The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-15 00:00:00

[NEW TIMES.]-

A Meeting was held yesterday, for the pur-
pose of extending to the City its share of the
general improvements which are taking place in
other parts of the Metropolis. It was proposed
'that the avenues to St. Paul's should be opened
by wide and spacious streets, one running from
Crescent-place, New Bridge street, due east to
St. Paul's Church-yard, destroying a great num-
ber of mean tenements behind Ludgate-hill, and
joining Ludgate-street at the corner of Creed-lane,
where a large opening, approaching to the form of
a square, is to be formed, with a statue of George
111. in the centre. On the south side of St.
Paul's a curve would run nearly to Black Swan
Court, where a wide street should be opened,
cutting through Little Carter-lane, Little Knight
Rider-street, part of St. Peter's Hill, and Upper
Thames-street, down to the River, on the side of
which a crescent is .to be formed. This street
will destroy many paltry lanes and courts in its
progress. On the north side a curve is to run,
making the north of the church-yard more regular
than at present, from the centre of which a street
Is to pass into Newgate-s-treet, by which Queen's
Head-passage and Canon-alley will be taken
down. The plan will be rendered complete by
handsome streets communicating with Ludgate-
hill and Earl-street, and two regular places, the
northern facingCheapside, and the southernDistaff-
lane. Thit this plan is very handsome, and would
confer great advantage on the neighbourhood and
the city in general, is quite certain. When taken
in. connection with the New Post-office, its-value
as an improvement will be more clearly seen. 1 t is
also desirable that the second Christian Church
in the world should be seen in its full magnifi-
cence, and therefore we wish the project every
success. At present there is absolutely no view
of St. Paul's tihich affords an adequate idea of
its grandeur. Hail the plan of Sir Christopher
Wren been carried' into execution, this objection"
could have been obviated ; for that great Archi-
tect, after the fire of London, made a proposal
that the whole of the houses south of St. Paul's the
great proportion of which had been burnt down,
should never be re-erected, but tha: on their site
a spacious crescent, opening to the River, should
be built. At that time, however, the value of
houses in the city of London was considered so
great, and the citizens were so thoroughly im-
pressed with the idea that it was impossible to
merchandize elsewhere, even on the adjoining
Strand, that the project was dropped. Other
ideas prevail now,. and we .hope that the inten-
tions of the founder will be in some measure

[MORNING 11F.P.ALD.]

The approach of an election is much more con-
fidently expected in Ireland than in this country,
and the exertions of candidates likely to be well
informed gives it probability. It is among the
opponents of the Catholic Question that most
activity is observed. The changes will be more
•importa-nt in Ireland than in England, for a new
power enters the field—viz. the Roman Catholic
priesthood. Hitherto the influence of the priests
has been exercised over elections rather covertly
and rarely, and, in many instances, the Protest-
ant landlord carried it against the pastor. But at
no period have the Catholic Clergy possessed the
same power over their " people," as they call
them, which they hold at present. It is not only
their power that is increased, but their open bold-
ness and their means of exerting it. The priests
are now not. only preachers, but demairogues, and
they are in a situation to act in concert, advising
In private, and haranguing in public, thr-ugh
three of the four provinces. Another source of
power in the Irish Catholic Priesthood is an un-
interrupted family and local intimacy, as the
present race has, %sith few exceptions, been edu-
cated in Ireland. Hence they have not only
more influence, but a keener interest in Irish po-
litics. It may be added, on the authority of the
Archbishop of Dublin, as well as the reasonable-
ness of the thing, that they are more democratic
than if they had received a foreign eaocation.
Such is the array of dispositions and means with,
which they will interfere in the next election. 1 here
is one
which it is said, and it even already appears,
powerful and extensive family, against

every effort will be used, the Beresfords, who
have had for years more even than their share of
the good things in Church and State in Ireland.
They accordingly have already commenced the
campaign. It is said that the Irish Catholic
clergy, singular as it may be thought, have taken
offence against Dr. Doyle, and sent a suggestion
to Rome against his further promotion. The cause
is said to be his having gene out of his way in his
evidence respecting his own individual and private
conscience. Ile avowed—or something very near
it—that he at one time was argued into infidelity
by reading some writers—Catholic, of course—
in support of Christianity ! This confession was
thought indiscreet—and it, as well as his notion
of a re-union of the two churches, are treated as
downright liberalisms. It was, perhaps, to coun-
teract this opinion of him, that he expressed him-
self as dogmatically as my Lord Peter, in his re-
cent pastoral letter.