Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-26
SOME ROYAL CITIZENS.
A MUCH. COVETED PRIVILEGE.
Ui,tIrsuI,h,d Men Who Have Bee, Hon
er,d with the Freedom Of the Ciiy or LIN

don.
The Guildhsll will to-day, says the
London Standard OF june 10Th, be the
scene OF an interesting ceremony on
the occasion Of the assumption Of the
freedom Of the city Of London by Prince
Albert Victor, the eldest son of the
Prince Of Wales. There are various
methods by which the freedom can be
obtained, but his Royal Highness, as
as his father did before him, claims it
by patrimony, the sons of freeman
being entitled on attaining their ma
iority to be enrolled as a matter Of
right. How much this privilege is eS-
teemed is shown by the long roll Of
royal personages who have received it at
the hands of the corporation, though
it has been reserved for the present
reigning family to have three complete
generations Geemen Of the city. Since
January, 1746, when the Duke of Cum
berland was congratulated "for his
..nagnanimous behavior during the re-
bellion in fayer Of the pretender, and
for his vigilant care in protecting the
city, the freedom has been conferred
on 10 fewer than fourteen members Of
the English royal family. On July
%. l7Gl, Rear Admiral of the
Blue, his Royal llighness Edward
Augustus, Duke OF York and
Albany, was admitted, the freedom
having been voted month previous
" by the Common Council, "in testi-
mony Of the dutiful affection OF this
court for their illustrious sovereign
Whose peculiar glory it is to reign
over free, happy, and united people,
and as a pledge Of the grateful respect
they bear his Royal Highness for his
early entrance into the naval service Of
his King and country; the noblest and
most efiectual encouragement to that
natural and fayOrte bulwark Of the
wealth, reputation, and independence
of this commercial nation -Four years
later another member of the royal family
was added to the roll Of freemen in the
person Of the Duke of Gloucester, while
on March L., 1867, the Duke Of Cumber-
land was admitted, the honor being
offered "as a mark Of profound re-
,pcct for his Royal HighnesS, whose
u1incely accomplishments have justly
ondcarod him to all his MajeSty's sub.
jccts. 4 period Of nearly fifty years
now elapsed before the Court or Com
mon Council again voted the freedom to
any Of the royal family, the next occa-
sion being on May 2, 1911, in the
mayoralty Of Mr.. J. J. Smith,
when it was unanimously resolved
that it should be presented, incased in
a box Of British heart Of oak, to the
Prince Regent, who three months pre-
viou>ly had assumed the reins of govern
mut, lin testimony of the deep and
grateful sense entertained by this court
Of MS public virtues and amiable and
endeaiing qualities of the purity Of his
constitutional principles. eXempliiied by
his UNMARRIED attachment TO the rights
and liberties Of the people, Of his eN-
allied forbearance and moderation during
the whole Of his royal fathers affecting
indiSpo>ition. and of his rare seli-denial
in refusing to increase the national ex
ponditure by any temporary addition
to hi, state and dignity as Prince
Regent, thus practically illustrating
the union which must ever exist be-
tween the feelings Of great and patriot
prince and the happiness Of free and
loyal people," This was in due course
conveyed by the Lord Mayor to his
Royal Ilighness, who, in thanking the
court for the proof of their attachment
and the pleasure it would have gwen
him TO comply with their wish that he
should become freeman of the city Of
London, said that the obligations which
the acceptance Of this offer might be
considered as imposing on him were
inconsistent with the station in
which he was placed. The same
considerations Of policy did not,
however, Of course affect the
brothers of the Prince Regent, and on
July IL. 1916, we find their Royal High
hesses the Duke of Kent, the father OF
her Majesty, the Duke Of Sussex, and
the Duke of Gloucester. and his Serene
Highness the Duke of Saxe-Coburg be-
inc received into the corporation to-
gether. The votes Of the royal bro
theirs were identical, the reason as
signed in each case being their distin-
guished efforts to promote numerous
objects Of beneyolence throughout the
kingdom, and especially with the city.
The next royal parsonage to be found
upon the records Of the corporation is
the prince consort, to whom the free
dom was offered shortly after his mar
rage TO her Majesty, as testimony Of
the affection and profound respect en-
tertained by the Court for his person
and distinguished character. Although
it was accepted in February. it was not
until August 2S, ls4O, that his Royal
Highness was admitted. Another
brother Of King George ", the first
Duke Of Cambridge, was admitted on
March II. 1912, as was his son, the
present Commander-in-Chief, on No
vember 1, 1857, a sword of honor
being presented at the same time.
Upon March -, 1868, two days after
his marriage to the Princess Alexsn-
dra. the Court of Common Council
passed q unanimous resolution respect
fully requesting the Prince of Wales
to take upon himself the freedom OF
the city. to which he was entitled by
patrimony. To this reques this Royal
lIighneSs at once acceded, and on the
18th of June of the same year he was
formally admitted and sworn, the cere.
mony being followed by grand ball
and reception to himself and the
Princess. The presiding Lord Mayor
on this memorable occasion was the
late Sir William Anderson Rose, the
chamberlain being Mr.. Benjamin
Scott. who still worthily fills that dis
tinguished corporate office. In making
the address customary on such occa-
sions, the chamberlain, on behalf of the
corporation, expressed the qualification
they all felt at the Prince assuming the
freedom, in virtue Of the citizenship oil
his late father, and presenting himself
to comply with the legal formalities in