Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-06-14
A Compliment to Grant.


from the New York World
As it is announced that Gen. Grant
is to be presented with the freedom
of the city of London, it may be
worth while to explain the significance
of this token of esteem, which, if we
are not mistaken, has never before
been conferred upon an American.
The city of London, as we presume
our readers to know, is municipality
within metropolis, and is ruled by
its own government, founded upon the
votes of It's freemen, while the rest of
the mighty capital Of Great Britain,
including the enormous majority of It's
inhabitants and the greater part of its
'rea. is governed by parliamentary
authority. The history Of the liber-
ties Of London makes one of the most
interesting and important chapters in
the annals Of British freedom and
the Lord Mayor is so far from being a
mere pageant and pomp, that he still
does as much work as
any clbinet minister, while
his privileges put him face to face
with the crown in the city limits.
Within those limits he takes prece-
dence Of all the royal family, nor can
the sovereign enter those limits save
with his formal permission. Sir
James Shaw, IN the time of George
ILL., compelled the. ~frst gentleman
in Europe" TO- bow TO- these civic pre-
negatives. The citizens of London
have many rights and privileges Of
their own, and it has long been the
custom of the city to offer the
warrant of their franchise, as being
the most precious thing the corpora
ton possesses, to eminent personages
whom they desired to honor. The
process is for the citizens. meeting in
what IS, called Common Hail., to vote
to bestow this warrant. The person.
age to be honored by it is then Motif
ed, and upon some convenient public
occasion he is expected to appear be-
fore the city chamberlain, who in
London is the conservator of the
"chamber" or treasurer of the city,
and guardian and supervisor of all APP
prentices. Gen. Grant will be duly
brought into the presence of this
functionary fhe clerk and officers
of the chamber will put their names
down with. his in the proper book
as his, 'fcompurgators. making them
selves responsible for his good citizen
ship ;. the chamberlain will administer
to him the oath of fidelity, shake
hands with him, and give him in a
gold box slip of parchment warrant
ing to him, and to his children dwell
ing within seven miles of the city,
the franchise Of a:freeman of London.
Under this franchise Gen. Grant will
be at liberty to carry on any retail
trade within the limits of the city of
London without being, taxed at. the
gates on the goods he brings IN, he
will be exempted also from compulsory
service in the British army or navy
If he elects to live within the city
limits rather a long way from the
West end which is making. so much
of him Just now he WILDE free from
tolls and customs throughons all En-
land and parts of the sea and his
children being left orphans will have
the right to become wards of the city
and to put their property for safe
keeping into the City Chamber He
viii also, we believe, have the right to
hunt in the county of Middlesex-
which may seemlto him cruel mock
cry, seeing that be is, just now lion
himself and is more in the way of
being hunted than of hunting there.
rs a citizen of London, he will find
himself in illustrious company. We
doanot clearly remember whether the
Shah and the Sultan are both in the
same case, tho ugh we, think they. are.
But Butcher and the Emperor Alex
ander, Theirs and the third Napoleon,
received this franchise, as he is about
to receive it, as compliment to them.
selves and to their respective countries
and great many British peers hold
it by Inheritance IC Is doubtless in
tended to be, and it is in the case OF
General Grant, something more thar
mere compliment. 1t IS an expires
sion of such cordial goodwill and res
pect toward the American people or
the part of the most solid and substan
tial citizens of the Capital of Grea
Britain, which is i'm many Particular
also the Capital of the Civilized World
that the ceuntrymen of General Gran
would be churlish, indeed, did the
not recognize it heartily, and frankl,
reciprocate the sentiment which in
spired it.