The Sun. — 1866-01-02 (London, England)

HERALD.—The Secretary of State for the Colonies has taken the opportunity afforded him by the annual meeting of the Society of Ancient Druids to inform these venerable gentlemen, and through them the world, that in issuing a commission to inquire into the origin and suppression of the rebellion in Jamaica, and in suspending Mr. Eyre from his functions as Governor of the island, he has not intended any slur on the character of this distinguished official, nor meant to impugn in any way the manner in which he has performed his duties in a most eventful crisis. Mr. Cardwell must entertain very peculiar notions as to the feelings of a gentleman placed in such a position as Mr. Eyre ; he must have singular ideas as to the manner in which a public servant expects his services to be appreciated by his employers. The Ancient Druids must be very ancient indeed in their notions, very much behind the world in their views of things in general, and of the treatment appropriate to governors of colonies in particular, if they can accept this statement of Mr. Cardwell's as a satisfactory explanation of his extraordinary conduct in this matter. To those who take a simple common-sense view of it it does seem that to degrade a man from his post, if only for a time, is an extraordinary way of rewarding him for having saved a colony ; that to put a governor of an important dependency on his trial as a criminal is not the most likely'method of recommending him to his subjects, or investing him with that prestige with which the British Government is in honour bound to invest those lieutenants to whom it has entrusted so important a charge. The accusation made against Mr. Eyre by the faction whose foolish bellowing has frightened the Government, into this blunder of superseding him is graver than the charge of misgovernment : it is an accusation of nothing less than murder. The commission, if it means anything, is intended to put Mr. Eyre on his trial on this charge. The deputation that waited on Mr. Cardwell made no secret of their desire to hang the Governor of Jamaica, and the Secretary did not reprove them when they gave open expression to the wish. A man who in England is placed on his trial on a criminal charge may be acquitted or condemned, but he is thenceforth a disgraced man. He cannot be admitted into society ;he cannot succeed in any profession or employment ; he is incapable of discharging the duties of any public office. Such is the dishonoured future which our paternal Government, at the dictation of a mob of fanatics, has prepared for the energetic ruler who, for having rescued from anarchy and ruin the Pearl of the Antilles, deserves a mural crown for good services to the state. Mr. Eyre has received the thanks of both Houses of the Legislature in Jamaica, the approbation of every white man in the colony which, but the other day was threatened with destruction, the applause of the immense majority of the people of England. There is not a servant of the Crown in any part of the world, there is not a gentleman in England, who could better have performed his duty under such trying circumstances. Instead of recdiving, as he doubtless expected, the approval and thanks of the Imperial Government, Mr. Eyre is solemnly disgraced and put on his trial. Whatever the issue of the investigation may be—and all the news from the island encourages us to expect the triumphant exculpation of the Governor—Mr. Eyre can never resume his functions with any credit or satisfaction to himself or to the 'Home Government ; he is more or less disqualified from holding henceforth any position of trust or emolument under the Crown. It becomes clearer every day that in no particular has he failed in the discharge of his duty. The accusations levelled against him were derived from a chaos of imperfect and partial information. The negroes shot or hung by the officers of her Majesty's troops were either notorious by the part which they took in the Morant Bay murders, or apprehended in flagrante delicto, in arms against the Queen. It is not true that the Maroons were " let loose on an unoffending population," or shot down indiscriminately all whom they met. They were employed to hunt down a few of the leaders of the insurrection who had fled for refuge to a mountainous Part Of the country unknown to the whites. It