The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-08-22
From the Boston Iltslligsaeer.1

Philadelphia, and other cities, Directing
to what is called the extraHagant hos
pitality Of the Bostonians to the Corps
! of Cadets from West-Point. We do
not wonder at the jibes and sneers of
the editors at Newly ork, where no per-
sons have ever seen fit to pay them any
attention whatever-so that the COM
mon hospitality of the inhabitants of
Boston, to highly deserving corps of
students, may be there an uncomforta-
BILE reflection. With respect to the OBJ
servations from Philadelphia, we can
remark that the mode of showing our
good will to the military young men has
been at least appropriate. If we recol-
lect right the authorities at Philadelphia
last year, ordered out large military
escort on the entrance of the Corps of
Cadets into that city, than which moth
ing could have been more absurd GER
emory. The idea of afording military
protection to a military force, almost APP
proaches the ridiculous.
But does the hospitality of our town,
deserve the imputation of extravaganza?
What have the Selectmen, and other
publick fdnctonaries done, which ought
not to have been done In the first
place, hearing Of the intention of the
commander of the Cadets to visit Bos-
ton for few days, the Selectmen went
to the line of the town-weIcome
them on their arrival, and conducted
them to their field of encampment.-
They could not have done less, had they
attempted any thing and to omit any
reception would have been uncivil.-
The small cavalcade of young gentle
men on horseback, might have been O.
mitted with advantage, because it was
an useless and an unsuitable civility
After this, the Corps rested, for day
or two, and were subsequently invited
to visit Cambridge University, an inter-
esting occasion to the Students of both
Seminaries. As it is customary in the
North to offer our guests something to
eat, it is not wonderful that the West
Point Students were entertained with a
dinner at the Harvard College. There
the members of national Academy for
scientihck instruction, were received by
the members of a highly respectable
literary institution, and great mutual
benefit was derived from the interview.
We perceive nothing profuse or danger
Gus in all this.
Occasion was also taken by the au4
thorities of the town to present them
with pair of Colours, one national
Standard, and the other Standard for
the Corps. At this time, in order to
show them specimen of our Militia, a
battalion of Light Infantry paraded as
an escort to the civil magistrates. The
young gentlemen were then treated
with dinner at Faneuil-Hall, place
of note, distinguished during the war of
the revolution. What is there unfit, or
unsuitable, or extravaganza, in this atten-
/ ton
The GOVERNOR and Commander-in-
Chief Of the State, paid the Corps the
compliment of reviewing them at their
request Could any thing be more
proper? Advantage was thus taken
to demonstrate to our militia officers,
by practical example, the superiori-
ty of the new tacticks to those of the
school of Baron Steuben. This review,
therefore, has been attended with
solid benefit TO the Militia of the State.
These, we believe, are all the hon
ours that have been bestowed by pub
lick bodies upon this interesting body
of young gentlemen. If they have at
tracted the notice of the inhabitants,
and have been treated with bounteous
plenty by them, we hope their generos-
ity will not be considered a stigma upon
their characters. The people of Bos-
ton are very singular, in this respect,
that if they like thing, they are fond
of evincing their attachment. The
sympathy excited by the appearance of
the Cadets, on various accounts, but on
none SO much as for their good beha-
viour, has been general and strong
and those who have felt it most. have
not lost reputation for want of hospi-
tality:
6 The very head and front of their offending
9 Hath this extent, no more.''
The BoStoniGns and the Cddets.-We
really wish we knew the day on which