Ann’s petition while the so-called Queen’s response regarding papers that he edited, The newest Watchman and you will People’s Free Push, along with several proclamations he had posted and you may marketed from inside the St. Ann and St. Inspite of the decide to try by several Custos in order to cancel Underhill group meetings throughout August and September because of the forbidding employing neighborhood courtroom house, they were however stored outside (Heuman 58-9). In reaction on the cancellation of a single ones meetings, scheduled to own 30 July, a book caused by Gordon was published calling their constituents to sit-in brand new fulfilling outdoors: “You that have no sugar locations to your workplace to your, neither will find most other a job, we call on one to already been forth, even though you feel undressed, started ahead and you will protest up against the unfair representations generated facing you of the Mr Governor Eyre and his group of Custodes” (Heuman 57). This proclamation is deemed as seditious and put against Gordon at the his court martial, however in his 1933 defense out of Gordon, This new Misconception regarding Governor Eyre, Sydney Haldane, Lord Olivier, who had been Colonial Secretary from inside the Jamaica out-of 1900-1903, argued you to definitely Gordon’s “incitements so you can 100 % free-talking and you can demo applied solely towards program of your meeting announced on the dealing with 29 th away from July, and do not recognize to be represented given that recommending people ulterior procedures otherwise improvements after one to date” (Haldane 161, 164). At the a new of them backyard Underhill meetings during the early Sep, Gordon is reported getting opposed the problem away from Jamaica so you’re able to that of Haiti, no matter if the guy declined which have done so from the their court martial, plus the declaration is generally traceable to help you their political opponents (Heuman 59).

Thomas from the East, in order to prompt societal attendance on next meetings and you can protests

This type of standards from governmental instability due to economic hardship, together with the time and effort off Governor Eyre and the Jamaican judicial government, and also the Colonial Work environment, during the following an authoritarian and you may paternalistic way of the newest complaints out-of Black Jamaican peasants and you may Colored political leaders the same, delivered a very erratic political and you may public problem on the days before the new Morant Bay rebellion. Gordon had not been a political significant inside the 1840s and you may 50s; alternatively he seemingly have become a faithful reformer, visiting hospitals, prisons, and you will places of worship through the Jamaica within his part while the a justice regarding the newest peace and you will suggesting to possess improvements, plus writing a costs with the top remedy for Eastern Indian migrant pros about Jamaica System (Hart thirteen-14; 23-27).

However, just after Eyre’s fulfilling as Brief (Acting) Lieutenant-Governor at the beginning of 1862 with his height for the governorship during the age a vocal critic out of Eyre’s procedures. From inside the 1862, as the result of an inspection, Gordon delivered a criticism toward Attorney Standard on overlook and you will unclean conditions at Morant Bay jail, reporting new loss of a beneficial pauper who had been closed from inside the a latrine for the sales from a location Anglican rector. The new Colonial Office discovered off Eyre’s bottom line dismissal off Gordon, an action which had been followed by Gordon’s forcible ejection out-of a beneficial vestry conference, but refused to intervene managed not to ever undermine Eyre’s authority; rather the new Duke out-of Newcastle, who was Assistant off Condition on the Colonies, counseled Eyre to hear Gordon’s grievances (Hart forty; Haldane 105-6).

Eyre seen Gordon’s letter since the a strike on the Anglican Church, and you will ordered that Gordon getting overlooked given that vestryman and you can justice out-of the newest peace, despite a study appearing one to Gordon’s grievance had been justified (Roberts thirty-five; Hart 33-34)

Gordon’s dominance carried on, however, and he is actually decided for the 1863 just like the Associate to have St. Thomas regarding the Jamaica Assembly, in which he continued to sound severe criticisms out-of Eyre. Into the a presentation out-of 28 Oct 1863, Gordon expressed anger during the Eyre’s social assurances one to Jamaica is experience “good health” and you will a keen “increasing” population: “I query, how dare the newest Governor and work out this report in the event the Coolies [East Indian immigrant laborers] who were produced listed here are perishing towards roadways away from Kingston, whenever events try denied admittance on personal medical and they are kept to help you die on roads? I am aware that deprivation and misery can be found in this new property, and i also be UluslararasД± tanД±Еџma uygulamasД± indignant the Governor is to assert that there was ‘mediocre success. Hart 57-58). When you find yourself Gordon’s criticisms was indeed such as for example severe and you can indicated with respect to Eyre’s neglect of your terrible, Eyre’s period in the governorship is actually controversial, along with his reputation because a manager along with experienced good scandal in the 1863 along the inadequate believed and money away from a beneficial tramway off Language City so you’re able to Old Harbour and Porus, which was never ever completed (Haldane 53-88).