Year: 1863

arithmetic. The result is, that although


a large proportion of those who apply
for admission, pass the preliminary ex-


animation, yet owing to want of previ-
Gus mental training, they are not able


to master the first years course, and


at the end of six months or a year
they are dismissed. Much time might


be saved to the Cadet and money to


the nation, by requiring more thor


ough preparation, and the Board of


Visitors in their report to the Secre-
tary of War will urge the Importance
of this change. And Iii order the more
successfully to accomplish it they rec
ommend that hereafter appointments
to the Military Academy shall be made
from persons who have obtained GER
tilicate of qualification after an open
competitire examination, to be coducted in
such manner as Congress may provide" !"
This is evidently the only just method
of making appointments, and we trust
it will SO commend itself to our Con-
gressmen that they will aid in passing
a law to that effect.


LOYALTY.


Much has been said since the begin
ming of the rebellion in regard to the
disloyalty of those who have been edu-
Gated at West Point and as evidence
of this charge reference has been made
to the large number of army officers
leading the rebels. We think facts
will show that this number is not as
large as many suppose. At the COM
mencement of the rebellion there were
about 900 army officers graduates of
West Point. OF these less than 200
resigned, large majority of whom
were from the South. Admitting that
all who resigned sympathized with the
South, still the number is less than
those in the army from the South who
remained loyal /; for out of 900 we
may safely calculate that nearly one
half were from the South. We think
a much larger per cent. of army Off
GERS have remained loyal than will be
found in the same number of any other
class of public men. Whatever infu-
ences may have been exerted upon
the Military Academy in the past, we
are convinced that it is thoroughly
loyal now, both by precept and exam
pie. Fourteen connected with the
families of the present officers are now
in the Union Army, and we have no
fear that disloyal sentiments will be
disseminated under the instruction of
those lifelong patriots and scholars,
Mahan, Bartlett, Church, Weir and
their associates, with the eagle eye of
Col. Bowman, the accomplished Super
intendent, keeping oversight.


The present number of Cadets is
about 200. With small additional
expense the Institution could accom-
modate 400, and this number would at
once apply for admission if Congress
would pass a law allowing Senators
as well as Representatives to send one
each and the President to select the re-
mainder. 1t is hoped that Congress
will adopt this or some other plan by
which the number Of Cadets can be
increased. But whether the number
is increased or not, we would urge up
on the attention Of the powers that
be the necessity of more complete
preparation on the part of candidates
for admission into the Institution, so
that all who enter may have reasona-
BILE prospect of graduating with honor
to themselves and to the Institution,
and be prepared to honor the nation
that has just claims upon their servi-
ces.