New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-12
NOTES FROM EDINBURGH:

~ once more in this stately and beau
nhu NY !. uoment when an interesting munich
bful GU, ,sst q occurring. Edinburgh has be-
pa -. hsrseIf of adding to the number Oh her
pe's ond she has chosen Lord hosebery 10 DO OF
ei 'i..s few on whom from time TO time she
' 80 the freedom of privilege OF honorary citi-
sonieiS wv n - q distinction which has nothing to
- 18th politics. but which, never'neiess' is COIN
90 WIN for men who have grown gray Id
rcniy ,sss lord Salisbury was the last statesman
yuol0 n and if Lord Salisbury is not exactly
70 80 crav certainly, as Sir Stafford North
pas ~ ,,sntenant-he is leader Of a great party
co'' III Primo Minister when Conservatism
comes into omco .-r,or parbans
h;s vouth which induced the Lord Provost
.s..nlan at some length the reasons which nad
's,-aaa the Town Council to add Lord Roseoery's
80 ~ the roll of the honorary burgesses OF Edin-
= r..rh For what his family bad done, for what no
,sho "A done for what II IS hoped he may do here
~ Co. +he .Ionueuce with which hS has commended
:. ~ ,n.t claims of Scotland for his knowledge
sc.otch affairs for his unsel6sh devotion, Tor the
..atssman,ike ability which lie has brought TO the
.n.,daration of public business, for his warm IN
..rsst IN the affairs of the city and CONSTANT ser
;ea In every sciiems In aid OF It's welfare ioI ah
th,.. reasons Edinburgh delights to honor the FORE
mist Seotcbmsn of the Cay. Inc catalogue vi
Iord Roseber,s capacities and merits 10 long one
and drawn up In the usual official STYLE save ana OK
can't sricter adherence to exact truth than u III
vnys used on such occasions II the ron oi 'nose On
'.s., tbs freedom of Edinburgh has been conferred
:. Examined. it will, think, bear out the claim Of
th ord Provost that 1T has been guarded with jeal-
m. care None he declared. have been called to be
frrrmeu of their town whose record does not reflect
Iu.tre on this ancient city. @The list OF our hon
oraYv c,tizsns 10 worthy of the CITY, 1t bears the
names Of many who their day did ths.highest
work Of the world but 1T is especially brilliant
Nth those of the great statesmen who have guided
che affairs of tho country" All that Is VEL said,
and Il does not dotract the worth Of the COM
plimeut implied in this gift when the Lord Provost
add, that Lord Rossbsry is alss q near neighbor
and good friend.
The last time when saw ceremony OF this kind
performed was when the City of London bestowed
IRA franchise on General Grant. Thxt was o sclcm-
nifty what moro stately than this IL was trans
actsd in the Guild Hall, and q throng OF distin-
suished persons assembled to witness e. and TO add
brtlancy to the homage thus paid to man then
singularly popular and honored among the English.
Hero In Edinburgh the matter passed in simple
way, but not less impressively. Instead Of the
xroined ceiling and stained glass OF the Guild Hail.
there WIS plain large hall, once q theatre, now
The home Ut the United Presbyterian Synod. There
we're no Ministers of State. but there was all au-
dsnce of tho peonle of Ednburghsome 900 strong.
II was essentially tribute of popular esteem and
ssct,on Ii is often to be noticed that the Scotch
like to give domestic character to their public dem
oustrations. They would not have been pleased If
the hero of the day had presented himself alone.
1bsy cheered Lady Rosebery, and Lady Lecoufeld.
Lord Rosebcry's sister, came In for o share of thu
,ntbus,asm from tnose who knew her. So far as
yormslties were concerned, they were of a simple
kind. The Lord Provost read an address. The
Town Clerk read the record Of the proceedings In
Town Council. The burgess ticket, sheet Of vel
INN On which the official minutes were engrossed
irclcsed IN a silver casket, was hsrded to Lord
posebery. Lord Provost Harrison offering 1t with
tsw well-chosen words. The new burgess received |
II with thanks and with speech and Mt the end |
of the speech signed the burgess roll. which the |
Lord Provost described in rather alarming terms |
a. contract of service to Edinburgh, to Scotland |
and to the Empire. Upon which the audience |
eheersd again. and the band played Aud Lang
syne. really cannot think OF any other act or
expression which went to the peifecung OF TINS
creation of a new citizen of Edinburgh. II derived
lsuppose sanction and final authority from the
presence of the sword aud mace of the city. lying
On table in front of the Lord Provost. The Coun-
elmen who filed half the platform were In their
red 20 WINS where were to DO also some digni-
taries Of the Uni, ersty past and present some local
officers and personages of authority. an Indian |
Prince of Gondal, resplendent in ewelled garments !
heavy with gold Professor Donaldson. the Hon,
Bouverie Primrose aud other members OF Lord
Rosebery's family, and Mr.. Sam Ward.
1t Is pretty clear that this great audience OF men
and women has been brought together mainly by
adesire to hear Lord Rosebery speak. In the mere
business transacted there is rs you have seen nttie
10 sot multitude in motion. But Lord Rosebery
has the ear of Scotland. He lives near Edinburgh
bot don't know that he has closer hold on Edin-
burgh than on Glasgow on Dundee This Is The
first considerable speech have heard him make on
Scottish SOIL and the first thing one notices Is the
intimate terms on which he stands with his hearers
lie takes that sort of liberty with them which
implies mutual confidence ;--confdencs on MS part
Of not being misunderstood. and on their part that
these sentences of sustained irony will explain
themselves before the final period lie reached; as
they do II is rare that one listens to address in
which so much compact argument 10 mingled with
20 much easy banter. The manner of the speaker
IS sympathetic; hls tone loss masterfl than persus-
size. In which respect fancy change will some
day come over It, At present the authority which
Lord Rosebery possesses yelled under an attitude
Of something very like Difference to his audience
betting his age, perhaps.
Tho greater part OF Lord Roseberys speech was
devoted to the question of the need OF Minister for
Scotland. and it may DO ASSUMED that the advance
msht of this scheme was one reason for making this
demonstration at this particular moment. In
theory. the demand Of Scotland for department
charged with the execution of Scotch business has
been conceded. A decision Of the Cabinet has been
taken, bill for the creation OF Scottish Local
Government Board has been brought In, the Home
Secretary has given an account Of its provisions,
and the House OF Commons has read the bill first
time. But there the matter hangs. The session IS
advanced the crush OF public business is enormous;