Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-05-12
DIR. TOBIAS WATKINs.

The intelhgencer, OF this morning, contains an
editorial article in which, among other things in
tended TO operate upon the OF the late Fourth
Auditor, now known TO be before the Grand Jury,
OF which one Of the Editors is a member, it is
asserted, that
"The amount OF money involved in the charges
OF malfeisance against DR.. Watkins, (ssid to be
a,209 dollars) is so small TO take away the idea
OF intention on his part 10 defraud the govern
ment. The very statement Of the fact carries with
At the retutation ofsuch q charge. The manner
oil the arrest OF the accused, whilst his road
home from journey on his private business to am
other part OF the country, was, to say nothing
more oil it, unnecessarily harsh, and is calculated
to prejudice his cause before the world, even
though the motive for il may have been pure
and disnterested zeal for the public good. In the
language of the Commercial Advertiser, we too
believe that the accused ought to be presumed in
nocent, and 20 have the benefit of common char
iy, until he is proved otherwise. 1t argues a fe-
rocious temper, to pronounce upon his be-
ore the circumstances of it are at all understood
We have before said that, when we first alluded 10
the transactions for which Mr.. Watkins is now
under arrest, we did not know that the President
would cause criminal proceeding 10 be instituted
against him. Did we not consider the subject, so
tar as the press is concerned, suspended by that
proceeding, we should not ect to come CT his case
with his party, which the friends Of Mr.. Watkins
are so industrousy making. We have before
said that the question of his guilt or inn cence is
10 be decided by the judicial tribunal to which il is
referred by the laws OF the land, and we shall not
depart from the course which respect for the laws
and sense OF his rights imposes upon us. But
whilst we conceive it TO be duty TO be silent
as to the guilt or innocence Of the accused, we
must DE permitted TO express our surprise that the
Intelligencer, one of the Editors of which is
member of the Grand Jury, should publish what
that member is sworn not TO disclose, If true, but
what he knows to be false, in relation to the case
Such conduct must prejudice the cause il was in
tended to serve, and illustrates the reckless dsre-
/ na nj frttth Nla
that print and its associates. IN
| The Commercial Advertiser, which furnishes
the text tor the comment OF the Intelgencer, says
" One thing is certain, that when Or. Watkins
was in this city, he treated the accusation as an
idle one, and ascrbed it to the ignorance of the
new occupants of the Department"
I And the lntelligencer says "the manner Of the
arrest of the accused, whilst on his road home
from journey on his private business to another
part OF the country, was TO say nothing more of it,
unnecessarily harsh, and is calculated to preju-
dice his cause before the world" Why this decla-
ration of one OF the grand jury? Why this attempt to
enlist the public sympathy in behalf of one, whose
guilt or innocence is before Of the Editors Of
the LnteHisencer, a member of the grand Jury
who must know that the whole of the evidence in
the is not before him, and that, therefore, he
is not justiiable in making up opinion. Can
any one be at loss for the motive: 1t is not for us
to anticipate what will be the decision of the Jury
in this case-It would be improper for US to do go,
butitiS, to say the least of ii, highly indelicate
towards the personal and political friends of the
editors who are members of that jury, to subject
them to a suspicion that they had resolved to make
up political verdict As 10 the manner and
place of the arrest, il is full explanation when
we say that Mr.. Watkins, soon he was ,losi-
fed that examination was IN progress, left
| this city-thai the President did not believe he
| intended to return-and that his arrest was or
dered, because the Executive believed the devel-
opments made out such a case as, in his opinion
required the arrest. This explanation is not made
| to prejudice the case Of Mr.. Watkins. He may
have left this city private business--he might
have been on his return, and ii may appear that he
is innocent of the charge against him. IL all this
shall be made 10 appear, upon the trial, and the
motives of the Executive shall be assaiIed 1T will
/ then be time for us to speak out. GU. S. Tel.
! COALITION VERACITY.
4 Binns says--"If this s not trdDsliag cabinet
il is certainly not a stationary one. Mr.. Berrien,
| the Attorney General, is in Georgia. Mr.. Van
| Buren, is in New York. Mr.. Branch is in North
Carolina. And Mr.. Ingham is in Pennsylvania. %
! Mr.. Van Buren, has not left tbis city since he
entered on the duties of this Department. The
Secretary OF the Navy returned on Tuesday last
With his family. MIR. Ingham and Mr. Berrien,
| are both absent, making arrangements preparatory
TO the removal OF their families TO the District.
! This temporary absence was the necessary conse-
guence of their appointments, and is not to be at
tributed to the causes wich led TO the annual per-
ambuii,ons of the late Travelling cabinet. The
attack upon Mr.. Van Buren, shows that the hatred
| TO truth.
OF piece with this attack is the unfounded re-
port that the President intends to visit New Eng
land during the next summer, put into circulation
by the Boston CeTtineI. II he were to do so, aud
iooud permit it, we have no doubt the aristocracy
! OF Boston would be a! submissive they were to
MIR. Munroe. ID.
We perceive that the New England Palladium
contains the following articles
NJ,
are panied TO learn frsm Washington, that Mr. Henshaw,
clerk in Of the Departments at ahnStOD has committed
The MS Hen,Raw alluded to above is John H. Heushaw,
originally from Northampton in this State He Iea memo
fandum Of eiRbezEement Of he public money Thin while
1t does R excuse accounts for the Of self nurdsr
tPaiiadiur.
From fhe above, the public might be led to in
Ter that there had been some improperly OF con-
duct on tie part of Mr.. Henshaw, in relation to
the publir money. The memorandum said TO have
been left by Nj Henshaw, had no relation to his
own affairs, and the opinion expressed by the pa
per in question, is entirely gratuous on its part
We deem it due we'll TO the memory of the de-
ceased as to the feelings of his surviving relatives
To state that the story has foundation in truth;
that the ID-fated act which deprived Mr.. II. oil life,
was committed when reason had lost her empire
in one OF those unhappy hts OF melancholy, to
which tfet gentleman was consiitutionay subject.
Wash Telegraph.
Mr.. Dbddridge is elected to Congress by ma
Jorlty oil p1T votes.
PHILIP DODDRIDGE.
We take great pleasure in announcing to the
public ths~electon of this gentleman to Congress;
and we do not speak the language of Boosting
when we assert that no Congressional District in
the United States will be more ably represented
than this, Ia the next Congress. we ought not TO
omit mentioning as a thing highly creditabIe and
honorable to many Of the friends of Gen. Jackson,
who were warm paFtzans in the late Presidential
contest, that they have this occasion, laid aside
all political and party feelings and cordially united
10 tho support Of Mr. DOddridge against the OPP
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