Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-07
THE JAMAICA CRUELTIES.
Admissions of the London Times
The FOR stories of BaEbaric Cruel
fy Confirmed by the Investigations.

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Admissions of n London Times
The Worst tOrte of BaFbaric Cruel
~ Confirmed by the Investigations.
From the London Times, March 49,
There is no longer any reasonable doubt
that cruelties, of with it is impossible to
ted in the suppression of the Jamaica in
surrection. Some, indeed, of the worst
stories originally told have melted away
under the process of examination, others
have been materially qualified by counter
evidence, and many seem to have been
attached by mistake to innocent persons.
Still, more than enough remain mistaken
and even undisputed. 1t is now certain
that scores, and perhaps hundreds, of pris-
oners were logged before being hung, and
often before being tried. 1t is certain
that some, though it is uncertain how
many, were compelled to run the gauntlet,
after being logged, through a crowd of
brutal spectators, who were allowed TO in
suit them or pelt them as they pleased.
1t is certain that several, at least, were
shot or HING i0ithoslt the pretenee of a trial,
at the caprice of an officer or subordinate.
1t is certain that Mr. Ramsay, the Pro-
vost Marshal, STANDS charged by a multi
tude of witnesses, black and white, with
excuses for which a parallel must be
sought among the infamous sccentrieities Of
Oriental despots. 1t is certain, at least
Tor the statement rests on the authority of
the resident magistrate at Bath-that he
logged with his W hand fifteen men
who had never been sentenced, and were
to be sent before the court-martial at Mo-
ran Bay. It is probable, moreover, that
men were bribed with the hope of life q
hope not always realized-to betray their
accomplices; that persons accused Of
crimes were refused permission TO call
witnesses in their defence, and that some
were executed, the only proof of whose
guilt was their being found wo1ndel.
These arethings which cannot be dismissed
with common-p places about the dire neces-
sites of war, and the unfairness Of seruti-
nizing retrospectively through a micro
scope the proceedings of men confronted
with an overwhelming danger. They are
acts, not military, but judicial, done for
the most part after armed resistance had
ceased, and when there was nothing to
prevent a deliberate separation of the in
nocent from the guilty.
= = . . =
Upon the whole, the inference we are
| compelled to draw from the facts hitherto
disclosed, subject, of course, to correction
when the result of the inquiry shall be
made known, is that an abuse of power,
! beyond all excuse or palliation either in
nature or degree, will probably be brought
| home to several British officers and a large
number of British soldiers or sailors. 1t
is a conclusion from which our readers
will bear US witness that we long shrank,
and which to have accepted hastily would
have been almost as dishonorable as to
shut our eyes to it now thai it is forced
upon US. 1t is right we should recognize
before all things in a great political emer-
gency the paramount obligation of secur-
ing the public safety. Order comes before
liberty, the rights of society before the
rights of the ~indidual. Had the Volunteers
drawn beforethe Mortant Bay Courthouse
killed some hundreds of people instead OF
only a few by avolley fred in self-defence,
or had any number of rebels caught red
handed been hanged to the nearest trees
we should not have inquired too closely
into the legality of such acts. We are
prepared to 90 yet further, and to contend
that Il government or any other constituted
authority is entitled to q strong presump-
ton in its favor when engaged in quelling
an outbreak commencing with a massacre.
But presumption must ield to proof, and
we cannot bat discern through much ex-
aggeration and many inventions the proof
that a reign of terror did PreUaiI after the
necessity for II had ceased. A time comes
in every crisis when the "dogs of war"
however properly 'let slip" ought to be
sternly recalled, and after which the higher
law must be invoked in vain. It seems
to have been the chief fault of Gov. Eyre
that he failed to appreciate this, and, OPP
pressed with the burden of his own N
i%eties, asked no questions about the opera
ton of martial law. The most cruel
wrongs are often inflicted through a divi-
sion of responsibility between those who
give orders without seeing them executed,
and those who execute them without con-
sulting their own conseiences. 1t will be
for the Commissioners in this instance to
apportion the blame between these two,
and their task is one that few will envy.
They will carry with them, however, the
sympathy and support of the nation, which,
jealous as it rightly is of its military char
acter, will never suffer the sacred princi-
piles of justice and mercy to be profaned
with impunity in its service.