Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-07-29
Ali AAld QAIA,
WEDNESDAY MORNiNG, JULY 60 80.


Our Judicial Annals do not 2rrsem
remarkable case than that OF Dr. WArsw, :.
is now better than TWO months since hi, AR
during which time every exerrion h,, h
made to bring the alleged crime before
of the country. The Court expressly del,.I
that they had cognizance Of his Of nee in y.
minaI action; the Prosec l,ing Auorqeu +
ways gave out that he proof in their mr..
sion was sufficient 10 convict the accused. =.
yet Indictment after indclmrn, has br.a o,.y
ed, and when, at last, 100 bills have been o,..
ard The merits Of the case fairly brouer, ~,
Court; we End one jury bringing in ,e,5;
to all in'enls and purposes, of acquiusl -,
the other discharged, there being 10 prOb,;
lily Of decision being :s4de
This, remarkable as it is, Can ", be acton,
ed for i, is no longer necc ssary, Tor The g,
Of an impartial trial, that The Press SHOULD
altogether silent with regard 10 The case San, ,
publishing he proceedings CT the Co.r, nj
Watkins has obviously AID confesseiy .,.
very wrong. He hes ruined himself. md o..
far to prejudice the punlo N nd aga,nl d.
patty wi h whom he acted That he Ia, d,,r
the public money and applied 1t 10 hi, o,,
use, admits how Of no Goub,. We s,riy. ,,
TO shield him. He goes into the word h,
Gain, with The mark upon his forehead. R.,
the truth is, a Fictitious importance is give, ,
the case, Which deccives and mislead, ~,
persons. He is charged with drawing mu,
by falsr pseiences, in his priUate capacity 7,
charge cauno, be proved. As a public oFc.
he az allied himself Of his opportunities, and q
came dsfnuh'er-lhis is all that can be SUSIE
ed in court Of justice.
I, is obvious thai much Of The parade sl,,
ing The trial Of This mos, unfortunate man b,
been designed tor effect. Tae case Of Ion
Watkins alone has sustained the Adminls,,,,
in It's prosclip,Ive policy.
We arc willing ,ha, Waikirs should s,f4l
punishment commensu, to lhr belrou.py
Of his offence, but VT do not think that u
phials of wrath should be poured only u,l
his head, while others, equally guilty, ar, ill.,
irg in power end luxury, screened from thu j:
disna,ion Of the People.
Guilty as Watkins is, We cannot but svm,!
thize with his misfortunes, and lament hn d.
giadstion. |. is not in our nAapre 10 puns
even the criminal into the eel, Where the sim
Of conscience. and the scorpion lashes Of d,
recollection Of better days, mus, lrequ,,i
aMict him. We can forgive as well as pr,
aud generous minds should scorn o lriuup.
over the fall even of an enemy. Dr.. W.rkl4
is man of strong and vigorous mind, Of sts
cation, and possessing, withal, a thorOull
knowledge Of business. An Interesting iaGl!
had grown around him, and numerous Obi
Of acquain,ances courttd his society. IN a.
evil hour he was tempted to ,ransgress Il
bounds Of proprie,y, and he IsN--fell, perh,a
never TO rise again. There is moral esg
in that fall which should speak uump'
tongued" to the heart. His own coups,I n.s
beautifully compared him TO the oak .lrlr d
its branches, scashed and wilhered ny The lisb'
ming. But he barred himself for the boil, a.:
madly directed its aim. Il, de,oalng r-i
is marked in a blasted and ruined tharact'
and has even gone into scenes around sbd
tho veil Of privacy is thrown. We ak, ca
such spectacle be viewed without feeling,
We candidly confess "
should think that the "milk Of human sln!
ness" in our breast had turned into gall, FG'
we to think and speak otherwise than as "
have done.
We believe we have once before endeaTot