New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-08-27
Conduct Becoming Gentlemen.

In the letter from Cadet Smith, Oh our first
page, is given an example of the West Point
idea of gentlemanly conduct which is not ex-
actly in accord with what those who do not
enjoy the elevating and ennobling advantages
of instruction at the Military Academy have
been accustomed to accept as genteel.
If any reasonable person held doubt as
to the responsibility Of the authorities having
control of the Military Academy for the out
RACES committed against Cadet Smith the
readiness and eagerness with which com
plants were received against him, as we'll as
| the swift punishment which followed must
surely dispel that doubt. Under less prejn-
diced auspices the constant charges of viola
ton of discipline by Cadet Smith would be
likely to cause suspicion against the COM
planants, and greater discretion in entertain
ing complaints especially in case where the
fact could not be unknown that great preju-
dice existed against the party complained of.
But the eagerness with which reports against
Smith were received by the officers at West
Point encouraged the Cadets in their abuse
of him and in trumping up charges against
him.
The whole course of the "conduct bcconl-
ing gentlemen" at West Point in regard to
Cadet Smith has been such as to be--if it
were not so serious-a satire on gentlemanly
conduct The rights Of colorcd American
citizens have been violated by West Point
"gentlemanly by conduct" The officers hay
ing control of the Military Academy seem to
have absolute power. There seems to be
none to whom the colored citizen can appeal
for Justice in an institution that is the COM
mon property of all the citizens. In the per-
son of Cadet Smith one-eighth ofthe citizens
of the United States have been outraged by
military officers who are in no slight degree
accountable to a Republican Secretary of
War. To tho colored people of the country
the outrage upon Cadet Smith, backed up as
it is by officials in high station, is serious
matter. If colorcd young men are not to be
| allowed the advantages to be had at West
Point, voters of our race should exact a pledge
from the gentlemen they send to Congress not
to vote one cent for the support of the Mill
tary Academy at West Point. The colorel
voters of the South should move in the mat
ter. South Carolina Republicans should
speak out without reserve. Cadet Smith is a
South Carolinian and has been struck down
in obedience to a spirit that denies the rights
of American citizenship to a majority of the
| citizens Of that State. Every white man in
the country who loves fair play, scorns in
justice, and is opposed to invidious distinc-
lions among citizens would rather have West
Point abolished than that it should be main
tanned at Government expense for the teach
ing of such "gentlemanly conduct" as Cadet
Smith writes of and as it is evident, to all
who have examined the matter at all, he
truthfully writes. If the United States is to
maintain an educational institution of any
character the colored people as American
citizens have right to claim share in its
advantages, and that no man or set of men
be upheld or paid out of the United States
Treasury for services that discriminate
against any class Of American citizens.