously elected members of the Merchant
Taylors' Company. Then, on the invitation of
:.he Chamberlain, they severally read and sub-
scribed the declaration customary on admission to
the freedom. As Lord Clyde repeated the portion
of it which pledged the distinguished General, so
conspicuous for his devoted loyalty, to " Keep the
Queen's peace in his own person," the declaration
provoked some good-natured laughter. This cere-
mony over,

Mr. SCOTT, the Clsamberlain, addressing Baron
Clyde, who remained standing, said,—My Lord,—lt
is a time-honoured and cherished custom with this
ancient corporation to inscribe on their roll of
honorary citizenship the names of men who, in the
various departments of civil or professional service,
have signalised themselves, and who have deserved
well of their country. Upon that roll it was their
privileges to record the names of Wellington, Beres-
ford, Stuart, Hill, and Graham, the distinguished
chiefs commanding in many a field memorable in
the Peninsular campaign ; and it is a significant
incident, and deeply interesting to this hon. Court,
that they meet this day to inscribe on the same list
the name of an officer who played a gallant though
subordinate part in the same campaign—(cheers)
—spared through half a century of honourable ser-
vice and military casualties to receive, at length
thanks and compliments similar to those bestowed,
long since upon his masters in the school of arms.
(Cheers.) Since the happy termination of the
great European struggle in 1815, your lordship
has improved the already distinguished reputas
Lion acquired in the Peninsula by services of
no mean order in various parts of the world, parti-
cularly in China and North-Western India, under
the leadership of the veteran Lord Gough. That
noble and gallant lord, who also stood in this court
to receive the well merited thanks of his fellow
citizens, delineated most critically your lordship's
military characteristics when he wrote home in
1848—" Brigadier-General Colin Campbell, with
that steady coolness and military precision for
which he is so remarkable, carried everything be-
fore him." (Loud cheers.) With such antecedents,
my lord, and enjoying such a military reputation,
it was not surprising I o find your lordship selected
for the command of a division in the Crimean cam-
paign. It is needless to repeat here, for it is already
matter of history, how and with what results your
lordship beaded your gallant Highlanders at the
storming of the heights of Alma, nor is there occa-
sion is remind any one of that thin red line whose
solidite admirable impressed our gallant allies, and
excited the just pride of the British army, as they
beheld it -withstand the shock of war, and hurl
back the surges of Russian cavalry at Balakiava.
(Cheers.) It is, however, to your lordship'
crowning ser •
vlees as Commander-in-Chief of her
Majesty's forces in India that the resolution of this
hon. Csurt more particularly points ; to the extra-
ordinarypromptitude
displayed by your lordship
in assuming that command when an hour's delay
might have imperilled our supremacy in India; to
the unfaltering
persistency with which your lord-
ship followed
up the course of action adopted, and
the combined coolness, intrepidity, and caution
which insured uniform success in every action until
revolt was crushed, and the mutiny brought to a
close. I will not trust
myself—for neither time
nor my own feelings will permit me—.to speak
of
the thrilling incidents connected with Lusk",
and its beleagured Residency ; of the protracted
suspense of brave men and most heroic women
—(loud cheers)—through weary months of peril,
a
privations, and watchfulness ; of Inglis and
his undaunted garrison hoping against hope,
and never for a moment despairing of British
succour; of natives faithful amid the faithless; of
Havelock—(cheers)—and Outram, and its ever
memorable first relief; of Mansfield, and Peel, and
Baird, Greathed, Hope Grant, and Kavanagh ; nor
will I attempt the narration of how your lordship,
at the head of your gallant little army, cut your
way through ranks of enemies 20 times the number
of your troops from Cawnpore to the Alutnbagh,
and thence to the Residence of Lucknow, relieving
a second time, with masterly strategy, the heroic
garrison in the face of the whole army. (Cheers.)
It must suffice on this occasion to epitomize your
services by saying that your lordship was sent by
your Sovereign, and with the concurrence of every
British subject, to reconquer a revolted Presidency,
and that, aided by the gallant unitssi British and