The New York herald., 1871-01-15
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
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Tho Latc Troubles at West Point.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
Now that the country is hooded with correspond
ence relative to the United states Military Academy
and its cadets and their troubles 1t perhaps might
be interesting to learn q few facts which az least
approximate to the truth.
With regard to the mob law, II cannot be denied
that the First Glass Of the United States Military
Academy did hasty and unwarrantable act In
taking the reins OF government into their hands
and melting OUT punishment as they saw it. Yet
this apology can be offered for their conduct:
In several former cases (the colored CADETS being
one Of taem) Of palpabe falsehood the decision OF
the court had been suspension for six months;''
thus instead OF Kidding the Academy Of such dis.
honorable members and preserving the fair name
Of the corps OF cadets, the bad element Is returned
at the end OF brief term or banlshment and rests
as blot upon the honor Of the corps.
Fearing again like result, and aroused TO indig-
nation by the aggravated nature OF the deception,
the First Glass men acted as they did.
NOW let us have plain statement OF facts. Cadets
Baird and Barnes visited the Falls. near the Aca-
DENY, upon the morning Of the "a OF January, re-
turning In time for dinner roll call at one r. NJ Cadet
Baird bringing up some hquor for his room mate,
Cadet Fiickinger. Cadet Baird, not satisfied with
his adventure Of the morning, late in the evening
coolly and deliberately arranged plan by winch his
absence would escape detection, for he was now
going to the Falls again. This plan was that Cadet
Fckinger was to answer Gan right at all inspec-
ti0ns By sentinels-"all right meaning land being
80 understood BY every one) that the inmates
OF the room were all present, or Il
not absent By authority and
niger consented. Cadet Barnes faslty consisted IN
his leaving his room and reportlngAli right" to the
and Immediately upon leaving his own hall climbed
in the window or the room occupied by Cadets
aarac ane m es q puss Mss as
Immediately involved IN the deception OF Baird and
Flickinger, neither did ne accompany Cadet Baird
Glass meeting and unanimously agreeing to take the
total abstinence pledgen 10 save Baird, Barnes and
Flckinger from expulsion there is q slight though
1t was proposed to DO this at first. when the
Fourth Class understood that 1t was merely case
known the class met ana "cutn the three class
mates for their dshon0rable deceit No paper was
forwarded to the superintendent signifyng the VIII.
iingness OF the class TO take the pledge.
There has been some mention OF the First Glass
''ostracizing all VINO wish to befrlend the colored
cadet. This is SO absurd that 1t scarcely needs a
total denial OF Its having any foundation whatever.
Thomas q. Davenport. to whom has been ascribed
SO active part in the affair OF eXpelling Baird,
Barnes and Flckinger, was at that Tune and had
been for some weeks previous at his home In wash
About the colored cadet too much has ALREADY
been said VIII only add that to my positive
knowledge, he has been entirely ignored and un-
mOesed by his fellow cadets, and every trouble
that he has had he has brought upon himself.
Rather than err upon the side OF harshless ana In
Justice his commanding officers have uniformly
treated him kindly and more leniently and made
more allowances for him than for the white mem
bers Of the same GLASS;
And say the contrary Is to DO rank Injustice to
the honorable and Christian gentlemen. his nstruc-
tors and superior officers, and above all, TO mis-
commandant, General Upton. who has befnended
him in every instance w.
RoNDoUr, N. Y, Jan. Is, 1871.
To THB EDITOR OF THE HERALD
1 see In your communication from West Point In
this days Issue that one high in authority SAYS the
people at large complain that they take young men
and make them exclusive aristocrats.n Now, II
they have mil! OF that kind at west Point for the
purpose Of grinding out exclusive aristocrats,
some OF rs stald old Ulster county farmers would
machine 50 that we could grind out Of the boys
raised on our own dungnllls to be explosive arsto-
Gratis Yours truly -
Assumption of. the Alabama Claims by the
Government.
To TIE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
The question Of assuming the Alabama claims by
the federal government is being discussed. Were
q claimant should most decidedly object to any
such assumption. If a party owes me sum OF
money and another party assumes the debt with a
promise to pay me, and falls to do so, certainly
would not be willing that the defaulting party should
assume any other debt owing to me, especially after
the lapse OF many years have offered to accept OF
twenty live per cent OF my original clam. Such Is
the In regard to the French claims. This gov
ernnent assumed the debt to its citizens; the
latter holding the claims have been willing to
accept about twenty-five per cent without interest
though entitled to the whole amount, and stil the
government Will not settle with them. DO they In
tend 10 play the same game with the Alabama
claimsY l should think that no one holding such
claims would be willing to trust government with
this assumption, knowing how the government mad
acted In regard to the French claims. What mer.
chant would trust another merchant who had acted
in like mannerf There are many holding these
French claims who are poor to whom even a hun
dred dollars woald be most acceptable. Shame
upon government that would thus act and have the
enrontery to come forward with an offer to assume
more debts to its citizens whom they have swindled.
A CLAIMANT UNDER THE FRENCH TREATY.
Is This WHAT'S the Matters
DEEP RIVER, Conn., Jan. 13, 1871.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD:-