The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-06 00:00:00

If, however, it was not possible, considering the
extraordinary circumstances of the case, to com-
mence earlier, there is no reason why all that is
already known should not be placed before Parlia-
ment. It will never do for the House to be
put off in the shuffling manner which the
members of the Government adopted in the
case of the Dano-German affair. Besides, in this
instance, they cannot plead as an excuse that great
harm will ensue if debates take place during the
progress of correspondence, because the affair of
Jamaica already belongs to the past, and conversa-
tion upon the occurrences that took place at the
time of the outbreak cannot alter the circumstances
under discussion, or the conduct that has been so

severely censured.
While the Ministers forbid others to pass any
opinion, they were only too apt themselves to jump
at conclusions, and by the fatal step of suspending
Governor EYRE have seriously compromised them-
selves. They will only get deeper into the mire, how-
ever, if they attempt to extricate themselves by the
sacrifice of that deserving office, and by endeavouring
to cheat the House and mystify the public. Such a
contrivance will not do, and all independent mem-
bers, to whatever party they belong, will protest
against such a course. Perhaps the Government
think that they may tide over the affair of the
Jamaica inquiry by skilful manoeuvring until the
session is far advanced, and by that time they may
have won golden opinions by the introduction of a
grand scheme of Reform, and other matters, so that
they may weather the storm. This will not do. We
want justice done in the first place, and the House
and the public may rest assured that if the Ministers
shirk that inquiry into their own conduct which
they have been so ready to institute into that of
others, it will be because they are ashamed of it,

because they hear that the voice of Parliament
condemns them, and, what is still mightier in effect,
and yet more significant in expression, the voice of
public opinion will declare against them.
As soon as preliminary matters are arranged, let
it be insisted upon that the " Jamaica" question

be the first taken up. The members of the House
of Commons are quite as capable of judging as any
Special Commissioner, be he Governor or Rtcorder,
can be. Let Mr. CARDWELL bring forward those
communications which he received from the Governor

elling of the disturbed state of the Island, and let

Lord RUSSELL stand up in his place in the House of

Lords and explain what he meant by declaring that
he did not wonder at the indignant feeling which
had gained ground and the public meetings which
had been held ? Also, no such expressions coin-
cide with the opinions delivered recently by the
Colonial Secretary, that the suppression of the out-
break was owing to the wisdom and energy dis-
played by the authorities in Jamaica, which wis-
dom and energy have been rewarded by the
disgraceful suspension of the man who had the skill
to plan and the courage to put in practice the mea-
sures to which Mr. CARDWELL rightly attributes the
success of the Colonial Government. The fact is,
that the right honourable gentleman is far
wiser than his chief, and has all along
had the sagacity to appreciate the position
of General EYRE, and to recognise the inestimable
services which he rendered. It is most unfortunate
for the sake of that distinguished officer, for the
cause of justice, for the credit of the Ministry, and
for the honour of England, that these opinions were
not shared by the noble lord at the head of affairs ;
but since it is otherwise, it is of no use to waste
time in lamenting his deficiencies and mistakes.
We should have some confidence in Earl RUSSELL
respecting this affair, if we did not dread the shadow
behind the Throne in the shape of the pernicious
influence of Mr. BraGHT. and also the <Treat diQl;lco
which the noble lord has to offend the Anti-
Slavery Society and their coadjutors in this
business. Had he adopted the right course in this
affair, and refused to prejudge the case before
inquiry was made, had he been true to his duty as
First Minister of the Crown, and refused to sacrifice

its faithful servant to the clamours of a faction, he
thought he might lose useful supporters in the
coming emergencies of an eventful session. He
wants to combine the oratory of Mr. GLADSTONE,
the momentum of Mr. BRIGHT, and a host of other

rival influences, that he may carry a new Reform

Bill, and pave the way to future glory. But he has
gone the wrong way to effect his purpose ; and, if
the perpetration of injustice was necessary for
the fulfilment of his scheme he ought to
have looked upon it with suspicion. If to

contiuue that injustice be necessary for its prosecu

tion, he will find that he has built his house upon

sand.

If there is anything more . than another

which is inimical to the spirit and character of the

English people it is unfairness, trifling with the
reputation of others, and refusing to give a plain
answer to a straightforward question. All through

the war with America a most one-sided feeling was
called a strict neutrality. The entire cause of
the Dano-German transactions were signalised
by trickery and deception, and members
had to wait until the session was nearly
over before any papers were printed and
answers given to the repeated demand and
reiterated inquiries. .A repetition of these tactics
will not do in this affair of Jamaica, and we

warn the members of the Legislature to be on the
watch against the imposition of such schemes. Let

the Government state all they know, and let the
House be informed of what the Colonels who lat-

terly came home had to tell ; they can then form
an honest opinion, and the public will have the
satisfaction of knowing that they are not kept in
the dark on a subject which is of vital interest,

and concerns the honour of the country and the
character of the Government.

The Java, from New York, on the 27th ultimo,
brings us encouraging news of the prospects of the
Southern States. President JOHNSON continues to
maintain his reconstruction policy undisturbed by
the clamour made by the Radical party. The
credit or discredit, whichever people may consider
it, certainly belongs to himself, though some of
his friends have shown a strong desire to appro-
priate the credit when it promised to be successful,
and many of his enemies have likewise betrayed an
inclination to attribute to him the blame of any
failure, while refusing to acknowledge the
beneficial effects which unprejudiced observers
readily admitted. The lull in the political
campaign, occasioned by the dispersion of Con-
gress, has given the PRESIDENT the opportunity of
proceeding unchecked in his wise and conciliatory
course. Ile has from the first strongly upheld the
superiority of civil war over military Govern-
ment, and, in fact, it is useless to expect
the resuscitation of trade and enterprise or
the return of any degree of commercial
prosperity so long as the reign of arms is main-
tained, and the confusion and restraint consequent
upon the uncertainty of the Administration is kept
up. The New England faction, who desire, for
their own political ends, to preserve the Southern
States in a condition of anarchy and exhaustion,
are naturally averse to any measure which shal,
put their Government on a sound and constitutional
footing. While they are openly discussing the
expediency of dividing the estates of the leading
confederAte4 among the negroes, it is not at all