henry ossian flipper-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Now　this；　I　think；　is　the　most　shallow　of　all　reasoning　and　entirely　unworthy　our　further　notice。

Fourth。　I　should　be　grieved　to　suppose　any　one　feared　me。　It　is　not　my　desire　to　go　through　life　feared　by　any　one。　I　can　derive　no　pleasure　from　any　thing　which　is　accorded　me　through　motives　of　fear。　The　grant　must　be　spontaneous　and　voluntary　to　give　me　the　most　pleasure。　I　want　nothing；　not　even　recognition；　unless　it　be　freely　given；　hence　have　I　not　forced　myself　upon　my　comrades。

〃But　the　sensible　Flipper　accepted　the　situation；　and　proudly　refused　to　intrude　himself　on　the　white　boys。〃　　Atlanta　（Ga。）　Herald。

Fifth。　Because　it　is　incompatible　with　the　dignity　of　a　〃cadet　and　a　gentleman〃　for　one　to　fear　another。

Sixth。　Because　it　is　positively　absurd　to　suppose　that　one　man　of　three　hundred　more　or　less　would　be　feared　by　the　rest　individually　and　collectively；　and　no　rational　being　would　for　an　instant　entertain　any　such　idea。　There　is；　however；　a　single　case　which　may　imply　fear　on　the　part　of　the　cadet　most　concerned。　A　number　of　plebes；　among　them　a　colored　one；　were　standing　on　the　stoop　of　barracks。　There　were　also　several　cadets　standing　in　the　doorway；　and　a　sentinel　was　posted　in　the　hall。　This　latter　individual　went　up　to　one　of　the　cadets　and　said　to　him；　〃Make　that　nigger　out　there　get　his　hands　around；〃　referring　to　this　plebe　mentioned　above。

I　happened　to　come　down　stairs　just　at　that　time；　and　as　soon　as　he　uttered　those　words　he　turned　and　saw　me。　He　hung　his　head；　and　in　a　cowardly　manner　sneaked　off；　while　the　cadets　in　the　door　also　dispersed　with　lowered　heads。　Was　it　fear？　Verily　I　know　not。　Possibly　it　was　shame。

Again　I　recall　a　rather　peculiar　circumstance　which　will　perhaps　sustain　this　notion　of　fear　on　the　part　of　the　cadets。　I　have　on　every　occasion　when　I　had　command　over　my　fellow…cadets　in　any　degree；　noticed　that　they　were　generally　more　orderly　and　more　obedient　than　when　this　authority　was　exercised　by　another。

　　　　　　　　Thus　whenever　I　commanded　the　guard　there　were　very　few　reports　for　offences　committed　by　members　of　the　guard。　　They　have　ever　been　obedient　and　military。　In　camp；　when　I　was　first　in　command　of　the　guard；　I　had　a　most　orderly　guard　and　a　very　pleasant　tour；　and　that　too；　observe；　while　some　of　the　members　of　it　were　plebes　and　on　for　the　first　time。　On　all　such　occasions　it　is　an　immemorial　custom　for　the　yearlings　to　interfere　with　and　haze　the　plebe　sentinels。　Not　a　sentinel　was　disturbed；　not　a　thing　went　amiss；　and　why？　Manifestly　because　it　was　thought　and　rightly　toothat　I　would　not　connive　at　such　interference；　and　because　they　feared　to　attempt　it　lest　they　be　watched　and　reported。　Later；　however；　even　this　semblance　of　fear　disappeared；　and　they　acted　under　me　precisely　as　they　do　under　others；　because　they　are　convinced　that　I　will　not　stoop　to　spy　or　retaliate。

〃The　boys　were　rather　afraid　that　when　he　should　come　to　hold　the　position　as　officer　of　the　guard　that　he　would　swagger　over　them；　but　he　showed　good　sense　and　taste；　merely　assuming　the　rank　formally　and　leaving　his　junior　to　carry　out　the　duty。〃New　York　Herald。

And　just　here　it　is　worthy　of　notice　that　the　press；　in　commenting　upon　my　chances　of　graduating；　has　never；　so　far　as　I　know；　entertained　any　doubts　of　my　ability　to　do　so。　It　has；　on　the　contrary；　expressed　the　belief　that　the　probability　of　my　graduating　depended　upon　the　officers　of　the　Academy；　and　upon　any　others　who；　by　influence　or　otherwise；　were　connected　with　the　Academy。　Some　have　even　hinted　at　politics　as　a　possible　ground　upon　which　they　might　drop　me。

All　such　opinions　have　been　created　and　nurtured　by　the　hostile　portion　of　the　press；　and；　I　regret　to　say；　by　that　part　also　which　ought　to　have　been　more　friendly；　if　not　more　discreet。　No　branch　of　the　government　is　freer　from　the　influences　and　whims　of　politicians　than　the　National　Military　Academy。　Scarcely　any　paper　has　considered　how　the　chances　of　any　cadet　depended　upon　himself　alone。　The　authorities　of　the　Academy　are；　or　have　been；　officers　of　the　army。　They　are；　with　one　or　two　exceptions；　graduates；　and　therefore；　presumably；　〃officers　and　gentlemen。〃　To　transform　young　men　into　a　like　ilk　as　themselves　is　their　duty。　The　country　intrusts　them　with　this　great　responsibility。　To　prove　faithless　to　such　a　charge　would　be　to　risk　position；　and　even　those　dearer　attributes　of　the　soldier；　honor　and　reputation。　They　would　not　dare　ill…treat　a　colored　cadet　or　a　white　one。　Of　course　the　prejudice　of　race　is　not　yet　overcome　entirely；　and　possibly　they　may　be　led　into　some　indiscretion　on　account　of　it；　but　I　do　not　think　it　would　be　different　at　any　other　college　in　the　country。　It　is　natural。

There　are　prejudices　of　caste　as　well　as　prejudices　of　race；　and　I　am　most　unwilling　to　believe　it　possible　that　any　officer　would　treat　with　injustice　a　colored　cadet　who　in　true　gentlemanly　qualities；　intelligence；　and　assiduousness　equals　or　excels　certain　white　ones　who　are　treated　with　perfect　equanimity。　With　me　it　has　not　been　so。　I　have　been　treated　as　I　would　wish　to　be　in　the　majority　of　cases。　There　have　been　of　course　occasions　where　I've　fancied　wrong　had　been　done　me。　I　expected　to　be　ill…treated。　I　went　to　West　Point　fully　convinced　that　I'd　have　〃a　rough　time　of　it。〃　Who　that　has　read　the　many　newspaper　versions　of　the　treatment　of　colored　cadets；　and　of　Smith　in　particular　would　not　have　been　so　convinced？　When；　therefore；　any　affront　or　any　thing　seemingly　of　that　nature　was　offered　me；　I　have　been　disposed；　naturally　I　think；　to　unduly　magnify　it；　because　I　expected　it。　　This　was　hasty　and　unjust；　and　so　I　admit；　now　that　I　am　better　informed。　What　was　apparently　done　to　incommode　or　discourage　me　has　been　shown　to　have　been　done　either　for　my　own　benefit　or　for　some　other　purpose；　not　to　my　harm。　In　every　single　instance　I　have；　after　knowing　better　the　reason　for　such　acts；　felt　obliged　to　acknowledge　the　injustice　of　my　fears。　At　other　times　I　have　been　agreeably　surprised　at　the　kindnesses　shown　me　both　by　officers　and　cadets；　and　have　found　myself　at　great　loss　to　reconcile　them　with　acts　I　had　already　adjudged　as　malicious　wrongs。

I　have；　too；　been　particularly　careful　not　to　fall　into　an　error；　which；　I　think；　has　been　the　cause　of　misfortune　to　at　least　one　of　the　cadets　of　color。　If　a　cadet　affront　another；　if　a　white　cadet　insult　a　colored　one　for　instance；　the　latter　can　complain　to　The　proper　authorities；　and；　if　there　be　good　reason　for　it；　can　always　get　proper　redress。　This　undoubtedly　gives　the　consolation　of　knowing　that　the　offence　will　not　be　repeated；　but　beyond　that　I　think　it　a　great　mistake　to　have　so　sought　it。　A　person　who　constantly　complains；　even　with　some　show　of　reason；　loses　more　or　less　the　respect　of　the　authorities。　And　the　offenders；　while　they　refrain　from　open　acts；　do　nevertheless　conduct　their　petty　persecutions　in　such　a　manner　that　one　can　shape　no　charge　against　them；　and　consequently　finds　himself　helpless。　One　must　endure　these　little　torturesthe　sneer；　the　shrug　of　the　shoulder；　the　epithet；　the　effort　to　avoid；　to　disdain；　to　ignore　and　thus　suffer；　for　any　of　them　areto　me　at　least　far　more　hard　to　bear　than　a　blow。　A　blow　I　may　resist　or　ignore。　In　either　case　I　soon　forget　it。　But　a　sneer；　a　shrug　of　the　shoulder；　mean　more。　Either　is　a　blow　at　my　sensitiveness；　my　inner　feelings；　and　which　through　no　ordinary　effort　of　mind　can　be　altogether　forgotten。　It　is　a　sting　that　burns　long　and　fiercely。　How　much　better　to　have　ignored　the　greater　offences　which　could　be　reached；　and　to　have　thus　avoided　the　lesser　ones；　which　nothing　can　destroy！　　How　much　wiser　to　stand　like　a　vast　front　of　fortification；　on　some　rocky　moral　height　absolutely　unassailable；　passively　resisting　alike　the　attack　by　open　assault　and　the　surer　one　by　regular　approaches！　The　assault　can　be　repulsed；　but　who　can；　who　has　ever　successfully　stopped　the　mines　and　the　galleries　through　which　an　entrance　is　at　length　forced　into　the　interior？

〃We　cannot　expect　the　sons　to　forget　the　lessons　of　the　sires；　but　we　have　a　right　to　demand　from　the　general　government　the　rooting　out　of　all　snobbery　at　West　Point；　whether　it　is　of　that　kind　which　sends　poor　white　boys　to　Coventry；　because　they　haven't　a　family　name　or　wealth；　or　whether　it　be　that　smallest；　meanest；　and　shallowest　of　all　aristocraciesthe　one　founded　upon　color。

〃If　the　government　is　not　able　to　root　out　these　unrepublican　seeds　in　these　hotbeds　of　disloyalty　and　snobbery；　let　Congress　shut　up　the　useless　and　expensive　appendages　and　educate　its　officers　at　the　colleges　of　the　country；　where　they　may　learn　lessons　in　true　Republican　equality　and　nationality。　The　remedy　lies　with　Congress。　A　remonstrance；　at　least；　should　be　heard　from　the　colored　members　of　Congress；　who　are　insulted　whenever　a　colored　boy　is　ill…treated　by　the　students　or　the　officers　of　these　institutions。　So　far　from　being　discouraged　by　defeats；　the　unjust　treatment　meted　out　to　the　young　men　should　redouble　the　efforts　of　others　of　their　class　to　conquer　this　new　Bastile　by　storm。　It　should　lead　every　colored　Congressman　to　make　sure　that　he　either　sends　a　colored　applicant　or　a　white　one　who　has　not　the　seeds　of　snobbery　or　caste　in　his　soul。〃

I　shall　consider　this　last　clause　at　the　end　of　this　chapter；　where　I　shall　quote　at　length　the　article　from　which　this　passage　is　taken。

If　I　may　be　pardoned　an　opinion　on　this　article；　I　do　not　think　the　true　remedy　lies　with　Congress　at　all。　I　do　not　question　the　right　to　demand　of　Congress　any　thing；　but　I　do　doubt　the　propriety　or　need　of　such　a　proceeding；　of　course；　in　the　case　under　consideration。　As　to　〃that　kind　which　sends　poor　white　boys　to　Coventry；〃　because　of　their　poverty；　etc。；　I　can　say　with　absolute　truthfulness　it　no　longer　exists。　When　it　did　exist　the　power　to　discontinue　it　did　not　lie　with　Congress。　Congress　has　no　control　over　personal　whims　or　prejudices。　But　I　make　a　slight　mistake。　There　was　a　time　when　influence；　wealth；　or　position　was　able　to　secure　a　cadetship。　At　that　time　poor　boys　very　rarely　succeeded　in　getting　an　appointment；　and　when　they　did　they　were　most　unmercifully　〃cut〃　by　the　snobs　of　aristocracy　who　were　at　the　Academy。　Then　the　remedy　did　lie　with　Congress。　The　appointments　could　have　been　so　made　as　to　exclude　those　snobs　whose　only　recommendation　was　their　position　in　society；　and　so　also　as　to　admit　boys　who　were　deserving；　although　they　were　perhaps　poor。　This　remedy　has　been　made；　and　all　classes　（white）；　whether　poor　or　rich；　influential　or　not；　are　on　terms　of　absolute　equality。

But　for　that　other　kind；　〃the　one　founded　upon　color；〃　Congress　has　no　remedy；　no　more　than　for　fanaticism　or　something　of　that　kind。

This　article　also　tells　us　that　〃the　government　has　been　remiss　in　not　throwing　around　them　the　protection　of　its　authority。〃　I　disdainfully　scout　the　idea　of　such　protection。　If　my　manhood　cannot　stand　without　a　governmental　prop；　then　let　it　fall。　If　I　am　to　stand　on　any　other　ground　than　the　one　white　cadets　stand　upon；　then　I　don't　want　the　cadetship。　If　I　cannot　endure　prejudice　and　persecutions；　even　if　they　are　offered；　then　I　don't　deserve　the　cadetship；　and　much　less　the　commiss