The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-11-13
Reports of Department, co,m.n,.-.

nS'ou, ~, NOV. l2.-The annual
reports OF the military department commsn.
uers were made public to-day. General
Augur' commanding the department of the
'ou'n' reports the health of troops at all
points excellent. The garrisons at Fort
bsrrancas and Key West, we're removed for
sanitary reasons to Little Rock and Tampa.
fs' but will be returned 10 their proper
stations December lst. The report refers to
the large practice in the department of south
70 discipline troops, and 10 other minor mat
ters; 1t also recommends some changes in
the military court The report of General
SSoneid; commanding the department of
west foint Is mainly devoted to the
case of Cadet Whitaker, on who m
alleged outrages were committed last fall
General Schoheld says the fraudulent charac.
ter OF the outrage was fully demonstrated
within twenty'four hours of its discovery.
Indeed, the fraud was 20 transparent that Il
could not have possibly escaped almost i'm
mediate detection. The investigation made
by Colonel Lazelle showed to all who anew
the facts and were qualified to Judge. that
there was no ground for even suspicion that
any other cadet than Whitaker particinated
in, or had any knowledge of, the OUTRAGE
The report then reviews the proceedings
in the court Of inquiry in Whiaker's case
and their result, and makes the following re-,
port with regard to the treatment of cotored
cadets at West Point in general. Every law
tul right of the col)red cadets has been se-
curely guarded by tho officers of the scad-
emy, and they have invariably been treated
with great kindness and indulgence. Their
special relations with their fellow cadets.
however, have not been what they appear to
have been led to expect. Military discipline
is not an efficient means of promoting social
intercourse. They came from home. il
appears, 10 have destroyed y disposition
which before existed to indulge in such asso.
citation. Doubtless this was due in part to
cover the bad personal character of some of
the young colored men sent TO West Point,
and in part to a national reaction against an
attempt to give social intercourse by militia.
ry regulations. The military academy can
not be made a favorable place at which to
first introduce social intercourse between the
white and black men. West Point will Mt
most any time follow the example of the
country at large in this respect. 1t does not
seem reasonable expectation that Young
men of race so recently emerged from
state of slavery could compete successfully
with those who have inherited the strength
of character gained in many generations of
freedom enjoyed by ancestors, and it was an
act of doubtful kindness to the colored race
to force them into such an UNEQUAL com
petition. The authorities of the military
academy cannot even attempt to establish
social rul different from those which prevail
among thepeople Of the United States, whose
sons are sent TO West Point for military
education. The difficulty surround,
ing this subject is aggravated by the
same error which assigned it to an unreason.
able prejudice against race Of color. The
prevailing prejudice is rather Just aversion
to the qualities which the people Of the
United States have long heen accustomed TO
associate with the state of slavery, and inter
course without legal marriage, and of which
color and its various shades are only external
signs tha the feeling could not be removed
by the simple act Of enfranchisiDg the slave.
1t can only be done by the education and
moral elevation of the race. That
great work has only been COM
menced. II must of necessity require
much time to send to West Point for four
years competition young man who was
born in slavery. IL is to assume that half a
generation has been sufficient TO raise col
ored man TO "A social, moral and intellectual
level which the average white man has
reached in several hundred years, and as
well mighta common farm horse be entered
in four mile race against the best blood,
inherited from q long line of fast racers.
The result OF such an assumption
was fairly illustrated in the
recent unfortunate case of the colored
cadet Whitaker. Education and elevation of
the newly enfranchsed race is work
worthy of the united efforts Of all good citi-
zens but thatwo'k cannot be advanced.
1t must be retarded by forcing colored men
into official positions for which they have not
yet become qualified, or into social relations
where they cannot be feely welcomed, A
colofed man cannot be truly free until he be-
comes independent of such eItraneous cir
cumstances as TO adagreo of knowledge oil his
freedom. This cannot be increased
by depriying the white man Of the portion
Of the liberty he has always enjoyed. What.
ever of just cause of self respect
any portion of the people of the
United States may have for neglect
cd duty towards those who had been so sud.
denly raised from slavery to the full respon-
sbilities of citizenship, the officers of the
military academy have only to reproach
themselves for a too jealous attempt to ac-
complish what was manifestly impossible in
their desire to do all in their power for the
unfortunate oolored boys placed in a false
position, and in their too faithful efforts TO
carry out policy, however i'll advised, that
had for its object to accord tho newly enfran-
chised the fullest judgment of all rights and
privileges of citizenship.