Ann’s petition therefore the thus-titled Queen’s response on the magazine that he modified, The fresh Watchman and you may People’s 100 % free Force, along with numerous proclamations he had released and you may distributed from inside the St. Ann and you will St. Despite the attempt by a number of Custos in order to cancel Underhill group meetings during the August and you may September from the banning the aid of your local judge family, these were nonetheless stored outside (Heuman 58-9). In response towards the termination of 1 of those conferences, booked for 29 July, a book associated with Gordon try typed getting in touch with his constituents in order to sit in this new conference outside: “You that have zero sugar locations be effective to your, neither will get most other a career, we call on that started onward, even if you feel undressed, already been ahead and you may protest contrary to the unjust representations produced against you from the Mr Governor Eyre with his selection of Custodes” (Heuman 57). It proclamation are deemed because the seditious and made use of up against Gordon at their court-martial, but in his 1933 coverage from Gordon, Brand new Myth away from Governor Eyre, Sydney Haldane, Lord Olivier, who was simply Colonial Assistant for the Jamaica out of 1900-1903, debated you to Gordon’s “incitements to help you totally free-speaking and you can demonstration applied only on plan of the meeting announced towards addressing 30 th from July, and don’t recognize of being depicted as the recommending people ulterior functions otherwise advancements after you to definitely big date” (Haldane 161, 164). At another type of of them backyard Underhill meetings during the early September, Gordon try claimed to have opposed the issue away from Jamaica to compared to Haiti, even if the guy declined which have done this during the their court martial, and the report can be traceable so you’re able to their governmental rivals (Heuman 59).
Thomas on the Eastern, to prompt social attendance at the further meetings and you will protests
These conditions regarding political imbalance caused by monetary hardship, combined with time and energy away from Governor Eyre and the Jamaican official government, while the Colonial Office, when you look at the implementing a keen authoritarian and you can paternalistic approach to new problems out-of Black colored Jamaican peasants and Colored people in politics similar, put a highly unstable governmental and you will personal disease throughout the months before the fresh new Morant Bay rebellion. Gordon was not a political revolutionary when you look at the 1840s and you will 50s; instead he appears to have started a devoted reformer, checking out healthcare facilities, prisons, and churches throughout the Jamaica within his role just like the a justice away from the new tranquility and you can suggesting to possess developments, together with writing an expenses towards ideal treatments for Eastern Indian migrant pros on the Jamaica System (Hart 13-14; 23-27).
However, once Eyre’s fulfilling given that Brief (Acting) Lieutenant-Governor in early 1862 with his level into the governorship inside the e a vocal critic away from Eyre’s procedures. From inside the 1862, as the result of an examination, Gordon sent an ailment on the Attorney General on the overlook and you may unclean requirements at the Morant Bay prison, reporting the fresh death of good pauper have been locked inside the an excellent latrine with the orders of a community Anglican rector. This new Colonial Workplace read from Eyre’s bottom line dismissal out of Gordon, an action that has been followed closely by Gordon’s forcible ejection away from a great vestry appointment, however, refused to intervene in check never to undermine Eyre’s authority; as an alternative brand new Duke of Newcastle, who was simply Secretary out-of State towards Colonies, counseled Eyre to know Gordon’s problems (Hart 40; Haldane 105-6).
Eyre seen Gordon’s letter given that a hit to your Anglican Church, and you can purchased you to definitely Gordon be disregarded since vestryman and you can fairness out of the fresh new serenity, even with an investigation indicating that Gordon’s problem got warranted (Roberts thirty-five; Hart 33-34)
Gordon’s popularity proceeded, not, and he was elected in the 1863 as the Affiliate to own St. Thomas about Jamaica Set-up, in which the guy proceeded to sound severe criticisms off Eyre. Inside a presentation regarding 28 Oct 1863, Gordon conveyed frustration at the Eyre’s public assurances you to Jamaica is actually experience “a healthy body” and you may an enthusiastic “increasing” population: “We ask, how dare the brand new Governor while making so it statement in the event the Coolies [East Indian immigrant laborers] have been produced listed below are dying regarding the streets of Kingston, whenever people kissbrides.com websites was denied admittance to your social health as they are kept to help you die regarding highways? I know one starvation and you may heartache are in this new house, and that i getting indignant that Governor will be insist there is actually ‘average prosperity. Hart 57-58). While you are Gordon’s criticisms was such severe and you can indicated regarding Eyre’s neglect of one’s bad, Eyre’s period on governorship is actually controversial, and his awesome profile because the an administrator including suffered with a scandal from inside the 1863 across the useless believe and you can money away from a tramway from Spanish City so you can Old Harbour and you can Porus, which had been never completed (Haldane 53-88).