The New York herald., 1870-05-23
MIDSUMMER RETREATS.
The Season of 1870 at
West Point.
1ne Beautiful sccnory-Elegant Buildings and
Government structures-Ths Visitors, Their
social Qualities and What Make Up tis
Bond OF Union ia Army Circls5- What
Cont Thinks Of the Cadets-Ths
Examination and Boat Race.
VEST POINT. May 20. $50.

uhner many uHerent lights ana always present fresh
anu indeble phases OF natural beauty Lying upon
territory wnere there are 80 many ira lltons so
many recollectons OF great men and 80 ma III in tl
present to interest ana charm few watering plac es
IN the United States excel it in multiplied adyan
tages. aud none IN the temporal grandeur OF it's
swi't river anh towering hills. Coming ND the IruI-
son. the foliage is just eaIg out and the gray cas-
related structures of the Military Academy are
more visible than they VIII be when the network OF
overgrowth is completely inierwovcn. Arriving at
Garrsons, there Is little to relieve the torpidity Of
the humdrum LIFE at this Hudson river comma--for
IL Is but short temporary stop before reach ny
the period ut COzzens' HOTEL on the noun
tain, TO the opposite side below. But be'or
paying visit to This immense hotel estab-
ilshmcnt the traveller ascends the steep
by an easy-gong OMNIBUS and Is driven to the nne
hotel formerly known as Roe's. but now called
sThe West Point Io;en II Is at this point and Just
at this season Of the year that the scenery Is be-
decSed with marvellous freshness ana vratLy To
the soulhward, taking the vista from the porch
stretches away the plain or parade ground termi
mating IN the cadets barracks of inty haro-graincd
granite; to the eastward Is the Hudson lying down
In It's quiet bed below. siee ping as It has SLEPT from
time the mind OF man runneth not TO the con
trary; TO the westward are the officers ararte g.
the promenade, the fine shade trees AMI the hill.
side makes up the western wall. This entire area is
intersected with walks ana drives. ana
TIE GREEN swARD
Is a. soft and downy as an ermlne skin ana the
lustre equal 60 the dazzling simmer OF the phos-
phorescent sea In moonlight. Vege alton /, present
even In the atmosphere so laden with The
exhaations OF plants, flowers and trees is
the evening air. Whether or not this ia
oesiIaoie quality some Will be disposed to dispute;
Tor tue receptiol ilto ne lungs OF carDonc cid IL
thn1 ttt.
youth and sprilg IS pleasant aud contributes not a
Iitte IN The preparation II the to enjoy the
graDder natural beau les OF the place. For In ,tance
wnat ine spot can the nue. worshippor OF the beau.
tiu desire than ihat IN the immediate vicinity OF
to tno msss ront hotel looking to the norihward up
III tue observation-disclosures frs. spruces. ples and
ceoars, am the who bank to the waters eoge Is
grown over with vast variety of foliage. AS the
river pushes Itself northward IL cuts the mountains
IN twain ana STILL continues losing its d cctioa n
a winding, tortuOus course In the evening the at
m0spheic phenomena are frequently beautiful
ana looming or nlirage has been frequently ex
empned. Flashes oi heat lishtning oltcn touch the
mountain cresGs win mumentary fame and tile
sharp blaze expir 3 IN dlrkle ss. An Observer m CHI
go INTO reguAr Fourth OF July Grafton aD ut West
done 80 much that forbear Yet II l. not an extray
agant eXnressisn to say that the feelings Inspired
by the scenes about
THE MILITARY ACADEMY
are OF more than an ephemela al nature. The know
ledge tlat whic you look down the deep valley of
the Hudson and then survey the densely 70 aged
mountains 10 either hand there is on the dead level
pain behind you an institution whence have grad
uated the flower OF modern generals, the cream of
great engineers and lie first OF mathematicians ana
stitistclans is nsation that fills the heart with
piide. There Is West pint 1t has educated the
men who have developed Amer. ca ana made it what
1t is; who have bulE It's brid les railroads. canals
ana VINO IN critical emergencies have defended them
from the destroyer and VINO now nave fine repre-
sentative In the Chef Maslsteral chair OF the
Union.
be said t IS one o. the most powerful soc AL poltl-
Cal and military forces that have ever grown to
as It is, and tAe gorgeous scenery about this
institution Is only the frame Of the picture
only ends It external charms-and people visiting
West Point do not come 10 see the frame, only the
picture; bus they are glad 10 enjoy both when they
blend IN harmony, a. they 90 in this case. Hence
the Military Academy amounts 10 nothing; for with.
out this Institution there would be no VISITORS
The qualiJy OF guests in large measure must be
determined ~ The sfces thar draw tle IN here: and
the maynets aIe the officers anu Cadets generally OF
good station. cultivated and accomplished gentle
men.
are, therefore, first class; and those that so
generally become natnralIzed alter q brel inter
course about The Point; and If not so wooel and
won they will remain forever aliens about this
l0caiy. IL "ht tnus De seen that e&clu.iyeness Is
at West PinJ are the most intellectual most refined
and really the most compan.onable Of any similar
body in America. Such q fact Is but natural, and
because OF West Point has been assaied for breed
ing aristocr2cy aad Grade, impracticabe reiormers
have perssieniy demanded It's destruction by the
federal government The foolish and
IpJorIC FOSSILS
who would thu; extinguish West Point would have
no lighthouses Oh dangerous coast no religion in
the haunts or vice, and no gentlemen in the realms
of society. The only trouble with these fghty and
1t were bad they would support IT. II it had negro
superintendent they would swear by III II 1t had
negro cadet they would wolsn it iflt were piack
scriptton, "To the unknown God"
Then there Is anotdcr SOCIAL power opposed to
West Point. silly as the fact may Sc m. 10 Illus
Understanding up in the drawing room cars last
evening entered into discussion OF We Point as
a summer resort with young gentleman probably
tweniy y-1ve. lie was dressed fashonably, had q
moro co bag bv his side, and was reading Tom Car
lye's Essays aud Reviews" Like Tom, he was yey
frank
"Non said he, II do not like West Point in the
summer There's no chance ior civilian
"5nply because the cadets and officers monopolize
every thing A citizen is an alien Young ladies look
at none but those wearing gray and brass balls.
fellow the meanest Kind Of a show. Tie girls are
giddy after uniforms. and the worst part OF II is they
are devilish coed looking, as you wiz find by using
you, eyes. can't see why man that wears gray
Is better than man that wears black; SO you see
am opposed @ to tins whoe West Point business" M
young s'gent' reapsed into his corner, and lmnled-
atey became saturated in Tom Carlylc's bad Eng
polishing of plate OF pork and beans. SO much Tor
The society," II is se.ecr is circumscrlbed 10y what
are known as army circles, which, Of course, in
TEE GREAT EVENT OF THE SEASON
is the annual examination. to begin on June g. and
continne for several weeks. This brings the host
so then The West Point Hotel and Cozzens are over
runnlng. The interest shown In this examination
the soIictude OF friends for the induction of
plebes; FOR the passing from lower to higher
class, ana Tor the success OF those IN the graduating
class. Tie drls, parades and exhibitions with the
muskes, nowitzer, al target firing, fencing broad.
swords and on the field occupy large portion OF
the time. But these exercises alternated by
aminations OF cadets in such delightful and be-
witch'ng studies as ethics and law, especially ethics
geo.oey and meteorology, for which all display q
1ondness, preternatural. or course tie cadets arc
just now digging into the substratum OF these and
professional suojecss, and each ana every one ex-
poets 10 make up for the poor recitatons OF the term
by gosd exam nation i'll june There are but q
small few LOOKING for an indefinite iuriough, and
even tney cling To hope. These young gentlemen
who graduate into ciyi life after few months OF
pleasant ease 81 West Point are always booked
as resigned az the War Department Somehow
or other the professors not agree with their views
rs to certain subjects; for instance, upon mathe.
mates, engineering, &c, and they retire by mutual
consent just as the Brl ish Ministry does when
opposed BY the popular voice. In all this retiring
business many are interested, and the minutie Is
very attractive. THIS Is decided feature of West