The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-03
WEST POINT.
CCmmene3mol. 81 - Examination Oh
he 6Taa1as Class.
A Gloomy Outlook for the
Graduates.

GraduaCcS.
WEST POINT, June 2, 1874.
Had it not been for the presence here to-day OF
some fifty young gentlemen in uniform, with
shoulder straps that showed them to be colonies,
captains and leutenants, and the Oldest OF them
could not have boosted or more than fifteen years.
existence, there would have been very dull OPEN
ing. indeed, to the examination period 1t is true
that there were few visitors at the hotel, and
that the attractions afforded the rural minds by o
grand review before body OF distinguished gen.
tie men selected by the President and the Presi-
dent OF the Senate and the Speaker OF the House
OF Representatives everv one OF whom, without
an exception, has an honorable or 'gen-
eraln or reverend" as prefix to
his name, were SUFFICIENT to make u
great many turnouts OF various shapes and
styles from across the river put in an appear
ance in the afternoons but the young
sters from the private military school, with the
army grades marked IN newest OF gilt embroidery
on their shoulders, formed the great bulk OF the
spectators. The fact is that nowgtiays things are
not done at West Point as they used to be, and
that the crowds that used to swarm here in the
days OF aud lang syne are conspicuous only by
their absence--a result certainly OF something
other than West Points want OF
ATTRACTIvENEss AS MILITARY POST.
There are those who viii persist in the belief
that the total absence Of the old Southern element
which, in the days OF Hardee and Beauregard,
made the Point one OF their choicest rendezvous
during the summer, has had everything to do with
the changed condition Of affairs 80 far as
can be judged from the falling of OF visitors
is concerned) by the public OF late years in West
Point affairs. Others, again, insist that the pres
OF the colo red element in the corps OF cadets
has driven away from 1t the love and affection or
the hundreds OF the haut ton who considered q
summer season passed without q lew weeks stay
at the Point season not we'll spent. Be the
cause what it may, 1t is pretty certain that West
Point as q summer resort, with the military as It's
great attraction, Is no longer the West Point It
was. 1t has, In fact, seen its best days as sum.
mer resort. There is the same grand scenery, the
same drives, the same parades and reviews and
drills that fifteen years ago drew hitherward from
all parts Of the country its quota Of pleasure seek
ers, and yet all these do not now 'draw''-in ex-
pressive stage phrase. To my mind the lack Of in
terest manifested in West Point and Its manifold
attractions Of magnificent mountain and river
scenery Of late is due more to the
FAMILIARITY WITH THINGS MILITARY
which people got q surfeit OF during the war
than anything else. or those who OF old used to
crowd the hotels here from June to September
there were, Of course, many who came to ENJOY
the pure, bracing air to be found among the noun
tans that raise their lofty peaks on every side the
Point, bat nine-tenths OF them came at the same
time to witness the military man9uvres and en-.
Joy military society. In those DAYS he was indeed
q man OF note who was full 1edged captain IN
the army, and people looked up to a colonel with u
feeling somewhat akin to that which Is popularity
supposed nowadays to swell the bosOms Of
introduced to a prince fresh from the realms OF
some ''efrete monarchy" But the war turned out
80 many brigadlers and closed with everybody and
everybody's cousin either breverred colonel or
major and all that, tnat the shoulder straps be-
therefore, no longer dainty curiosity TO be
! looked az only at respectful distance. IL Is this
made West Point, in great part a. least. To-Day
such q contrast with
| as summer resort. 1t may be, too, that the at
fractions Of other places. where, since the war,
Things are gayer; where people live faster and are
spectacle and the not quite SO respectable
and the absolutely questionable KIND OF
ture to back their bank account associate to-
gether, regardless OF consequences so long as out
ward appearances are golden and calculated TO de-
ceive have had quite as much TO do with the falling
OF from the numbers Of West Point resorters as
will, however, 1t is resort that admits OF no
snoddy. Because OF It's very quietness and lack
things OF short duration here always, and pain
iul experience is ever In store for any shoddyite
who presumes more upon his turnout and his
and fork at table or his knowledge OF the correct
rules of grammar. Still West Point to-day is 70
longer
THE LOVELY. BRILLIANT, CRowD-nAUNTEp RESORT
IT used TO be-. Yet be the causes what they may,
1t can be safely said that 1t is alter ALL still the
great West Point in a military point view, and
probably in military point OF view better than
aristocrats that once nourished from the south,
and the few Northerners who were allowed to basK
! IN the sunshine oil their select (D society.
TEE GRAND REVIEW.
To-day there was an innovation in the usual
annual programme: The Board OF Visitors were
! not called upon in the forenoon by the academic
stan, although the usual salute was given. IL was
decided to have the review OF the cadet corps
SO two birds were Killed with the one stone, as
it wcre-the reception Of the Board and the escort
The review itself was magnificent and the Board
seemed to be very pleased with the evolntions.
terrified during the whole mannuvring despite
the example set for unmlitary people at reviews
Of barrcades Of baskets nor 'ramming down OF
the contents OF enormous guns with instruments
like magnined mops " put simple, quiet parade
ladies' of whom there were many among the spec
tators. Doubtless the Board, in looking upon the
! such a wonderful effect upon poor Joe when he
met him on his recruiting tour, that 1t was, after
Senator or member the House or Represepsa
tives as soldier, whose memory alter death every
name is written down in lull length In a book in
the War Department. The review, by the way,
least, by the fact OF the cadets appearing In
white pants. The ladies never fail to nveigh
against the gray cloth with all sorts OF saucy
invectives II the superintendent Is attle
dilatOry about the white pantaloon order, and
always go into ecstasies over the white goods
when they appear on the plains. And yet men are
sometimes blamed for admlring the symmetry OF q
pretty loot and ankle! 1t has often happened that
the first day OF the DOMINIC OF the white pants by
the cadets has been the signal for a rumpus among
the elements. In fact, the day was almost always
certain to be a lorerunner OF RAIN spell and ever
associated with mudded boots and certain
amount Of military profanity which followed "a a
natural consequence To-day was an exception
to the general rule, however, for the skies were
clear and the sun shone brightly all the afternoon.
The review must them have been for once q graft
fcation to the clerk OF the weather, as well as to
other people with less power than he to spoil z
parade or outdoor drill OF any kind.
GLOOMY PROSPECT.
Iudx from ri, In