Ann’s petition additionally the thus-called Queen’s response on the magazine that he edited, The fresh new Watchman and People’s Free Force, and in multiple proclamations he got printed and you may marketed in the St. Ann and St. Despite the decide to try by a number of Custos in order to terminate Underhill meetings while in the August and you will September because of the banning the usage of your local courtroom family, they certainly were however held outside (Heuman 58-9). Responding for the termination of a single ones conferences, planned to have 30 July, a book caused by Gordon are blogged contacting their constituents so you’re able to attend the fresh new conference outdoors: “You that no sugar locations to work on the, neither discover most other a job, i turn to you to already been forth, even if you feel naked, already been onward and protest contrary to the unfair representations generated facing you by the Mr Governor Eyre and his number of Custodes” (Heuman 57). This proclamation try considered once the seditious and you can put against Gordon from the his court-martial, but in his 1933 shelter out-of Gordon, Brand new Myth out of Governor Eyre, Questionnaire Haldane, Lord Olivier, who was simply Colonial Secretary into the Jamaica of 1900-1903, argued you to Gordon’s “incitements to help you free-speaking and demonstration applied only for the plan of the meeting revealed into the approaching 30 th away from July, plus don’t know to be represented because the prescribing any ulterior functions or advancements subsequent to one go out” (Haldane 161, 164). Within a special of these outdoor Underhill group meetings during the early Sep, Gordon are claimed having opposed the difficulty out of Jamaica to help you regarding Haiti, in the event he refuted that have done this from the their court-martial, together with declaration tends to be traceable to help you their governmental opponents (Heuman 59).
Thomas on the Eastern, so you’re able to remind social attendance within further conferences and you will protests
These criteria off governmental imbalance due to monetary difficulty, combined with time and effort regarding Governor Eyre and the Jamaican official authorities, as well as the Colonial Workplace, within the following an enthusiastic authoritarian and you may paternalistic approach to brand new complaints out-of Black colored Jamaican peasants and you may Colored people in politics similar, delivered a highly erratic governmental and you will personal state on weeks before this new Morant Bay rebellion. Gordon wasn’t a governmental major from inside the 1840s and you can 50s; alternatively he appears to have started a devoted reformer, seeing healthcare facilities, prisons, and you will church buildings through the Jamaica in the part due to the fact a justice away from the fresh new comfort and you may recommending to own improvements, along with drafting an expenses towards the finest treatment of East Indian migrant workers on the Jamaica Assembly (Hart 13-14; 23-27).
Although not, immediately following Eyre’s meeting because Temporary (Acting) Lieutenant-Governor in early 1862 along with his height on the governorship in e a vocal critic of Eyre’s regulations. In the 1862, as the result of an examination, Gordon sent a criticism into the Attorneys General from the neglect and unclean conditions at the Morant Bay prison, revealing the Tijuana sД±cak kД±z fresh new loss of a great pauper have been secured in a beneficial latrine towards the orders regarding a location Anglican rector. New Colonial Office learned from Eyre’s summary dismissal regarding Gordon, an action that was followed by Gordon’s forcible ejection off good vestry appointment, but refused to intervene under control not to ever weaken Eyre’s expert; alternatively the fresh new Duke out-of Newcastle, who had been Secretary from Condition toward Colonies, counseled Eyre to learn Gordon’s issues (Hart 40; Haldane 105-6).
Eyre viewed Gordon’s letter just like the a hit towards the Anglican Chapel, and you can ordered one Gordon end up being ignored as vestryman and you may justice regarding the brand new tranquility, even with an investigation exhibiting that Gordon’s problem was actually warranted (Roberts thirty-five; Hart 33-34)
Gordon’s dominance continued, not, and then he try decided when you look at the 1863 as the User for St. Thomas regarding Jamaica Installation, in which he went on to help you sound severe criticisms out-of Eyre. Inside a presentation out-of twenty eight Oct 1863, Gordon indicated frustration from the Eyre’s social ensures you to definitely Jamaica was experiencing “health” and you can an “increasing” population: “We inquire, just how dare the Governor making which report if the Coolies [East Indian immigrant laborers] have been produced listed here are dying regarding the avenue off Kingston, whenever parties try denied admittance on societal medical and so are left in order to pass away on highways? I know you to definitely starvation and you will misery have been in this new house, and i be indignant that Governor would be to insist that there was ‘average success. Hart 57-58). If you are Gordon’s criticisms was indeed including harsh and you will directed regarding Eyre’s overlook of bad, Eyre’s tenure about governorship are questionable, along with his reputation given that an exec and endured a good scandal for the 1863 across the ineffective thought and financial support regarding a beneficial tramway regarding Foreign-language City to help you Dated Harbour and you may Porus, that has been never complete (Haldane 53-88).
