The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-15
CASTE AT WEST POINT.

lOl uuuldu IuNc' Suln DlohC N'
meshes when he got HIM wife in the land OF
Nod, and in after years his kindred followed
his example when, in It's peculiar diom, the Mo
sale record tells Us that the sons Of God" took
them wives of the daughters Of men" Among
the descendants of Abraham, GOds chosen
people, the maintenance of caste was one OF
the most rigid religious tcnc,s. The very
hope Of heaven of the pous Hebrew rested on
the purity Of his gencalogy. In short, the
feeling is instructive in the breast OF every son
of Adam. We snccr at the absurdity of the
caste distinctions among the llIndoos, but how
are they more unreasonable here than there
means color, because the origin Of caste there
was the prejudice of the white Aryan nyadcrs
of India against the dark skinned aborigincs
whom they found there. Well would it be Tor
and America If there were no other caste dis
tnctions among them than such as arose from
color! But 1t Is well known that throughout
Europe caste distinctions ia their most rigid
|
same race language, blood and religion, resi-!
| ing on no more tangible foundation than what
is mystIcally known as blue and red blood, or
family Lineage In this country 1t is carried
to point still more absurd. Having no arls-
tocracy except of the mushroom sort and no
social or political distinction but Is attainablc
| by all, caste dcvclopes itself among US III it,
most odious and ridiculous forms in distinct
ions based on wealth Woe to the daughter of
the millionaire who marrles the son of her
fathers coachman, though in all except wealth
he may be her superior and a member of the
same church,
So it VIII not do in this country to rail out
against caste. All classes and grades of socic.
ty are guilty of 1t. The mother of the hum
blcst and most llltcratc of our houscholdcrs
would feel shocked to see her son escort the
and the ficrccst Of our old line aboltionists
and negro equality preachers would boil over
with indignation to have the church usher seat
him in the same pew with negro
IAL "h't, Nv Nv" ulllNdSbidUit, II
is impossible to crush out among us the in.
stInct Of caste and to level all social distinct
ions, there is one ground upon which America
can claim TO stand in advance OF most other
nations. Whatever may be ourConvcntonally
recognized social inequalities, all are equal
before the law Not only is this equality alb
solute AZ between our people Of the Caucasian
race but II extends to those OF AsIatiC and AZ
rcan descent as well, and too without reference
to "color or previous condition of scrvitudc"
The national military school at West Point
should be no exception to this rule. We take
little interest III that part Of the inquiry that
has been going on there for several weeks past
IN reference to the negro cadet Whitaker
which proposes to ascertain whether he tied
himself to his bcdpost and slit his own ears
or whether 1t was done by cadet ruillans; the
only point worthy of national conccrnmcnt in
yolved il, the extent and character of the spirit
Of caste that prevails at West Point The cvl
denCG on this point has come out incidentally, .
and Is summarized by stalwart organ a.
follows:
1t is shown that from the time that the first
cadet OF negro race was appointed, about ten
years ago, there has been 4 iaCit agreement
among the white cadets to ignore and make
mlortabc-ii possibleto prevent the gradu-
alton OF any col0rcd cadet. No white cadet
will speak To a colorcd classmatc unless com
PEELED to do SO while on duty. No white ca
Diet will SIT beside II colorcd cadet at the ness
table or on the recitation bench, unless abso-
lutcly compelled 10 do SO. Any white cadet
who ventures to speak to Il coored classmatc
to give him assistance in difficult lesson, or
in any way To treat him like human being
instead of dog, is sent TO Coventry" by hisI
until he has been sufficiently dis
Cpncd' to let the ColOred cadet severely
alone ever afterwards.
And it is added that IN this course the Off
GERS and professors have more or less sympa-
thzcd with the cadets.
If this is true, doubtless there is much at
West Point that needs reforming 1t being al
fundamental principle underlying our whole
political fabric that in this land all are equal
before the law, the negro cadet has precisely !
the same rights at the national military
school that the white cadet has, and must he |
respected and protected in their enjoyment
All combinations among the whites to make
"A negro cadet uncomfortable rs student or to |
impede him IN his studies; all combinations
not to speak to HIM in the line of duty; or not
to SIT by his side on the recitation bench or to !
treat him IN any way as inferior to the whites
m the score of common manhood and perfect
equality in every legal advantage or privilege
pertaining to any other cadet, is wrong and
should not only be irowncd down but legally |
punished.
But further than this the law cannot go. I'll
,anno, eradicate from the human breast the |
instinct of caste, or the Unborn rcpugnance of
he white cadet towards the rarlla or color of |
he African, and no law of congress, no regu-
"a tlp All IS