, 1866-01-31
John Bright Oh the Execution Of Cor.
don.
Extract from Mr. John Bnghl's Roehdale Speech
rh~ -S1.H =


Extract from Mr.. John Bnghl's Rochaale Speech
On the Jamaiea Massse1es.j
There are two facts which have lately oc
hension. hope TINT they arc accidental and
exceptional: 10 one Of them my honorable
friend hns already referred-nnmely, the qucs-
tion Of what has been transactcdin in the Island
Of Jamaica. ] think I observe deplorable
teeb1encss In the course which has been taken.
which know not how many scores Of para
graphs,l sent home to the Colonial Office By
the Governor Of that unhappy Island. I ven
turc 10 say that the very hour when that des-
patch Was read by the Colonial Minister, 1e
should have Issued su1nmonses Tor a
eiderntion. But Il appears that for about
thico weeks literally nothing passed before
that great dcputation waited On Mr.. Card
wc1l, when he did not feel himself nble to tell
them anything the Government had done.
They tell us that we are to wait. Well, Mr.
come from his waiting. I au1 told that one
Of the great actors in this great tragedy has
coInc from JuInalca, has had an Interview
witL members Of the Government, and that
even he has nothing further to communicate.
Then what vas the e1sst st. Of ;aa wa'tinS the
death Of subjects Of the Queen and citizens
Of the empire vas infinitely and accurately
described By the very pen nnd land CT the
Governor himself. tCheere.} Nothing that
lie could suy afterwards could unsay OF undo
that whicl! had been said and done With
believe there is not q Judge in this kingdom
at this hour, there Is not a law officer Of the
Crown In tha three kingdoms, there Is not
lawyer In pract1cc in the three Kingdoms who
dii1sr from nc In the opinion that I now ex-
press, that the execution Of that unfortunate
man, Gordon, was In all Its parts-in his trans
ference from tho place where he was arrested,
in lis being handed over tc 4 court, formed,
It Is said, Of two lieutennnts and IN ensign, or
some such Inferior officers, III tha manner in
which he was treated after his nook trial-f
say from the beginning to the end It Is mass
otillesality; md believe thre Is not a tndgc
who sits npon the bench In the United Kingdom
who, speaking In his private capacity, would
doubt for ono single moment that Gordon
was murdered. IChees.l You hare all read
| that letter which be wrote to Ills wife within
an hour Of his execution. know nothing IN
| It, MT exclamation, my first thought was !:
"Why, this reminds me Of the temper md the
Language Of the martyr Stephen and since
/! tllut martyriom I have read Of nothing in
which the language mud temper were 50 bcan-
sffni as the expressions contained IN that mel
| tol1-1 hope my authority Is not good-that
| when Parliament meets there VIII be de-
| sperate onslaught on Mr.. Cardwcl and the
Government because they have suspended the
| Governor, and havo sent out a commission Of
inquiry. One OF these Tory gentlemen said,
"1y, If so-and-so hnd been Primo Minister
ho would not have given way to the Glamour
| Of hundred Dissenting parsons" {Derisivc
| cheers.) I can't believe that that party
which calls itself Conservative will make this
question Of Jamaica a battle-ground In the
ensuing session. Ar. Disraeli Is mnn a
4 tead and shoulders taller than ali those who
sit about him or follow him In intellect and
craftsmanship, and I DO not, and will
not, believe until see II that Mr..
Disfacli Will ever permit the shocking
atrocities committed in Jamaica, or \ de:
fence Of them, to be IN any way associated
with his public character and career:
Cheers.] Besides, suppose-whlch should
think highly probable-sappose that Mrs
Gordon were to retire from The Island, 90 sud
to her hencelorth, and come to England
Suppose she came to the bar Of the House o
Commons to ask for Justice. Is there any
man In that House who dare to get up arc
deny that Justice to TINT woman !? Or If sht
should make her way as o enppliant 10 tAt
steps OF the throne, can 1t be believed thai
the widow Of the murdered Gordon Will ask
in vain for Justice at the hands Of Eugsaud't
widowed Queens loud cheersJ