The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-25 00:00:00

LoxDox, TrEILVESDAY, DEC. 25, 1567

The approach of Christmas with ',its holidays and
social gatherings is always welcome in England,
where old customs, especially if they are associated
with our domestic feeelings, are warmly and stead-
fastly [cherished. It is well that it should be so,
for we have not too many holidays, and if we lost
our traditional Christmas we should find it hard to
find its place. In the press and hurry of modern
life there is not much time for the cultivation of the
more kindly and genial feelings, and it is well
that once a year they should be brought into active
play. What with Christmas parties, Christmas pre-
sents, and Christmas family gatherings, the most

lonely and misanthropical amongst us must once
in the twelvemonth be shaken out of his isolation
and made to acknowledge his kinship with hu-
manity. Even EBENEZER SCROOGE of famous
memory, with all his hatred of Christmas, could
not shut out the genial reminders of the season,
and found it impossible to forget that it was
" merry Christmas." The yeas of grace 1867,
however, does not bring our old friend with such
a pleasant face as usual. The Fenians, if they
have not succeeded in any of their more ambitious
objects, have at least the churlish satisfaction of
knowing that they have produced a sensible effect
on Christmas rejoicings. To some little circles
they have brought bereavement and mourning in
place of
,cheerful laughter and the well-spread
board. The quadruple funeral which passed
through Clerkenwell a day or two ago represented
but a small portion of the desolation and misery
which a few reckless and daring miscreants con-
trived to work in the space of a few minutes. Those
who have visited the ruins and caught a glimpse of
the remains of little cheerful firesides suddenly de-
stroyed, and the tokens of simple domestic life tell-
ing their melancholy story to tottering walls and
empty air, will give a thought to the sad Christmas
of the Fenian victims of Clerkenwell. Instead of
jovial reunions and hearty, if humble festivities, they
are spending their Christmas tossing on beds
of constant pain and danger, tended by strange
hands, surrounded by strange faces. They had
little reason a few weeks since to foresee so sad a
close to the year, and it will be long if ever before
they can again spend " a merry Christmas," or
welcome with renewed life and energy " a happy
New Year." Then, in addition to this melancholy
story, the Fenian worthies will contrive to spoil the
Christmas of the many hundreds who have to
guard the property of themselves or others from
attack. The men on duty in many large establish-
ments will not be more inclined to sympathise with
the schemes of the Brotherhood for spending a
dull Christmas among counting houses and
stores. Luckily our authorities are now so much
on the alert, and our population is so
thoroughly aroused from its characteristic apathy in
matters of the kind, that the mischievous conspira-
tors will have less opportunity of putting their ne-
farious schemes into effect. There is no vigilance
like that of officials who feel their own interests
directly concerned in the effectual discharge of their
duties, and in this way we may readily believe that
the thousands of special constables who have within
the last few days enrolled themselves for the pro-
tection of the metropolis will prove very efficient
guardians of the public peace. The strength and
unanimity of the prevailing sentiment has displayed
itself strongly in the eagerness with which volunteers
have pressed forward, and we may hope that their
so doing will convey a useful lesson not only to
the disaffected in the sister country, and to the
Fenians scattered among ourselves, but to the
Americans and Irish Americans across the Atlantic.
Whatever opinion they may have of our constitu-
tion, we are making it quite plain to the world in
general that we are thoroughly satisfied with it
ourselves, and that whatever faults we may find
with our Government and our governors we are not
disposed to entrust the task of Reform to other
hands. The performances of the Fenian Brother-
hood, so far as they have as yet shown themselves,
are not calculated to inspire much confidence

.n their administrative capacity any more

than in their mutual confidence and agreement.
Fenianism, when allowed iu New York as much
latitude as its leaders could wi,h for, soon passed
from the sublime to the ridiculous, and the quarrels
and dhisensions of the leaders; and their lavish
appropriation of the funds entrusted to them, pro-
voked the satire and contempt of the keen-witted
Americans. It would not he possible to make the
same experiment here, but their dupes would pro-
bably be as much surprised as any one if they could
see the result of it. The fact of the matter, very,
likely, is that the so-called " dangerous classes,'
who live upon their ' fellows, are glad to
associate themselves with more mischievous
and turbulent spirits, who have taken up Fenianism
as a profession ; more especially since darkness and
fire are to be the attendant satellites of Fenian
avengers, burglars and pickpockets may find it de-
sirable to become suddenly imbued with a sense of
the wrongs of Ireland.

In other matters the Christmas of 1867 is not
altogether a cheerful one. The exceptional mild-
ness of the season, indeed, has been a blessing to the
poor, but the condition of the East-end parishes,
where chronic destitution always prevails, and
where the dullness of trade has been painfully felt,
is more than usually distressing. Here, again,
too, however national energy and benevolence
came to the rescue, and there is no lack of willing
hearts and hands to succour the needy and comfort
the afflicted. Thus although we have seen gayer
Christmases, we have not seen any that should
give us more confidence and satisfaction, since it
is not in the time of untroubled prosperity that
individuals or institutions can show what they are
really worth, but when anxiety, and annoyance,
and disappointment fail to shake their courage or
to lessen their patriotism, their energy, and their
self-reliance.

It cannot be said that the aspect of things abroad
is very pleasing just now, or can afford those who
at this season take a glance at them comprehensively
any very favourable anticipations of their future,
near or distant. What with one thing or another
there is much to dread in the way of a collision of
interests, and those who try to render their assist-
ance to one nation can hardly venture to do so
without offending another one. The most pre-
scient politician cannot say that there will not be
war, and the most sanguine cannot really
feel safe in expressing their hopes on the sub-
ject. As one dwells upon the theme what
hosts of recollections throng around, and what dark
memories suggest themselves to us of past wars and
recent struggles for power and sordid motives of
gain. A great deal of the evil that now exists may
be traced to the want of principle that pervades the
Continental Governments, more especially that of
Prussia. We are now reaping the abundant har-
vest of misery and misfortune that that nation
sowed with no sparing hand a few years back.
Denmark may see her wrongs and injuries avenged
a hundredfold in many of the painful dilem-
mas and difficulties that now environ and
perplex the nations of Europe, paralyse trade, re-
strict commerce, injure the credit, and shake the
confidence of communities. Where fortune has
smiled upon us a great deal of the good has been
counteracted by the sinister accounts and warlike
rumours so rife abroad ; and when, as unhappily has
been the case of late, other things have been proved
adverse, bad has been made worse, and a lesser evil
converted specially into a great calamity. Thus
the celebrated black Friday of last year was
partly owing to the state of affairs incidental
to the forthcoming war between Austria
and Prussia and the expected collision with France.
How often during this current year, so near its
close, have the funds fallen and the Bourse been de-
pressed through this and that report that the dark
and doubtful state of affairs justified. If it were
intended by a moralist to convey a practical warn-