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

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LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1866.

As time goes on, and more facts are collected
about the " martyr GORDON," we have more and
more cause to -wonder at the extravagant asser-
tions that were made at the outset concerning
nim. Never was there a more manifest determi-
nation to make the worse appear the better cause
than throughout this Jamaica business, but the
time draws near when the mask will be taken
from those who have contrived to deceive many
with false appearances. A gentleman, who was
lately a member of the Legislative Council of Ja-
maica, has slated that GORDON was a man of most
violent temper, always against the authorities}
and as for the statement put forth so glibly,
that there was not a title of evidence
to convict him, he read a letter which showed that
he was deeply implicated in the rebellion. Before
the outbreak GORDON had been trying to purchase
not only arms and ammunition, but also a war
vessel used by the Confederates as a blockade
runner. It is said that the captain of the Con-
federate vessel is about to start for Jamaica, in
order to give evidence before the Commission, so
that in all probability we shall soon hear enough,
and more than enough, to prove that GORDON'S
guilt was fully proved. Mr. BOWERBANK'S narra-
tive of the late disturbances in Jamaica is very in-
teresting, and it is of importance to dwell upon all
the authentic details that reach us, for even now we

may as well realise the state of matters so far as
we can. He states that the state of feeling in Kings-
town was dreadful in its anxiety just before and
after the arrest of GORDON. Each hour brought
news from the disturbed districts and different parts
to show that there was great disaffection among the
people, and that seditious language was used. Mr.
BOWERBANK declares that there were " distinct
evidences of organisation," large bodies of men
went in particular directions, and added greatly to
their number by swearing in the people as they went
along, which, of course, is a convincing proof that
there existed a determination and a pre-arrangement

among them.
The various cruelties of the "awful scenes" at
Morant Bay, on that fatal Wednesday (Oct. 11) are
not given in full here, but quite enough is men-
tioned to prove their atrocity and horror. Some
white people from their places of concealment heard,
if they could not see, and their accounts are de-
plorable. Thus one person remonstrates with an-
other for having assisted to murder PRICE—" We
were ordered not to kill black people ;" and the
answer was, " Neber mind; though him got black
skin, him got white heart." Again, when Dr.
MAJOR was saved as being a doctor, a woman said,
" Doctor or no, kill him : my orders is to kill every
white man." It is worthy of notice that Mr.
BOWERBANK states, that from all he heard from eye-
witnesses, he believes that the " printed accounts"
of the scenes which were beheld by those who
landed from the Wolverine are not exaggerated.
There was a method in the madness of the rebels,
which shows that they were more intent upon the
future than the present in an honest rebellion, if
the term is admissible, the excitement and enthu-
siasm of the many carrying away those concerned
in it, and they forego future gain for the gratification
of present revenge, and the adjustment of wrongs,
real or imaginary. In Jamaica we find that the
rebels spared the houses, crops, and living :stock on
the estates in recent instances, which they would
not have done had they been suddenly wound up
to fury by the ill-treatment they received from
the rebels. It was no ebullition of the moment,
but, on the contrary, a deep-laid scheme,
and a carefully concocted plan, and had not the
outbreak been a little premature, no doubt all the
skill and promptitude of the authorities could not
have preserved the inhabitants. The black women
were the worst in mutilating the dead and ill-treat-
ing the living, but Mr. BOWERBANK positively
contradicts the report that women were flogged
with the sanction of the chief authorities. Hearing
that one magistrate had allowed such a thing to
take place, Governor EYRE at once removed him
from the commission of the peace. Brigadier-
General NELSON likewise counter-ordered the
sentence of a court-martial at Morant Bay to
the same effect, so that here or elsewhere the
most unfavourable assertions are shown to
have been the most untrue. The Rev. Mr. RAD-
CLIFFE, in a letter to the Times of to-day, reiterates
the statement he made some time ago as to the
occasional " threats" used in the House of Assembly
by Mr. GORDON, and he furnishes many proofs of
the validity of his remarks. He states that his
"documentary evidence" for the House of
Assembly is such that, in giving extracts, his diffi-
culty is selection, and not want of matter; and
that the phrase of " driving the whites into the sea"
has become " crystallised into a really and compen-
dious metaphor, to express all threatening language
as to the whites, either inside or outside the
House." Many extracts are furnished which
are most conclusive as to the dangerous
state of feeling which existed for some time
past in Jamaica. Mr. OSBORNE said in 1858 that
the government of that country would be left to the
black and brown men in twenty years' time. Mr.
SPEAKER was fighting with a shadow ; for it is in
the course of GOD'S providence that the change to
which I allude should occur, and there is no alter-
ing it. GOD has destined that the wrongs of Africa
shall be vindicated in those lands." Some of Mr.
GORDON'S speeches are quoted to prove how violent
he was; and the writer truly states that if his remarks
are not treason, it is difficult to know what treason-
able language is. He said on one occasion that if such
a member provoked him to the use of " strong
language, he would tell him that if the Governor
continued his present course we will have a rebel-
lion, an insurrection, and sword bayonets in this
country, and he will be pelted and hooted, because
the people are not going to consent to the tyrannical
conduct of the Governor." And again, he said,
" Therefore, per se," as the hon. member states,
" the people would be quite right to break into an
open rebellion." All these sentences are significant
enough, and have a deep and deadly meaning in
them.

It is never a very gracious or popular task to
impose taxes ; whether direct or indirect there
are sure to be plenty of persons on whom the
new imports will press heavily, and who naturally
enough are ready with arguments in favour of the
transfer of the burden to other people's shoulders.
Still, if a Government is to be carried out at all,
and especially such a costly and elaborate Govern-
ment as ours, the national exchequer must be re-
cruited by means of the useful though unpopular
agency of the tax-gatherer. Mr. GLADSTONE, though
always one of the most remorseless of creditors so
far as Schedule D is concerned, has lately won
golden opinions from the tax-payers by his reduction
of the tea and sugar duties, and of the fire insurance
duty, although for the latter he deserves little credit.
The agitation for the repeal of the malt tax
threatens, however, to disturb his equanimity, and
unless he is prepared to make some concession on
this point he will find his Budget for 1866 a trouble-
some matter. The arguments in favour of the total
abolition of this tax have been marshalled in for-
midable array by Mr. WILLIAM RAY SMEE, F.S.A.,
in a pamphlet* to which we have already
referred, and which certainly makes out a
strong case, founded not so much on the
claims of the producer as on those of the
consumer. According to Mr. SMEE'S care-
fully compiled statistics there is a very large sum of
money wasted between the malt grower and the
beer drinker, and the actual malt tax of £1 Is. Bd.
per quarter is raised by the vices engrained in the
system to an actual cost of £3 10s. Bd. per quarter.
Taking the average price of barley and hops, the
charges for making malt and for brewing, he finds
that the cost of the liquid extracted from a quarter
of malt is about £2 Bs., which quantity of malt is
never brewed into less than 90 gallons of ale, and
always into more by the great brewers ; and gene-
rally into 144 gallons of porter—the one costing
lid. per quart, and the other ld. Thinking
that many persons will hold it incredible
" that the ale costing 11d. per quart and the
porter Id. should be usually sold at 6d. and 4d.,
Mr. SMEE takes the trouble of referring to the Re-
port of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, by
which it appears that " the quantity of malt con-
sumed in the brewing of each barrel of beer is de-
termined to within less than one-fifth part of a
bushel;" and the result of this test proves that one-
quarter of malt was made into 121 gallons,of liquid;
this, moreover, for export beer, which is usually of a

* The Malt Tax. By William Ray S►n;e, Esq,, F.S.A.
gann, Nephews, Cornhill