The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-31 00:00:00

JAMAICA.

The Jamaica Morning Journal of the 10th says :
"There have been no occurrences worthy of note
former
intodisorderly
pro
during the fortnight. Notwithstanding the violence
of the newspapers, whose writers hope by abusing
the e
order everywhere prevail ; and
evennegd pro-
ceedings,
negroes
Governor Eyre, and those who are collecting sub-
scriptions for a testimonial to be presented to him,
Eetgndsre7phawkers acandde riandte
h thee
f ior for signatures to addresses to
ofriends,me both hereand in
-
c
have been permitted to pursue their calling in all
parts of the country without molestation. And
yet there are some people here who declare that the
" widespread rebellion" is yet to take place, and de-
nounce all who do not agree in opinion with them
as mischievous men, who are aiding and abetting
treason, and exciting the negroes "to drive every
white man into the sea." With nonsense of this
kind a hireling press seeks to scare every honest
man from uttering the truth or express any opinion
upon public affairs, unless it be in abuse of the ne-
groes, of Mr. Bright, and the Anti-Slavery Society.
Every man who will not do this is to be starved out
and persecuted in every possible shape. The masses
are peaceable and attending their work, and will re-
main peaceable if what are.termed the upper classes
here would cease talking and writing about a wide-
spread rebellion, and treat the people with the
consideration due to human beings. For ourselves,
the purpose at which we aimed having been accom-
plished, namely, the eliciting of truth and putting it
in unmistakable light before the world, in the hope
that full justice may be done to wrongdoers, we are
content to let all discussion subside, and unite our
energies with those who may look forward with hope
to bring about a better and a happier future. It is
all very well to denounce the negroes and threaten
them with all sorts of punishment both earthly and
purgatorial ; but we are very much afraid that only
the denouncers will suffer in the end. The negro
cannot suffer much whilst there is no martial law,
and might very soon render himself independent of
his white superiors ; but we doubt very much
whether his superiors could do without him. Talk
as much as we like about bringing European

labourers here, we all know that white men cannot
undergo the hard toil of field labour in a tropical
climate, and that Jamaica would only prove again
what it has proved already—the grave of thousands.
It is better that, profiting by the experience of the
past, we address ourselves honestly and manly to
the performance of our duty to the people who form
the great bulk of our population,ancl on whom, say
what we may to the contrary, ;se are altogether de-
pendent for the cultivation of those staples without
the production of which the country must sink into
I utter and irretrievable ruhi. Farbetterfor all par-
ties—the negro peasant, the estate proprietor, the
middle-class nm:2, and, in fact, every one who feels
his lot to be cast in this country, and his welfare
bound up with it, to begin at once to reconcile the
negroes to the other classes•and endeavour to ele-
vate them in the scale of civilisation, and thus fit
them fairly and reasonably, and without pain to
either, to take their places by our sides.

The report of the Royal Commission is anxiously
looked for. The colonists seem now to be divided
into two great parties—those who justify the massa-
cres of October, and those who, whilst condemning
and deploring the outrages committed by the rioters
at Morant Bay, maintain that as martial law and
its summary modes of punishment are warranted
only by the necessity to resist force by force, and as
after the first two or three days of the disturbances
there was no such force to be resisted, there was no
justification whatever for the cruelties committed
and the destruction of life occasioned. Things have
come .to such an unfortunate pass, that the former
party hate the latter most thoroughly, and we very
much fear that it will be a long time before this
hatred will subside. It is remarked by a Saturday
Reviewer, and sensibly we think, that " the report
of the commission will in all probability satisfy
neither of the disputants ; but it will almost cer-
tainly be accepted by the countryas conclusive. The
storm will for a time have cleared the colonial
atmosphere, and possibly an impartial administra-
tion of law and a respite from agitation may enable
the planters to save the wreck of their property, and
givcetihliesanteigon.ro,7 a chance of rising to a higher stage
of iv

Nothing has been heard of the new Government
save that Sir. Henry Storks is to return to Europe
..—an announcement which thousands of her Ma-
jesty's subjects here have received with regret—and
that the Government is to be administered by Mr.
Rawson, of the Bahamas. Of this gentleman's ante-
cedents we know nothing, and therefore we have no
right to presume that he is other than an able man,
and well fitted for the post. It is not out of place
to remark, however, that the present is the most
critical juncture in the affairs of Jamaica, and suc-
cess can only be attained by the new Government
being left in charge of men who, besides posseising
great administrative ability, have the strength of
mind to rise above colonial prejudices. In the debate
on the Jamaica Bill, Lord Grey reminded the House
of Lords that the success of the new Government
would depend principally on the personal qualifica-
tions of those by whom it will be administered. This
is a fact which her Majesty's Ministers ought to keep
constantly in view in dealing with Jamaica affairs.
We understand that a vessel of war is in prepara-
tion to convey his Excellency
the island on a tour of inspection.
On Saturday, the 28th ult., a great part of the
the Governor round
sugar works on Ellis's Caymanas was destroyed by.
fire. It was purely accidental, and the destruction
would have been complete but for the praiseworthy
._
exertions of the negro labourers. The property 15
in the Queen Insurance Company.
owned by Lord Howard de Walden, and was insured

tessitustautdioionuos,f
A Russ lAN MARTYR.—Serno-Solovievitch, who
died at Irkoutsch on the sth of March, was one of
the bravest and purest of men. Of noble birth, ho shunned
the besetting vices of his order, and sought in severe devo-
tion to the highest duties a refuge from the surrounding
ocuotrrutophtiiommi
helleivsimls
inadn 'isthecuriettiteied's olflisthta
and his disposition thoughtful and refined. He had tra,-
and
Europe,
esteem
riven: luEl ernndg
tal
oanndd
Russias ando j omhinet ea
addressed
Italy
nhat
dh e Nso,enas tlteahtnteedfrrstioeounttdhhsehoifi
Czar,Ea tnt la'
pointingo
of several illustrious leaders of liberal Europe. 0
n his
the Empire. Some time before the Polish movement
was arrested. lie behaved splendidly ; a he
liberal convictions, and refuted all the vowed all his
con-
spiracy. Public opinion was universally charges of
and as his trial was not proceeded in his favour,
With,
he would be spared. But in prison
it was hoped that
p
con-
sumption manifested itself. Suddenly,sona tendency to
was condemned to perpetual last January, he
years of imprisonment had exile at Irkoutsch. Three
.sth of March he :was releasedruined his health, and on the
His brother, corn from bis sufferings
by death.
sister. y, is in a madhouse is
;so his