Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-06-21
West Point-The Colored Applicants for
Cadetship-False Reports Corrected
Generous Actions of the Ca
dets-"Social Equality"
Lwo.lPoia. Juno % Cor. New York Times. J


t"estPcint (June % Cor New York Times
Never before in the history Of this
military post and college has there
Deen 30 many incorrect, if not actual
~ false, reports of its affairs circulat-
Cd. This has been especially true of
the examination exercises and in
relation to the colored applicants for
cadetshlp acceptation. The officers
OF the station, as we'll as many of
the cadets, have expressed their in
dlgnatlon at the extravaganza mis-
representations that have been made
by certain newspaper correspondents
regarding the treatment of the color
ed cadets. The "interview" with
one OF them, as published in one of
the New York papers, never occur
ed. The statement that they had
been ill-treated in any way by the
cadets Is round falsehood; and so
are all the assertions that the civil
ians In the vicinity of the Point have
IN any way endeavored to place the
eoiored new corners in ridiculous
positions. The plain truth is that
they have been placed upon the same
formal footing as the other cadets.
That there has been good deal of
feeling among many officers, cadets
and civilians concerning the presence
and disposition of these new "amend-
ments," is true. But this feeling has
been more of perplexity and anxiety
than anything else, in the effort to
divine the policy that should prevail,
and to mark the line between the
social and official treatment.
The nearest approach to real
trouble has been in the Mess Depart
ment. At first it was debated wheth-
er the colored ones should have a
separate table and waiter. Colonel
Black decided that the cadets should
be "free and equal" and that neither
white nor black distinction should be
made. The white walters, who man.
ifested some signs of dissatisfaction
were assembled in the presence of
the officers, and informed that unless
they were willing to serve all the
guests of the table alike they must
withdraw. They have remained
30 the colored cadets eat side by side
with their paler comrades. They
also room in the barracks tho same
as the others, and they are saluted
and attended to, in all their inquiries
and duties, just as though their skins
had been bleached before they enter
ed the Academy.
In some respects these colored
cadets are greatly favored. They
have escaped every kind of severity
to which the "verdants" are general
~ subjected. la every respect they
have been treated with the most
generous courtesy. Indeed, the Ca
diets, with that nice sense Of honor
that is one of the brightest points in
the soldiers character, have held q
meeting and resolved that any act OF
discourtesy or uAkindness manifested
by any of their number toward the
colored comrades would be condem n
ed, and the offender discountenanced.
Cadet Halloran is not thoroughly
perfect In his physique, and but fif
teen months education can hardly
have qualified him properly to enter
the lists, where years of rigid train
ing often do not avail. Smith, the
last conner, seems robust, and is well
shaped, but there is a popularity in
his eyes. Altogether, he does not
appear hardy, and shows suspicious
taints of Monaghan blood. The gen.
eral impression seems to be that both
OF them will be placed upon proba-
ton, and SO disposed of. Although
civil, pleasant, polite and on the
alert to do their duty, it is evident
that they are aware of the new era
that their advent has made imminent,
and are i'll at ease. They speak very
highly Of their treatment by the
officers, cadets and all with whom
they have come in contact. Their
good sense is shown by their uncon-
Germ of the ill-mannered few in the
village below who have not acted
decently toward them. 1t would
seem, from present evidences, that
if they are Judged by the regular
standard, they cannot be admitted
Then, unless political pressure is
used, they must be retired for a
while at least.