The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-13 00:00:00

port of Mr. EYRE'S administration, and are getting
up addresses to him, which are numerously signed.
The Clarendon Address was signed by the magi-
strates, clergy, and 120 principal inhabitants of that
parish, and expressed a " deep conviction of the
danger that had threatened the island;" adding that
in return for the heavy responsibilities and self-
denying exertions of his Excellency, " a strong op-
position has been got up in the mother country, in
which those very acts are maliciously inveighed
against which have been the means of restoring
the country to a state of tranquillity." This is
decided enough, in all conscience ; and furthermore,
it is said that they " enter a solemn protest against
the accusations referred to," which they designate as
unfounded, untruthful, and unjust, and "highly
calculated to incite to fresh acts of rebellion the
disaffected subjects of the island." Another ad-
dress was presented by 120 labouring men and
heads of families in the parish of St. Ann's. This
is also very decided in its tone, and the undersigned
desire to thank the Governor for his " prompt
and effectual measures" in putting down
the rebellion. The Governor's reply to both
the addresses was very suitable, and to
the memorialists from Clarendon, he states that
he feels sure that " the generous manner in which
they have come forward will contribute, in a great
degree, to disabuse the British public of the exag-
gerations and untruths that have been circulated."
More important still was the address presented to Mr.
EYRE by the Dissenting ministers in Jamaica, in which
is stated that they express their " most solemn con-
viction that to his Excellency's prompt, energetic,
and decisive measures they owe it that the scenes
at Morant Bay were not enacted throughout the
island." Further on they declare that they
believe the " slightest indecision, delay, or
miscarriage in dealing with the first spark
of rebellion as exhibited at Morant Bay would
have caused the spread of civil war throughout the
island." They also express their regret at the " un-
qualified censure" pronounced by a large portion of
the British Press, and sympathise with the expulsion,
of his Excellency. It is added that these sentiments
in England have already produced a most mischiev-
ous effect upon the population, and when fully cir-
culated are likely to " reproduce the scenes of
massacre and paralyse the efforts of those in autho-
rity." It adds greatly to the importance and
interest of this address that those who signed
it were old inhabitants of the island, and also
that several different denominations concur in
affording their testimony to the merits of Mr.
EYRE. Thus we find the name of the General
Superintendent of Wesleyan Missions, thirty-one
years in the island ; the Presbyterian minister,
forty years in the island ; the Baptist minister,
thirty years in the island, and many others of a
similar character. Mr. EYRE'S reply is moderate,
but decided. He states that he has great pleasure
in receiving such proofs of esteem and such tokens
of approval for his measures. If, he states, some
"isolated acts" of wrong occurred they were unknown
to him, and he trusts they were only such as are always
unavoidable in a state of martial law. In conclusion,
Mr. EYRE declares that he was actuated by the
single desire to do his duty to the QUEEN and the
people of the island ; and said he, " I have the
innate satisfaction of feeling that I did that duty
faithfully, and in the proud conviction that in doing
it I averted from Jamaica a general and sanguinary

war."

When we peruse these significant addresses,
and ponder upon their contents, it does,
indeed, seem strange and inconsistent that
the members of the faction over here should
have persisted in reiterating their charges in
defiance of reason, right, and justice. Here we
have, on one hand, all classes and sects of Jamaica
tendering their thanks to the Governor for his
prompt measures in rescuing the island from a dread-
ful calamity, and on the other the accusing parties in
England going to ridiculous extremes. Mr. BRIGHT,
in the House of Commons, again calling the execu-
tion of GORDON a murder, and the brave men, who
risked their lives in assisting the Governor to pro-
tect their fellow-subjects, accomplices. The English
public may be misled for a time, and
bewildered by conflicting statements, but
they never fail in the end to recognise
truth and justice, and to denounce oppression
and prejudice. We will borrow Mr. BRIGHT'S own
words, and say that unless justice has changed its
name in this country the prosecution of Mr. EYRE
will soon be regarded in its true light, and its ori-
ginators and abettors meet with their just reward
and recompense.