GOVERNOR EYRE AND THE JAMAICA BUSINESS.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 3, 21 January 1867, Page 16

GOVERNOR EYRE AND THE JAMAICA BUSINESS.

(Front the Taranaki News, 3rd January.) If we search the'annals of history for the . last five hundred’years, we could not find a story, more pregnant with (truth; .arid evidence .than of Governor Eyre of Jamaiea. 1 That unfortunate gentleman is'as much a living instance of, the (shall! yye say injustice of Englishmen, at home; as he is a brilliant' specimen of wisdom promptitude and courage. ; .Sitting by one’s peaceful fireside, it is;> no : doubt, a comfortable.. thing to abuse mendrihigh command; bat it is worthy of being remembered that even great men . are' only men ■—that' they feellings.to be lacerated and lives lo yield up, the same as all other vulgar humanity. Governor Eyre is at present one of those sacrifices that an unhealthy state of society demands. A fanatical section of our countrymen has-decided that this ill-fated gentle man shall be imandated; and behold, it is done; more than done indeed; for, not content with ruining the unhappy gentleman’s, prospects in life, their religious, enmity still pursues him further and endeavors to distort the action of a tiuly humane manner and far-seeing mind into idiotic and brutal ciuelty.- .

The history of Governor Eyre of Jamaica, possesses deep interest for us; for, although thousands of miles removed from each other, we are also contesting the soil with the black man. Disciples of Exeter Hall arid other sentimentalists, may rave about the children of the-forest,-but we (who have learnt by bitter experience) know the reality, and are aware that “ unsophisticated .natives mean men and women: who, yyili gouge yuur eyes out and eat them, rip.out your heart and use.it the same, when the opportunity offers. ..t

( Giving the New Zealand natives credit for their full share of barbarity, we rire fully alive to the fact that that barbarity is not confined to them. St Domingo has recorded .evidence for us, and if it bad not been for Mr. Eyre’s swift and determined actioe, the probability ‘iri that every white man; .woman,, .arid. child in the .Island would have- been murdered. Regarding it from this experienced'point of view, Governor Eyre’s carrier is to us marked with great' discretion, arid we caDnot refrain from deploring the persecution oLa igentleman whose only .fault has been his ceaseless arixiety for the preservation of the lives and property d of his country! pepple, , For this Mr Eyre has incurred the .displeasure e£ the Colonial Office and Exeter - Hall, but we,/ who know'.the unconquerable characteristics of the . savage races, es.tingate Governor, Eyre’s, conduct by a more true standard.

' ; Had Governor Grey 1 been animated by sentiments similar Mr Eyre» and had he- acted with equal courage and promptitude- in suppressing the first evidence of rebellion here, many lives of great valute 'would'have been preserved and. very considerable wealth, to thei'c'ouu'try-saved.' 1 - ; ;• { \ '' * the community at hobie ; is*displaying 'deep hostility 1 f to: Governor British 1 coioriists I,' 1 ,' ‘‘ who have savage aboriginyk to deal 'with,” fully'Appreciate his. fair-seeing 1 sagariity ; it ‘abtirig as he has done.' : ririd 4t iorily Remains, for I 'ns ;to hope- thrit the true 1 English spiiit ' will ultimately assert itself aridd-that Governor Eyre shall have at all evririts,