Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-05-01
CAPTqLN READ.

we lay before our readers a Communication, and the
Extract which induced IT, upon a charge against one of
the distinguished officers of the Navy, which is now en-.
gaging a great deal of discussion in the public press, and
in social circles. We can pass no opinion upon the sub-
Ject, because we have no evidence before us TO con-
firm. or to confront-no witness to tcstify-no facts on
which TO form a deinitve judgment.-All we can say,
IS, that the charge calls for an nvestigation-tha the
honor OF the Navy requires 1.-THE character of Captain
Read loudly demands it. If The facts set forth in the
Wing be tme-and which we never heard of. until we
saw the article extracted from that paper--the honor Of
the service requires the punishment Of Captain Read
IL he be innocent of them, has arraignment before the
bar OF the Public, would be II subject of deep regret.
This is no affair of Party.-Tie New York Evening
post (Rcpubhcan) assnilS Captains Read and Creighton.
The N. York American OVhig) defends them-A cor.
respondent of the Fredericksburg Arena OYhie) is very
severe upon Captain Read, and urges fresh charges up
on him.-On the other hand. among the papers in
Philadelphia, the Pennsylvanian (Repubicsn) and
the National Gazette (Whig) have communications.
which take the side of Captain Read, and vindi-
cate him in the wanmcst terms. The Correspondent
OF The National Gazette says among other things, that,
. With respect to the particular transaction referred TO
as having occurred on board the Constellation frieate on
her return from a cruise of nearly three years. II may
III question had been as anxious To promote the cause Of
truth and justice as TO crafty merely malignant and self
ish feelings, it would have ben easy for him To have
ascertaincd, what is indeed the fact, that so far from there
being no report TO the Navy Department. there was ac-
tnaHy, more than 1--WE months ago, On the arrival of the
iHgate IN inc Z. States q full communication upon the
subject, and that such measures were taken by The pro-
per authorities rs the elucidation of the truth and the jus
hc OF the case required; and it is confidently belle vcd,
that should the public interests demand any other inves-
LEGATION, it will be made abundandy manifest, that the
grossest misrepresentation the most malignant mis-
statements and the most absurd cxaggcrntions, have been
brought into action upon this OCCASION
But the truth must soon come out.-We are happy to
learn, from the following paragraph in last Wednesdays
National lntclligenccr, that Capt. Read has demanded a
Court artial.-This looks well! 1t certainly cnrricsl
the appearance Of Innocence with it:
" We learn that ia consequence e certain statcmente&
IN thc newspapers, impugning his character as an officer q
Captain Read, of the Navy, has arrived in Washington&
ard demanded q Court Martial. which hc soljc;ts iosv
be convened for his trial as carly ae tracfical1c Vo,lra +
learn, that in consequence of this circumstances, and Crom@
motives Of delicacy, desiring to decline any responsible :
trust until his character if freed from the imputatiou3
which now rests on il, he has requested Of the Departs
ment 10 be relieved from serving as Presidtnt.o f The
Board Of Examination Which is about to meet at Bali.
more
THE My. I
Justice TO a highly meritorious and able officer Of the
Navy, requires some notice of an Editorial article in the
T" Wing. of the 18th instant, with the insulting caption
OF !" O%atrageOus conduit of an Ofcer If The Nary"
The Editor Of the Wing, upon an exparte statement
Of an incident in the last cruise of the frigate Constclla-
ton, involving a question Of subordination and rigid
naval discipline, indulges his pen in the most unmiii-
gated abuse Of Capt Read, which merits, as it will re-
ceive, iho indignant tcprobaiCn Of every friend 10 the
Navy. As an officer highly eitcd with every %qnalifca.
hon that can ennoble and adOrn his profession, Copt.
Read has few equals. aud no superins, in Die service;
and as a gentleman c%herishing every sentiment Of manly
pride and honorable feeling. his pretcnsions are without
dipute. Mr. Peasants should have felt the blush q
shame crimson his check, when hc dared to s%tigmalsc
such a man with the opprcbrioua cpithcts of"dcspot and
)i"N'3 an" particularly 10 itpiVh'h MN WIN thosf
odious sins, the more because he is a " %fOfegRcr He
would be proud to initiate the patriotism az The % 70
reigncr he so much ISLANDERS; and n little better nc
quaintancc with the reputation f. the Navy, would have
Informed him, that this detestable crime Of % foreign
origin had been the cnyiable inheritance Of a Bor1eyS,
a Shine, "a Boitcn. aud other glorious spirits, whose dceds'
Of gallantry enibcllsh The brightest pages Of our naval.
annuls, and who were never known 10 connive at an =
breach Of discipline and strict subservicncy o. the Oh &
legations Of duty. Nor could he have betrayed grosscf<
ignorance Of the characters Of officers, then by his refer
ence TO those he has thought proper to hold up as proud
e%xenplars for Captain Reads imitation a better ac-
qnaintancc with Decatur, and Perry, and Biddie, would
have assured him, that they were Tie last Of the "noble
crew who would have compounded the discipline o.
The Navy. Tie history Of their cruizcs records better
testimonials Of their professional worth and their friends
viii esteem q but a poor compliment 10 the memory Of
those who are gone, or 20 The character Of him who sur
wives 20 te told thai Tie xssiccs Of Captain Read nrs 70