The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-25 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1848.

On no day in the year are politics less heeded than
on the twenty-fifth of December. Were it not so
the present pcoition of the European continent might
furnish a text for many a most appropriate and most
effective sermon. What a memorable example is here
afforded of the mutability of human fortunes. Little
did King Louis PHILIPPI, or Pope Pius, or Prince
Louis NAPOLEON, on the twenty-fifth of December,
1847, dream of a Christmas at Claremont, at Gaeta,
or at Paris! No soothsayer could have predicted
what a year has brought to pass. The events which
have transpired since last Christmas have baffled all
divination. We have seen that the wisdom of the
serpent has been vain ; no political sagacity has been
able to maintain the modern Ulysses on his throne.
We have seen also, unhappily ! that the virtues and
liberality of_ a most admirable Sovereign have been
unable to preserve Pius from the machinations of the
factious. The liberal Sovereign of Rome and the
arbitrary ruler of France share a common exile.
He whose voice was the first among Sovereigns to
recognise popular rights, whose hand was the first to
confer popular liberties, and whose example gave the
impetus to the Crusade of Liberty, he shares
the fate of the King who in another way was
also one of the prime agents in the Revolution. Yet
very different is the exile of the once rulers of France
and Rome. The one carries with him the execra-
tions, and the other the love and admiration of all
Europe. With such experiences, who shall venture
to surmise what may come to pass before a future
Christmas? We will hope, however, that the next
year will worthily consummate the good initiated by
its predecessor. As yet we have only witnessed the
terrible agitations and disorders inseparable from the
transition state. The benefits of the Revolution are
yet to be enjoyed. They have only, hitherto, been
visible to the true disciples of liberty, whose faith
in the principles they advocate has upheld them
in all danger and difficulty. Those bene-
fits are now to be diffused among the mul-
titude. If this be righteously accomplished, it
will be seen that the recent dliorders have been
only precursors .to a more perfect order, that appa-
rent anarchy has led the way to just that bloodshed has purchased peace. If government
this be so it
will be admitted that on Christmas-day even on
Christmas-day—we may conscientiously exult over the
events of the past year, because, however lamentable
in some particulars, they have tended to the ameliora-
tion of the sorrows of humanity. Gen grant it may
be so. No matter whether the people of Christendom
be governed by Emperors, Kings, or Presidents, so
that the liberties of the people be guaranteed and the
principles of Christianity diffused among them—the
true principles of eivic obedience and civic fraternity.
But while our attention is engrossed by foreign
affairs let '-us -'remember that the condition of our
own country may very justly be the theme of ap-
propriate Christmas meditations. True, our rulers
are not in exile, and our country is at peace; amid
almost universal confusion England has preserved
her wonted security. Yet " all is. not gold that
glitters." The condition of many thousands of our
fellow-countrymen accords as ill with this festive
season as do the wars and rumours of wars which
agitate our neighbours. In how many an English
dwelling is this day no true Christmas ! How many
thousands are there ignorant of the very meaning of
the word.

" Amid our joy and uproar,
Let. us think on those who weep."

The Liverpool Currency Reform Association have
replied
,to 'certain objections urged by a morning
Contemporary against the propositions contained in

the manifesto; to which we directed the public attention
EV§ h instant. The arguments put forward by
on, are of the most convincing and
81_44f1f.tertypharactsr. The fallacies of the bullionists
arilexpiiiiit-with a master hand. It would indeed be
. .
ft4OWPIOI,-""

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