Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-08-07
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
FRIDAY, AUGUST r, 1879.

Dr., WATKINS. As whatever concerns this
parsonage has become a subject of public inter-
est, we give place to day to Mr.. Southards let
ter in reply to his, addressed to the latter with.
out signature, and written at the tim. of Wat
kinss arrest in Philadelphia. In this letter, our
readers will recollect, Watkins acknowledges his
guilt, and prays Mr.. Southland to save him from
disgrace and infamy, by confirming the false
statement, he had deliberately made to Harris,
the navy agent at Boston. Notwithstanding
the persevering and invetcrate malice, with
which, In that statement, he continues to assail
MIR. Kendall, the faithful instrument of his de.
lection, we confess that the predominant feeling
In our minds, towards him is one of commiscra-
ton: not that we at all censure the steps which
have been taken by the government, to vindcate
the public justice of the country, by the exposure
and punishment of his delinquency on the con-
trary, we think them worthy of all appreciation !;
but the agonies of detection the feelings of deep
and bitter distress, the collapse and sinking OF
the mind and heart, which man of genius, tai
ent, and cultivated feeling, must have expe-
rsnced before he was driven to write the letter
to MIR. Southland, and in the progress of the de-
Velopement, and exposure of his numerous
frauds, must be sufficient to satiate the revenre
OF ms bitterest personal enemy, if there be any
entertaining such sentiment. he be not iDdu.
rated to shame and modification, his feelings
'can be mo subject Of envy to the wretch to whose
meek the moose of the public executionsr has
been adjusted. If the object of the defending
counsel be mot, as we rather suspect, as far as
practicable, to screen the late administration
and, under the cloak Of the cause they are adyo.
eating, to abuse the present, rather than to pro
tect Watkins, they could scarcely expose him to
greater injury, than to keep him held up day af
ter day, week after week, and month after month
continually exposed to new impeacbments, the
object OF pity to the good, and of contempt even
TO those partizans OF the Coalition who have late.
iy been his most clamorous and unscrupulous
advocates. Conviction and punishment could
scarcely add one sting to his misery; and cea
sing to be exposed a spectacle to the world, an
~objcct of contempt or melancholy pity, he would
soon pass down to that oblivion in which alone
he can find protection. We would therefore re-
commend to his counsel, and 10 the Court, fin
deed she jnsnuation which has been thrown out
that his eaost efficient, ifnot his ablesf, counse
is on tho heacb, be true, TO let the law take it,
SoHsetidnl 10 permit tho proper punishment tc
follow acknowledged guilt
A word1o MIR. Southland. The friends Of the
late Administration of which he constituted a
part, have rapsacked the treasures Of the English
language ia van, to find words Of power ade-
gustoto express their admiration Of the part
which he bore ia this transaction. lie came in.
TO possession, by the acknowledgement of Wat
kins himself at the time Of the arrest, Of ample
proof Of his guilt; and this acknowledgment
accompanied BY a proposition, than which, to q
we'll constituted mind, none could be more re-
voting and offensive, that he should sustain By
perjury, for this is its amount, tho false state