The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-15
WEST POINT.
The NIIRdemennor of the First Class-Defense
of It's Gonduct by one of its Members.

The NIIsdemennor of the First CInss-Defense
of It's Conduct by one of its Members.
The following defense of the conduct of the
members of the First Class in the West Point
Academy, in recently running off, two of
their number which has been universally
cepsured, is given by one of the class in a pri-
Nate letter.
On the evening of the 2d of January, a cadet OF
the Fourth Class Baird 10y name, desiring to visit
ButteImk Falls (Which bears the same relation
West Point cadets Of bacchanalian tendencies as
Northampton, ChicOpee aud Belchsrtown do to
amherst students similarly incined(, aud desiring
to screen himself from the inevitable punishment
following such u proceeding, connived with his
roommate (tlicknger) TO report "all right" TO the
St entinelln his Absence which was done. The case
of the other offender Cadet Barnes, in great
similar He also reported 'all ri sht" TO the
seBtnel On leaving his ro0m and made such arsport
false one 10y visiting III the room OF FlicHuger
You Will remember that nearly all the regulations
of the Academy depend for their proper aud ell
cient enforcement upon the regard for the truth
which IL cherished by the cadets themselves. And
unless there be cherished in the corps mo 1t sim
regard for the truth and Keen sense OF honor,
The whole body of regulations would from
that moment to be effective as means of promoting
and naintainirg discipline Now, to keep this mat
ter Of truth-teling up to its original standing, is
some thing here, as IN all educational institutions
which falls within the province Of the trst class
and made up as the service is so much Of custom
and precedent this rule operates possibly with more
strictness at West Point than elsewhere. The first
class is looked to in all things and their example
is strictly followed 10y the Younger classes.
The Issue was thus suddenly forced upon us.
Three OF our comrades had been guilty of lying and
that, too, in its most aggravated form II we failed
to notice 1t there could be no telling where this
habit suddenly and auspclously commenced,
about to carry US My class met together, and
after much careful delIberaton it decided that
their case merlted the usual punishment OF running
of. This no boyish freak, manifestation on
part of youthful, childish feeling. 1t was, the
contrary, rom its very cOuceptlon;a most serious
affair. We were about to terminate, in a
most peremptory manner, the military career of
three young men-to change almost IN an instant
the whole current OF their lives. towards them we
had not the slightest hard feeling or Il-will, and
none regretted more than we did that we were
Obliged a Ruph Ruk thew
had lied and could no longer remain with us; and
so, without the slightest violence being done To
them, and AZ er having supplied them with money
and clothing for their immediate necessities,
We sent them away. 1t was, at best, sad
and painful duty that we had to perform, and do
most sincerely trust that may never he called upon
TO do the like again; And yet it was after al the
easiest way In which they could have severed their
connection witS the Academy. BY going Ia the way
they did the matter Is kept entirely from their
friends and The public, and they meet with difii-
Guilty in nDdng employment, nor do they find, save ia
the army, the slightest obstacle to success IN life.
cOurt-martiaI they would have been dismissed, and
| IL would have been published everywhere, ani In
every paper great and small and in articles rang
ing in SIZE from the Whole proceedings OF the court
martial in the New York dailies, down to the brief
announcement that cadets A, b, and had been
| dismissed for lying in the most recent weekly In
the Western coufines Of civilization.
| You can an example not enly Of this but also
Of sound policy OF Keeping such matters quiet,
in the unexpected turn which affairs have taken.
| In almost every paper iD the land, whether for or
| against them, their names have been published as
liars, which cannot fail to work much to their pre-
| judice in the future.
| AS to our feeling, iG is much mlsrapresented aud
misunderstood. Ne are not in the least defiant, nor
do we glory In our action. The whole affair was for
us painful, and unfortunate In the extreme. Nor
cid We desire the inference TO he drawn that in
action arraying ourselves against the authO-
rites, and taking the law into our own hands, On
the contrary, action partOOk more OF the nature
OF a social body eXpelling some OF It's unworthy
| members. True, In 50 doing living as We do under
| the rules ana articles OF war, and not under
the mtlder ccde OF civil life, violated regu alton
OF the Academy, but cur violation was OF the letter
ano not OF the spirit OF that regulation We kne y
that we were rendering ourselves liable to severe
| puDishn. .ent but would cheerfully submit co Il
| in order TO attain the END OF maintaining in III
original integrity, that spirit OF truth Of which the
Military Academy is 80 justly proud.
The report of the committee In the COnGTess,0n1
Globe will give you with much truth the detailed
fscts in the case. Aud the articles on ''Fhe Wes
Point Troubles" in last weeks Nation and rpty an
NGuB Journal and the Times of Feb. IL Il think)
VIII give you more successfully than have beeI
able TO do our intentions In the affair.