The New York herald., 1871-01-12
WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH HIM?
The Trial by Court Martial of
the COlOrcd Cadet.
Hs IL Prs,umptvely Proved to bs Liar-His
Personal Appearance, Character and
Academic History-Hls Accuser
Black Republican.

AiteI . court mbrtiaI triil OI nvo days duration,
four which have been devoted the taking ofeyi.
dence, all the testimony in the Of the colored
cadet Mr.. James w. Smith. has been taken, aud
It u therefore pracucally, though not for
mally closed. Tomorrow smith win read
written statement summing up the evidence. en-.
iarg!ng on the points OF his defence and generally
dong the best he can to
wRGGLE AWAY FROM THE CHARGE
against HIM. And then the court will find
Q verdict, to be forwarded for approval
TO washington, together with Q copy OF
tho testimony and all tho papers. Their
verdict, alter military usage, VIII carefully
be kept secret but there be little doubt in the
mind OF any one who has watched the progress OF
the trial That Cadet Smith will he returned guilty OF
the offence Of which he is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of
the gravcst among military crimes, and involving
disgracefal expulsion from the Academy.
Stripped Of the thousand and one formalities with
which IL has been surrounded,
THE CAsB
Is extremely simple. On the 18th OF December smith
was reported for breach of discipline in gazing to
tho right and Lett, inaitentlcn, &C., while in the
Racks on morning parade. In explanation he
charged that Anderson, his right hand comrade had,
In obeying the order, LEFT backward drcss,n will
fully trod Gil his feet, and on being expostuated
with, had aggravated the offence by saying, "Keep
your d--d toes out OF the way, then.n He further
stated that another cadet, Mr.. Bmney,
who was not n The ranks, but was stand.
ing near by, interposed with the words.
"Oont compromise your dignity by noticing
him. Mr.. Anderson" Mr.. Anderson denies posi-
lively having either trod on Smiths toes used the
Language attributed 10 him, end Mr.. Brney, with
equal decision refuses TO father the words put into
hts mouth. TO vindicate himself Anderson has
charged Smith with fnlsehood. and court martial
has been held In consequence, pursuant TO orders
from Washington.
Here, then, Il the whole case. and II similar
Gisalr nad occurred In a school the schoomas,er
would have arranged 1t IN 1--we minutes and it
would have been consigned TO the oblivion into
which the foles and scrapes OF boyhood are gen.
orally allowed to sink. But West Point things are
differently managed.
FRESH FROM SCHOOL,
at an age long prior the cutting OF their wis
dom teeth, the unhappy cadets are expected to dis
play the matlred dignity aud tina rpcned discre.
tion of full grown men, ana to preserve even
in their squaboles the decorous demeanor and
strict integrity OF officers Of the United States.
No doubt IL Is very bad thing for
BOY to tell lie, end be deserves tor such fault ap-
propriately severe punishment But at West Point
the slightest deviation from the strict line OF abso-
lnte truth Is regardel as a capital 0ncnce, TO be
visited with utter rum. No allowance whatever is
made Tor the natural weakness OF inInature years.
This question Of whether Smith has or has not
told q lie has
COST TIE GOVERNMENT
some $1,000 or 5000, and has occupied court
martial, composed OF eight officers Of the United
States, for i've days: One day, however, was
the trial, and in the consideration OF the
charge and siec.ications-a lengthy, legally worded
document. During the remaining four days seven
Witnesses
answer being taken down IN long nand by the secre-
tary Of the court. That is, 1t need scarcely
tedious has % bsen tue" the trial That pe SPECTATOR
has been ,r.esistbly reminded Of sydney Smith g
criticism upon a certain long-winded Guthor--that
he would have an agreeable Companion In the days
before the Food, when men, secure IN the prospect
OF thousand years OF life, could pleasantly trlfe
away ten years OF existence over novel o. q book
OF poems. Human life, in its present abridged con.
dtion is too short for the interninabe formalities
OF court iaartal.
THE EVIDENCE,
too has been allowed 10 wander Wide and far
through barren ana irrelevant realms, with the sole
purpose apparently o! prclongny the case. 10 give
It even IN an abstract form would be nsuffcraby
tedious Only this much has really been achieved
that Anderson and Elrney have again and again, on
oain, positively denied using the language laid
TO their charge, While Anderson says that
he is certain lie did not tread on Smiths toes. Some
testimony IN favor OF these statemen Is
has also been elected from other witnesses. but too
Slight to have any weight, or even, probably TO De
admitted at all III noII-mllitary court OF Justice.
The whole aiar practically resis where IL did at the
beginning. Is smith liar9 or are Anderson and
Blrney both guilty Of falsehoodp
All the officers ut the L, int very indignant at
the charge made III certain quarters that Smith has
been treated with unusual severity on account Of
his
and that II he had not been negro be would not
have been reported for inattention, and would no:
therefore have been tempted to explain away nls
fault by telling malicious falsehocd There
can be no DOUBT that this charge Is grossly
untrue ana altogether without foundation. And al,
a L IN
light curious proof OF Its Injustice. On the very
day that Smith was reported,
TIE son OF TIE PRESIDENT
was also reported for very similar offence. Cadet
Grant, too, by the way, seems to be very frequently
colored man, so as 10 have good standing excuse IN
Tie eyes oI at least strong party, for his miscon.
duct, Last year his record Was worse than that OF
escaped expulsion by eight marks, having success.
fully achieved 1872 out Of The fatal 200
Smith, since ne cane to The Academy, six months
ago. has been treated exactly the same as the rest
OF the boys, and ai! his troubles have been Of his
own creation.
when looked at from little distance, he seems o
very favorable specimen OF his race, He Is o. good
height almost white, with faint nush In his
cheeks, and hair tat can plainly be parted, In spite
OF lis decided kinkiness. The general cast Of his
features, however Is Mongoian rather than African.
He has the Acknowledgment eyes, with tho outward
the, arched eyebrows, the small mouth
and the high cheek bones Of one Of
~
gard 10 his personal appearance, however, that he
Is evidently undergoing OF The hands OF nature some
mysterious process OF bleaching There are large.
rreguarly outlined patches on his cheeks where ap
parenily the
OLD SKIN or THE ETHIOPIAN
has peeled oil Hn manner that would
be strangely suggestive In the East OF incipient
lcprosy) and given place to something approaching
q Caucasian complexion. viewed closely, there
Tore, Smith Is not the most prepossessing OF negroes
and 5 physical Inhrnity places one grand Obsta
Gle ia the way Of his being appreciated by his fellow
cadets as desirable friend and companion.
INTELLECTUALLY,
as the TRIAL has plainly shown, he has the
worst Iailings Of his race inordinate seiEcon-
ceit ana tnat ever present sense Of dis.
rust and suspicion, which springs from an
lgnoble and ignorant nature. in certain way. no
doubt, he has shown FAINT CLEANS OF intelligence
and III his class thanks 10 the examining which
rushed aim through his first examination, he has
colitfiyed TO iall only an tnappleciaple distance
below the average standard. Perhaps indeed lc
viii ultimately pass all his examinations ana be en-.
Tiled To wear shoulder straps and sit at mess wlyt
white officers and give the word OF
COMMAND 10 WHITE SofDIERs