Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1849-05-02 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

IRELAND.  Miss Prendergast, a lady nearly 80 years of age, was found murdered in her bed at Portumna Castle. on Sunday morning. She was of eccentric character, and kept no servant. The cholera is spreading. Sir Arthur Blenurrbassett, Bart., of Kerry, has died of this disease. It was rumoured in Unbutton Tuesday evening, that a noble peer in the south had also fallen a victim. Some of the Irish papers state that the inferior clergy in the South and West, both Prostestant and Homan Catholic, have been reduced to utter destitution by the impoverishment and thinning of their coati, through famine and emigration. The Dublin Evening Mail declares that for some months past the Roman Catholic bishops of the South have been dividing their incomes with their cli•rgy. Father Matthew will embark from Liverpool , for the United States, no the 21st of May. He goes in compliment to the psrties who sent their subscriptions to him for the reli,f of the destitute. The accounts from the western provinces of  Ireland are deplorable. In addition to the other evils which have fallen upon that doomed district, the cholera is making fearful ravages among the poor, wha are dying by scores. THE IRISH QUESTION (BY THOMAS CARLYLE).—The truly frightful element in the condition of Ireland has been the official manner of dealing with its condition. The official theory, so far RR one could see, was that nothing specially new had occurred in Ireland ; that Ireland hall indeed lost the pot ito, hut through the blessing of Ileaven would perhaps get it again; for the rest, that Ireland must be dealt with as heretofore,—kept from revolt by attorney-generals and armed police, and kept from starvation by Indian meal (tningling the due modicum of snot or "workhouse test" in it, to make it disgusting enough), till mice the potato returned, after which times would perhaps mend a little. This was the official theory, reduced to practice with great frankness, in a more or less magnificent manner, extending to tens of millions or tens of thousands, according as the circumstances, as the English nation's strength of purse and strength of faith (both rapidly deeliniv. as was natural, in such an enterprise) would permit. To maintain 50,000 armed policemen, horse, foot, and artillery, for the tranquillising ef a sister island, which you had to keep alive with Indian meal at the same nine, did seem rather anomalous to the English mind. The poor Englidt mind has immense practice in anotnalies, is every. where quite used to anomalies, and is of thick skinned nature withal ; nevertheless there are things a little too strong for it,—and the thickest-skinned mind does feel money oozing from its. pocket. The finest peasantry in the world, are they in sad truth to become a finest human pheasantry ; fed all wMter, regardless of expense, that in summer yon may have the satisfaction. with your fifty thousand keepers, of shooting them ? The world heretofore saw nowhere such gigantic sportsmanship! In f let, it has long been a thing—to keep silence upon no polite speech being possible about it. And the Duffy Trial—with your Attorney-General and the learned wigs, _ . . .  and bestrayed official intellects of Ireland, toiling, struggling, toiling with the enthusiam of Kilkenny cats, these live months, to ascertain by the uttermost exertion of their law wit and official machinery whether a man has a nose on his race? and unable hitherto to ascertain it, finding it doubtful hitherto ;—this also is a thing to be silent upon : this—which indeed lets us see a little into the soul of the whole abomination, and Low a " throne of iniquity,' and throne of lies, has long peaceably established itself in that wretched section of God's earth. and predominates everywhere, unquestioned there from sea to sea, till at last, by blessed death of the potato, and by other blessed helps, it has now fallen bankrapt,—is a sight to create unutterable reflections! Now Sir Robert P. el's speech we take as a prophecy that the baneful, disgraceful empire of red -tape and imbecile routine, in this matter, has become intolerable to Gods and men, and is to end before long; that whosoever pretends to govern England or Ireland henceforth, must look out for other methods, or prepare to take himself away—the sooner the better! Truer message, we venture to say, or more beneficent and indispensable, has not been uttered in any parliament this long while past. In the name of all that is real and not imaginary in England, we joyfully accept the omen !—Spectator.