The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-10 00:00:00

THE JAMAICA COMMITTEE.

A special meeting of this committee was held last
evening at ltailley's Hotel, Mr. P. A. TAYLOR, M.P., in
the chair. Amongst those present were Sir T. F.
Buxton, M.P., Mr. Bright, M.P., Mr. John Stuart Mill,
bLP., Mr. Charles Buxton, M.P., Mr. J. Burke, solicitor
of Kingston, Jamaica, Mr. W. Sheen, Professor Goldwin
Smith, Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Frederick Harrison, and Mr.
McArthur.

The CH LIFUIAN explained that it had become necessary
to call the meeting in consequence of the letter
Mr. Charles Buxton had published resigning the chairman.
ship of the committee, on tnegroundthat he dissented from
the resolution to prosecute Mr. Eyre for the murder of
Mr. Gordon. He (Mr. Taylor) thought that Mr. Buxton
was in error In stating that the Jamaica committee had
decided by a majority " that Mr. Eyre should be prose-
cuted for the murder of Mr. Gordon, either through the
government or by Mrs. Gordon." Now, the fact was the
resolution went no further than this—that the committee
thought the government ought to institute a prosecution,
and that they would press upon them to do so, and that
in the event of the government not doing so, they would
give Mrs. Gordonevery assistance if she prosecuted. (Hear.)
Having dwelt upon the extreme inconvenience of the course
Mr. Buxton had thought fitto follow, Mr. Taylor said—With
respect to the present course cfprocedure which the commit-
tee should adopt there were ninny difficulties in the way.
There were legal difficulties, and those connected with
heavy expenditure. There was another difficulty, con-
veyed in a letter just received from Mrs. Gordon. That
lady appeared to have been influenced, perhaps by the
writings in the press, so as to consider that she would be
in some degree the agent of a personal vengeance if she
prosecuted the murderer of her husband. That was a feel-
ing which did her credit. (Hear.) Besides, she said, that
could her dead husband reveal himself to her, he would he
opposed to her lending, herself to such a prosecution. No
feeling of (that sort could for a moment actuate any mem-
ber of the committee. (Hear, hear.) What was Governor
Eyre to them ? They had never seen him. He was simply
the impersonation of wrong. (Hear.) Still, it could not
be concealed that the views taken by Mrs. Gordon placed
additional embarrassments in the way of the committee.
The question to be decided was— on what principle were
they prepared, for the future, to act! (Hear, hear.)
Mr. C. Buxton, M said that what occurred was this :
—There were two meetings held to discuss the question of
prosecuting Mr. Eyre, and at the last meeting it was
decided to prosecute by a division of 11 to 3.

Mr. Bilk:HT—There Was no division.
Mr. BUXTON—Yes, there was.
The CHAIRMAN—The matter was agreed to.
Mr. Bexeott went on to say that next day he
saw the resolution published in the papers, nut
the slightest hint being given that there was
any difference of opinion in the committee. It was
impossible that he could allow his position with re-
ference to this matter to misunderstood. If they could
have j+roseected Mr. Eyre for misgoverning the colony he
would have been ready to take action in the matter, but
he could not look upon him as being guilty of the wilful
deliberate murder of Mr. Gordon. With respect to Mrs.
Gordon, he had not seen or communicated with her, and
the act of which the chairman spoke must have been volun-
tary on her part, as far as he knew.
Mr. BRIGHT, M.l'., said that Mr. Buxton was quite at
liberty to differ from the committee, and if the difference I
was on a matter of vital importance, to withdraw from the
committee ; but he had not done that. The committee
did not even divide ; and he (Mr. Bright) went away from
the meeting under the impression that Mr. Buxton, seeing
the great majority of the committee on one side, might
probably feel himself able to go with them. Two days after
they saw this very letter—this very speech made at the
meeting—in the newspapers, although there were no
means taken to report the bservations of members on
the other aide of the question. The proper course for Mr.
Buxton to have taken was to let a paragraph appear stat-
ing that Mr. Buxton had withdrawn from the Jamaica
Committee, not being able to proceed further in the
course the committee had marked out for itself. But the
letter of Mr. Buxton appeared to him (Mr. Bright) as a
most hastily penned fulmination against the committee
with which he had been actin, and of which he was chair-
man. (Hear, hear.) When he (Mr. Bright) moved Cie
resolution, with regard to the prosecution of Mr. Eyre, he
put them in words having special reference to the point
whether Mrs. Gordon would undertake the prosecution or
not, as he had not come to the conclusion that it was
desirable for the committee to prosecute if Mrs. Gordon
would have nothing to do with the prosecution.
Ai to prosecuting Mr. Eyre for a misdemeanour, Mr.
Buxton spoke of the crime as if it was not murder. lle
(Mr. Bright) recollected at the meeting of parliament he
discussed this question with one of the oldest and 'Lest
esteemed judges in En Lod, who said—not in his (Mr.
Bright's) presence alone, but before several persona—that in
his whole life he had never seer. or known a case more dis-
tinctly of murder than the putting of Mr. Gordon todeath.
His opinion, distinctly and clearly was that if Mrs.
Gordon was willing in her own name to commence pro-
ceedings with a prosecution of. Mr. Eyre, the committee
should undertake to collect funds and give her such legal
assistance as was in their power. ( Hear, hear.) But if
Mrs. Gordon was prevented by anybody from prosecuting,
and was altogether against such a thing as a prosecution,
it would make the position of the committee more difficult,
and the whole question would have to he re-considered.
. Mr. Luntow moved " That this committee approves
end confirms the resolutions passed by the executive
committee on the :6th of June."

Professor GOLDWIN SMITH seconded the resolution in
able speech.
Sir T. F. Iluxrox defended the course pursued by Mr.
C. Buxton.

Several members of the committee having spoken,
The resolution was carried, there being but one die•
sentient.

On the motion of Mr. BEALFA, Mr. John Stuart Mill,
M.P., was unanimously elected chairman of the com
mittee.

Mr. MILL, M.P., said—Gentlemen, I thank you for this
honour and mark of your confidence. I accept the post
you have given me. (Cheers.) Idoso in the full convic-
tion that the objects of this committee are simply to ewer-
tain whether there exist in this country any means for
making a British functionary responsible for blood unlaw-
fully shed—(applause)—and whether that be murder or
not. I believe it to be murder. (Hear, bear.) This com-
mittee ought not to rest until it obtains from the legisla-
ture the assurance that men like Mr. Eyre will be made
responsible for their criminal actions. (Hear, hear.)
rotes of thanks wero passed to Messrs. Gerrie and
Payne for their services in Jamaica, and to the chairman,
after which the meeting separated.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—AII the great fountains will
be displayed this afternoon at half-past three.
GREAT NORTHERN HOSPITAL, CALEDONIAN-ROAD,
lacuturot:, N.—Number of patients for the week ending
July 7, 1,044, of which 252 wore new cases.