Why did Thomas Carlyle support Governor Edward John Eyre after the Jamaican uprising of 1865?

Thomas Carlyle supported Governor Edward John Eyre following the 1865 Morant Bay rebellion because he believed Eyre’s actions were necessary to maintain order and authority in the region.

Carlyle commended the governor for what he perceived as "saving the West Indies" through his decisive, albeit severe, suppression of the uprising. His defense of Eyre was rooted in his broader political philosophy, which often favored strong, authoritarian leadership over democratic processes. In his view, the execution of those he labeled as "incendiaries" was a justifiable measure to prevent further chaos and protect colonial stability.12

This stance placed Carlyle in direct opposition to other prominent British intellectuals of the time, such as John Stuart Mill and Thomas Henry Huxley, who argued that Eyre’s use of martial law and the subsequent mass executions constituted an abuse of power that warranted prosecution for murder.1