New-York tribune., 1921-11-25
'.Freedom of City,
Once Was Privilege
Granted at a Price
Custom Originated in Old
England as Trade Right
and Carried Guaranty of
Faith From Recipient

"To one freedom Of the city--six
beaver skins"
Entries like this would have dotted
the debit side Of the expense accounts
Of Toch, Diaz, Beatty, Jacques and
others Of the brilliant procession Of
old world figures drawn to America
in the wake Of tho World War, had
they como about three centuries
earlier.
And instead Of riding at the head
Of triumphal professions to the city
halls Of various municipalities, there
to receive the freedom Of the city at
the hands of respectful mayors, to the
accompaniment of bands and cheering
throngs, they would have had to file
petitions in court for their freedom
and take oaths not to offend against
the law Of tho land
Comforting of the freedom Of city
on a visitor has come to mean almost
precisely the opposite Of what it meant
in the young days of America and
earlier in the medieval days Of Mcrrie
England.
"The origin Of the custom of grant
ing the freedom Of the city to aliens
is virtually lost in antiquity,' said
Professor Harold McBain, instructor in
municipal government at Columbia
University. comenting on the round of
brilliant receptions that have kept the
Mayors OF New York and other cities
almost constantly in tall hats and
frocA coats in recent months.
at ppears, however, to have grown
directly out of the medieval organiza-
tion of industry on monopolistic
basis, and was originally al economic
measure pure and simple.
ain the old English borough it
amounted to q license to carry on busi-
ness and, ater, to vote. Without the
status OF n freeman, conferred by the
grant, man could not rise above the
class of employee.
"The early Dutch settlers of New
Amsterdam-now New York set up
similar status, called the Burgher
Right. i'll 1648, as a protection against
! Scotch merchants and petty traders
who spoil trade and business by I'M
derselling.' Persons not holding the
Burgher eight were prohibited from
conducting business either with Chris
tian or Heathen.' The fee was six
beaver skins.
"Freedom Of the city was provided
for in the Dongan charter Of 1866
the first English charter Of New York
City-and its dispensation was en-
trusted to ye Mayor or any three or
more Of ye aldermen. The fee by this
time was reckoned in British pounds
instead of beaver skins-3 pounds ~
shillings for the shopkeeper class and
pound 4 shillngs for handicraftsmen.
"Pcrsons receiving the grant were
required to take the oath 'Obeysant
and obedient shall ye bee to the Mayor
and ministers of this city and swore
to take turns at the watch, pay their
F., taxes and warn the Mayor of any
gatherings, conventlcles or consplr-
aces made against the Kings peace
at was in the latter part of the
eighteenth century that the practice
of bestowing gratuitous, honorary
freedoms Of the city appeared.
"Early New York records recite the
bestowal Of the freedom Of the City
of New York on Captain Sir Peter
Warren for his exploits against the
French and to Generals Shirley,
Moncktotn ard Gage.
Later there is an entry showing the
honor was bestowed OF three sailors
of vessel lying in New York Harbor,
in recognition OF their services IN help
| ing extinguish a disastrous fire.
The formality had nearly died out
when the termonation of the war
brought :. revival, designed to honor
noted visitaors. Professor McBain
said he knew of no records showing the
! origin of the practice of delivering
the "keys of the city" to persons re-
| ceiyine- the honor.