The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-30
Negro Cadets.

Before Colonel BIsBEE, OF the Seconu
Florida district, was admitted to the seat
which belonged to Judge FINLEY, the latter
nominated white youth to the West Point
Academy, and he was found deficient on
examination. Colonel BIsBEE, upon being
requested TO fill the vacancy, decided to
have a competitive examination. The
Board recommended one OF the white COM
petitors. But BIsBEE refused to appoint
him, and gave the place to negro. Ills
excuse is that all the members OF the Board
thought the negro had passed the best eX-
animation.
Now for toll and trouble at West Point,
and, rs in the case OF several other negroes
foIsted upon that institution, the expendi-
ture Of thousands OF dollars in one way
and another in either defending the new
negro cadet or trying to get rid OF him.
What says Mr.. PAUL.
What the new cadet may expect was
told few days ago by Cadet WHITAKER
in lecture in Baltimore. We quote:
"There was no such thing as social
equality, but true mankind would assert
itself under all circumstances. The color
ed people have entered the army and
assisted IN fighting the battles Of the coun-
try. They are all taxpayers as well as
voters, and under the law they have the
same right TO 90 to West Point, but they
have a tough time when they get there.
He was assaulted because he had but one
drop OF African blood in his veins,
and was then accused of having
done the deed himself. Every man
at West Point was against him. A
partisan and prejudiced court tried him,
and partisan court convicted him, during
all of which time his friend Il. T. Greener
was the only person that stood by him.
When he reached West Point and went to
the barracks to give his name one OF the
cadets said: Are you the Niger that's
coming here?' and he replied that he was
colored. A cadet from South Carolina
Joined in, and said he would leave the
academy before he would march by the
side Of a niger. When he went to the
mess-hall some one cried out: where's
the Niger; won't you show him to me?'
and another replied, 'There he is (point-
ing to the lecturer). When at the table no
one would sit by him. He asked for a
spoon, and cadet from Georgia handed
him one, whereupon a man from New
York said to him: Did you hand that
Niger spoon?' lie said he only did it
through politeness. So, said the lecturer,
the man from the great southern State
OF Georgia was more kind to me than
the man from the great free State OF
New York. After leaving the mess-hall a
cadet officer said to him: III YOU are
found deficient, as hope TO God you will
be, YOU will then be returned from whence
you came The same officer came into
his room at night, and told him If the bed
was hard he could spread his blanket on
the floor. The next day man from Penn
sylvania informed him that they mad been
ordered by the cadet officers to have no.
thing to say to the negro. lie was utterly
alone. Not one person save the cadet OFF,
GERS spoke to him, and their words were
harsh and grating. When the examination
took place they found he was among the
elect, and the cadet officer in whose ranks
he was marching was ieered at Tor having s
white elephant The officer told him III
would have to march in the rear, so that h
would not be able TO touch more than on,
man. When riding out to drill none woult
ride by his side, and none would join hand
with him, notwithstanding the joining o
hands was called for by the drill. He sim
ply stood among them, but was not O
them. Some would not pass him anything
ut the table, and when in church at woI
snip they would get up and leave the sea
on\which he was sitting. II he went int
TENT where cadet was sleeping, the lat
ter Mould get up and 20 out, rather tina
sleert where he was. The professors La
said thNat no negro, after Flipper, SHOULD
ever graduate at that academy, and not on
OF them HAD ever given him kind word
Why shotQld any negro wish to force hi
company up6Ap men who regard him {
unfit TO be thdsir associate? WHITAKER
experience is evidence conclusive that Il
northern youth dre as much opposed as Il
southern to recoa snizing negroes as equal
and to giving them offices in the army.