THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY. BY JOHN E. MACY, Of the Boston Bar. AMONG the memorials of antiquity about a large homestead, or several of abundant in American municipal insti them, within which its leaders, the "eorls," tutions, is the very instructive and very in resided. The cluster was surrounded by a teresting custom of tendering to distin ditch or a hedge, called a tun (town), and by guished visitors "the Freedom of the City. a wide strip of cleared land. Xo stranger The ceremony is frequent. A recent occa might cross the open space, but he must sion of it was the visit, in 1902, pf Prince blow a horn, or give other sign that he Henry of Prussia to New York City. came openly and peaceably; for. if he were Among the many notable instances of it taken to come by stealth or otherwise than in England, is that of the visit of General openly and peaceably, he would at once be Grant to London. Minor examples in both killed. England and America are innumerable. The inmates were not, in civil standing. equal. A large number, consisting perhaps But few Americans who have not pur of men taken in battle and descendants of sued special lines of reading, comprehend conquered tribes who had formerly inhab the purport of such a courtesy. I have ited the region, were abject slaves; many found many who connect it vaguely with others, though they were superior to mere some kind of gracious license to be at home, slaves, did not possess the liberties of full and at large, throughout the city—a per freedom. Freedom was the state of that mission similar to that given to prisoners band of independent, "freenecked," men, who have the liberty of the jail yard. A who owned no superior, no master; and Boston newspaper of highest standing re who, in proud equality, ruled, defended, and cently represented the Collector of U. S. supported the settlement. Their freedom, Customs in Boston as tendering to Lord the freedom of their community, was that Denbigh the Freedom of the Port. The exemption from all servitude which they attempts of another Boston paper, upon enjoyed, and the privileges to which they the occasion of Prince Henry's visit to New held themselves entitled by virtue thereof. York, to define the practice by reference Only the freeman bore shield and spear. to ancient Greece and Rome, are quite partook in depredatory excursions, joined equal in absurdity. the great war-host of the aggregate tribes; The custom is traceable to the most re or assembled in council, or shared the fields mote period of English history, to the be and meadows for agriculture; for the land ginning of the English people. It is a was not held by individual ownership, but heritage from the sturdy "freemen'1 of the was divided into strips, which were annu north countries of Europe, who were the ally allotted for tillage. progenitors of the Anglo-Saxon race. When Beneath a sacred tree the village-moots history first regards those primitive Teuton convened. There the freemen met together tribes, they dwelt on the Baltic shores and deliberated upon common affairs, ap in little communities, which were com portioned land, ordained rules, declared jus posed of those who were bound to tice according to the customs of their fath gether by bonds of blood and similar ties. ers, as the elder men, ealdermen." (alder Of each settlement, the rude huts clustered
