The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-07 00:00:00

MEXICO.

NEW YORK, Dec. 26.
Ortega is reported to be advancing against
Juarez.

Intelligence received from Yera Cruz via New
Orleans, dated the 20th inst., states that the French
have seized the Custom-house at Vera Cruz, with a
quarter of a million of dollars of Imperial treasure.
It is reported that 1,000 French troops have left for
France. The French steamer Anama arrived at
Vera Cruz on the 14th, bringing 200 French troops
and a large quantity of ammunition.

Mr. Ernest Jones' Lecture.
-c.,-

Mr. Ernest Jones on Friday night delivered in
the Music-hall,
.to a crowded and well-satisfied
audience, his reply to Professor Blackie's argument
against "Democracy," upheld in the same place on
the previous evening. Starting from the ground
that democracy " does not mean the rule of a class
but of a nation—embraces all, and tempers one class
with another," Mr. Jones contended that former
failures were no good argument against democratic
institutions ; and proceeded at great length to show,
from the highest historical authorities, that in
Greece, Rome, France, Australia, and America,
" democracy, had been the founder and the saviour
of the people's greatness." He vindicated the for-
mation and defended the operation of trades unions ;
traced to the influence of the people all the great
humane and liberal measures of the last forty years ;
demanded t..) know on what ground " this noble
people" was shut out from the constituencies ; and
charged Professor Blackie with having " invented a
new crime—the crime of numbers." He went on
to maintain that manhood suffrage met the very ob-
jections of the opponents of democracy, for it win-
nowed the chaff from the corn better than any other
mode of qualification, and, above all, made sure of
the good. He cited the purity of large constituen-
cies like Birmingham and the Tower Hamlets in
vindication of this view; urged that immediate re-
form was needed to save ;the country from the fate
of Rome and mediaeval France; and quoted the
writings of St. Paul and of the Evangelists, against
Plato and Aristotle, in support of his principle of the
equality of all men in respect of political power. A
vote of thanks to Mr. Jones was moved by Mr.
Duncan M'Laren, M.P., who seized the occasion to
say the only nasty thing that has been said during
the controversy—winding up his speech by the
gratuitously ungracious assertion that Mr. Jones
had "completely refuted" his opponent.—Scotsman.

FLORAL HALL, COVENT GARDEN.—This Crystal
Palace in miniature, handsomely decorated and in the
evening brilliantly illuminated with gas, is at present
attracting crowded audiences, both as spectators and
amateur skaters, to witness the sylph-like evolutions of
Mdllo. Frederika, Mr. Elliott, and other professors, who
are always received with well-merited plaudits. The
auditorium being well warmed by several colossus stoves,
the comfort of its patrons are duly attended to.
REPORTED Loss OF A VESSEL AND NEARLY ALL
HA.lDl3.—According to information received in Hull, the
steamtug Reliance, of Shields, landed, on the 29th ult., at
Beadnoll, a seaman named George Bailey, who had been
picked up from a raft. Bailey states that he was one of
the crew of the Queen of the Ocean, of Hull, from Liver-
pool for Shields with a cargo of salt ; that the vessel was
run into on the 25th ult. by the screw steamer Paris, and
sunk about 25 miles south of Shields. He adds that the
crow of the Queen of the Ocean wore 22 in number, that
the master and another man got on board the steamer,
while ho got on to a raft. Nothing is known of the fate of
the remaining 19 seamen.

PILCHARDS.—Upwards of 1,300 hogsheads of pil-
chards, caught in Mount's-bay, Cornwall, have been pur-
chased this week for the supply of Mediterranean ports, at
the rate of 650, 6d. per hogshead.

THE MINISTRY.—The whole of the Cabinet
Ministers will assemble in town by Wednesday, in
order to attend the first Cabinet Council after the holidays,
which is appointed to take place at Lord Derby's official
residence in Downing-street on Thursday next. The Earl
of Derby comes to town to-morrow from Knowsley. Vis-
count Cranborne, who, with his family, has been staying
with Mr. Alexander and Lady Mildred Beresford-Hope, at
Beigebury, Kent, will return to town to-day. The Right
Hon. Gathorue Hardy, M.P., is also expected in town to-
day for the season. The Lord Chancellor, who has been
visiting Viscount and Viscountess Barrington, at Beckett
House, Berks, will also be in town for the meeting of the
Cabinet Ministers. Lord Naas is expected in town on
Tuesday night or Wednesday from Ireland. Tho Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer comes to town early in the week
from Hughenden Manor, Bucks. The Right Hon. Sir
Stafford Northcote is expected to arrive in town this
evening, from the Pynes, his seat near Exeter.
Summonses have been issued for a Cabinet
Council to be held at the official residence of the First
Lord of the Treasury, in Downing-street, on Thursday
next, the 10th inst.

His Roy al Highness the Prince of Wales has
fixed next Friday, Jan. 11, at one o'clock, to receive tho
associate commissioners for the Paris Exhibition, at tho
South Kensington Museum, to consider various matters
relating to the Exhibition.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Kildare are ex-
pected to leave the Duke of Leinster's seat in Ireland
towards the latter end of the week, for London, on their
way to visit the Duchess Dowager of Sutherland, at Olive-
den, near Maidenhead.

The Countess (Dowager) of Dunmore and Lady
Alexandrina Murray have left Lord and Lady Elphinstone's
seat, for Dunmore Park, near Stirling.
Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. John F. B. Elphinstone
leaves town to-day on a visit to Mr. and the Hon. Mrs.
Fellowes, at their seat in Norfolk.

The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., left
Rome on Wednesday last for Florence. Mrs. Gladstone
and daughters have arrived at Florence from Rome, and
will remain there about a week.

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Lady Nelthorpe has arrived at the South, Ken-
sington Hotel, Queen's-gate-terrace, South Kensington.
Colonel and Lady Henrietta Ogilvy hays arrived
in town from the north.