There have been of a lot instantaneous factors behind the new Morant Bay rebellion, and additionally a riot a few days prior to more than a set of judge instances involving trespass of the Black colored Jamaicans toward land belonging to whites and conflicts along side distinctive line of rents. Whenever police was indeed taken to stop the newest rioters, led from the Black landowner, farmer, and you can Native Baptist deacon, Paul Bogle, they certainly were confronted by resistance and you may turned back, an event you to definitely led to this new getting in touch with up of your volunteer soldiers that were set up at the Morant Bay legal home (Heuman 406). A unique enjoy that enhanced governmental tensions got took place September, when a beneficial deputation towards the Governor away from impoverished peasants out-of St. Thomas, once a visit away from forty-five miles in order to Foreign-language Area, is ignored in place of enjoying Eyre, who later on sent a page informing which they should look for redress throughout the fairness program-the very reason behind its problems (Haldane 164-65). Heuman in addition to explains this new rebellion due to the fact adopting the to your a number of outbreaks of blog post-emancipation resistance of the Black colored Jamaicans throughout the 1840s and 50s so you’re able to standards from poverty and disenfranchisement, so that as an expression of the concern with re-enslavement. Black colored Jamaicans’ issues shortly after emancipation along with provided the unjust procedures by the a judicial program presided more than from the light magistrates have been commonly plantation citizens; large income tax and you may lowest earnings toward ranches; and lack of accessibility belongings to help you rent at realistic prices getting independent farming, and therefore of a lot prominent so you’re able to low-wage work into the plantations (Heuman 40-41; Lorimer 125). These situations have been section of landowners’ latinfeels mobile concerted tension to the Jamaica’s former slaves to keep focusing on large ranches shortly after emancipation (come across Holt).
Which anxiety was not baseless, since the into the 1850s, whenever plantation people discover blame that have tips of your Jamaica government, they often times in public articulated their interest in Jamaica to join the fresh You as a servant state (Heuman 38-39)
The fresh 1850s and you will early 1860s was basically a period of expanding impoverishment and jobless certainly Black Jamaican peasants due to the coming down rates out-of glucose, several cholera episodes, loss of the means to access South United states avenues for the Civil Battle, higher transfer commitments on the agricultural supplies, and growing people (Heuman forty-two-48). When dining offers became scarce, eager peasants had recourse so you’re able to theft, a news that was met by the imposition away from a lot more punitive strategies up against larceny by Eyre’s administration in the 1864, leading to an increasing number of inmates during the Jamaica’s jails (Heuman 45). From inside the January 1865, Edward Underhill, the secretary of one’s Baptist Missionary Society, delivered a page into the Secretary out-of Condition towards Territories describing the new serious poverty, jobless, and you may assertion off rights in order to Black Jamaicans he got experienced while in the a visit to south west Indies for the 1859, conditions which he dreaded create resulted in governmental and you may economic collapse of isle (Heuman 45).
Underhill’s letter was forwarded to Governor Eyre, exactly who in turn distributed they in order to religious management and you can official officials inside the area, asking for the feedback
The publication out-of Underhill’s letter on Jamaica Protector towards 21 February resulted in the firm regarding social conferences, also known as “Underhill group meetings,” in the island as well as the writing of several petitions. Ann parish, requested lowest rents towards Top places so they really you will means a family market their own establish. Eyre sent the fresh new petition for the Colonial Work environment having a beneficial dispatch disparaging the result of the Underhill page in encouraging discontent and you can disobedience certainly Jamaican peasants (Heuman forty-eight-9). Which petition towards the Queen is actually answered inside the a file you to definitely turned into known as “The fresh Queen’s Guidance,” but which had been published by Henry Taylor, your face of the West india service of Colonial Place of work.