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The writer for the Sydney Monitor discusses the authorship of Party Politics Exposed in a Letter Addressed to the Right Honorable, the Secretary of State for the Colonies: Containing Comments on Convict Discipline in New South Wales by an Emigrant of 1821. The 'Emigrant of 1821' is also known as 'Humanitas'. The Monitor's writer identifies one of those who make up the pseudonymous 'Humanitas' as William Watt, assistant editor of the Sydney Gazette.
The writer 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 contents 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.)
Notes
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Editorial column, proably written by Edward Smith Hall.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Untitled
1834
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser , 31 July vol. 32 no. 2473 1834; (p. 2)The editor of the Sydney Gazette vents his spleen against Edward Smith Hall, calling him (among other things) 'a cowardly libeller', 'a political poltroon' and 'a sugar-candy sucker and a tea-drinking biped'. The Gazette's editorial responds to Hall's column in the Sydney Monitor ('Humanitas', 26 July 1834) firstly on the issue of the divide between 'native born' and free settlers versus convicts, ex-convicts and ticket-of-leave holders.
The Gazette then notes Hall's charges that William Watt is one of the authors who go by the name of 'Humanitas'. The Gazette's writer says: 'As an act of justice to the writer and at his urgent request, we have inserted the letter from Mr. Watt, which will be found in another column... Mr. Watt is nothing to us - he may have written the pamphlet which goes under the name of that terrible fellow Humanitas ... for all we know. He superintends the printing department in the Gazette Office, and discharges his duty with diligence and fidelity. But if he really be Humanitas and his object was to create a sensation, he is a lucky fellow, for he certainly has done so.'
-
Untitled
1834
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser , 31 July vol. 32 no. 2473 1834; (p. 2)The editor of the Sydney Gazette vents his spleen against Edward Smith Hall, calling him (among other things) 'a cowardly libeller', 'a political poltroon' and 'a sugar-candy sucker and a tea-drinking biped'. The Gazette's editorial responds to Hall's column in the Sydney Monitor ('Humanitas', 26 July 1834) firstly on the issue of the divide between 'native born' and free settlers versus convicts, ex-convicts and ticket-of-leave holders.
The Gazette then notes Hall's charges that William Watt is one of the authors who go by the name of 'Humanitas'. The Gazette's writer says: 'As an act of justice to the writer and at his urgent request, we have inserted the letter from Mr. Watt, which will be found in another column... Mr. Watt is nothing to us - he may have written the pamphlet which goes under the name of that terrible fellow Humanitas ... for all we know. He superintends the printing department in the Gazette Office, and discharges his duty with diligence and fidelity. But if he really be Humanitas and his object was to create a sensation, he is a lucky fellow, for he certainly has done so.'
