Structure of Rebuttal

1. Main Substantives of the Government

2. Why are the main substantives incorrect?
3. Why is the opposition’s case better than that presented by the government?

Main Substantives of the Government:

Madam Speaker, the government states that the insurrectionists were justified in
rebelling against the state due to the poor economy they lived in under Governor Eyre's reign.
They also say that Governor Eyre is to be sanctioned to death because he overly exerted his
authority in subduing the rebels during the insurrection.
Why is it Incorrect?
Madam Speaker, contrary to what the Government espouses, the economical state of
Jamaica is not to be wholly attributed to the Government. “The 1850s and early 1860s were a
period of growing poverty and unemployment among Black Jamaican peasants due to the
decreasing price of sugar, several cholera outbreaks, loss of access to Southern United States
markets during the Civil War, high import duties on agricultural supplies, and increasing
population (Heuman 44-48). Madam Speaker, the socioeconomic conditions the blacks
were living in were tied to events far outside the control of the government which proves the
government not only to be incorrect but inaccurate, Secondly, According to the Legal
Concept of Monopoly of Violence, Governor Eyre should not be sentenced to death, as the
state wholes supreme power to exercise physical force in quelling social unrest and violence.
With that said, Governor Eyre being the head of state of Jamaica at that time, exercised the
powers given him under the Queen and did not act in an ultra vires way, as the powers he
exercised did not exceed his capacity as governor, but were exercised within the confines of
the legislature of the time. This concept was furthur demonstrated in the insurrection
against the Capitol of the United States of America on January 6 2021, where the US
government exercised physical force through its police force and military to quell the social
unrest happening.
Why is our case better?
Madam Speaker, we believe our case to be better, especially from a humanitarian
perspective. If prolonged civil disobedience strategies were implemented by Paul bogle and
his Followers, there would have been a great reduction in loss of lives and property while
accomplishing and improving the condition of the blacks as was demonstrated in history by
Martin Luther King Jr and Marcus Garvey.
Conclusion
The Opposition firmly upholds that the actions of Governor Eyre were justified from
a legal perspective and ultimately proved to be humanitarian, in preventing the insurrection
from setting a blaze over the country, and saving much more lives and property as the
result. Thank You.