, 1879-06-28
THE WEST.pOINT CADET,

IInnor and Honesty Tnueht-Lord rncot
Thinks There Ought to Bo 5000. Students
for tho Gnots OF tho Country.
WNt Etnt CorrfspoHdsnce Nefo lork 7fmet
II 1t be true that the West Point Academy IS
tic very aristocrasc institution Il Is so persist
entity charged with bcing, aud that its training
and teaching arc infused With spirit of oxclu.
sIvencss md arlstocratic prilo foreign to the
people, this Is now tho timu whom the truth Of
For It Is during tle month Of June TINT tho
young applicants for admission gather from nil
parts Of the country to Wcst Point, preparatory
TO undergoing tile ,ntttntory examination, which,
being passed. adtntts tic nsptraut to member
ship Hero, then, We ought to SEQ tho patnper.
81 sons Of wealthy parents, tho favoritos OF for.
tune, whose money has bought them tho COW
ctea honor Of an appointment, or whose
inliuonea has commanded lt,-.thc young
gentlemen Of our American arlstocraey who
would like TO wear n military tltlc for show, or
follow tho easy and luxurious ltfe whlgh It Ia
notorious our army officers lead. Ono may see
gfonps Of these young aspirants about tho
grounds at drill times, or scattered through tho
tlcsgtborlng vllla4o when there Is nothing at
tfactive going on at the Academy. but where
arc those scions Of wealthy families wh'cl, this
exclusive institAtIon only consents to admit
such q crowd Of raw*boned, Erce,l, gaping spcci-
tneIls ol young humanity wQs surely ncTcr gath
cred tocethcr for admission to my other aca-
ae'nle Institution ~ the country. Hero they are,
fresh from the fields Of tho South, tho pfatrics
q the West, tho mountains Of tho East, few
showing III their bearing mud manners the 1n1u-
cnces OF city lifo or cultivated surroundings,
hut The great majority rs rustic In their ways
i!nd appearance rs tile farms tlluy have come
fsomi awkward in nlnnuer, confused and
amazed at whnt they Hee, Or sprawling around
With all the freedom Of tho boundtcss West, and
nc hay,aecd obtrlsivoly sticking. out all over
ttcm. This is tho crude material; md It can
hG t5t1arRtnnI 1trn hn In
process Of manufacture which from such nn-
pronllslng stuff Gun turn out tho finished prod
yet as 1t Is sccu four 6ycars after. This young,
flrst.class man talking to hIs fathcr ard lis
graduate next Thursday. -Four years ago ho
was probably such grcon md gaping bay as
several oil those who arc now staring ut him.
But 10 has been rubbed down aud polished with
tnorclless asVcrlty, md he bcnrs himself like
pcriect gcntlemap. Ho stands uncovered, hold
sng his hat In his hand, bacauso ho Ia In tho
prcscuco ut bis father and strangers, but his
bearing Is easy md sof-possessod; bis npncnr-
anca is punsti!ionsly sncat; his manner polte
and respectful. You 300 lie has been taught
sclf.rcspect In Its highest sense, which means
respect to others. lie will neither overatep Tie
proper line toward them nor permit It to 10
oyerstcppcd toward hImae't; md this Is one Of
Is not down In tho textbooks.
To the boy who has been brought up in the
trce-1ntl-easy style Of lnanncEs, a1ld to bcltcye
tllAt nc Is u.s. good as anybody plse, West Point
Me is taught, rst oi ali, tHus lie ftes-au; easy
stylu bus DO place thcro, aid that 10 ia not Is
good as everybody clsc ia very many important
Things. Ills cycs are opened, It may be rather
roughly, to tho faet that suoordlnatton 70 recoe-
pllelt obedience to fcgular commands, are things
OF vital Importance; una ns he lcnrns these,
possibly to ltth aisagrccably surprising facts. ho
also 1enrns that subordtnatton docs not mean
$1nF In hHh{ ~ ,f,nAto {tI{
slaylsh spirit; he lcarua, OH the contrary, that
tho highost pride md most decato sense OF
honor nra perfectly compatible With the strsctost
auborlnat!on to supcriors. Tic sIno between
nlarScd out; within this, cach Ia oqua!; nolt'ios
eau oycrttcp It without oGcnse; md II such Of
fcuse be committed, the military codo provides
tho proper rcn'edtca. THUS tho young cadet Is
co1nrnnnlrr who has not first learned to oboy.
=. Two Other. thugs which West Point
touches-not found In the tcxtlooka--arn strict
honesty anl truthtulnoss. A cadet 1uilty ot
lyI9g ls expelica. There Is ao hope for him,
dctcstahle vices, talschood is tho 1noanest and
most tlosestable A cadet guilty OF dishonesty
Is expelled. Dishonesty and talaclool 70 lanl
In im,,u. They nro twlu vices. 4 dishonest
como q thicf, II he Is not ons already. No
young tuan who should show the talnt Of
lhcso vices goes through Wcst Point IL
ne aathn,lties eau hslp 4: DY o1trems
ssaesf oa u vs for {aan s 5ngmeos mo' NAV sees
stonally ect through, ind evon rise to conlpara-
lively lligh comtnantl in tho army aftcrwarl;
hut hG certainly must wnlk with Ercat caro-
while hs ta' passlnE through West Point; a,.d -
Fortunately, IL bcJond dispute. Il honesty md
truthfulnets bo "arlstocratte,n West Point Is
very artatocrot!c; and when one looks again at
tho c:udity VI ttau material which II works up,
ttne