Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-11-17
Lord Mayors of London.

The Lord Mayor is, so to speak, king of
the city, king who sorely puzzles foreign
ers. They see him and his queen Or lady
driving about in equipages far more sump-
tuous than those of royal Victoria they
hear HIM called "My Lord - they know
that the greatest potentates of the earth
dine at his table; and yet they find that,
after brief reign of twelve months, he
quietly and cheerfully resumes his occupa-
ton Of cattle salesman, grease manufac-
turer, typefounder, or drysalter. The
chief magistrate of the city of London was
at one time called the portgraye, portgreve
or portreeve; afterwards justiciar. Then
he became mayor, appointed by the crown,
and removable at pleasure then mayor
elected annually by the citizens and at
last Lord Mayor. Some notable men fig
ure in the list of mayors during six or sew
en- centuries-Slr William Walworth, who
SO resolutely grappled with the rebel Wat
Tyler; Sir Richard Wilmington, every
schoolboy's Dick Wilmington; William
Beckford, better known as father of 5he
Beckford who wrote ''Vathek" and btilt
Fonthill Abbey; John Wilkes, the famous
Radical who troubled the Government of
George Ill, SO sorely; Francis Child Ind
Richard Hoare, the great Fleet-street Ian
kers, and many others. Most OF them have
been commercial men !; but the first, Hen
for he held the Office twenty-four years.
According to the system afterwards intro
duced and still maintained, an annual cleo
ton must take place; but the same person
may be reelected. A few, like Whiting
ton, have thrice filled the mayoralty; and
very few (more than five centuries ago)
have filed it four, five, or even six times.
Home provincial corporations have much
exceeded these limits, having reelected
one mayoc as rany as eleven times; while
one particular Irish corporation has gore
SO far as twenty three reflections. Noble
men have not, so far as the list shows,
been mayors or Lord Mayors of London;
whereas two Cecils have been Mayors Of
Stamforn, a Stanley Mayor Of proud Pres
ton," a son Of one peer Mayor Of Droghe-
da. Londonderry in bygone times thought
fit to make one particular clergyman it's
mayor five years in succession. The Lord
Mayor of London is expected to keep al
most s'open house," and if he does not, he
leaves behind him reputation for shabbi
ness. Wards, companies, cabinet minis
ters, judges, bishops, members Of the lib
eral profession, all are invited in turn :;
and Mansion-house dinner is dinner
even in the estimation of gastronomic d.
lettanti. The Lady Mayoress, too, gives
many balls and assemblies in the course of
the year, at which the wives and daughters
of wealthy citizens blaze in their jewels
like court ladies at the west end. The
Lord Mayor has robes for different occa-
sions-black silk. violet silk, scarlet cloth,
and crimson velvet. He has also swords
for different ceremonials- the common
sword, the Sunday sword, the black sword
and the pearl sword. His gorgeous maae,
more than five feet in hight, was a present
from royalty. Of course all this costs a
great deal Of money; and occasionally an
alderman is said to shun the mayoralty On
this ground. Although the regular salary
is ten thousand a year, with something
more in fees, the total outlay generally
reaches twenty or twenty five thousand
pounds-the surplus coming out Of his
lordships private purse. Chambers Jour-
nal.