The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-24 00:00:00

Commence af 7.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer,
Will be Opened for the season on CHRISTMAS EVE, Fri-
day, Dec. 24, when will be produced a new Burlesque, written
expressly for the Lyceum Company by Robert B.' Brough,
and entitled THE SIEGE OF TROY. The new and gor-
geous scenery by Mr. William Calicott. The principal cha-
racters by Mrs. Keeley, Miss Julia St. George, Mrs. Weston,
Miss Portman, Miss Talbot, Miss Kate Saxon. Miss E. Romer,
&c. ; Mr. Emery, Mr. Charles Young, Mr. Ellerton, Mr. J.
Rogers, Mr. Barrett, Arc. ; Miss Rosina Wright, Miss M.
Charles, Miss Harriet Dalton, and a numerous Corps de Bal-
let will also appear.

After the Burlesque a new Comic Pantomime, replete with
new tricks and mechanical devices, entitled HARLEQUIN
TOY HORSE ; or, The Cremorne Fete. Clown, Mr Charles
Lauri ; Harlequin, Mr. John Lauri ; Pantaloon, Mr. Henry
Lauri ; Columbine, Miss Jenny Lauri.
The Performances will commence on Friday, Monday, and
Tuesday with the Comedietta of TOO MUCH FOR GOOD
NATURE.

A ➢lorning Performance of the Burlesque and Pantomime
on Boxing-day, to commence at two o'clock precisely ; doors
open at half-past one.

Reduced Prices—Dress Boxes, 4s. ; Upper Boxes, 3s. ; Pit,
2s. ; Stalls, ss. ; Gallery, ls.
Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half -past
6, to commence at 7 every evening.-

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, THE RULE OF THREE.
After which THE MAID AND THE MAGPIE.
THE LITTLE SAVAGE.
And THE BONNIE FISH WIFE.
Commence at 7 o'clock.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Westminster-road.

Sole Lessee Mr. William Cooke.

THIS EVENING, the great Eastern Spectacle of THE
REVOLT IN INDIA ; • or, The Fugitives and their Faith-
ful Steed.

After which SCENES IN THE ARENA, introducing Mr.
W. Cooke, and his beautiful horses, Mr. Runnels, Madame
Blanche, Miss Emily Cooke, Madame Fleurette, and the finest
troupe of equestrians in the kingdom.
Ts conclude with the Farce of SHOOTING THE MOON.
A famous, magnificent, and matchless Christmas Panto-
mime on Boxing-night, entitled HARLEQUIN BARON
MIINCHAUSEN ; or, The King of the Pumpkins, unprece-
dented for comicality and splendour.
Two Performances of the Pantomime on Boxing-day, viz.,
at Two and Seven o'clock.

Dress Circle, 4s. ; Boxes, 3s. ; Pit, 2s, ; Gallery, ls. ; tipper
Gallery, al.

Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips.

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
Proprietor --C. MORTON.
The public is most respectfully informed that the FINE
ARTS GALLER.Y, in connection witk the above Hall, IS NOW
OPEN DAT AND NIGHT, front 11 o'clock a.m. until 12
o'clock p.m. The New Gallery contains an extensive Collec-
tion of Pictures, by Ancient and Modern Masters .and is also
devoted to Art productions generally. The Proprietor feels
he may confidently assert that, viewed altogether, the exist-
ing Music Hall, the New Fine Arts Gallery, and the recently
added Ante-Hall, will present an attraction which, whether
as regards the architectural beauty of the structures them-
selves, or the varied and hitherto unattempted combinations
within, will be found to be wholly without parallel in the
Kingdom.

The Musicat ENTERTAINMENT commences as usual at
seven o'elock.

In addition to the usual entertainment, the SAUVLET
I"AMELY, of Amsterdam, Eight in number, whose varied
instrumental performances have created so marked a sensa-
tion in the pril:cipal cities and towns of the Continent, will
perform every Evening at Nine an' Eleven o'clock.

TIIE WEATHER.-Sum OFFICE, DEC. 24.

THERMOMETER, TN THE SHADE.

53—highest since noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during he night.
' 48—this day at noon.
BAROMETER—Down to 29.28—n0w up to 29.58.
WIND, South-Westerly ; light, with fine weather.
blew a storm last night.

THE SUN•

FRIDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1858.

We may well wish Reformers a merry Christmas
and a happy New Year, for BRIGHT indeed is
their hope. Till this Christmas they have looked
only to one of two great parties aspiring to office.
The Whigs were considered to have a vested
interest in Reform, and the Tories a like interest
in resistance, and all hope centred in the necessi-
ties of one party and in the defeat of the other.
This Christmas, on the contrary, there are no
avowed enemies to our Parliamentary Reformers.
The unanimity of all party leaders has become
quite a subject of pleasantry. Why, then, should
not Whigs, Tories, and Radicals all be merry toge-
ther over their Christmas plum-pudding, and over
their wine after it, when they can all drink Par-
liamentary Reform with all the honours ? Of all
the parties, however, it must be confessed the
thorough-going Reformers may well join most
merrily in the toast. They cannot boast, to be sure,
of being in office ; they cannot point to a leader
who was a leader also in the Reform Bill of 1832,
but they can point to four of the largest meetings
yet held on the subject, and they can at least say
that they have the BRIGHT side of the question.
So, say we, three cheers for Reform, and a merry
Christmas

And, now that we are all in good temper, we
want a word or two with our friends'of the middle
classes. We were a little struck with some
remarks of a Mr. FYFE at the Edinburgh meeting,
which, we hope our readers did not overlook. Mr.
FYFE had risen, he said, from the ranks to a good
professional position, and he advocated still the
cause of the ranks. What he insisted on was the
advantage to the middle classes of dealing
GENEROUSLY with the classes below them in the
matter of the franchise. Re was not pressing
universal suffrage; he seemed quite content with
Mr. BRIGHT'S rate-book suffrage, but he asked for
what the working classes should recognise as con-

fidence on the part of the better-off classes.

The more we have thought of it, the more his
suggestion has commended itself to us. The pre-
sent time seems to be unusually favourable for
discharging a debt long due from the middle class
to those below it. We can testify, from personal

recollection, that in 1832 the general understand

ing was, that if the operatives helped the middle
classes to get a vote for themselves, it should be
repaid by the Parliament elected under the new
franchise. At first the subject was overlooked or

forgotten in the great change already gained, and

in the great questions which for a time occupied

the public mind. Later, it issued in the Chartist

movement ; and ever since then an impression has

remained on the minds of working men that their
immediate superiors in the social scale have mot

dealt fairly by them. Happily, all the violence of
the reign of FEARGUS O'CONNOR and his associates
has completely subsided, and the remains
nothing but the fair, peaceful, yet ma .ly assertion
of a right to the fi.anchi ,e, such as • have heard
from Smithfield, from Birmingham, from Man-
chester, from Newcastle, and from other places.
One of the best features of the working-class
agitation is this moderation. Indeed, while assert-
ing manhood suffrage as the only principle they
can acknowledge, they have yet cordially voted to
support Mr. BRIGHT, whose rating suffrage would
fall very far short of it. They see strongly their
rights, but will take a liberal instalment of them.
They pronounce no bill to be satisfactory which
leaves adult citizens out of the pale of the repre-
sentation, but they will not insist on satisfaction of
all demands. Can there be a better time than this
to do something worth doing in the direction of
enfranchising working men ? We are not threat-
ened. There are no night meetings, and drillings
on heaths and moors. There is not even any tu-
multuous demand for what is desired. Never
could the middle classes bestow on those below
them, what they must one day give, with a better
grace. We well know the feelings with which we
all regard concessions wrung from the Peers ; they
have alienated us from that haughty body, not
attached us to them. So will it be with the con-
cession of the Franchise, if the operative classes
have to wrest it from us. What might now become
a bond of union will then become only a cause of
lasting ill-will and contempt.
As Mr. FYFE justly observed, confidence begets
confidence. The true way to ensure in working
men a loyal attachment to the constitution—to
enlist their:support, and to gain their good-will to
the classes above them—is to trust them. Let
them understand that the constitution of the coun-
try exists so equally for them, as for all besides, that
its administration and protection are as cheerfully
placed in their hands as in our own. It is really the
case. The working classes are legislated for quite
as much and as well as they will ever legislate for
themselves, and the fact will be plainer to them
when they are not, apparently, jealously excluded
from all direct influence on the Legislature. We
are not concerned just now to advocate this or that
particular franchise. Mr. BRIGHT'S is before them.
They have, or large numbers of them at least have,
cheerfully accepted it. It seems, at least, that the
voter should be, if a poor man, yet a known and
responsible man, and this is decidedly better than
any mere artificial line of demarcation.
We need hardly add that the " confidence" must
be complete. The vote must be given, not to the
man's master, but to the man himself. No exten-
sion of the suffrage can be tolerated without the
Ballot. We do not, indeed, know of any meeting
of working men, who ought to know their own
position best, in which they have not spoken
of the Ballot as inseparable from the fran-
chise. A rote for working men, tvithout the
Ballot, would be a fetter, not a fran-
chise. It is astonishing how some parties
lie on the watch for the shred of a plausibility
against so obvious a right as free voting. Mr.
BRIGHT had a cold at Edinburgh ; to shorten his
speech he omitted discussion of the Ballot ; forth-
with he was held to have retracted or grown cold
on that subject ! It was as well they told him so
in time, since at Glasgow he did it full justice.
Indeed he could tell them, and truly enough, that
wherever he went, and whatever differences of
opinion ho met with, he met with none on the
Ballot. It is the one subject on which he found
all Reformers agreed, however they might differ
on the limits of the franchise, or in the apportion-
ment of members. " There is," said he, "no por-
tion of the propositions for Reform that have been
submitted to the public in other parts of the coun-
try in England that has been received with such
unanimity, and such an enthusiasm of resolution, as
the proposition that the Ballot shall form a portion
of the coming Reform Bill." Let Lord JOHN and
Lord DERBY ponder over this fact.

At this period, when many happy families are
indulging in joyous anticipations of a merry Christ-
mas, when healthy and prosperous children are
looking forward with eager anticipations to the
gifts and luxuries provided for their use, it may
not be unprofitable to turn for a short period to
the condemned cell in Reading Gaol and consider
the deplorable state of poor MARY NEWELL, who
now lies under sentence of death for the murder of
her own child. The unhappy girl is but
twenty-two years of age, and, unfortu-
nately for herself, was sufficiently prepossessing
in appearance to attract the attention
of a certain ROBERT WILLIAM FRANCIS, a poul-
terer, then residing in Friere-street, Reading. He
had known her for five or six years, and having
persuaded her to yield to his wishes under a pro-
mise of marriage, accompanied by the stale pretext
that it was not convenient for him to marry just
yet, as his sister was keeping house for him,
heartlessly abandoned her to her miserable fate.
She, of course, lost a situation in which she had
acquired the respect and esteem of her mistress,
who, greatly to her credit, came forward at the
trial to give her miserable servant a character.
When she subsequently came to Reading to ask
him what she was to do, as " he knew she was in
trouble by him," he said he did not know what she
was to do, for he was engaged, and could not have
her, but he would keep the child." In this respect,
however, he changed his mind as much as when he
had promised marriage to his ill-fated victim. After
her confinement in the union workhouse, and re-
maining there for nearly three months, she deter-
mined on making a last appeal to her betrayer.
If he was not prepared to redeem his
first promise, he might the last—might at
least " keep the child," or give some pecuniary
assistance to its heartbroken mother. When, how-
ever, she adventured on the experiment on the very
day of her discharge from the workhouse ; when,
after walking eight miles to produce the infant to
its father, vainly hoping that some feeling might
be excited, if not favourable to herself, at least to
the innocent baby. But she was grievously mis-
taken. Although perfectly destitute, without the
means of obtaining a lodging for the night,
without even a single farthing in her
possession to enable her to procure the
slightest nourishment, her seducer refused
the slightest assistance to one whom he had
promised to make his wife, either for herself or for
the child that he acknowledged to be his own. He
saw the baby, but did not take any notice of it, and
did not recollect passing any remark on it. To her,
however, he was more explicit. His reply to the
question of what she was to do—was that "he did
not care what she did, she could do as she liked,
but he would not give her anything." He then
dressed himself, and swaggered out of the shop,
leaving the miserable creature in company with his
sister, who speedily told her that there was no use
in her staying, as he-might not be home until 11 or
12 o'clock.

This kind-hearted and sympathising female com-
pleted the ruin the poulterer had commenced. Poor

MARY NEWELL left the shop, but walked about

until midnight vainly seeking another interview.
Then, driven to despair, to madness, she committed

the fearful act, which, unless the Royal prerogative
of mercy be exercised in her favour, may consign
her to the hands of the executioner, to be publicly
,trangled on the gallows, for the offence of which
ROBERT WILLIAM FRANCIS, poulterer, of Reading,
was the primary cause. In her own pathetic
account of the melancholy transaction, she declared
that " the temptation was very great, to lead me
to what I did. He so frowned on me and the dear
baby." And the learned and humane Judge who
tried the case observed that "if the conduct of the
man FRANCIS to the prisoner was the same as it
had been in the witness-box,it must have withered
up her whole soul almost, and his refusal to give
her one farthing, or a kind look, or a kind word,
most probably did change her whole nature." His.
Lordship was compelled to discharge a deeply
painful duty, but he earnestly entered into the
emphatic recommendation of the Jury, which he
said he would " with much satisfaction forward
to the proper quarter." There can be no doubt that
MARY NEWELL will be rescued from the hangman's
hands, but hers will be a terrible fate, even under
the most favourable circumstances, while Mr.
ROBERT WILLIAM FRANCIS may continue to pros-
per, in company with his sister, should the people
of Wallingford be less excitable than those of

Reading.
It will be seen from the report, in another part
of our impression, that he was rather
roughly used by those who heard of his con-
duct. We cannot justify anything approximating
to Lynch Law ; but that particular case wo should
feel disposed to assimilate to Uncle TOBY'S oath, on
which " the Recording Angel dropped a tear,
and blotted it out for ever."

There are many of the same heartless class as
R. W. FRANCIS in all grades of society. Men
utterly reckless of the misery and wretchedness to
which they consign their victims, and who would
answer their sad appeals for justice by heartless
jibes, or, still more, intolerable indifference. It is
the same from the highest to the lowest. It is that
which brings so many "unfortunates" to the streets,
that magnifies the social evil, and renders many of
those, who might otherwise be happy wives and
mothers, miserable outcasts, and causes a con-
suming canker to rankle in hearts where an
appearance of happiness, or rather gaiety, is
assumed. Have we not commenced at the wrong
end, in declaring that the gibbet shall be reserved
for the MARY NEWELLS, while the ROBERT WIL-
LIAM FRANCIS'S may escape with impunity, and
walk with erect heads on 'Change or market ? We
care not who the offenders may be—whether high
or low, rich or poor. We shall earnestly respond
to the aspiration of the great poet of human
nature :

" Oh, Heaven, that thou wouldst place a scourge in every
honest hand,
To lash such rascals bare-backed through the world."

MR. G. T. F. SMITHS WEATHER PRE-
DICTIONS FOR JANUARY, 1859.

Near the 4th, cold, rain or sleet, stormy. Near
7th, temperature rises ; rather milder. From the
7th to the 11th, temperature fluctuating, but alter-
nately bright and lowering. Near 13th, stormy
and cold ; but as we approach the 15th or the 17th
there may be a slight rise in temperature; and
from thence to the end of the month there will be
intense cold and congelation, rendering January,
1859, one of those Januarys classing amongst the
coldest on record—snow, with stormy driftings in-
tervening, but frost predominates.
Januarysl79s and 1814 were the coldest Januarys
on record, and the phenomena for January, 1859,
appears to my humble judgment not essentially
different, though probably not so extreme.
It will be seen I have not waived the question of
temperature for Dec. 1858, and the electric state of
the atmosphere, with thunder on the 19th and 22d,
proves the mild weather predicted has been in con-
currence therewith, as a warm atmosphere generates
electricity at all seasons of the year.

LATEST NEWS.

THE BOMBAY MAILS.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAM.)

SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY MORNING.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Malta, Captain Black, has arrived with the Bombay
mails ; she left Alexandria Dec. 11th ; Malta,
14th ; Gibraltar, 19th.

The Malta brings 40 passengers, three packages
of specie (value unknown), and general cargo.

Captain Macpherson, two mates, and nine of the
crew of the Fairy Queen, foundered at sea, have
come by the Malta ; also Captain Jansin, of the
barque Louisa, of Porysrund, foundered on the
28th of October, 209 miles west of Lisbon.

The following telegrams have been received a
Mr. Reuter's office :

VIENNA, DEC. 23.

The semi•official Austrian Correspondence states
that Government has granted important alleviations
concerning the execution of the last law of conscrip-
tion, especially in exempting from military service
only sons and married individuals in several pro-
vinces of the Austrian empire.

ZANTE, DEC. 16.

Mr. Gladstone has arrived here, and was received
with the same demonstrations as at other places,
expressing the desire of the people to be joined to
Greece.

It is reported that part of the fleet stationed at
Malta has been placed at the disposal of Sir John

Young.

MARSEILLES, DEC. 23.
Advices from Athens of the 16th inst. state that
Mr. Gladstone was expected there.
During his stay at Zante a grand fete had taken
place, with illuminations and demonstrations in
favour of the annexation of the lonian Islands to
Greece.

A deputation from Zante and Ithaca had pre-
sented an address, expressing the national wish to
have the islands joined to Greece. Mr. Gladstone,
in reply, said---" England cannot alter the treaties,
but is willing to grant liberal concessions."
The courier who left Constantinople on the 15th
has just arrived here. Letters from Pera report
that the Grand Vizier refused to carry out the
reforms promised by Fuad Pacha at Paris.
Aali Pacha had tendered his resignation, and
Riza Pacha was preparing to follow him into re-
tirement.

Fuad Pacha had not yet accepted the office o f
Grand Vizier.

The Caimacans repudiated the blame attached to
the Conference, and had sent in a. memorial in their
justification, accompanied by a threat of resig-

nation.

MADRID, DEC. 23.
The Cortes has rejected, by 158 against

votes, the amendment of Senor Moyano, demand-
ing the fulfilment of the Concordat. The
official Gazette contains a decree, by which Senors
Espelela and Dagona, members of the tribunal of
war, are replaced by Senor Aldo in.a and the Duke
Evariste San Miguel.

FRA'N'KFORT, DEC. 23.

The Federal Diet has adopted several proposals
of the committees, amongst which the one concern-
ing Holstein and Lauenburg. Th.e question of the
garrison of Radstadt has also been considered.
The Diet has adjourned for throe weeks.

FRANCE.

PARIS, THURSDAY.

As the health of the Dowager Empress of Russia
is much improved, the Grand Duke Constantine
will not proceed to St. Petersburg so early as was
intended. His Imperial Highness was to reach
Nice to-night. He will then join the Grand
Duchess, and after a day or two go on to Palermo,
where the Grand Duchess is to winter. The Ad-
miral Grand Duke will afterwards cruise in the
Mediterranean, as originally intended.
The projected association in wlich it is said a
well-known public character is largely interested,
appears to be advancing towards completion with
the steady progress expected from an undertaking
which is ushered into existence under such power-
ful auspices. It is to have the name of " Societe
Commerciale et Industrielle," and will begin the
world with a capital of 60,000,000 f., of which
40,000,000 f. will be at once parl up, and
20,000,000 f. at subsequent fixed periods. It is
proposed that the president of this new bank-
ing company shall be named by the Emperor, and
will have the right of veto. A permanent com-
pany will be chosen by the Council of Adminis-
tration to watch over the execution of its decrees.
It has no connection with the Credit Mobilier ; but
at some future period, when the immediate object
of its foundation is attained, may be consolidated
with the Comptoir d'Escompte, with which it has
a certain analogy. The plan has been before the
Council of State, has just passed the sections, and
in a few days will be brought before the full As-
sembly of the Council. Of the result there can
hardly be a doubt. The shares of the new esta-
blishment are expected to bear, a good premium,
at all events in the beginning.
The fortefaix, or porters, of Marseilles are de-
cidedly hostile to free trade. It appears they have
petitioned against the docks on account of the pre-
judice caused by them to their interests. The iron
masters and canal owners have at last got powerful
auxiliaries.

BOURSE, Dec. 23.—The market has been firm,
with an upward tendency. It was, reported that
the new Industrial Bank had been authorised, with
a capital of 60,000,000 t/ and 40,000,000 f. to be im-
mediately issued. Threes have been done at from
73f. 50e. to 73f. 60c, Mobilier, 997 f. 50c. to
1,005 f. ; Austrian, 645 f. to 647 f. 50e. ; Orleans,
1,397 f. 50c. to 1,400 f, ; Lyons, 887 f. 50e. to 890 f. ;
and Southern, 590 f. to 592 f. 50c. The following
are the last quotations :--
t per Centg. .... 96 75
Do. end montk 97

Credit Fonder
Belgian 4} . lOO
Piedmontesa (5) 94
Roman 93
Austrian
Spanish Threes 47 75
Home Debt

3 per Cents. 73 30
Do. end month 73 10
Bank Shares 3030 -_
Credit Mobilier 095 ._

Do. Account

RAILWA.YB.

Cash. Account.
Orleans
1006 25
Northern .. . ........... .
New ditto. ............. 845 .. 1846 25
Lyons and Mediterranean BB7 50 .. 885
New ditto
• •
._—
—•—•
Geneva..............
Midi •
• •
• • --
Southern
Western 607 -50 .. 610 —.Eastern -
.. :700
Grand Central — • • --•—
Sardinian
Austrian
Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 111 c. ; money,
25f. 9c. ; three months, paper, 24f. 971 c. ; money, 24f.
95c.

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