Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-08-21

C0Iy Furnishrd
to the York Evening Post, by the Secretary Of The
Navy-Capt. Read has yielded to passions which he
ought TO have repressed-maltreated Midshpman Will
son--and transccndcd the rules of the Navy the au.
thorty OF his office and the Honor of the Service For
so dong he deserved marked punishmcnt-as lesson
to himself, and warning to others
We shall finish the trial as rapidly as we can-And in
the mean time chcerluy lay before our readers The fol-
lowing structures upon the Captains conduct:
THE NAVY E2R TIE HFaVIHfH'
While Pcrusng the Enquirer of the 5th inst my at.
irn'ion was attracted to few remarks, headed Captain
Read, and signed Prcble, setting forth prucinrs
and practices as having been establ he'd in the Navy:
which, had such been the case must long ere this have
cSungrlshcd every spark OF chigary and bnned every
noble feeling of tie sunl without which Naval officer
bccomcs mere machine, AN automaton a tool
There have been, il is true and much TO be lamentcd
ae.s OF tyranny peTpetraicd with IMMUNITY, board of
some men OF war, having tendency subdue the ud.
able aspirations of youthful minds benumb the feel.
ings oil sensbily and even eradicate the Innate propen
sty TO rccutude which II may have been the Jealous cc
tort OF Education to nurture and CHERISH but to the sal
vaon OF our Naval character, this age fast passing
away and trust, never more TO return
The idea attempted 10 be we'd Ly .'Preblc that
sch acts oil tyranny and oppression, those of which
Capt Read has been found guilty, sanctioned by The
navy IN g'ncra aud are Indispensable to the preserva-
ton oil proper discipline is it incon.
ssent with the honor and dignity Of naval service II
is not my purpose to sayaught either in acquta OF con-
termination oil the Court by which Capt Read has been
tried The charges aud sentence are before the public
My object Is simply to exhibit its light the ala.
cy OF treble reasoning, and at the time to
sympathlSc Win him, that he has bad cause To vim
dicaie IL could not have been expected that out of
snch materials, and from such basis lac should have
erected structure at all impregnabic or one which
could even stand the test Of the slightest scrutiny
"Prebe Is sure that little time will satisfy YOU that
Capt Read has committed offence against Naval
usagc am satisfied that neither you nor your renders
are thus TO be duped and led into error without idn
Tor yourselves. Can you be induced BY even moro co.
gent soPhlstry than "Preblc has aGduccd to believe
That acts OF tyranny and oppression recognized and
tolerated. either by the regulations Tor the government
OF The Navy or by the officers thereof? Is convincing
argument to establish his theory that, because in some
cases these acts Of degradation have been calmly and
ANONYMOUSLY Submitted to, have been painfully
borne with, because OF the of means of redress
they have identified themselves with the preservation al
discipline, and therefore are Indispensable Poor ns
they arc, can be imagined that the laws and rcrul
Tons Of the Navy are so mcagre, not prescribe the
mode Of punishment for offences Of every Dissertation
and consequently, that the Commando of Men.ol war
are left to the dfIGeI resort Of ricng up Edhigea Ia
D.e mus "eaa' Tor imaginary Offences This is the
argument advanced by "Preble.' What are laws made
for; 1t is true, has said they were not nndr
for Post Captains But this dots not inyalidatc
thein render them nugatory ssPrcIlc' sbould moi
have haza.ded the broad assertion that the Navy views
this method Of punishment essential TO tho uIpsetyn
on Of discipline aud will regret that the clanior of the
Press should have arrested IL. The Navy Imagine will
regret that such base and ny roceed
ngs, ia direct opposition 20 all law shall Ina We been OK
plunged from the usages Of lie service bot will ever che
Tsh the frf5s as The guardian Of right aud Justice and
The medium through which oil impcstOns practiscd
IN nutshell, may be revealed 20 public cw--The
essential and military MAXIM addnccd bv pr,i,. "
prepared and willing TO execute and enforce will be
acceded TO and admitted by all But can he from this
maxim, himself into the fallacious idea of usti
icatiOn the part Of Captain Read for enforcing an
order at variance wiz, the laws and regulations OF the
Navy, and sGbyersiye Of iis sacred honor? Esla.
hSh this principle aud each commander IL made both
law givcr, and administrator Of the samc.-power rs
absolute and boundess despotsin itself To com.
pleic the catalogue Of yapid reasoning, Pretc Z"
has selected, from the rules and regulations Of the
Navy, few paragraphs relative 70 Midsbipmen-
Among them, is article, requiring Midshipr,cn
promptly and faithfully 10 execute al the orders y lie
public sctrice which they receive ffof their command
ing officers suppose, lac viii class the act Of ricigg
mp MidshpBieE Ia The must hcad the execution cfan
order fer tie ptJic seyeies: To carry conviction with
which assertion hc will haze 10 make q erea'sT
dranght bis reasoning fcuitics, than has been
exhibited in the cfiusion under consideration The
soic;ude therein portrayed for the outraged feelings
Of an honorable oicef has entirely blinded ic author
70 the injury he IS doing the whole corps in striving to
impress upon tie public the idea that such conduct AZ
that, Of which Capt Read has been proven guilty is
common u the usages of the service. Who Of proper
Of honor, would enter tho Navy with such prac.
Gees these sanctioned staring bin in Che face He
who thus barter away che noble feelings of the SOUL
crouch TO such tyranny and oppression and humble him.
self beneath the foosiool Of degradation unworthy
the Naval service NOSREFfEJ