Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-02
The Freedom of the CITY.
MEN WHO ARE THUS HoNoRED BY THE GRf

MEN WHO ARE THUS HoNoRED BY THE GREAT
CITY OF LONDON.
From the Youths Companion.
Now and then it is announced in the news
papers that some eminent man-usually an
Englishman, but occasionally foreigner-has
been presented with the freedom of the city
of London in gold box" The last to receive
this honor was the Marquis of Harrington, upon
whom it was conferred in April in recognition
OF his political character and services.
This custom Is ancient one, and is at
tended with much elaborate ceremony 1t is
voted to distinguished man by the corpora
ton OF the city of London; a day is appointed;
the common council gathers in official costume
In the ancient Guildhall; certain members are
appointed who vOuch for the worthiness of the
recipient of the honor and who are called
''compurgators;" the new freeman" signs the
roll. and then the lord mayor, clad in the robes
of his office, presents the eminent man with a
richly ornamented gold box in which is placed
the certificate of freedom of the city" There
are four ways in which a man may become
what is called freedman of London
The first is by inheritance. The sons of one
who Is already freeman have the right to be
also enrolled as freemen of the city. The Sec
ond Is by ''servitude or apprenticeship to a
master already freeman" The third is by
redemption or purchase, and the fourth is by
vote of the corporation, comforting the freedom
of the city as gift, this being an honorary dis
JUNCTION. All these methods are part of the
very ancient system of the municipal govern
ment of London city, features of which. indeed.
may be traced as far back as TO the Saxon
period of English history. The freedom of the
city is conferred upon eminent men for a great
variety of achievements.
1t is given to statesmen when they have done
some signal act of statecraft or have won some
notable success in diplomacy; to great captains
or sailors who have given luster to British arms
or, In other countries, have had a brilliant
career; to men of science, discoveries. explorers
and philanthropists. 1t is also frequently con-
ferred on royal personages. On the roll of the
freemen of the city by gift during the present
century are to be found the famous names of
Pitt, Brougham, Peel Russell, Golden. Beacons-
field and Salisbury, for their success as states
men; Wellington, Nelson, Garbaldi. Napier of
Magdala, and Wolsely, for deeds of war Jenner,
Rowland, Hill and Shaftesbury for philan-
thropy; NJ. de Lesseps for engineering science,
and Livingstone for discovery.
The royal dukes of Kent and Sussex and
Prince Albert were added to the list and the
Prince of Wales and his son, Prince Albert Vic
tor, derive their freedom of the city, by in
heritance.
MIR. Gladstone is a freeman by purchase.
Three great Americans-Gen. Grant, George
Peabody, and Henry NJ. Stanley-have also
been presented with the freedom of the CITY.
As a practical fact the receiving of the free
dom of the city by gift of the corporation is an
honor, high indeed, but without many substan-
tial privileges. A freeman of the city has the
right to vote for aldermen and councilmen, and
ia eliOihla for thosa of3icaS