The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-31 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY MORNING.
Theh. N IRE POLITICAL PRIESTHOOD.
lit.eercet o n aion of to-day makes a fresh revelation in con-
: with the threatened repression of priestly inter-
a%;ssunr
in temporal matters. The organ is now credibly
that it is assented to in a well-informed Whig
circle.- of this city, that the Government, appalled by
r are which havereached them of the influence wielded
by le Catholic clergy against their candidate at the
Me' th election, have determined to introduce a bill early
no' Lt session fur the purpose of preventing any future in-
°. rference of the kind. Without disputing the Nation's
ources of information upon any movement connectedwith the church of Rome, the foregoingstatement, as far
as regards legislative intervention for the abatement
of
a crying scandal, must be received for whatit is worth.
If it be true that, Dr. Cullen, with the sanction and autho-
rity of the Pope, has determined to limit the duties of
the clergy to affairs of a spiritual nature—and some ench
policy is generally supposed to be in contemplation_
why not let the hostile parties adjust their own squabbles
witho-nt dragging them before the British Legislature .
Time, is not an educated Roman Catholic in Ireland who
is not. 'heartily ashamed of the late display at the Meath
election, and so universal is this feeling that it is more
than doubtful whether such a trial upon the patience of
any constituency would be again ventured upon even
witl lout the interference of the Court of Rome or the
Pea iiament of England. The Tablet itself is almost
ab: abed at the agencies employed to effect the return of
Bi shop Cant well's nominee, and suggests the ballot as
th e only remedy for those who complain of priestly
di inaination and mob-intimidation.

THE IRISH MECH.
The new Dean of Down (the Rev. Mr. Woodward)
'cnt►s formerly one of the secretaries of the Church Educa-
ti,on Society, but has fon; since modified his views upon
II ,e educational question, and is now a supporter of the
.ational system. As a churchman, his leanings are be•
I.ieved to tend towards the high rather than to the low
Party: The former, however, comprise but an insig-
nificant section of the clergy of the established church
in Ireland.

traMen PROvisioN CONTRACT.
The Duh/in Mercantile
neodvertiser says :—" We have
learnt with much satisfaction our enterprising fel-
-I‘)w-citizen, Mr. Michael Sr th
of Copper-alley, has
*entered into a contract with the Government of his Im-
perial Majesty Napoleon for the supply
of several hun-
dredv tierces—about 1,000, we belle—o Irish beef, to
be delivered at the port of Brest or. Cherbourg
within a
definite period. This event is a novel one ilnitr!aewcaorme
that
cial history of our city. We are not, indeed
a Du'Jlin provision merchant has ever before now bad
sue)., a mercantile transaction with any French G. n
Luca. If such did occur it must have been a lonogvteirtne
10-nce ; and the country is indebted to Mr. Smith for thus
*opening an important branch of trade with France."

TRADE AND AGRICULTURE.
A Westmeath journal mentions a gratifying fact that
the farmyards throughout that rich agricultural county
present an appearance of abundance superior to what
as been heretofore witnessed. This circumstance, it is
fairly remarked, assumes vast importance when it is con-
!mitered that the payment of rents is almost universally
in advance of former years, demonstrating as it does
that the circumstances of farmers have greatly improved ;
for in past years the payment of rents at this season no.
cehsitated in most cases the unreserved sale of oat-stacks
mid other farm produce.
Turning to an opposite quarter, a letter from. Belfast,
published in the Derry Standard, supplies the following
information :—" The workpenple being all pretty well
employed and in the receipt of fair earnmgs, the farming
ranks having had quite a carnival of it for the last three
aonths, and even farm labpurers enjoying a good mar. ,

ket for their toil, all tends to give impulse to general
trade, and to cause a more rapid circulation of cash i❑
those commodities which form the more immediate staple
of holyday traffic. High prices for food and the great
dearth of breadstuffs act much against the business of
the country, and yet it is wonderful how well the masses
have battled with such difficulties, and how much the
circumstances of the careful and energetic men of labour
have been improved during the last twelve months."
The Dublin Evening Post observes :—" All descrip-
tion. of farming produce still realise very good prices.
Potatoes, in comparison with other kinds of food, are
still rather moderate, notwithstanding the large quanti-
ties exported to England. We learn from Belfast that
large lots of potatoes have been purchased in the markets
in that quarter for shipment to the Crimea, at rates
♦arying from 60s. to 655. per ton. It is now manifest
that the produce of last year's crop in this country must
have been most abundant."