Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-09-07
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Grants Ideas Of the Independence of the
Judiciary and his Effort to Pack"
Court Martial against Negro Boy.
Last week We made some remarks 10 our
account Of HGWley's denial Of Judge Eus-
faces charges against the President, show
ing what 90 outrage tho latter, through his
plant tool, Judge McKean, sought 10 in
tict upon the people Of Utah. We have
the best Of reasons to believe that Utah is
not the only territory in which United States
Judges have felt that they held their off oes
at ths mere pleasure OF the President, thus
degrading judges TO the level Of mere hire
ingS and SndAugering the rights of the peo-
pie.
But the President has not confined his
impairment and indecent inlermeddling
with courts Of the territories alone, for
about The same time, we learn Of his inter
fsriug with the makeup Of . court martial
and trying 70 "pGck' il
AGAINsT CoLoRED hoy
II viii be remembered that oolored boy
by the name Of J. W. Smith, Of North
Carolina, was appointed q cadet to West
Point In the spring Of 1870, on the recon
mendation Of Congressman Hoge, OF that
State, aud II has not escaped the reader
memory that be was soon involved in 9
series Of petty difficulties, which greatly an
noysd him, aud made his stay nearly uu,
beHrabls. lie was finally court mArIiAled
on three charges namely: First, using
disrsspsOiful language to the commanding
officer in company drll; second, fghtiog al
the water tack third, that he was not q
person Of truth and vsrAcity, nor good NOR.
al character. The secretary OF war, Bel.
knap, selected the officers 10 compose the
court, choosing Gen. o. o. Howard, . warm
friend Of oolorSd people, for President, so as
70 have IL appear that the boy was 10 BE-
fairly dsalt BY.
In due time the trial came on. Three ca
diets testified that they heard him use the
disrsSpsotful language charged. But it
turned oaI that al three we're on detached
duty that day, and where they could not have
heard the words charged. The fra, charge
therefore, proved . 6zze. The proof on
ths second charge showed that Smith had
been meanly intsrfersd with by two cadet.
and prevented from performing IN order
and finally struck on the head with dippel
by one Of them, when be struck his assail
ant on the head with another dippsr, Rnt
knocked him down. or this charge, anC
against ell propristy, he WAS found guilty
and both boys we're sentenced TO Q trivia
punishment, which the Secretary Of War re
mittsd.
The third charge was total failure and
vas withdrawn.
All Of these facts are condensed from q
letter OF July %, 1872, By Hon. David Clark
Of Hartford, Conn, who had contributed TO
wards Smiths education. Mr.. Clark letter
proceeds:
Gen. Howard visited me during the month oil
December following, and, in conversation Wit
regard TO the court artiAl said there was great
disappointment at Washington that sufieisn,
cause was not found By the court TO eHpol Cadet
Smith. inquired Of him, " Who we're disap-
pointoda" and he replied, Both tho President
and Secretary Of War" then inquired, "why
are tbsg disappointed ?" Gen. Howard replied
Z" In conversation with the Secretary Of War, he
Informed me that Prssidsst Grant had called up
on him prior to the appointment Of the court
martial and said!
al suppose, Mr.. Secretary, that you are about
10 appoint sourt-martial for the trial Of the
oolored cadet Smith, ct West Point have re-
solved two or three letters from my son Fred.
whV informs me that the cadet 10 very objection
able there; that there are strong Drejudices ex-
listing against him, &s. Nov, as this trial IL to
core OF, Mr.. Secretary, I trust that you will so
msks up the court as 10 cause his removal"
There can DO no doubt that the secretary of
war, acting upon the suggestion of President
Grant, did constitute the court, including tho
judgs-advocAte, Of whom have spoken, with a
special view TO secure tho dismissal of Cadet
Smith, and Gen. Howard was placed At the
head, so that in oGis . majority of the court
should meet the expectations Of the President
his name might add weight 10 the verdict before
the people Of the country, But the record of
his accuBera was 80 imsy that the court con Id not
find even excuse for ordering his expulsion
and because Of this fact the verdict a. foupd
was disapproVsd by the secretary of war, as IL
ansVsrsd In no Wal 20 serve the plot to disgrace
the prosecuted oolorod boy.
l was astonisssd at this announos ment, re-
memborinR what President Grant had promised
me, when In Hartford, in the July preceding
that no would do all In his power 10 protect
Cadet smith in bis rights, and also see that the
officers 1T West Point did tho same for be haa
broken faith with me, BY ignoring ell the sx-
PIs'aions Of bis own and carry mi out the views
OF nis son fred, whose oonVersaiion ct my in.
tsFVieE With him 10 Hartford, IL will be ob.srv-
%, exactly talliss with President Grants re-
marks 70 the secretary Of war. This aon Rvad
mas All along assumed 10 ba a .o,. AZ -.
stnot o. WsR Point, aud has made hi.saIf Oh |
noNiOus 70 the professors By AdyI,in, ,h.r A.
WhA' mis- father desired or ala mot ds,irao
curing the first year Smith va. I'D.
arrest ten months, on various fr;voIo,. -
texts, and IN consequence was deg,.d.ss
the loss OF one year But he now st".So
the equal OF any Of his olaas r., az
royal uhelp, Fred. Grant, ia awAv no.
graduated ~ No. 81 on a SCALE oS - 40
in a class Of al, in 1871, and though -
. lieutenant, he obtained, at hia fatSer,s ~
guest, siK months furlough to yisi. A..
Faoiho coast, which, on his return, was
extended, 70 allow him 10 visit the coasts
o. Europe, and be shown of a. the Amer.
pay. Ms
f1-aa.
A. .'a tent Grant was studying his official
mi ~ 'a .s case at the Same time he was
-. - "a Jnogss IN Utah, and az in that