The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-21
A GRATEFUL ESTIMATE OF WEST
PO INTy

WE had almost thought that one of a con-
temporary's ''fancies" had strayed into its
'facts" when we first alighted on its late
estimate of West Point, but, looking more
closely, we found it to be a fact grimmer
than even any of its fancies. "West Point,
says our contemporary, ''should be either
thoroughly reformed or else put out of exist
ence; for ourselves, we care very little which.
If we cannot have better managed national
academy than the present, we had better have
none at all" Hoity-toity how ruthless is
the possessor of unlimited power But it
strikes us, if we may be permitted to think,
that if our contemporaries last proposition,
with its implication of possible reform in the
institution, be granted, there is very little
good temper and sense in our contemporary's
saying that it cares very little whether or not
the institution is put out of existence. Is
the hitch in the writing or in right thinking :?
We find it asserted that ''if there is any set
of personsin the United States who thoroughly
misunderstood their own position, it is the
cadets at West Point" Now we should not,
just at the present speaking, be willing to
affirm that, for we are inclined to think that
one who sets out dogmatically to teach, and
finds himself taught, is in about the falsest
position in which one can be placed, and in
that position is our contemporary.
These young men of West Point, continues
our contemporary, are educated and salaried at
the public expense, and being treated with so
much iberality, all that is asked of them in
return is to be ''orderly, gentlemanly, and
loyal" Really, to judge by the way this is
CHI hat
lug of some eleemosynary institution. But
what is the fact? To quote the words of
General Cullum, the painstaking and accurate
compiler of ''The Biographical Register of
the Officers and Graduates of the
United States Military Academy" "rhe
nation maintains the Military Academy for its
Oao1a, and not yor the graduates interest" 1t
seems rather ridiculous to mention that, but
some people are not well informed as to the
Governments object Is nothing expected
of them but to be 'orderly, gentlemanly, and
loyal?" A great deal more is expected, and
received, too. A cadet pledges himself to
serve in the army for a certain time after
graduating, and so strong is the force of pre-
cedent which honor has established and abided
by, that it is extremely rare for graduate of
West Point to resign his commission until he
has served long enough to repay by his SER
vices all that he has received.
Gas to loyalty" still continues our contem-
porary ''the country has not yet forgotten
that every Southern cadet deserted his colors,
and sided with the Rebels, even though his
own State might be nearly divided" Hear
| General Cullum: those officers ap.
pointed in the army from civil life nearly
one-hGlf, while but little over one; fifth OF
the West Point officers, left the service and
joined the rebellion" Can Harvard, Yale,
Columbia, Union, Prime atom, or any Other
college in the land show higher record Of
patriotism and sacrifice? Assuredly not; for
their Southern graduates espoused the Rebel
| cause almost en- mdSSe. And is 1t
it Just to launch anathemas at the
Military Academy which saved by the
sntidote of its loyal teaching one-half of its
Southern pupils, who, from infancy to early
manhood, before they entered this our truly
national institution, had imbibed the poison
of secession till the virus had permeatec
every fibre of their hearts and brains? That
noble band of one hundred and sixty two
Southern graduates, graded and reared in
State allegiance, but rescued from treason by
West Point influences, bravely battled against
rebellion, and no less firmly against every
appeal of relative and friend to swerve then
from loyalty and duty. These, with all
Northern officers (save sixteen who dishonored
their Alma Mater and one hundred and ter
graduates from civil life who rejoined the
military service, fought the good fight for the
Union"
Now what is the ostensible cause of all thi
| buuaheloo ahont tbe Acadan,v2 The hazins