Writing name for: William Watt
Gender:
Male
The identity of 'Humanitas' was the cause for much debate among Sydney newspaper editors in 1834. The Sydney Gazette stated that the name was the pseudonym of a free settler who arrived in New South Wales in 1821; others contended that 'Humanitas' was an ex-convict or a ticket-of-leave man.
On 1 July 1834, the Gazette published 'Humanitas's pamphlet on The Present System of Convict Discipline and Party Politics in New South Wales: With Comments on the Recent Enquiry at Castle Forbes (also known as Party Politics Exposed). The pamphlet was sold for the price of three shillings. An advertisement for the pamphlet first appeared in the Sydney Monitor in late June 1834. The advertisement was re-worded for its 2 July 1834 appearance, and clearly states that the pamphlet is written by 'Humanitas, a prisoner of the crown, holding a ticket of leave'. (Sydney Monitor, 9.703 (2 July 1834): 1) On 26 July 1834, the Sydney Monitor announced: '"Humanitas" at Last! : We have been favoured by a friend with a copy of this notorious work'.
In the following issue, 30 July 1834, the Monitor wrote at length about the identity of 'Humanitas'. The Monitor's writer, in all likelihood Edward Smith Hall, states: 'We believe [the pamphlet] to have been written by Mr. Watt, who holds a ticket-of-leave, and is joint Editor of the Sydney Gazette along with Mr.O'Shaughnessy, who became free by servitude about four years ago. Another contributor to this paper is an Emigrant, who himself has been twice convicted of offences in this Colony, for one of which he was transported to a Penal Settlement for two or three years.'
The writer further contends that 'Mr. Watt wrote Humanitas in the Office of the Sydney Monitor, in February last [1834], unknown to us at the time; and it was not until he left our service that we discovered that he had employed himself during the last month he was with us, in this connection. (Party Politics Exposed quotes a publication that was being printed at the Monitor's offices during the time in which Watt was superintendent of printing, giving him access to all correspondence.)
On 31 July 1834, Watt used the pages of the Sydney Gazette to refute Hall's claims. Watt states: 'It is false that I am or was in any way connected with the pamphlet, signed "Humanitas," until I saw it given into hand for the press.'
