The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-23 00:00:00

TEEATRE ROYAL HAYMAAKET.

Under the management of Mr. Tanchatone.

TM EVENING. Dac. 23,

WM be performed the Comely of PRESENTED AT COURT.
rencipal characers by Messs. Bueltstoe, W. Farrea, and Howe ;
Misses Reynolds,t E. Chaplin,r Grantham nand Lavine.
After which, the -Ba let of THE STAR OF ANDALUSIA, in
which Senora Pcrea ena wits app:ar.
To which will be added TIIE BALANCE OF COMFORT.
Followed by TPE IRISTI LION.
To conclude with POPPING THE QUESTION.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Under the Management of Mr. CHARLES MEAN.
On TUESDAY NEXT, Dae. 26,
Will be presented THE COURIER OF LYONS. Principal charac-
ter by Mr. C. Kean.
After which will be produced New Grand Christmas Pantomime ,
entitled, HARLEQUIN BLUE a-BEAED ; or, The Grand lisashsw..
Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ,
and Columbine, Miss De.sborough.

TEIRATite ROYAL A.DELPEiI.
Proprietor, Mr. 11. Webster.—Directreas, Madame elest9'
EVF.NINO, D-sc. 23.
Will be performed an entire new Rustic Drama calla; PIER E
TII FOILNDLINi3. supports i l,y Messrs. IS. Webster ant lie.-
ley, and Mrs. Keeley and 31iSi Pr, olgar.
Fo'lowed by 131 NA FLOE: TitAVF.L.LEILS.
After which, a new Farce called Tit& SLOW MIN.
• To which will be a.tdel a n.w Farce, ent tled TUE 111!LWAY
BELLE.

Boy.Ai. OLYMPIC TIIEITN.E,
Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan.

THIS EVENING, DEC. 21,

.nub. presented a new Comedletta, c died A WIFE'S JOURNAL.
Characters by Messrs. Brown, Emery, Harcourt, and Leslie; and
mrs. brown, and Miss 3faskell.

To be followed by THE BEULAH SPA. Principal characters
by Messrs- A. Wigan, Emery, F. Robson, and H. Cooper; Miss
Marston, Mrs. A. Wigan, Mrs. Fitzallan, and Miss Jolla St. George.
To conclude Wel THE FIRS r NIGHT. Characters by Messrm.
Altled Willa; Leslie, Harwood Cooper, and Gladstone; Miss Julia
St. George, and Mos Emily Ormonde.

. , ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Mader the management of Madame Vestris. Sole Lessee Mr.
C. Mathews. _ .

On Tneiday, Dec. 26th,1854, will be produced a new and original
' Fairy Extravaganza, entitled PRINCE PRET rYPET and THE
' BUTTERFLY.
To be followed by TWO HEIDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE.
Box-ofilee open from 10 until 6.

-
Sole agent for Private Boxes, Mr. Al'croft, 15, New Bond-street .

ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPIIITUEA.TRE.
Lessee and Manager, )&r. William Cooke.

The Wonderful PERFORMING ELEPIIA_NTS for this week only!

TIII3 EVENING,

THE BATTLE of THE ALMA!

After which, the varied SCENES In the CIRCLE.
Also, the Wonderful PERFORNIING ELEPHANTS, whose asto-
nishing sagacity and indescribable development of the reasoning
faculty have been the theme of universal admiration.

To conclude with the MARRIED BICIIELOR.
N.B.—A MORNING PERFORMANCE consisting of the New
Comic Pantomime and Scenes in the Arena, Will take place on
TUESDAY, 26ih (Boxing Day) at Two o'clock.

HIUH WATER AT LONDON BRIDOIS.
Tuts DAT —Mornirg 8 alin.nfter 4 I Evening4s2 min.aft. 4
To- footacw -Morning 58 rnin.afteir►livening2lsnin.nft. 5

THE wEATHyg.--81st gyros, Dec. 23.
-TARBMOIKET7III, IN THE SHADE.
55 —highest since noon yesterday.
45 --iowcst this morning and during the night.
48—this day, at neon.
BAROMETER, 30.
WIND, W.N.W.—Light breeze, with fine weather.

. ,

LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1854.

Well, the objects of the Christmas Session have
been accomplished. The Militia Bill 'and. the
Foreigners Enlistment Bill have received the
,Legislative sanction, and are now part and parcel
• of the statute law of the land. These measures,
which the Goveruinent declared to be essential to
the vigorous and energetic carrying on of the just
and necessary war in
which the country is en-
gaged, are of very different characters, aua. -werf
brought forward under widely different circum-
stances. The nature and object of the former
were clearly stated and canvassed in the public
. journals long before the commencement of the
session. It was referred to in the Royal
Speech ; and when the anticipated bill was i
introduced it found every member fully
prepared for its discussion, and well ac-
quainted with the views and wishes of his con-
" stituents. There was no mystery maintained—no
• surprise contemplated. And why ? Because the
plan proposed could bear the most stringent in-
vestigation. There was nothing to excite the
disgust or indignation of the country—nothing
unconstitutional or impolitic. The more freely it
was ventilated, the more general would be the
assent to its salutary provisions. Differences of
opinion might exist as to the details, but none as
to the principle. Nor could there be any coercion
practised. Although an overwhelming majority
of any particular regiment were not only willing
but most anxious to serve their country in
the delightful quarters indicated by Minis-
ters, not a single individual, even the most
humble private soldier, could be required
to leave the United Kingdom, or to under-
. take any duty which he was not previously
bound to diacharge. All that was required was
that he should be enabled to volunteer for certain
valuable but by no means onerous services, and
that his own request might be conceded if it
seemed expedient to the military authorities that
it should be so.
How different was it with the obnoxious pro-
position for the employment of foreign mer-
cenaries. As the one was all open and above
board, the other was all mystery and conceal-
ment. The very candour displayed respecting
the Militia Bill proved that its authors had con-
fidence in its justice and efficacy; they invited full
discussion, because they knew that discussion would
promote their object awl disarm any factious opposi-
tion that might be offered, if any member of either
House of Parliament could, under the peculiar
circumstances of the case, suffer his party feelings
to betray him into such 'a course. But this
laudable behaviour only places the impropriety of
their conduct in reference to the other question in
a still stronger light. What they courted in the
one case they shrunk from in the other. They
knew that it would not bear publicity ; that if
time were afforded for consideration, it would be
condemned by every free and independent con-
' ' stituency throughout the length and breadth of
• the land, and that in terms so decided
and unequivocal, that the most fawning
" waiter on PROVIDENCE," the most sup-
ple Ministerialist, could not venture to support
it' without forfeiting every hope of re-
election. It could only be carried, if at all, by a
coup de main. Great reliance was placed on the
servility of many Honourable Gentlemen, and the
efficiency of the rod which has so long been kept
in pickle for
refractory supporters. A resigna-
tion, by which they should forfeit all prospect of
obtaining the rewards.-which they had earned by
their convenient versatility,or, still worse, a di:-
solution, by which they
would be brought face to
face with their constituents
; and even if they
!succeeded in obtaining
troenbeewaarlthe expenses of
of confidence
would most probably have
• a contest. A surprise is generally effectual, if tried
eel to abandon their posts
against sentinels prepar
at a moment's notice, and only desirous of a
plausible excuse to enable them to do so. Go-
vernment reckoned largely on this disposition,
and it a,pipears that the result fully justified the
N A - - There
calculation. Not the slightest hint was suffered
-I'-14_
' to ooze out respecting their intentions.
- . • - • *aa not even any allusion thereto in the Royal
4:l"t.ftti.:4>veeoh, although it would only have given two
711-' .:411 •?;j notice before the introduction of the
' - I
/la C

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