474 
PROCEEDINGS OE SECTION E. 
outbreak occurred, and at Morant Bay, where volunteers had been 
assembled in anticipation of disturbance, a body of armed negroes 
entered the town and declared for war. They overpowered a small 
body of volunteers, the captain being hacked "to death after being 
wounded, and all the officers and many of the men perished in the 
discharge of their duty. The custos or principal magistrate of the 
parish, the curate of the town of Bath, the inspector of police, and 
several other persons were murdered. Other outrages were committed 
in the neighbourhood ; but Mr. Eyre, the Governor, and the military 
and naval authorities acted with vigour. Troops and volunteers were 
speedily in the field, and the insurrection was not given time to spread 
beyond the eastern part of the island. Within three days from the 
first intelligence of the rebellion reaching Kingston, it was headed, 
checked, and hemmed in, and within a week it was fairly crushed. 
The greatest credit was due to the Governor and those who 
directed the actual movements for the suppression of the insurrection; 
but a commission sent from England, after long inquiry, reported 
that the punishments inflicted during martial law were excessive, that 
the punishment of death was unnecessarily frequent, that the floggings 
were reckless and at Bath positively barbarous, and that the burning 
of 1,000 houses was wanton and cruel. The commission also 
reported that the disturbances had their origin in a planned resistance 
to lawful authority, and that “ a principal object of the disturbers 
of order was the obtaining of land free from the payment of rent.” 
Her Majesty’s Government, “ while giving Mr. Eyre full credit for 
those portions of his conduct to which credit was justly due, felt com- 
pelled by the result of the inquiry to disapprove of other portions of 
his conduct,” and declined to replace him in the government of the 
colony. Mr. Eyre, who, I may remark, had rendered good service as 
an explorer on this continent, therefore left Jamaica. 
Before he left, however, the Legislature of Jamaica had, at his 
instance, passed a law to abolish the existing Constitution and to 
empower the Queen to create and constitute a Government for the 
island in such form and with such powers as might seem to Her 
Majesty to be best fitting. This brought to a close in a very remark- 
able way representative institutions which had existed for 202 years, 
and which had exercised powers in some respects in excess of those of 
the British House of Commons. 
In August, 18GG, Sir John Peter Grant arrived in Jamaica as the 
first Governor under the new Constitution, and brought with him ail 
Order in Council establishing a form of government, and by this 
there was to be a Legislative Council, which at first consisted of the 
Governor, six official and three non-official members, the latter being 
afterwards increased. A Privy Council, which answered somewhat to 
the Executive Council of other colonics, was also established. This 
Council was to consist of the Governor and certain high officials; and 
I may mention that this latter Council continues at the present time, 
with the addition, in 1888, of two non-official members. It will be 
understood that in Jamaica, when official members are spoken of, 
permanent officials are meant, for in Crown colonies, or iu those having 
representative but not responsible Governments, there is no such 
thing as goverment by party — through Ministers who require the 
support of a majority of members of the Legislature or Parliament. 
