The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-27

honored. But I shall not add, what so
many writers improperly use, the dis
Jolnted statement that "the pen is
mightier than the sword" This state
ment when originally made, was prop
cry qualified: I'm hands of men en-
tireiy great, the pen is mightier than
the sword Whenever you find men
entirely great" it is safe to believe the
pen will be their strongest weapon.
My old friend. W. A. Osborn, of At
lanta, has been giving the Arcade"
reporter of the Constitution some few
dots about the old original Dick"
Peters of Philadelphia, and here is one
of them: Richard Peters was the
friend and companion of Washington.
During the latter's first administration
ne was a member of the cabinet, be-
ing appointed Secretary of War. His
acts in that capacity are a matter of
historical record" Now there is just
the smallest thread of truth in this
yarn. Richard Peters was never
member of Washington's cabinet. was
never appointed Secretary of War, and
his acts as such are not of historical
record. The real facts are these: In
1776 Board of War and Ordnance"
was created, and it elected Capt. Rich
ard Peters as secretary, and Congress
prohibited the commanding officer at
Philadelphia from ordering Capt. Pc
ters to any duty outside the city, as
his presence and services were needed
in the WAR Office" But, on Nov. 81,
1777, Capt. Peters was elected a men,
Der of the Board" under a change in
its forma ton. 1t was not until Feb
ruary 1871, that Secretary at War"
not "of''-was authorized by Con-
gress, and no election was had for
such Secretary until Oct. 80, 1881, when
Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln was chos-
en-; but his acceptance of the Office was
not sent to Congress until Nov. 26, 1881.
Because of his delay, Congress- on Nov.
10, adopted resolution, that Richard
Peters. ESQ., be authorized and re-
quested to continue to exercise the du-
ties of the War Department until the
Secretary at War shall enter upon
the execution of his office" No title
is here given to Capt. Peters, he SIM
ply continuing in charge of the war
Office" as member of the old Board"
But when Gen. Lincoln resigned, Nov.
4, 1888. his place was filed by one Jo-
seph Carleton, who is styled "Secre-
tary in the War Office" until March,
1885, when Gen. Henry Knox became
Secretary at War" In 1889 the title
became Secretary for the Department
of War" and soon after the present
title, Secretary of War" was adopt
ed. Capt. Richard Peters was a noble
patriot, brave soldier, and a public
official above reproach but he was not
in Washington's cabinet.
About a year ago the newspapers
were full of hazing editorials aimed at
West Point Military Academy. I took
occasion then to suggest that other in
situations, even those under religious
denominations, might also be written
| up" or down on hazing. This year,
however, all seems quiet in editorial
circles, and yet several religious col
| leges have had cases of severe hazing
Tufts College, near Boston, Univer-
salist institution, is the latest to come
| into notice. The "Sophs' caught a lot
| of the Fresh" class and marched
them in their night clothes to Airing
| ton, via West Medford, through
swamps. potato fields, etc. All kinds
| of indiginities were heaped upon the
| poor Freshmen until near daybreak
Although from religious college a
was held and the helpless vic
| TINS in their night clothes
were compelled to kneel in the
wet grass and pray and sing Then we
have another religious college, the
Shattuck School at Faribault, Mimi, a
semi military school, established by
the late Bishop Henry B. Whipple,
that has recently had a disgraceful
| hazing affair. Others might also be
named, but these two are sufficient for
my purpose, and that is to show that
! West Point is far from being the ''only
pebble on the beach, or even the larg-
est one, when it comes to hazing. I
repeat what L said last year, and chal-
! lege contradiction, that worse cases of
/ hazing have occurred in other colleges
and have hardly been noticed by the
press. 1 object to making fish of one
and flesh of another" let all institu-
lions where hazing prevailed be put
on the same footing and given the
same amount of censure. Old as the
practice is. and prevalent as it is even
in religious colleges, it is a cowardly
and mean-spirited sport, or cruelty.
and deserves the severest punishment.