The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-16
A CITIZEN OF LONDON.


The cable dispatches state that Gen. Gran
has been presented with the freedom OF the
city of London, compliment which, it is
said, has never before been conferred upon
an American. What IS understood by "The
City of London is a municipality within the
great metropolis embracing less than tenth
of its territory or fifth Of its population. II
has its own government, founded on the votes
! of its own freemen, entirely independent OF
parliamentary authority, by which the rest OF
the city is governed. Its citizens enjoy many
rights and privileges enjoyed by no other
E1gllshmen, and comforting the freedom of
the city means the endowment of the person
so favored with all these privileges. The
process and meaning OF 1t are thus explained
by the y. Y. IVorld;
The process is for the citizens, meeting IN
what is called Common Hall, 70 vote to be.
stow this warrant. The parsonage to be hon.
ored by it is then notified, and upon some
convenient public occasion he is expected to
appear before the City Chamberlain. who is
the conseryator of the "chamber' or treasury
of the city and the guardian and supervisor
Of all apprentices. General Grant will be only
brought into the presence of this functlonary;
the clerk and officers of the chamber will put
their names down with his in The proper
book as his "compurgators," making them
selves responsible for his good citizenship;
the Chamberlain Will administer TO him the
oath of fidelity, shake hands with HIM and
give him IN gold box slip OF parchment
warrantng to him, and to his children dwell
ing within seven miles OF the city, the fran
chise of a freeman of London. Under this
franchise General 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 heelects to live
within the city limts-rather a long way
from the West End which is making so much
of him just now--he will be free from tolls
and customs throughout all England and
parts of the sea; ami 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 will also,
we believe, have the right TO hunt in the coun.
ty of MiddeseX-which may seem TO him a
cruel mockery, seeing that he is just now a
lion himself, and is more IN the way of being
hunted than Of hunting there. AS citizen OF
London he will find himself in illustrious
We do not clearly recollect whether
the Shah and the Sultan are both in the same
case, though we think they are But Butcher
and the Emperor Alexander, Theirs and the
bird Napoleon, received this franchise, as he
Is about to receive it, as a compliment toI
themselves and to their respective countries
and great many British peers hold it from
1t is doubtless Intended to be
md il is IN the case of General Grant some
hing more than mere compliment. 1t is
IN expression of such cordial goodwill and
aspect towards the American people on the
oar; OF the most solid and substantial citizens
If the capital of Great Britain, which Is in
many particulars also the capital of the civ
LIKED world, that the cOuntrymen of General
Grant would be churlish indeed did they not
.ecoguize 1t heartily, and frankly reciprocate
the sentiment which inspired 1t.