The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-30 00:00:00

own convictions to the expediency of the hour, or
at all events what they believed to be such. We
refuse to credit that men of experience, intelligence,
and official information could really believe or put
faith in the extravagant assertions made at Exeter
Hall, and yet have we not the mortifying
and humiliating fact before us that our Cabinet
has yielded to clamour, and that, in the expressive
words of the Colonial Standard, Exeter Hall has
carried the day, and her Majesty's Ministers have
yielded to the " ferocious clamours of the Anti-
Slavery party in England, and have placed Mr.
EYRE before the Jamaica rebels in the humiliating
position of a criminal awaiting trial." We have
come to something when one of the principal
' newspapers in an important colony has thus to
write of the conduct and transactions of the Home
Government.

There is one thing very certain, that there is no
glorying over the unwelcome reception which the
policy of Earl RUSSELL has met with in the Island.
We have had enough, and more than enough of con-
cealment, calumnies, and untruths disseminated in
England since the first intelligence of the out-
break reached us, but here the negro apologists
must stay. All contending parties have met in
unison to express their sympathy with Mr. EYRE,
their indignation at his treatment, and their convic-
tion of his " triumphant acquittal." If this is not
in a great measure conclusive evidence against the
course pursued by our mistaken authorities at
home, we do not know what is. At any rate it is to
be rejoiced at that the news brought by this mail
should have reached this country some days prior
to the meeting of Parliament. Ministers will have
to meet the house with a very dark cloud hanging
over them. People are fond enough of talking of
the necessity that exists for a strict inquiry to take
place into all matters connected with the outbreak,
but it may with more truth and greater force be
retorted that the examination should begin at home.
Let the Government be called to strict account for
the course they have taken in thus prematurely judg-
ing the matter, and, above all, let no excuses of delay
be tolerated. The system of putting off was the
" dodge" tried in the affair of Denmark, and, to
some extent, successfully. The session was far ad-
vanced before anything was said officially of the
course events were taking, but it must not be so in
the case of Jamaica. The question should come be-
fore all others, and if Ministers think to hoodwink the
members with their new Reform Bill, and thus give
the Jamaica affair the go-bye until a convenient
season arrives, they will find out their mistake.
Hush it up as they may, glaze it over as they will,
this has now become the question of the day. It
concerns interests and embraces topics which are of
far more weight and importance than any mere po-
litical changes, taken in the abstract, can ever be ;
and it is because of the vast interest attaching to
the matter that we would draw particular attention
to the news received by this mail which has just
arrived.

The reports given of the conduct of the blacks is
striking testimony as to the ill-advised course pursued
by the Government. Thenegroes were exulting openly
and calling out that they would have justice now,
for a new Governor had come. Indeed some went
so far as to say openly that Governor EYRE was to
be hanged, and the chief authorities sent to the
Penitentiary. Can any one continue in doubts as
to the mischief that must be produced by such a
tone of mind prevailing among the negroes ? At
any time it would be bad enough, but in the present
dissafected state of the island it is most pernicious,
and must be productive of serious consequences.
prevailed in England respecting the proceedings
in Jamaica, and the Special Correspondent
of the Times speaks most strongly on this point.
He states that, taking all things into account, there
were not more than 400 negroes shot, hanged, or
slain by the Maroons, and 600 is quite an outside
estimate. When we compare this with the "miles of
dead bodies" and the "slain are counted by thousands,"
we may form some tolerably correct notion of the
truthfulness and information of the members of the
faction who made Exeter. Hall ring with their voci-
ferations and denunciations of the innocent
blacks, and the crimes of the dastardly and
cos ardly whites. We are not surprised
at the account given of the indignation expressed at
the conduct of that section iu England who have
raised the senseless outcry. They state that the
difficulties of the Governor's position have not been
appreciated, neither have these fault-finders suffi-
ciently realised the dangers to which the colonists
were exposed. Every one agrees as to the immi-
nency of the peril to which the white inhabitants
were exposed ; the blacks at Kingston did not con-
ceal their delight when they heard of the occurrences
at Morant Bay, and it was easy to see from
their manner that they were ripe for rebellion
themselves if the opportunity presented itself.
The colonists also declare that the exaggerated
stories which gained credence in England had no
fouudation,or, if any, such a small portion of truth
prevailed, that it was quite hidden by the false-
hoods attached to it. GORDON'S speeches in the
Legislative Assembly were often most virulent,
and contained passages well calculated to impress
the negroes and inflame their evil passions. One
of these extracts is worthy of especial notice :
" I have never seen an animal more voracious for
cruelty and power than the present Governor of
Jamaica ;" and again he asserted that "if they
were much longer tube governed by such a Governor,
the people would have to fly to arms and become
self-governing." It is also desirable to men-
tion that GORDON spoke for two hours in his
defence before the court-martial, and that men of
note who have perused all the evidence declare that
it is " strong and conclusive." As for the state-
ment made in GORDON'S last letter—that he knew
nothing of PAUL BOGLE, that is everywhere de-
clared to be false, and proofs in abundance are
forthcoming to prove the falsehood. A Bible was
found in PAUL BOGLE'S chapel in Stoney-gut,
which bore the inscription—" Presented by GEORGE
W. GORDON to Mr. PAUL BOGLE, with good
wishes." It is of consequence to state that the
full evidence upon which GORDON was convicted
has been kept back in Jamaica, but that some notes
by a local reporter have been sent to England,
and these cannot be considered a fair exposition
of the case, because some of the chief points relied
on for the prosecution are not mentioned in them.

We find that an address to Mr. EYRE is being
largely signed throughout the colony, and is of the
same effect as many others, to declare the conviction
of his merit, and the deep sense that is entertained
of the injustice which he has received in many
quarters. They, the undersigned, express their
" deep indignation" at the tone assumed by some
public men and public writers in England ; and
also declare that they deeply regret that "there could
be found in England men who, for the sake
of political purposes, will not hesitate to make
political capital out of rebellion and murder ; but
they declare that the vast majority, not only of
Englishmen, but also the rest of the civilised world,
will go in with the colonists of Jamaica in sympathy
with the Governor and the military, naval, civil,
and volunteer authorities during this momentous
crisis. Such a tribute reflects honour on those who
present it, and on those who xecei c it 'while it