Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-02-28
West Point.


human institutions about in the same
way. The madness Of slavery ended
in its destruction, and waters long
pent up will sweep away the dam
sooner or later. The deviltry and
outrages perpetrated by the "hrst
class" at West Point plainly indicate
that this pet institution is about to
perpetrate a telo de Sc. If this con-
duct was merely accidental or per-
sonal TO the members of that class, it
would cause no scrutiny into the
vicious and aristocratical principles
Of the institution.
II is shame enough to the cfviliza-
ton Of the United States that it pat
ronizes but one school, and that
school devoted exclusively to the
fine art of manslaughter. Ought not
great and civilized nation, if it as
sumes to play the pedagogue, to
teach something else than the natu-
raj philosophy, engineering and math
ematics Of murder2 Why should
military science be the chosen sub
ject Of national regard, its teachers
and pupils be supported at the ma
tional expense, and all the other pro-
fessions and sciences be left TO be
cared for by individual sacrifice and
patriotism Is astronomy nothing,
geology nothing, chemistry, agricul-
ture Of no account, nothing worthy
10 be taught at the national expense,
unless science can be perverted TO
the uses of destruction and not the
salvation Of men?
We have no objection to national
schools and universities, but we do
insist that students in these schools
should be prepared for all other pro-
fessions, and not exclusively for
wearing shoulder-straps and sporting
u military moustache. We further
insist that everybody who desires its
advantages, should be at liberty to
attend these national schools or uni
versities on the same terms as he
would attend at Yale or Harvard.
Let the'miltary art be taught at such
universities with other branches and
professions, the Government supply
ing the instruction and providing the
drums, flies, guns and military tools
without cost TO the student. Let
every one learn the art of war
that chooses to do so, and among the
military graduates, let the best be-
havod cadets receive commissions in
tho army. On such plan as this,
we should be able TO find almost in
every county and neighborhood some
one that had received a military ed
ucation at the national school, who
could teach his neighbors in case of
u general war. The selfshness and
narrowness and pride that pertains
10 the present graduate Of West
Point would give place to enlarged
views and general sympathy with
men of other pursuits and profess
sicns, and the exclusive aristocracy
Of army officers would be supplanted
by high toned national feeling that
would respect the aims and enterpris-
es of civil life as highly as the royal
game Of war.
Atpresent, the young cadet for four
years must smell powder every day,
hear no music hut that Of the drum
and fife, SOC no implements, tools or
engines but such as are employed or
invented for tho purpose of killing
men. The only reason God ever
made men was TO afford the military
profession the sport Of killing them.
Such must be his conclusion The
damning cruel result Of imprisoniag
two or three hundred young men at
West Point for four years, separated
from all civilized employmonts and
instruction but such as has reference
to the destruction OF human life, and
burning up forts and cities by nitro
giyoerine, is sure to prepare their
minds for outrages such as the pub
lie mind, educated and developed in
another direction, will be less and
less disposed to tolerate. Tho insti-
tuition ought either 10 be abolished,
or enlarged into q national uuiversi-
~ whose military hauteur would be
worn away by friction with other
professions.