New-York tribune., 1871-06-02
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
WEST POINT GALA DAYS--CLosE OF THE STUDY
TEKN -"PLEB" ExAMIsATIoNs- ANOTHER


TsRN -" PLEB" EXAMINATIONS ANOTHER
C0LORED CANDIDATE-SoTED VISITORS.
WEST POINT, juno 1.-The storm which 40
Unexpectedly descended the psrched country 10 the
north, reached IN the mild form OF showers.
and performing the Office Of the gentle ran indeed
sweetened and besutiHed all 1t droppeth on" The
wonderful plaeaus OF verdure adjoining the amphithe-
ter Of hills In which West Point Is situated, and which
renders it tnc0mparably q place OF lovelDess,
have been burning under the staring sun for weeks,
sadly needing reyiyng shower. Far back In the Hud
son Valley and along the river the psrehed fields have
baked and cracked for want of rain. The showers OF
yesterday widespread and copious and the farmer
nails with great delight the altered prospect that meets
him today The green pinnaces of the Point fairly pant
Ia the new atmosphere, and the place seems 20 have
bathed itself In new beauty.
The Graduating Glass; body Of II young gentlemen.
came somewhat prominently before the country last
WINTER and the denQuents still suffer the penalty OF
their haste and thoughtessness. Some, however have
broken their shaekes and will pass from the
compass Of academic rule, and appear In thai wider
arena where public opinion. and orders no less rgor
ous viii hold them faithful to their chosen call
ting for eight years. They are a. capable, we'll
grounded group Of soldiers, and class promise TO
contribute good metal to every branch Of the service
They not unnaturay regard tho day Of jabiiee with
10y For them no more the midnight oil shall burn or
grabbed tutor compel the daily toll the whole monotony
OF the past is ended and the manly fight Of life begins.
They 20 very gladly to the dangers of the e and
dream bright dreams Of golden bars and stars showerng
upon them la the future
This year nauguratee important and marked change
In the holiday proceeding. Commemorative by ne
cessity-came TO the powers that be- and instgated
change in the examinations which greatly relieves the
i'll condition OF the freshmen The examination Of the
new precedes that Of the graduates, and
consequence these frightened lads escape the three or
four intoerabe weeks, that have heretofore been
inflicted them. Most Of the boys are very
young, and, generally haing from the backwoods, are
not to speak mildly models Of manners and mirrors OF
bearing As consequence, the Cadets, trained in this
most rigid of institutions to observe situation OF
the body and every undulaton Of gracefulness come
down the rather gawky aspirants with much malevo-
lent humor-not with cruelty, howeverand the lives of
the "pebs they facetousy termed are rendered
burden to them and they sigh for the quiet native
pumpkinhed and apron-string Furthermore 1t is not
conducive to alperecy eomplacent frame omind to bs
thrust into lofty barracks unknowng and unknown.
Now the ssprants the boards first, and II they
fail in the diculousy lax scholastic requirements drop
noiseessy from the stage OF Opportunity and eventually
before the country In Congress francay Demo
cratc and yrtuously distrustfu Of all such hotbeds
OF treason and efemnacy as that ere Academy"
Swarms Of these inepient Caesars, Alex
ander, and Napoleons come up this morn
ing, and all day they have manfully under
gone. the horrors OF "rithmetc, and reading and
ritlDg" They rugged sober, honest set OF lads
very eager very bashful, and dreadfully awkward in
comparison with the animated mechanism which the
students have brought themselves 10.
There is nothing here to alarm the most conmunistc
OF our fre-eating Democrats; there Is not shred
of aristOcratc" selection, all the candidates be-
ing plain farmers sons something equally sturdy.
Utah sends representative Of Brigham Young lad OF
10, who passed preliminary examination to-day With
much perturbation OF SOUL he eonesses he has never
laa aNu .knn1 IIaf hnpoa lad mt
spoken and eager. and very ambitious to enter the
Academy, not hope, TO fight his fathers battles, II
ever the woeful day should Of Nor
mon rebellion Tennessee, too, sends sable
representative OF her loyal rsople colored
lad of marked capacities and vigorous parts, named.
auspiciously, n. A. Napier He was educated at the
Howard University and is exceently grounded In the
branches of academic education. He repeated
to the substance of the examination, and ratified OF
question and answer with astonishing readiness. As
tonishingfor not one boy In ten make clear story
OF English grammar while this lad solved the relation
of words with Incredible facility. He will be assigned
quarters with his sable brethren of the third class
The visiting board appointed by the Presdent-Judge
Miller, Alabama; exG0y. Aiken, South Carolinaj Gen.
Qumby, New-York; Rev. DR.. Sunderland Of Washing
ton, Col. Woods of Kansas, and ex-Gov johnson OF
Neyada-arrived here this morning The Congress Com
mttee-senators Wilson and Carpenter, and Represent
atves Campbell of Ohio Hawley Of Illinois, and Burdett
of Mssourhave also reached here, and only the pres
ence Of the President is lacking to make the official
lists complete. Gen. Grant will be here early n the
week, and possibly a number Of our more prominent
Generals.
At O'Clock the Cadets came out in full uniform and
paraded before the distinguished guests. The vast
parade ground in perfect condition, and the re
ment of ightooted, proudseppng boys moved through
the complicated evolutions like vast integral mechan
ISM A band OF uncommon excellence kept tme the
gorgeous column
"Over the 6elds marching came,
Neasse spread Like table dread for the cold dice Of The ros
game"
Tonight ball, and tomorrow examination, and the
other grand festivities follow in rapid order.
THE PRESIDENT AT LONG BRANCH.
President Grant his wife children and