Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-27
EX-SHERlFF PARKlNS.

Few il any Of the many foreigners in our cay1.
try have, in so short a time, gained So much nc
tOrtety as this individual, who has been with u.
some five or six years. Whatever peculiartes
he may have, he is certainly possessed Of ,aleu'
and energy Of character above the common order
He is now, we should judge, about sixty yea If
aye, and is, in his appearance, remarkably robu,
and muscular. His life, too, bas not been with.
out its vicisstudes, and in rather greater ,ariety
than falls to the lot Of the average Of mankind.
According to the account which he gave Of
himself. in his late seven hours speech before the
sherf's jury in this city, while on trial to
tain his sanity, he is Of respectable family some.
where in the North of England. When about
seven years old, his father fell in duel, leaving
a widow, himself, two sisters, and one or two
brothers, to take care Of themselves While ye,
a youth. he made friends with his neighbor, the
Duke Of Norfolk, who, discovering in him re.
markable degree of cleverness, as well as mar.
veIIous resemblance Of himself, insisted on be.
coming his patron. He was determined, howe
YER, to be the arti6cer of his own fortune; and
accordingly took French leave ofhis noble friend,
and made the best Of bis way to Bengal; deter.
mined not to return to I" merry England" u he
could come laden with such quantity Of "spoIls
as should make him peer for Peers"
He was 30 successful in his India campaign
that, though he landed there with only ahundred
guineas in his pocket, he contrived in ten years
to make them count something like hundred
thousand. The arithmetic by which this interest
ing metamorphosis was accomplished, be says,
was all perfectly fair, and we presume it was
Misfortunes, philosophers say, seldom come
singe--and so he found il; for, while pursuing
fugitive debtor, who was abscondiug at the top
Of his speed. with large amount Of his money
and property. he was seized by some French gen.
tlemen, in suits Of :. Kendall green" and laid
up ia ordinary IN French prison for twelve
month. This gave him decided dstate tor H.
dian manners; he therefore, upon rcgalnns bis
liberty, forthwith made sale OF his stock IN trade
and sci his face towards home. 10 his Journey
hewever, he passed over considerable portion
Of Europe, was much sought alter oy Sun"'y
crowned heads, as we'll as by some who were
without crowns, either upon their heads or 10
their pockets. At length he arrived IN London
OF which he afterwards, in 1919, became sher'l'
From bis own account, he was the only man
who dared take upon himself the Responsibilities
of the Office.
After his term Of office expired. he was assam,
ed with great violence BY Cobbett, and charged
with retaining MONIES placed in his he nds Tor tni
relief of the individual who had been Oppressed
and imprisoned by the infamous Bishop Of Cog
her. II is hardly to be credited that a sen.le
man possessed Of the wealth and official st'ndn:
of Mr.. Parkins at the time, could have been su''
ty of such transaction. The amount we DC
lieve, was but about fifty pounds. and the tes''
mony of Cobbett is too Indifferent to authorize
harsh judgment Of any mans character upon J.
Goblet, however, is furious and vindIctIve AZ
saiIant; but whether his annoyance was the cau'
Of the measure we know not, but a few years ~
Mr.. P. concluded to come over the water ant
see what we republicans were DUNG. lh's wa
a harmless resolve; and it he could have mao'
up his mind to conform to the institutions anu
manners of the country. or to leave it, would nave
been as sensible an act as a man need perform,
But he became angry and vexed because he o y,
not find every thing precisely agreeable to n, y
preconceised notions. foduigng the violence u u
his temper Tor from some other csuse) he hS ',
late been entangIed in lawsuits for Islander anO
assaults and battery that must have sensloy u"
paired any other than very large fortune:
IN y Can'