The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-28 00:00:00

MR. T. HUGHES, M
VER.P..
NOR ON TH
EYE PRE.ROSECUTION
OF Go

Yesterday a meeting, convened by circular, was
held in the committee-norm of the Town-hell, Pinning-
barn, for the purpose of hearing an itildreia by Mr. Thomas
Hughes, M.l'., with respict to the proposed prosecution
of ex-Gvernor Eyre by the Jamaica mentuittee. was
Meaux (11r. George Dixon) presided, and the meeting was
a large one.
The MaYon, in opening the proceedings, expressed his
opinion that at present there were two classes of people in
the country. On the one band they had the Jimmie*
Committee ; and on the other they hail a class of
people who believed that if Governor Eyre had
done wrung he had simply made a mistake,
and that therefore he deserved aympathy instead of
censure. Apart from these there was a clam of people
who, though they had read much and thought deeply on
the .object, were yet unwilling to commit themselves to
an opinion on the grave legal questions involved. To
that
this
elms the Jamaica Committee appealed, and for
purpose Mr. Hughes had been invited to come to Bir-
mingham.
Mr. T. Heenra,after stating the circumstances attending
the formation of the Jamaica Committee, said lie believed
it was owing to the pressure exercised by then, that the
goveintatent hail determined to suspend Governor Eyre,
pending the inquiry which was made by
lie the
th h Royalt COMhat
-
mission appointed for that puristee. oug t
report disclosed a frightful Mate of things, w:tich snide
the deliberations of the committee most serious. But
when it became evident that they must face the probable
necessity of placing Governor Eyre on his trial for having
taken away life,which would,accopling to the English law, be
murder, many who had previously acted on the committee
withdrew their Denies. Hs thought they had acted in a
harsh and unadvised manner, for latching personal
Go-
entered into the matter. It was not a question of
vernor Eyre, or Mr. Gordon, but one involving the meet
precious birthright of Englishmen. The prase:tit govern-
ment had refused to take up the math r, and Mr. Disraeli
hail given a refusal of the most contumeliacts ous kindwere under ! to their
request, his answer being that such
Imo tea law, and when martial law was proclaimed all
other laws were suspended. The committee had deter-
mined, therefore, to take up the matter then:melees, and
they wished to obtain an authoritative judgme Theintr first
on the
law as it bore upon the case.
position was the English law as it hail been
since the great Charter. The sovereign haul no
power to declare martial law in any of the Eng-
lish dominions, and that
re
being the
native b
oil
no
authority to delegate it to any reple ntative of the
crown in any of the British colonies. fir. Hughes then
gave quotations to show that the law in this country as
founded in the great Charter and the Petition of Right
remained unaltered, and that it bad layu declared so
by the highest legal authorities. In J11111:liCil itself there
bail been a Militia Act, which gave authority to establish
inertial law, but as be apprehended it Wai martial law to
be employed only in case of invasion by a foreign power, for
by another statute passed side by side with that, and re-
newed from time to time, and which was then in
existence, the ordinary civil courts were to remain
open, and to then' all civilians were to be brought to trial
for criminal offences. Having referred to the proceedings
in Jamaica, Mr. Hughes appealed to the country for aid in
order that a questiou involving in such a great degree the
rights and privileges of their fellow-subjects in all parts of
the world might be set at rest, and expreseed his opinion
that the Chief Justice of England would peat tbe
charges of other chief justices in stating the law to he
that no exercising the prerogative, as in this case, could
be made in violation of the law, for he considered
as the ques-
tion was one of law against prerogative.
A resolution, expressing sympathy with the objects of
the committee, and forming a local committee, was coo-
firmed, and after a vote of thanks to the mayor for pre-
siding, the meeting terminated.

Mr. C. C. Morton, the Government Inspector of
Mines for Yorkshire, has resigned his office. For some
time Mr. Morton has not been in good health, and it is
stated that the anxiety and excitement of the last week or
two, caused by the dreadful calamity at Barnsley, have so
far affected him, that under the advice of his medical
attendant be has retired from the responsible post which
he has occupied for many year-.
PRIVATE BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. —Next Monday
is the last day for lodging the aesents and (Basest& to local
bills in the next session of parliament, sod also for filing
the estimates of the new undertakings, including railway
projects. The deposit of money must be made by the
15th proximo. The number of private bills for next session
is 316, against tr 33 in the preceding year.