The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-09-10
TO THE PUBIJC.

In Whatever situation, | nav be place nv,
my country u my fate, ! SHALL neither be roc
n'gh, nor too low, to respect public opinion.
anu cheerfuliy submit. to its inquest and de.
G'si"n' according 10 the rules OF morality s.
horor.
am aware that public considerations a
lone would have absolvcd me from noticing
vulgar and indecent libel which spnearsd
IN the Federal Republican of this day.. SIGN
ed 9 LRMuEL TAYLOR 20 bot it is due to
truth, and to my own character. to rrt
down the vile SANDER by plain exhibit;
on OF facts,elucidatedb by &c W brief re marx.
nay acquaintance with Mr.. Tavlcr. a. w,u
be seen by his letter, was of the most tran.
Sient k'rd, hfiording no foundation for pri
Vate or confidential correspondence, nov had
any such existed. On the 2lSt nit. re.
ceiVed letter, of which the following is a
literal copy:
Baltimore, .Hug. 20th, 1913.
WILLIAM JONES ESQ.
OcGr Sir know that our sreu,;nt
ance does not Justify my using such familiar
terms as have began with. h.l feel so
mnch on the .bject am about to mention,
that could not help addressing you, as am
! con yinced should always do. if we were
better acquainted. 1t is mentioned in one
OF our prints this evening, that Joshua Bar
ney is appointed - the command Of our Hn-
tiiIa-tor myself do not believe it, because
presume you are acquainted with his cha
Iacter: but II you are not, permit me to in
form you, that he is y most abandoned ras
cal, both as to politics and morsls and that
heIs despised by nine-tenths Of all that have
taken an active part in the defence of Balti
| more, and by none more than capt George
Stiles, whose zeal and ACTIVITY you must
nave heard of 4; and in truth if Barney is an.
pointed to any command, most of the most
useful men will be obliged to retire. IF it is
not done, let me beg of you, for the sake of the
government, the .afety OF Baltimore, and for
your own character, not to make such an
! appointment.
All / ask of you is to believe me, when ]
say have no hing in view in writing this,
but the good of my country, government. &
| the city where reside.
am, dear sir, your very obeaient ser
want,
LEMUEL TAYLOR.
William Jones. Esq
-, !" Secretary, o/tde Navy.
Washington."
This letter, addressed to the Secretary
of the Navy, without reservation or res,ricI
tion, betraying either absolute ignorance of
propriety, or sheer impudenCe, appeared to
me bold, intrepid denunciation, which the
duEnOF WOulu nave proclaimed from the
! house top, fearless of consequences, and in
viting publicity rather than conceahnent.---
The temper and style, TO be sure, appeared.
neither proper for public or private CORES
pondence but least Of all did suppose
that the author meant TO make the Secrsta-
~ OF the Navy either the official or private
depository OF aspersionS so broad, foul and
indefinite and particularly when applied
TO an officer who had received so many
marks of public confidence, and had lust
then been appointed to an honorable com
mand--that of the u. States aotIlla for the
defence Of tue upper part Of the Chesa-
peake.
knowing that officer to possess in a promi-
nent degree all the qualities for command,
and believing that vast majority OF the
community of the district which he was ap-
pointed to defend, and Of the nation, would
feel the same confidence in his skill, PROV
ess, zeal and integrity /; could not but sus.
pect that other motives and feelings than
those ayowed, had participated in the de-
nunciation.
In Commodore Barney ] recognized al
intrepid distinguished officer of the Revo-
iutionary Navy, whose achievements have
been the theme Of public admiration and the
subject Of the pencil, whose vivid represen
tatiOn Of one Of those scenes, has long been
prominent ornament in the chamber o. th,
Navy Department.
knew him as one Of he SIX captains E.r
appoin ed under thc administrati,n OF l.r-
~ Il L.. 4 A..