, 1880-07-04
PERSECUTION OF WHITAKER
Some Plain and Pointed Talk.

1nerc Are certain qualities and characteristic
which always distinguish the gentleman. He i:
always kindly in spirit, courteous in manner
and Ealant in the defense Of the weak, and es-
pecaly Of those-whcthcr men or womcn-wht
nave no power to defend themselves. Describe
any man. anywhere, in these words, and rhert
would hc no hesitation III any society in pro-
l!ouncing him gentleman. Great surprise bus
been manifested among people in different parts
OF the country that system Of offensive and
persistent discourtcsy has been practiccd toward
the cadet Whitaker at West Point on account OF
the fact that he had a tincrure Of African blood
in his Veins 1t was supposed that the typical
West Point cadet WIS gentleman, und that such
-reutmcnt as had been bestowed upon Whitaker
would be impossible there.
Now, there is a very simple explanation Of the
sociAl treatment Of Whitaker and there is really
no occasion for surprise in the matter. For, con-
slider hnw the school Is made up, Nothing more
miscellaneous than the cO1upouents Of the West
Point school can possibly be imagined. a larxe
number seek appointments here because they
cannot afford TO pay tor first-clnss education
themselves They arc often tho sons Of helpless
w1uows-perhaps sometimes Of pushing and
thrifty ttades,nen. Indeed, we suppose TINT the
most OF those who go to West Point are III cir
cumssanccs which render it dcsir,.bfe to get HI
biage would this condition naturally bring to-
have BEEN vii wSa o 6ay an sd % ,e
Christian homes2 Is it reasonable to ex-
Pee1 'hat t1s a'enaEc rag ,sa't sat- VII be o
that he shall make equal progress in
mathematics and polite 1deus? The snlart hoy
garcd with pride in tho little community he
c:i,nc from. but be could not reasonably be ex-
pectt1 10 blossom Mt once into q gentleman when
into the same soil from which he has hithe rto
drawn ull his nourishment
Vow, the difference between West Point and
Harvard, SO far ,ls the manners of the students
nre concerned. IS the difference between the
parcntagc and home and social culture Of the
students There other colleges which share
xth Harvard the patronage of those ,stoul we
cnil our best P.ople,-Ihose who stand highest in
tho social scale,-but Harvard is. without qucs-
ton, the institution which holds the largest
number OF students from the beat homes and
highest society Of the Nation. Well, how does
Harvard treat the African when brought
into direct association with him student?
Pruf. Greencr, who appeared at West Point In
tho trial Of the Whitaker case, was a man of
African blood, and a Harvard man. While in
Harvard, he rpumcd with white man.-that is,
they had their pnrlur together, like the other
students, with separate beds In alcovcs or r;oms
ull respects as il he had been u white man. eat
ing Ut the table with white students. Indeed,
1n'rc Of a favorit than many OF tho white stu
dents and particular pains we're taken that he
should never feel that he wus at any sort Of dis
Cs'unt Oh account Of his color. IN other words.
they treated him rs men of good breeding al
ways trent those with whom circumstances
bring them into association. provided they them
answered our description Of gentlemen They
wero kindly In spirit; they we're courteous In
manner % t and knowsng eth the history Of TIC AZ
that their African associate should nut feel, !
while among, them, any social disadvantage
il the minds of rude or snobbish men.
There can hardly be more thun one |
opinion f%a qnt,;n among our readers in regard 70
and Whitaker In the institutions to which they |
respectively belonged Greener WIS treated like !
sted wh rde and disaapfal rs 61
pity If IT, the West Point boys havc e conceived
,1pon and treated Wbittaker as tl.esr social in
ferior, and by SO doing hare proved themselves
to 1e u all The baSe
them to he ill-bred bo,rs. 1t has also testified
[u an uncomfortable CONSCIOUSNESS OH their part
rnod families and an assured position in society
have no Tear Of compromising their position by |
rinE polite to negro. On the contrary, they
arc gentlemen enough to know that they would
their position very much by giving
. negro any slight whatever on account Of his
>olor. Whitaker. before the law and ut the bal
at st,x, ts any mans equal The Government
-ives him an equal place in the West Point iu-
s,itntion. and the sights put upon him and all
icllt out To him there Is an insult to the Gov
whose bread he has eaten III common
With those who have pcrststenuy Stunned Or
lhlsed him.
There must he some among the cadets, Of kuod
antilles and good instincts, wh,se impulses
would naturally be to treat Whitaker in Il
way We are sorry for these, for
hey have beeu mornily ovcrhorne by the baser
dement's in the institution: They have nut had
he backbone to stand by the poor African and
akc the prescription that would come Of it.
hey must settle it with themselves as to
'hether this bending to public opinion is an
violence OF bravery or cDwardice, and as to !
'hether they can afford to have their sense Of |
lstice sophisticated and their character for
hr1sttan courtesy sacrificed By yielding defer /
nee TO a collection Of 1H-brr0 SQObG.
The West Point Academy may be very use
al Institution in an educational and military |
Spect, nut until an African can have good
hance there as Il white man. through the social
,spect and kindness Of all who come into con- J
lcl with him. it can lay no valid claim to being
collection Of gentlemen.
'hree Brothers Marry Three Sisters {
Montreal 1Fituess. | 1
It does NOT often occur that three brothers are 4
arricd to the same number Of sisters. and when
aGh dooS fSlro Ilano II l. 5cOit h1.