The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-02 00:00:00

THE JAMAICA COMMISSION.

In the files of papers received by the last mail the Post
looks in vain for any evidence whatever to justify the
assumption on which all partial in Jamaica appear to have
proceeded, that the riot at ?donut Court•bouse was but
the first scene in what was intended to be a bloody revolu-
tion, and that large numbers of the negroes, scattered over
the whole colony, were leagued together with the object
of exterminating the white population. We also look in
vale for some definite accounts of the number of negroes
who were either hanged or shot down for participation in
the rebellion. Colonel Whitfield's letter is no evidence at
all, and it is impossible to disoover the grounds on
which the Governor thought it of sufficient im.
portance to be transmitted to the Assembly. As
to the legislation which was going on, it is idle
to conceal the fact that the measures h►ve been exclusively
directed against the negroes, and it is only equitable that
good cause should be given for passing a strictly penal
enactment. A few weeks hence, however, the royal com-
mission will commence their investigation, and the public
may rest satisfied that the inquiry will prove an exhaustive
one.

The Herald thinks the ancient Druids mast be very
ancient indeed in their notions if they axept Mr. Cardwell's
statement that in suspending Mr. Eyre it was not
intended to cut any slur on his character. If the com•
mission means anything it is intended be put Mr. Eyre on
his trial on a charge of nothing less than murder, and a
m►n who in England is placed on his trial on a criminal
charge may be acquitted or condemned, but he is thence-
forth a disgraced man. Whatever the issue of the laves-
tigation may be—and all the news from the island en-
courage' us to expect the triumphant exculpation of the
governor—Mr. Eyre can never resume his functions with
any credit or satisfaction to himself or to the home govern-
ment.

The Telegraph enters upon an examination of the nature
and extent of the authority delegated to the royal commis.
sion, contending that for all technical purposes the persons
so appointed have no more authority than any ordinary
travellers who should choose to record their observations on
the state of the island, though the conclusion that they
have no power to snbpcena witnesses, to administer oaths, or
to insist on the production of documents is not one abso-
lutely free from controversy. It is the fact that they are
armed by public opinion, which gives them their real
power, and their difficulties will arise rather from a super-
abundant* than a deficiency of testimony.

The Star gives some extracts from the Kingston Morning
Journal in illustration of the manner in which the press
has been silenced hitherto in the colony, and quotes from
the debates in the assembly with the view of proving that
Mr. Eyre has now become in some degree conscious of his
false position, and would fain smother all recollection and
destroy all evidence of the past.

The Daily /Yews plainly says it would be affectation to
doubt that the French government bee denommed the
Extradition Treaty with Engbad It waste to nib-