New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-27
THE TRIAL OF GEORGE WILLIAM
GORDON OF JAMAICA.

THE TRIAL OF GEORGE WILLIAM
GORDON OF JAMAICA.
We publish to-day report of the trial, by
court.martial, of the late George William Cor
don, a colored member of Assembly of the
Island of Jamaica, who, it will be remembered,
was hanged shortly after the riot at Morant Bay,
for alleged completely in rebellous plot The
circumstances attending Mr.. Gordons execution
were altogether $50 extraordinary character,
that the evidence upon which he was convicted
and sentenced to death cannot fail to be read
with deep interest. He was a man Of reputable
character. he had always been known as
loyal subject. aud q peaceable, exemplary citi-
zen. He had been for some years member OF
the House of Assembly, and one OF its most dis
tinguished ornaments; and he was connected
by ties of marriage and friendship with large
circle Of Europeans and creole whites. When
the riot at st. Thomas-in. the.East occurred, he
was in the city Of Kingston distant over thirty
miles from the scene of the disturbances; but,
hearing that his name had been mentioned in
connection with the affair, he voluntarily surren-
dered himself to the authorities, in the full con-
sciOusness of innocence, and never dreaming, it
seems, that he would be tried by court-martial.
He was Immediately hurried on board a gunboat,
and taken by Gov. Eyre himself to MOrant Bay
where, after brief trial, he was convicted and
sentenced to be hanged. The rest, our readers
already know. And what, after all, does the
evidence upon which this unfortunate gentleman
was sent to the gallows amount tot Why
that Mr.. Gordon had been seen on Sunday
at a certain chapel at which Paul Boyle,
the so-called rebel leader, worshiped, that
somebody had said that Mr.. Gordon had
sent word for tie people Of a certain district in
the parish to hold a meeting; that certain
placards in blank had been found in Mr.. Cor
don's porlmanteau; that aplaeard headed "The
State of tho Island" in which there is not
single word Of disloyalty or sedition, had been
penned by Mr.. Gordon; that he had used some
strong language in meeting Of the people he
had some weeks before addressed in the parish
of We're; and that he had written letter to one
Chisholm, advising him, with reference to the
sufferings of the people, to "pray to God for
help and deliverance." This is all, absolutely
all; and upon these slender grounds the life of
q good man was sacrificed. His emphatic de-
NAL of much of the evidence-such as it was
against him will be noted.
1t requires no legal lore, no extraordinary
acumen, to see that the evidence is positively
worthless. The first charge against Mr.. Gordon
was "high treason and sedition." But where
is the proof to support this' Is it found in the
address to the people, where they are reminded
that their "bslored Queen is too noble-hearted
to say anything unkind even to her most hum
BILE subjects" and that "Mr. Cardwell and
Her Majesty's other Ministers ere gentlemen too
honorable and hsnest in their intentions willfuly
to wound the feelings Of Her Majesty's Colonial
subiec,s 7" wefail to discover single seditious
expression in that address; nor do we find in
any other portion of tie evidence the slightest
indication of anything reasonable. As to the
second charge, of having "conspired with GER
tain parties in an insunectionary outbreak,
even granting that the outbreak was Of an
CHARACTERIZATION ~ yet 10 DC
was not the slightest evidence to
connect Mr.. Gordon with it. The entire evil
dence, in fact, has not q single strong point
about it. In no court Of justice, regulated by
the smallest modicum Of intelligence, would
such evidence insure q conviction. With that
evidence before him, Gov. Eyre assumed fear.
ful responsibility when he sanctioned Gordon's
execution. 1t is plain that somebody will have
10 answer for whst-now that the trial Is given
70 the world-will be pronounced by all impair.
tial men case Of downright murder. This Is
what John Bright, in his late Great Reform
Speech at Rochdale, says Of that execution: IL
believe there is not a judge in this kingdom at
this hour, there Is not slaw-oficer Of the Crown
in the three kingdoms, there Is not lawyer in
prsctice in the three kingdoms, who will differ
from the opinion now express, that the sSecu-