The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-23
:. G. STAIRS Answer to P. Gregg.

West Point cadetship, which may seem to
call for some notice by me and as it is
prefaced by what purports to be a state
ment" by the editor of THE ARGUS, and
as that Statement" is a misstatement, l
correct that first. 1t says: after the
result was known, Mr.. j. c. Starr, Of Mo-
line, whose son was competitor, complain
ed of the action of DR.. Gregg, and com
munications censuring the action of the
committee appeared in the papers. The
misstatement is the statement that | com
planned of the action of DR.. Gregg" The
statement is unauthorized and untrue.
did not complain of his action, but heard
complaints of it from many who claimed to
have information that my son stood first in
the examination, and that therefore he
was entitled to the appointment; and /
think some communications appeared in
the papers ccnsuring the action Of the COM
mittee, on the ground that the committee,
having declared to the candidates, first,
the manner of conducting the examination;
and second, that the candidate who should
stand first and highest on the list in the
examination in that manner made, being
physically right, should receive the recon-
mendation. Having thus pledged them
selves to the candidates to give the recon-
mendation to him who should appear to be
best qualified for it, they could not in good
faith break that pledge, nor recommend
I,,S ~lf Il loc Al
animation But no one of these communi-
cations was written, made, dictated, nor
even suggested by me, nor had [ any
knowledge of them before seeing them in
the papers. have never known and new
er said that my son stood first, nor who
stood first and therefore | have not com
planned of its members, nor censured the
action of the committee. 1t is, however,
plainly intimated in said article in THE
ARGUS, that my son did stand first in the
examination, and was entitled to the APP
pointment He did not receive it. Anoth-
er did. A student in Monmouth college
was the chosen man. He went to West
Point, and, on examination there, was re-
jected as unqualified. 1 have never felt
like making any reflections on the action of
the committee at Monmouth, for when /
remember that of the is or 90 candidates
who went through the examination, there
were doubtless ten or more who would
have stood good examination at West
Point, the fate, at West Point. of the man
selected at Monmouth, has seemed to me
to be too severe reflection on that action
for US at home to add anything to it.
But 'P. Gregg, in the article referred
to, charges me with having tried to bride
him, and but for that charge, | should
now, as heretofore, have passed the whole
matter in silence. The charge is ridicul-
Gus on the face of it. Who would ever try
to bride ''P Gregg" Was any thing
more ridiculous ever heard of? 1t a man
here wanted to bride him, would he follow
him to Monmouth, and there seek him out,
and in the presence of others, make such
proposals to him Dor would he seek him at
home for such a purpose? That question
admits of but one answer. No sane man
would approach him nor any other man, in
public institution and in the presence o.
other people for such purpose.
His sworn statement is that February
1873, he was acting as examiner for ;
cadetship to West Point" and that
g intruded myself into the private
office of Prof Wallace while we
the committed were making VI
the averages, and there and then took NJ,
"P, Gregg by the coat sleeve, drew III,
to the corner of the room and said Doc
tor, will compensate you, | will make
all right with you, if my son is recon-
mended.
In answer, there was no such examina
ton held in Monmouth in February 1919
The one | witnessed was held on the POD
and 23d, days of January 1873 As to in
truding myself into the private office q
Prof, Wallace, while we were makin
up the averages, the candidates and sew
eral persons myself among the number
remained in one room in the college, while
the committee in another room OF the col.
lege, by themselves, made up the fna
average or standing of the candidates, and
| not only did not intrude myself into that
room, but did not even go into nor nea
that room during the time they were so en-
gagged there, nor go out OF the room occu
pied by the candidates and others during
that time, After the committee in a room
by themselves had determined the stand
ing OF the candidates, they notified then
that they had done so, and asked them t
come into the room where they, the com
nIttee, were, and they would announce the
result. And all present went IN and sat
down, L with several other persons not can
uludtts' ac WcI dc lie CuuuluatCS. Is tnal
what is meant by intruding myself into a
private office where and while they were
making up the averages? When | was in
that room was in the presence of some %
persons, and did not take p. Gregg" by the
coat sleeve, nor draw him to the corner of
the room, nor say Doctor nor ''compen-
safe. nor Il will, make it all right with
you, nor my son, nor hold any converse
ton with any person while in that room,
nor say any thing except the ordinary salu
tation on leaving it. | at no time, before
going to Monmouth, nor while there. nor at
any other time, before nor after, offered to
give nor pay to p. Gregg, nor to any 9th
er person, any money, nor any other thing
Tor any action, decision, or other act or
thing, relating to the cadetship, nor to do
anything tor him, nor for any other person,
Tor any action or decision relative thereto.
Nor did at any time ask him or any 9th
er person TO take any action, make any de-
clslon or recommendation relative
thereto, nor intimate to him, nor
TO any other person, that | wish !
ed any action taken, not dictated and |
required by his own judgment, nor solicit, |
nor suggest, nor intimate that / wished |
any ,partlahty shown to me nor to NV son. |
And submit that Partially was not what
ne wanted or needed, but that impartial. |
" was the only thing he needed in that
examlnation-that impartiality would have /
gwen Nun the appointment Nor did see /
Il. Gregg while at Monmouth excent a,
the examination and in the presence ofi
OH Nor III Il / l.