THE NEGRO' INSURRECTION IN JAMAICA.

West Coast Times, Issue 128, 14 February 1866, Page 3

THE NEGRO' INSURRECTION IN JAMAICA.

(From tho Times, Nov. 17.)

It is with a feeling of great relief that the public will hoar that tho savage attemptat insurrection which took place in Jamaica a month ago, has been for the time suppressed, and at the date of the last advices the island was tranquil. We have as yet learnt little of what is to be told of the rising. ■ Tho Government and principal citizens wero, when the steamer loft, fully employed in taking measures for the protection of life and property; certain districts, though quiet, were far from safe, tho small force of troops and militia was spread through tho country, and the only examination entered upon at the timo was such as was necessary to bring homo to tho chief murdereis tho guilt of their acts. But enough is known to show that this has been a most dangerous conspiracy, and that had it »ot been for the premature action of some of the rebels, the whole island might have witnessed scenes like those at Morant Bay. Tho rising presents the usual character of negro outbreaks. Ono might fancy it a record of some slave insurrection in days long gono by. There , is the same, secrecy, the same wide ramification of the plot, tho same ferocity of purpose, setting before itself the gratification of revenge, rapine, and lust, and, singularly enough, the same hatred towards the mulatto race for their superior intelligence and success in life. The only difference is that in this case the leader was a man of property, and position. Mr G, W. Gordon was a black member of tfye, Legislative Assembly, and a. man of considerable property. Ho had, been a member of tjie Church of England, but had lef that community and joined the Bap - tists, since which timo he distinguished himself by thoviolenco ok his political and religious animosities. He was a magistrate, but lie had been dismissed by tho Governor for seditious harangues. This man appears to have been tho prime mover in the rebellion, and it is said that a plan of operations has been found in hand writing. However that may be, it is certain that in the attack on the Court-house ho was deeply implicated. Though a member of the vestry, and a'ceustomed to attend the meetings, ho was purposely absent from the ono which was to be interrupted in ho disastrous a manner. This man was arrested, was brought to* trial before a court-martial by General Nelson, commanding tho forces, and was hanged on the morning of 23th October.

All the horrible details of the massacre of tho 11th aro confirmed. The plot had evidently been well hatched. On the morning largo numbers of negroes lounged into the neighborhood of tho Court-house, and suddenly mado an attack on it, going up and firing through the door and windows on the' gentlemen inside. The negro mob which was engaged in this work .is said to have been 'about a thousand strong. There appears to have been no special animosity against particular men ; the intention of the blacks was to destroy tho whole white population, and with this object they had no sooner finished the work of- destruction than they proceeded to similar places in the neighborhood, and committed similar atrocities. No age or profession appears to have given immunity. Among those who were killed or wounded, were ministers of religion and old people who could not bo supposed to be in any way dangerous to the insurgents. In fjhort, it is impossible not to give credit to what is the universal opinion of the respectable inhabitants of tho island, that there has been for a long timo a notion among the black population that they can get possession of the country for themselves, nnd that it; only inquires a bold stroke to ostablish an exclusive black community, either by destroying the whites or driving them in terror from tho island. If there bo anyono who wonders that such ideas should be conceived by any race of men, however ignorant, let him just consider the plans of the American and Irish Fenians. If there bo several hundred thousand Irish, well educated under a most excellent system, who believe that, they can establish ,a republio, dispossess tho landed proprietors, and got rid not only of parsons but of priests, wjvy should not tho ignorant and sensual Africans bo taken with a schomo which promises them domination, case, and onjoyment ? It is not to bo supposed indeed, that a man liUo Gordon could

be ignorant of .the risk he was running; but the history. of insurrections often give instances of such men, half knave, half fanatic, who enter into conspiracies in the desperate hope of winning power and revenge. It may be that Gordon, while organising tho movement intended to keep in the back ground, and that his arrest was owing to the Government having received information of his proceedings. For information on this subject we must wait for tho next mail, which will no doubt give us the evidenco against him, and probably throw a light on a good deal that now remaino a myster. He was to be tried on the day tho steamer left. Among the persons arrested are tho Rev. J. F. Roach, Rev J. H. Cole, Rev Eclwin Palmer, and Rev 11. N. Harris,, the last two being described as Baptist ministers. What denomination the former two belong to is not statcdjjbut it is probable that they are also Baptists. It thus appears that in tho opinion of the Government some of the ministers of the sect are implicated in tho present rising. They, and a number of others are said to have been connected with a secret society called " tho African Liberation Society." They had been confined on board her Majesty's ship Aboukir, and will no doubt be brought to trial. It may be that wo shall then learn more of the causes nnd circumstances of tho rising*, and the nature of tho influence which Gordon and his friends exercised over the blacks. There have been also some arrests of Haytians, but wo aro not inclined to ascribe much to tho teaching of these people.

The authorities appear to have acted with commendable promptness, the chief rebels having been tried by martial law and at once executed. Paul Bogle, tho leader of the band which attacked the Court House, had been captured and brought in by tho Maroons, who had behaved with great fidelity. The military and naval authorities seem everywhere to have shown the greatest zeal in despatching troops, and we may ' hope that by thio time tho island is in a state of security. It- is, evident that for some time Government must bo administered with a strong hand, and the blacks convinced that any attempt at disorder will bring "severe and speedy punishment on themselves. Otherwise the country will become xminhabitablo by the whites, and oven by the mulattoes, and will return to a state of savagery. The generation of blacks which has committed these atrocities knows nothing of slavery ; it has been placed on a perfect equality with white people 5 it has had the opportunity of acquiring property and of controlling, if it willed, the legislation of the island. If it has not used its advantages, tho fault is its own. The duty of the Government is now simply to uphold' law and order, and protect tho lives and property of its' citizens, and if this cannot be done without extraordinary powers, those powers should be freely conceded to it,

ON SALE.

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