Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-06
RtrDtttottU 4W ttQ1
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY a. 1920.

VI A"c '"'iours LOT some time In circulation
respecting defalcaious in the Navy Department at
washington, seem ut last coming to a head. On
thursday evening last, DR.. Tobias Watkins late 4,h
Auditor at Washington. was arrested Mt Philadelphia
by awarrsnt of the U. g. District Judge granted
on application from Washington, and conducted by
Msrtials escort, to Washington, where he was OK.
pectetl to arrive OH Saturday night, or Sunday We
are not arprsed of his actual arrival The ground
OF the arrest is acdged fraud upon the Government
Of the u. States. The case was to be examined and
tried by the civil authorities Of the District. Being
therefore in course Of adjudication, dclicacy and
justice forbid comments in the newspapers at this
time
The National Intelligencer of Monday, says not a
word upon the SUBJECT In The Journal of That tav.
we fad the following observations. II il not to be
doubted, that the worst construction has been mn
upon DR.. Watkins conduct, for the purpose of rain
ing to the new administration as much credit for vi
GLANCE as possbleand for the further purpose. of
Justyng the numerous removals from office that have
been made without cause, and excusing further reno
walls t0itho cause that Gen. Jackson is resolved up
on making. This is in exact accordance with Jack
sonism, as developed in n thousand hucs and forms
vi all the party spirit that existed that of Jack
sonsm Is the least mcrcfu and the least scrupulous
DUH IN limiting at the defacation of Watkins has nj
ready coverty and nsdiously appealed to it. rs prov
ing the necessity of proscr ion, and if il shall ,pon
investigation, prove to be real expect to see
1t made the pretence and the Justification of an uni
versal amotion of Anti Jacksonions from Office Duff
will certainly prove logically, thai as DR.. Watkins
committed depreda ions upon the Treasury, a Goytori
the whole party are roguec.
Meanwhile we lnow n,birr, f.,ba
OF DIR. Watkins case beyond bare rumor, and wish
not to be understood being dcsirous to skrecn him
from deserved odium or punishment. We only ex
press the belief that the construction has been
put upon it. He evidently on his return to the
District when arrested, and this docs not look like
the consciousness of guilt, We sincerely trust TIM,
the affair may be satisfactorily explained.
1--WE isarn that Mr. TOMS w ,rk,s. the late Fo,,,h
dtor, arrested on the night 3Oh alt in Phiaepha
at the slit Of the United States lie may expected In This
city this evening We presume that the transactions which
form the Of his arrest We been heretofore al
!udcd To IN this paper viii be investigated by the Grand jury
TO be IN session next week"
The foregoing article from the TELEGRAPH of Sntur
day, occasions to advert for tho first time to the
rurnors. which, for the last fortnight, have been cir
cuated in this city, in regard To the late Fourth Au
dltor. Learning that they were founded on an noni
rynstltuted by his sccessor and aware of the nre-
nuty, tho vindctiveness, and the reckless maluntv
Of Amos Kendall, deemed it but Justice to an alb
sent individual that he stonld have an opportun,v
OF beng heard. before we contributed to give publ
city to the allegations which now, il is understood
to be the subject of judicial inquiry. We were con-
frned in convictions of the pronrir,v of this for
bearance, by knowledge that the late Fourth Au |
otor was absent on business, connected with his
former Official relations to the Government and that
his return might be expected about the close of tho
last month. That the administration believed the bust
ness To be thus unconnected is apparent from the To-
iegraph OF 9th t and the corrcctnnss of our OK
n n finn nvIflp hx .ln
Fourth Auditor left Boston for Washington on tho
28th ult and had advanced this voluntary Journey
as tar rs Philadelphia, when he arrested under
the authority of the u. States the President bcnr
unwilling. IT would seem, that he should return un-
der any other crcumstanc es to his home and to his
family.
AS the charges against him arc so specdly to be
investigated before more solemn tribunal than that
OF MT, Kendall, any detailed commentary on them
would now be premature. We cannot, however,
refrain from remarklng that from the which
we have boon enabled 10 obtain, they are all s,lsccp-
tblo of explanations consistent with the hitherto nm
assaiied and unsupported honor of the accused; that
oar long established convictions of his integrity leave
us no room to npprehend that they will be impair
ed that he has been subjected to an cx partc maui
sition during his absence, and at the hands of his
dircst foes; that his arrest based the affidavit
OF a witncss who had, n former OCCASION, obtain
ed an unenviabe reputation for vuracity; and that
his voluntary effort to meet his accuaers, afford pre-
sumption in his favor which il would require some.
any consideration can strengthen oar belief In his IN
nocencc II Is the extreme folly in him which implied
IN contrary suppositiOn For the offences inputcd
TO him are OF nature which would have made them
constantly liable to detection under tc last admins
uation; and he knew too well President Adams and
his Cabinet To- hope for one moments IMMUNITY 10
guilt. IN tho mind of that llustrious citizen patri-
osm has ever been paramount to every other social
consideration, and he would have enforced tho law
on the lato Fourth Auditor, If obnoxious T., it, with
ms little hesitation ms on the unworthy person who
And It may bo added, TINT the late Secretary Of tho
Navy would have been the last man in this nation IN |
stay the hand Of public Justice.
we shall now only remark, that il we dill not be |
icvc the general view which we have given of the |
cpsc 10 be correct, should he among tho first TO
justify, at whatevor expense Of private feeling. the
proceeding adopted by General Jackson.
APPOINTMENT by THE PRESIDENT.
James G. Pickett Of kentucky, to be Secretary OF
IN FOL 10. - VI. ID