The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-22
The Color Line.
N. Y. Express.g

Brothers Beecher and Fulton hammer
ed their pulpits until the dust arose from
their cushions in their virtuous indl2na-
ton over the Cadet Whitaker case
Yesterday. It would be difficult TO decioe
whioh was the most sensational anu III
.anonarate in his remarks, for both were
sinoost exfrayagant. Perhaps the palm
-n;rbt he awarded to Brother Fulton, Tor
- s-ont 90 far rs 60 declare that the White
cedets at West Point must take heeo,
Scor the result will be that whole class
&c coiored boys will be sent there ana
colored company formed, and tnen the
ostracising will cease. Beecher struck
= hout the same chord when he announced
that IF ever there was q time that
Northern sentiment should demand that
there should be more colored men sent to
West Point than ever before. that time is
now. They should be sent there in such
numbers that they cannot be condemned
to ISOLATION and remain there without
sympathy and compauionship." Ut course
if either of the brethren had paused in the
midst of their sentiment buneombe to
consider the subject seriously, they would
have remembered that cadets are admit
ted to West Point on their merits alone,
and that it is not question oil color, but
of competitive examination who shall be
the successful candidates. AS for the
matter of ostraclsm. every negro youth
who enters the institute knows precisely
what he has to expect, and if he shrlnks
from ID there are other careers quite az
honorable as that of the military before
| him. But to whine and pose as martyr
| ia not displaying the mettie OF which good
officers are made.
The truth is, altogether too much i'm"
portance has been given to the " hlttakei
case, merely on account OF the color OF enc
| victim of what. after all, so far as the In
iuries received are concerned, amounts &C
| little more than practical joke, or. as II
shrewdly suspected, the work OF w hlttakel
himself. Had such thing happened u
! a white boy In the institute, the examln
alton into it would have been condocset
nv the regular military tribunal ACCORDING
to the rules and regulations of the Revised
Statutes. spd everything would have beel
Idecorous, But because the vl3tim IS
negro the civil power must be pressed int
service. and Mr.. Townsend hurries on &
, West Point to insult by his presenc
and interference not only the War De
nsrtmept. but the entire regular army
D His presence at this trial is an insinuatio
V that the scholars, soldiers, and gentleme
a who COMPOSE the regular army of tn
United States would be capable of pei
Jury and unfairness. 1t is wanton an
; eratuitous insult to men OF tried braver
8 and integrity. Every white cadet at Wes
= Point has been put on his honor in regar
4 10 the treatment of Whitaker. and eac
and every one afhrms his Innocence OF an
J. completely in the attack. Strange as
q NAV appear to patriots of the Beeche
Fulton, and Townsend order the mind
a white man is as good as that of neg
s with the majority of the community, al
n it will be impossible to bring the " hittak
assault home to any member Of the ella
% of the cadets. It is more than probab
r the oulprits will be found among people
q his ogn color.