, 1866-05-25

over, now small q force, mostly COmpOS-
ed of black troops, was at the disposal Of
the Governor and COMMANDMENT Chief,
we are prepared to hear that, in the
opinion of the Commissioners, the pro-
clamation of martial law, with all that it
involved, was during the first few days
warranted by paramount necessity. In
putting down a dangerous revolt what
has been called the principal of caStigat-
que auditque must sometimes be adopted
without scruple ; order must be restored
first and grievances redressed afterwards.
But then a time soon comes when, armed
resistance having ceased and many of the
ringleaders having been punished, the
duty of putting an end to the wild Justice
of military law is equally peremptory.
Now, it is quite certain that most of the
seventies, both judicial and extrajudicial,
inflicted upon persons suspected of COM
plicity with the Morant Bay rioters, were
inflicted after this stage had been reach
ed. Those who were hung or f1ogged
after the first week, by order of Courts
martial or of individual officers, might
safely have been reserved for the ordina-
ry civil tribunals, or for q special Com
mission such as that which subsequently
tried many persons charged with like Of
fences. This consideration specially APP
plies to the case Of Gordon. There may
have been strong reasons for arresting
Gordon, so as to overaWe his supposed
followers, but there we're none for hur-
rying him off TO o Court-mrtial at Mo-
rant Bay, instead of keeping him in gaol
or on board the wolverine. The most
searching inquiry, ranging over a period
of SO days, has failed to elicit any proof
of Gordon having ~instigated the murde-
rous assault on the Courthouse. That
he was d mischieyous agitator, perhaps
an ~uusorupuiuuS agitat0r, admits of no
doubt we may even 60 so far as to say
that but for him that crime would pro-
badly never have been committed. Still,
there was no evidence against him upon
which any but q military Court would
have ventured to convict a prisoner-that
is, no evidence that was not consistent
with his innocence of the charge brought
against him. The truth is, that in Cor
don's case, as in too many others, the
accused was assumed to be guilty unless
he could prove himself to be innocent,
and we are compelled to add that Gordon,
at least, was deliberately cut off from the
means of doing so. Upon this cruel and
INSCRIPTIONS act, as we'll as upon the
reckless disregard of human rights, if not
the inhumanity, displayed by several mi
litary officers, we may expect the Com
misSioners to pronounce. d decisive con-
demnation. The alleged enormities of
Mr.. Ramsay, having been virtually re-
moved from their cognizance by the in
dictment against him for murder, will call
for no special comment. A more deli
cate and difficult task will be that Of
awarding the proper degree of censurc
to the conduct of Governor Eyre. A
man who acts with energy, and under a
sense of duty, in a terrible emergency, is
entitled to great allowance for any errors
that he may commit. On the other hand,
it is among the first obligations of a Gov
ernor to be above colonial passions and
partisanship, and to oppose the extreme
counsels which at such times will be
forced upon him. Lord Canning proved
equal to this office, Governor Eyre has
proved signally unequal to it. He d.
rected with considerable skill the militia
ry operations, which he might we'll have
loft ~ Gouopal 0SGounor and then VIpId-