Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-06-03
West Points Defence .

A. Professor Niche comes voluntarily 20
the from, g. the defender Of IVES, Point, II is
only jus; TO receive him as the accredited en-
poneni Of the opinions and feelings Of his
brother officers with regard 20 Whitaker
and other colored cadets. Professor Niche
recognizes the fact that II is IVES, Point.
no, Whitaker. tina; is on trial, and mus; find
the result; NEST serious. He does his best
TO make it plain that he. with General Scho-
field and ,hsir colleagues. prrjudgcd this case
from the day Of the outrage against Whi,ta-
ker; no, because he had been formerl,
sneak or ,rick.ter bu; because he ~as black.
Professor Niche and General Schoheld both
assure Us tina, the simple denial Of the cadets
vas .uffcicn, proof Of their innocence while
they paid no heed 10 the oath Of Whitaker.
also a cadet, because HI. .kin vas ooloe-d.
The Professor deplores the fac, tina; -,he
Academy has been condemned unheard.
and then proceeds 10 offer IL. laborrd defence.
IL consists in reiterated assertions Of its
glorlou. record. its sturdy uprighsness and
It's noble MISSION" which Kind Of vague talk
amounts 10 much less than he imagincs- The
people know that the Academy j. useful OF
they would no, keep il up at so large a cost.
They know that its graduates ~.rr skiiful
officers IN the lat. war both for the country
they had sworn TO support and against her.
They hope that the cadets are taught, rs the
Professor protests ,ehemently Is the case, 10
speak the Truth, but regret that other and as
high moral qualities arr no; also inculca,ed.
1hes. are not the questions under discussion.
Professors Niche and his colleague.
wholly mistake the point at issue. 1t Is .im-
ply this Whether the people who tblaok
and vt irel paw tor the graiuitous education
Of the lads at West Point and pay Professor
Niche and hls brother teachers to instruct
them, shall have the right TO "a, 20 whom
this gratuitous instruction shall t- gwen. or
whether that shall he left for the teachers
and the bow who are receiving the noble
gratuliV to decide. The course 81 snubbing
and co~ardy. inhuman neglec, Of one or too
weak colored bo,s by hundreds Of ~hiies. is
done With the Predetermined purpose Of fore
ing them out Of the school. Professor
Niche admits tins osiracism. 10 iis full ex
tent. and has not a single word Of cepsure
for j, be even defends II on the ground that
the parent. Of these lads do not make CON-
panlons OF blacks. There Is a difference
The parents of the cadets do no; accept TUT
ion. food and clothes for which blacks have
helped 20 paw. That alters the case. Pro
fr.sor Niche. in a tone Of generou. patron
age. informs the people tha, if they will
send some Young eolored men 20 the Aesde
my at least equal 10 the average white cadet,
! and possessed Of manly qualiiiss,T the pro
fessors and cadets will settle the question
on the basis Of human intelligence and human
sympathy which mean-. nc suppose, tina;
they will make the hell upon earth TO which
! they have treated former colored BOYS s,rus-
| Cling for 6 chance in life, shade lighter.
| The human sympathy shown by the Aead-
envy far is hardly a broad enough tpunda-
ton TO settle any question upon. Besides,
the country, which foots the bill, prefers 20
settle this question for itself Immediately
after bis denial Of any manly qualities to the
colored cadets, the Professor inadvertently
.estifes 10 the unremisting course Of vulgar
| brutality to which they were subjected BY the
| whites, and 10 1.-THE attentive ,unassuming and
| irreproaehable conduct Of At least one Of them
under it." deficiency in deductive reas-
oninK" does no; appear 10 belong only TO
colored mssbers Of the Academy.
The whole paper iprobably written hastily,
and in excited t~mpeI), Is unfortunate for the
institution now on Trial at tbs bar of public
opinion. 1t mistakes the question. West
Point is not accused by "a partisan press,"
but By the common sense of humanity and
| deceney throughout the whole country. l,
mistakes the tonO proper to the occasion.
No dictsiorisi sssertio6 of the teachers or
officers gill convince the AneTiesn people
that the stobbish cruelty which theysspProvs
is conduct becoming either To soldier or Q
gentleman.-N. Y. Tritnne.