New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-30

the colored boy and may result, as has been
threatened by some indignant Congressman IN
the appointment Of many more OF his color 10
vacancies both at the military school and at
Annapolis
If on the other hand it should turn out that
Whitaker himself was guilty of so 1diotlc a
piece of scoundrelism, while it will bring on
him personally the ruin he would deserve, IL
will not alter the fact that men of color are en-
titled to a military education, nor make the
people less resolved that they shall have 1t. il
Whitaker is a tricky coward, other men OF
color have gone through both the course Oh
studies and the prolonged torture inflicted ON
them by their fellOw-cadets with honor and
manly courage. The American public has, first
of all, O practical common sense, ana out Oh
that has grown keen sense OF justice stronger
than in any other people, and which increases
among us every year. The days are over IN
this country when the tint of mans skin en-
surcd his damnation among his fellOw-men. In
the last year we have enforced justice to the
Chinaman in spite Of the prejudices OF Denis
KeaTney; we have refused to hold the whole OF
the Ute nation guilty Of the crimes OF half
dozen murderers, in spite of the prejudices OF
Indian Commissioners; and we will refuse III the
same way to hold the negroes responsible for
Whittakels guilt, if he be guilty in spite of the
preiudees of the officers and cadets OF West
Point.
There is no need for excited feeling in this
matter; it is one of plain fact and legal justice,
which the country fully appreciates as Is
shown by the comments made upon this case III
Congress and by the press. The silly and cruel
display of snobbishness made by the lads Mt
West Point during 30 many years shows, how
ever, how totally they misapprehend the true
position which they and the COlOred cadets hold
to the country; and the arrogance and undig-
nifed spasms Of ill-temper In which General
Schofeld and the other officers have INDUCED,
during the trial, proves that they labor under
similar error. General Schofeld should re-
member that, while we might expect village
pedagOgue and his little school to show q
bieoted conceit in their own narrow rules and
customs and wOmanish petulance in resenting
interference, we have a right 10 look for
different behavior from the conductors of
National Academy, which is supported by the
people, for the people, and which Is responsible
to the people.
In that fact lies the secret of the whole mistake
made by the cadets If they were pupils in an
|
chose to show their contempt for fellow-pnpil
because of his color with the cool brutality
with which they have treated sWhittaker while
we might rate them MS snobs and towards, wo
could not deny them the right to act as they
chose. But West Point is on institution sup
ported by the Nation, in order that when we
have use for an amy we shall have officers TO
command it, When VIC did have use for an
,,.,.It IL IL f1atn
fore right and fitting that we should train
colored officers. Every young man who asks for
an appointment TO West Point becomes of his
own will beneficiary of the Government; he
receives food, clothes and education without
returning any payment whatever; he totally
surrenders the right to indulge his own prcjn-
dices when such prCjudices interfere with the
purposes of his benefact0r. The treatment OF
colored cadets by the pupils at West Point,
| continued peIsistently for 80 many years, un-
der tho tacit if not open, approval of their oili-
GERS, had, as we all know, but one purpose-to
nut o stop TO the appointment of colored men
to the school. The cadets strangely forgot that
their own education, clothes and food, which
they were not too proud to accept gratuitousy,
were partly paid for by the negro population of
this country. The proportion may he small,
but it exists and if it were but the value OF
one mouthful Of bread, it should have been
enough to keep white boy of any manly feel
ing from joining in the abuse shown by the
cadets to the representatives whom the ColOred
| taxpayers sent to West Point. Probably this
view Of the case has not suggested itself TO
General SchOficld and his brother officers. We
offer it to their consideration. A plain cold fact
of this kind may make them less in1ammablo
in their conduct Of this case. The lOng-cstab-
lished habit of giving the preference 10 SONS of
officers in appointments to West Point has led
both officers and cadets to false conviction
that the whole affair is a close corporation, self
contained, responsible only to ITSELF q military
aristocracy in q word, with which outsiders
have no right to meddle General Sehofcd be-
travs this feeling in the tcsty defiance of public
opinion which he has seen fit to issue from time
to time An occasional recollection that the
institution is wholly dependent upon the good
will and the pockets of this public whose opinion
it despises, and that the public is made up of
black citizens as well as white, would he a
wholesome corrective of the errors of both
officers and cadets.
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INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS
Whether we are to have bloody and costly
Il