The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-02-15

slider the vote, and the motion peins
debatable, he proceeded to deliver hls
speech in favor Of the report. DISCUS
sion continued a couple of hours wne'
tbe resolution was again agreed to;
Mr.. Asper moved to proceed w'th the
consideration of the report OF the com
mittee on Military Affairs on the " es
Point Academy difficulty. Agreed 70
Resolutions were reported oy 'he
committee, as follows:
Resolved, That the House OF Repre-
sentatives recommend the Secretary o.
War to restore Cadets Baird, Barnes
and Fleckinger to the Military Academy
at West Point, to take effect at the De,
ginning OF the next academic year. ano
then permit them to proceed with tne
fourth class, without further punish
ment for offenses heretofore commit'eo
bv them.
Resolced, That the House recommend
that the Secretary Of War convene
court of inquiry for the purpose OF as,
certaining what members Of the mrs.
class were instigaters and leaders IN the
affair of January Sd, at the United
States Milstary Academy, and that such
leaders be at once dismissed, and thai
the remaining members Of the class
engaged be punished at the discretion o.
a general court martial to be convened
for their trial.
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts, onereo
the following as substitute Tor the
second resolution:
Resolved, That the House recon-
mend that the Secretary of War refuse
the graduates of the first class custom
ary furloughs or leaves Of absence; thai
every member Of the class be at once
on their graduation, ordered to then
duties as officers in the army. and thai
no leave of absence except sick leave bt
granted any Of them for one year:
Mr.. johnson offered the following
Resolved Further, That the House
recommend that the Secretary o.
War convene court Of inquiry TO ex
anime into the conduct OF officers or
duty at West Point Academy, with a
view to ascertain whether they connIved
at and tried to keep from the War DE
partment wrongs done by the first class
cadets, thereby encouraging lnsubor
dination and riotous conduct at the
Academy. If found guilty that they be
relieved from duty at the institution,
Mr.. Benjamin, Of Missouri, asked
leave to offer resolution as follows; d.
Resoloed further, That in the opinion
of the House Of Representatives the
Military Academy at West Point has
outlivei its usefulness and ought to be
abolished.
Mr.. Kelsey objected to the resolution
being offered. .,
Mr.. Asper, a member Of the commit
tee on Military Affairs. who drew uE
the report, proceeded to address the
House in support Of the resolution.
Mr.. Slocum. a member Of the sub
committee on Military Affairs, which
made the investigation, declared he had
not been in favor of the House enter
ing upon the investigation, there being
that discipline in the school which
might safely he left TO its officers.
But as tire House had thought proper
TO order it, he had taken part in 1t, and
had concurred in the resolutions. he
defended the officers of the academy,
but recognized that there had been
unusual difficulty thrown in their way
within the last few years-frst, by the
admission Of colored cadet, who had
proved a great source OF em'arrass,
ment, and by the presence OF cadet,
the son ola man in high authority, who
interiered with the orders and disclp,
line. he was at the head Of such an
institution he would rather have twenty
nscro cadets in it than one cadet so cir
cumstanced. And this had been the
position in which the officers at West
Point had been placed for the last three
years
MI. Butler, of Massachusetts, said he
was influenced by no hostile feeling
towards the military academy, although
the effect of its teachings had followed
him for years, and inflicted on him
more injury than mortal man could
ever inhict on him, still he was opposed
to Congressional interference with the
discipline of the school. lie would
rather vote for the expulsion OF the
whole class than vote for the resolution.
He believed the resolution which he had
offered depriving the boys Of their Gus
tomary furlough would be a punish,
ment proportionate to the offense, and
would sufficiently mark their condem.
nation by the House,
Mr.. Logan followed, and at the close
of his speech the House seconded the
previous question, after which Mr.. Cas-
per had an hour to close the debate.
Without proceeding further with the
question, the House took recess till
half-past seven.
The evening session was for general
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