The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-01-23

Of his tormentors, the vilest and most
indecent stories and songs, stand upon
mantlepiece and address (upon some
vulgar subject) his audience of older
cadets, until his limbs are ready to fall
of their duty, and many other harass-
ing things (some of which it would not
be decent to write) he Is made to do.
"You may ask why an American
youth of any spirit will endure such
things, and why the officers allow 1t.
First, when new cadet arrives he is
alone, without friends, and at once he
ls set upon by twenty or thirty cadets,
whom he hardly knows whether he
ought to obey or not. If he dare to
dlsobey he must fight, else the opinion
OF the corps will be that he is a coward.
II he fights he is sure of being beaten,
for stronger man is always pitted
against him, and it Is custom Of the
corps for the third class to go into
training about month before the
'Plebes' arrive, SO as to be able TO fog
the new comers. You NAV exclain.
What a 'high.toned honorl 1t is the
honor which West Point cadets show to
new cadets. After going into camp the
new cadet, or 'd--d Plebe,' as he is
called, must do the work of the old ca
dets, make beds, clean guns, run err
rands, light pipes, and fill pals of wa
ter, which have been upset on purpose
to make work for him; these and other
things must he do, and at the same
time hear the most brutal language
addressed to him at all times. If he
refuses to work, he is struck, or a pail
OF water Is thrown upon him, and then
the public opinion of the corps requires
him to fight, and with seconds, umpire,
and all the equipments of the prize
r1ng, these affairs of honor come off.
Even at the mess hall this petty tyran.
nical system is displayed; the 'Plebes'
are allowed only what the older cadets
do not wish to eat themselves.
"Fhere are a certain number of the
upper classes of the cadets appointed
officers over the rest, and If they have
any dislike for any OF the fourth class
(Plebes) they show their revengeful
spirit by reporting them for deeds
which they have never committed, The
old cadets do not consider 1t dishopora-
Bile to treat 'Plebe' in this manner.
they are dead to every idea of justice,
decency, or even common humanity. 81
something About that Delegate to the
Late Democratic state Convention
Who "Had No Connection with the
RebellIOn.''
WHEELING, Jan. 22, 1868.
Editors IntelEigencer:
From comments in your paper of a
recent date upon an extract contained
In your neighbor, the Register, 1 learn
that It Is contended by the latter, on
behalf OF B. +. Martin, of Taylor coun-
ty, that he took no part with the South
ern traitors in the late rebellion. Now
the writer happens to know Mr., Martin.
and can give a brief synopsis of his DO.
liucal status and tergiversations. He
Is lawyer of respectable ability, who
came from Marion county some years
prior to the war, and settled at the
Court House OF Taylor county, where
hights democrat, and from his first
auVeht into said county, attached him
self In political affinity to the somewhat
noted =. j. Armstrong, of that county,
Ine latter was an old and Influential
citizen, whose worst fault it was to
indulge In an extreme and bigoted at
tachment to the now .Elost causen offhe
rebellion. He, together with the equal
" noted and moro unscrupulous rebel,
James Neeson, of Marion county, seem.
ed to be the political exemplars after
whom A1r. Martin patterned. During
the fall and winter preceding the war,
ana while the mischief was brewing
I9at caused 1t, he co.operated with NJ.
ID. Johnson and G. w. IIRusbrouph. two
lawyers who, like himself, were active
agents In secession prosylitism, and
VINO, together with said Armstrong and
Arson, left Western Virginia with the
rebel army, and are now very appro.
prlately sojourniug, (if not permanent
~ residing, within the military dis
trict OF virginia. Mr.. Martin was en-
praced IN that portion of the rebel
army, that In May, 1861, encamped, or
rather 'ensconced themselves. within
the Valley River Bridge, at Fetterman.
at the time that Bailey Brown. a citi.
zen, was killed by some one of those
motley miscreants. He was heard
about that time to declare. that as he
owed everything he had and was to
Virginia, he should therefore unite his
fortunes with her in her CT cIusade against
Federal authority. He was CAPTURED
as rebel prisoner, by the Federal for.
ces, June 3, 1861, at the route at Philip.
pi; where, (being good penman,) he
was acting as clerk to the rebel Quar-
termaster, who, it is said, was one Capt.
Jordon. He has gulped down the At.
torney's test oath, as easy as Jonah
was swallowed by whale: and in al
least two counties of this State, has
taken into law partnership with nim-
SELF the notorious traitor Samuel
Woods, whose garments, as it were.
are yet dripping with the life. blood of
many OF our former citizens, who were
Induced to enter the armed service of
the Confederacy, through his active
agency, and urgent Influence. and
through misplaced confidence In his
ability, and integrity, to advise them
properly, and laid down their lives.
and LEFT their undiStluguished remains.
with those of myriads OF others in thai
mournfu1 Aceldama, and GolRotha of
human blood and skulls to which Vir-
ginia has been transformed In att living
to enforce the abhorred, polluted and
tniquitous behests of Southern Con-
federacy; and he has been heard to
boast and gloat over the fact that his
friend" Woods gets good practice ut
law, despite the restrictions Imposed
by bogus Legislature. He execrated
at one time the former lion, Lamb. but
now 1t is seen he, together with other
Conservative lions, and the said Lamb,
llie?) amicably together, and it is great.
~ to be hoped that West Virginia will
furnish many u little child that can
lead them. Mr.. Martin cordially hates
the Federal Union as radical bond of
tyranny over the sovereign rights of
free and Independent States, and as the
successful foe and subjugator of the
late Conservative Confederacy. HewiII
affect to regard General Grant as a
brutal, bloody butcher on the battle
field; and in civil affairs, as being too
barren and Hasfffnta "a ;5o.,. a. 80