henry ossian flipper-第35章

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Here　is　something　extra　good　from　the　Hudson　River　Chronicle；　of　Sing　Sing。　To　all　who　want　to　know　the　truth　about　me　physically；　I　refer　them　to　this　article。　I　refer　particularly　to　the　editor　of　a　certain　New　Orleans　paper；　who　described　me　as　a　〃little　bow…legged　grif　of　the　most　darkly　coppery　hue。〃

〃For　a　few　days　past　Lieutenant　Henry　O。　Flipper；　the　colored　cadet　who　graduated　from　West　Point　Academy　last　week；　has　been　the　guest　of　Professor　John　W。　Hoffman；　of　this　place。　Lieutenant　Flipper　is　a　native　of　Atlanta；　Georgia；　whence　General　Sherman　commenced　that　glorious　march　to　the　sea　which　proved　what　a　hollow　shell　the　Southern　Confederacy　really　was。　The　lieutenant　evidently　has　a　large　strain　of　white　blood　in　his　veins；　and　could　probably；　if　so　disposed；　trace　descent　from　the　F。　F's。　He　stands　six　feet；　is　well　proportioned；　has　a　keen；　quick　eye；　a　gentlemanly　address；　and　a　soldierly　bearing。　He　goes　from　here　to　his　home　in　Georgia；　on　a　leave　of　absence　which　extends　to　the　first　of　November；　when　he　will　join　the　Tenth　Cavalry；　to　which　he　has　been　assigned　as　Second　Lieutenant。　This　assignment　shows　that　Lieutenant　Flipper　stood　above　the　average　of　the　graduating　class；　as　the　cavalry　is　the　next　to　the　highest　grade　in　the　serviceonly　the　Engineer　Corps　taking　precedence　of　the　cavalry　arm。

〃For　four　long　years　Cadet　Flipper　has　led　an　isolated　life　at　the　Pointwithout　one　social　companion；　being　absolutely　ostracized　by　his　white　classmates。　As　much　as　any　mortal；　he　can　say：

　　　　　　　〃'In　the　crowd　　　　　　　　　They　would　not　deem　me　one　of　such；　I　stood　　　　　　　　　Among　them；　but　not　of　them；　in　a　shroud　　　　　　　　　Of　thoughts　which　were　not　their　thoughts。'

〃There　must　have　been　much　of　inherent　manhood　in　a　boy　that　could　stand　that　long　ordeal；　and　so　bear　himself　at　the　close　that；　when　his　name　was　pronounced　among　the　graduates；　the　fair　women　and　brave　men　who　had　gathered　to　witness　the　going　out　into　the　world　of　the　nation's　wards；　with　one　accord　greeted　the　lone　student　with　a　round　of　applause　that　welcomed　none　others　of　the　class；　and　that　could　call　from　Speaker　Blaine　the　strong　assurance　that　if　he　ever　needed　a　friend　he　might　trustingly　call　on　him。

〃'The　path　of　glory　leads　but　to　the　grave；'　but　we　venture　the　prediction　that　Lieutenant　Flipper　will　tread　that　path　as　fearlessly　and　as　promptly　as　any　of　his　comrades　of　the　'Class　of　'77。'〃

Here　is　an　editorial　article　from　the　New　York　Tribune。　It　needs　no　comment；　nor　do　the　two　following；　which　were　clipped　from　the　Christian　Union。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LIEUTENANT　FLIPPER。

〃Among　the　West　Point　graduates　this　year　is　young　Flipper；　a　lad　of　color　and　of　African　descent。　It　is　stated　that　he　acquitted　himself　very　respectably　in　his　examination　by　the　Board　of　Visitors；　that　he　will　pass　creditably；　and　that　he　will　go　into　the　cavalry；　which　is　rather　an　aristocratic　branch；　we　believe；　of　the　service。　Mr。　Flipper　must　have　had　rather　a　hard　time　of　it　during　his　undergraduate　career；　if；　as　we　find　it　stated；　most　if　not　all　his　white　fellow…students　have　declined　to　associate　with　him。　He　has　behaved　so　well　under　these　anomalous　circumstances；　that　he　has　won　the　respect　of　those　who；　so　far　as　the　discipline　of　the　school　would　permit；　ignored　his　existence。　'We　have　no　feeling　against　him；'　said　one　of　the　students；　'but　still　we　could　not　associate　with　him。　It　may　be　prejudice；　but　still　we　couldn't　do　it。'　Impossibilities　should　be　required　of　no　one；　and　if　the　white　West　Pointers　could　not　treat　Mr。　Flipper　as　if　he　were　one　of　themselves；　why　of　course　that　is　an　end　of　the　matter。　So　long　as　they　kept　within　the　rules　of　the　service；　and　were　guilty　of　no　conduct　'unbecoming　an　officer　and　a　gentleman；'　it　was　not　for　their　commanders　to　interfere。　But　when　they　tell　us　that　they　couldn't　possibly　associate　with　Mr。　Flipper；　who　is　allowed　to　have　'shown　pluck　and　gentlemanly　qualities；'　we　may　at　least　inquire　whether　they　have　tried　to　do　so。　Conquering　prejudices　implies　a　fight　with　prejudices　have　these　young　gentlemen　had　any　such　fight？　Have　they　too　'shown　pluck　and　gentlemanly　qualities？'

〃We　are　not　disposed　to　speak　harshly　of　these　fastidious　young　fellows；　who　will　not　be　long　out　of　the　school　before　they　will　be　rather　sorry　that　they　didn't　treat　Mr。　Flipper　a　little　more　cordially。　But　a　much　more　important　matter　is　that　he　has；　in　spite　of　his　color；　made　a　good　record　every　way；　has　kept　up　with　his　class；　has　not　been　dropped　or　dismissed；　but　emerges　a　full…blown　Second　Lieutenant　of　Cavalry。　He　has　thus　achieved　a　victory　not　only　for　himself　but　for　his　race。　He　has　made　matters　easier　for　future　colored　cadets；　and　twenty　years　hence；　if　not　sooner；　the　young　white　gentlemen　of　West　Point　will　read　of　the　fastidiousness　of　their　predecessors　with　incredulous　wonder。　Time　and　patience　will　settle　every　thing。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CADET　FLIPPER。

〃The　most　striking　illustration　of　class　prejudice　this　year　has　been　afforded；　not　by　Mississippi　or　Louisiana；　but　by　West　Point。　In　1873　Cadet　Flipper　entered　the　Military　Academy。　God　had　given　him　a　black　skin；　a　warm　heart；　an　active　brain；　and　a　patriotic　ambition。　He　was　guilty　of　no　other　crime　than　that　of　being　a　negro；　and　bent　on　obtaining　a　good　education。　He　represented　a　race　which　had　done　as　good　fighting　for　the　flag　as　any　done　by　the　fair…　skinned　Anglo…Saxon　or　Celt。　Congress　had　recognized　his　right　and　the　right　of　his　race　to　education。

〃But　his　classmates　decided　that　it　should　be　denied　him。　If　they　had　possessed　the　brutal　courage　of　the　murderers　of　Chisholm　they　would　have　shot　him；　or　whipped　him；　or　hung　him；　but　they　were　not　brave　enough　for　that；　and　they　invented　instead　a　punishment　worse　than　the　State　has　inflicted　upon　its　most　brutal　criminals。　They　condemned　him　to　four　years　of　solitude　and　silence。　For　four　years　not　a　classmate　spoke　to　Cadet　Flipper；　for　three　years　he　did　not　hear　his　own　voice；　except　in　the　recitation…room；　on　leave　of　absence；　or　in　chance　conversation　with　a　stray　visitor。　Then　another　negro　entered　West　Point；　and　he　had　one　companion。　The　prison　walls　of　a　Sing　Sing　cell　are　more　sympathetic　than　human　prejudice。　And　in　all　that　class　of　'77　there　were　not　to　be　found　a　dozen　men　brave　enough　to　break　through　this　wall　of　silence　and　give　the　imprisoned　victim　his　liberty。　At　least　two　thirds　of　the　class　are　Republican　appointees；　and　not　one　champion　of　equal　rights。　In　all　that　class　but　one　heroand　he　a　negro。　Seventy…five　braves　against　one！　And　the　one　was　victorious。　He　fought　out　the　four　years'　campaign；　conquered　and　graduated。　Honor　to　the　African；　shame　to　the　Anglo…Saxon。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CADET　FLIPPER　AGAIN。

〃We　have　received　several　letters　on　the　subject　of　Cadet　Flipper；　to　whose　treatment　at　West　Point　we　recently　called　the　attention　of　our　readers。　One　of　them　is　from　a　former　instructor；　who　bears　a　high　testimony　to　Lieutenant　Flipper's　character。　　He　writes：

〃'I　want　to　thank　you　for　your　editorial　in　the　Christian　Union　about　Cadet　Flipper。　He　was　one　of　our　boys；　was　with　us　in　school　from　the　beginning　of　his　education　till　Freshman　year　in　college；　when　he　received　his　appointment　to　West　Point。　He　was　always　obedient；　faithful；　modest；　and　in　every　way　manly。　We　were　sorry　to　have　him　leave　us；　but　now　rejoice　in　his　victory；　and　take　pride　in　him。

〃'During　all　these　years；　in　his　correspondence　with　his　friends；　he　has　not；　so　far　as　I　can　learn；　uttered　a　single　complaint　about　his　treatment。'

〃A　second　is　from　a　Canadian　reader；　who　objects　to　our　condemnation　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　race；　and　insists　that　we　should　have　reserved　it　for　the　Yankees。　In　Canada；　he　assures　us；　the　color　line　is　unknown；　and　that　negroes　and　Anglo…Saxons　mingle　in　the　same　school　and　in　the　same　sports　without　prejudice。　Strange　to　say　the　white　men　are　not　colored　by　the　intercourse。

〃The　third　letter　comes　indirectly　from　Lieutenant　Flipper　himself。　In　it　the　writer　gives　us　the　benefit　of　information　derived　from　the　lieutenant。　We　quote　（the　italics　are　ours）：

〃'Mr。　Flipper　is　highly　respected　here；　and　has　been　received　by　his　former　teachers　and　friends　with　pleasure　and　pride。　His　deportment　and　character　have　won　respect　and　confidence　for　himself　and　his　race。　As　to　his　treatment　at　West　Point；　he　assures　me　that　the　〃papers〃　are　far　astray。　There　was　no　ostracism　on　the　part　of　his　fellow…cadets；　except　in　the　matter　of　personal　public　association。　He　was　invariably　spoken　to　and　treated　courteously　and　respectfully　both　as　a　cadet　and　officer。'

〃We　are　glad　to　be　assured　that　it　was　not　as　bad　as　we　had　been　informed　by　what　we　considered　as　good　authority；　and　we　are　still　more　glad　to　know　that　Lieutenant　Flipper；　instead　of　making　much　of　his　social　martyrdom；　has　the　good　sense　to　make　as　light　of　it　as　he　conscientiously　can。　But　if　it　is　true　that　there　were　cadets　who　did　not　sympathize　with　the　action　of　the　class；　and　were　brave　enough　to　speak　to　their　colored　comrade　in　private；　it　was　a　pity　that　they　were　not　able　to　screw　their　courage　up　to　a　little　higher　point；　and　put　the　mark　of　a　public　condemnation　on　so　petty　and　cruel　a　persecution。〃

The　people　at　large　seem　to　be　laboring　under　a　delusion　about　West　Point；　at　least　the　West　Point　that　I　knew。　I　know　nothing　of　what　West　Point　was；　or　of　what　was　done　there　before　I　entered　the　Academy。　I　have　heard　a　great　deal　and　read　a　great　deal；　and　I　am　compelled　to　admit　I　have　doubts　about　much　of　it。　At　the　hands　of　the　officers　of　the　institution　my　treatment　didn't　differ　from　that　of　the　other　cadets　at　all；　and　at　the　hands　of　the　cadets　themselves　it　differed　solely　〃in　the　matter　of　personal　public　association。〃　　I　was　never　persecuted；　or　abused；　or　called　by　approbrious　epithets　in　my　hearing　after　my　first　year。　I　am　told　it　has　been　done；　but　in　my　presence　there　has　never　been　any　thing　but　proper　respect　shown　me。　I　have　mentioned　a　number　of　things　done　to　me　by　cadets；　and　I　have　known　the　same　things　to　be　done　to　white　cadets。　For　instance；　I　was　reported　for　speaking　to　a　sergeant　about　the　discharge　of　his　duty。　（See　Chapter　X。；　latter　part；　on　that　subject。）　The　same　thing　occurred　to　several　members　of　the　class　of　'74。　They　were　ordered　into　the　rear　rank　by　a　sergeant　of　the　second　class；　when　they　were　first…　classmen。　They　were　white。　The　result　was　they　were　all；　three　in　number；　I　think；　put　in　arrest。

Some　New　England　paper　contributes　the　following　articles　to　this　discussion；　parts　of　which　I　quote：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　BIGOT　AND　THE　SNOB

〃The　Hilton…Seligman　controversy　is　one　of　those　incidents　which　illustrate　some　of　the　features　of　our　social　life。　The　facts　can　briefly　be　stated。　A　Jewish　gentleman；　of　wealth　and　position；　applies　for　rooms　at　the　Grand　Union　Hotel；　Saratoga；　and　is　flatly　refused　admission　because　he　is　a　Jew。　The　public　indignation　is　so　great　that　the　manager　of　the　hotel　is　obliged　to　defend　the　act；　and　puts　in　the　plea　that　a　man　has　the　right　to　manage　his　property　as　he　pleases。

〃But　before　our　anger　cools；　let　us　remember　the　case　of　the　colored　cadet　at　West　Point。　During　his　course　he　met　with