henry ossian flipper-第40章

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He　remarked　that　he　knew　it　was　one　of　the　requirements　of　an　officer　of　the　army　to　be　a　gentleman；　a　man　of　honor　and　integrity　under　all　circumstances；　and　he　hoped　to　be　equal　to　his　duties　in　this　regard。　He　goes　on　to　Fort　Concho　to　join　his　regiment；　which　is　likely　to　have　work　to　do　soon；　if　there　is　anything　in　the　signs　of　the　times。

〃We　bespeak　for　this　young　officer　the　just　consideration　to　which　the　difficulties　of　his　position　entitle　him。〃

I　was　originally　ordered　to　Fort　Concho；　but　at　Houston；　Texas　I　met　my　lieutenant…colonel；　who　informed　me　that　My　company　was　en　route　to　Fort　Sill。　My　orders　were　then　changed；　and　I　proceeded　to　Sill。

Here　is　another　article　from　a　paper　in　the　same　place：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DIFFERENCE。

〃The　Age　yesterday　had　a　call　from　Henry　O。　Flipper　second　lieutenant　Tenth　United　States　Cavalry；　who　is　on　his　way　under　orders　to　join　his　regiment　at　Fort　Concho。　So　far　there　is　nothing　very　unusual　in　this　item；　but　interest　will　be　given　to　it　when　we　add　that　Lieutenant　Flipper　is　the　first　colored　graduate　of　West　Point。　He　went　to　the　institution　from　Georgia；　and　graduated　last　June；　fifty…fifth　in　a　class　of　seventy…six。　There　is　a　preponderance　of　white　blood　in　his　veins；　and　in　general　appearance；　except　for　color；　he　is　a　perfect　image　of　Senator　Plumb　of　Kansas。　He　reports　that　since　he　has　struck　the　South　he　has　been　treated　like　a　gentleman；　which　is　something　different　from　his　experience　in　the　North。　He　made　the　acquaintance　of　Senator　Maxey　at　West　Point　the　Senator　himself　being　a　graduate　of　the　Academyand　regards　him　as　a　very　pleasant　gentleman。　During　the　ten　minutes　he　spent　in　the　Age　editorial　rooms　several　prominent　democrats　of　the　city　called　to　see　and　shake　hands　with　him；　partly　out　of　curiosity　to　see　the　colored　cadet　who　was　so　bitterly　persecuted　by　Northern　students　at　West　Point；　and　partly　to　bid　him　a　welcome　to　the　South　such　as　none　of　his　political　party　friends　would　have　thought　of　giving　him　in　the　North。　Before　many　years　he　will　be；　as　all　intelligent　colored　men　will　be；　a　democrat。〃

Wherever　I　have　travelled　in　the　South　it　has　been　thrown　into　my　face　that　the　Southern　people　had；　would；　and　did　treat　me　better　than　the　Northern　people。　This　is　wholly　untrue。　It　is　true　that　the　men　generally　speak　kindly　and　treat　me　with　due　courtesy；　but　never　in　a　single　instance　has　a　Southern　man　introduced　me　to　his　wife　or　even　invited　me　to　his　house。　It　was　done　North　in　every　place　I　stopped。　In　many　cases；　when　invited　to　visit　gentlemen's　residences；　they　have　told　me　they　wanted　their　wives　to　meet　me。　A　distinguished　New　York　lady；　whose　name　has　occurred　in　print　several　times　with　mine；　gave　me　with　her　own　hands　a　handsome　floral　tribute；　just　after　receiving　my　diploma。　During　five　months'　stay　in　the　South；　after　my　graduation；　not　a　single　Southern　white　woman　spoke　to　me。　I　mistake。　I　did　buy　some　articles　from　one　who　kept　a　book…store　in　a　country　town　in　Georgia。　This　is　the　only　exception。　This　is　the　way　Southern　people　treated　me　better　than　Northern　people。　The　white　people　（men）　of　Houston；　Texas；　showed　me　every　possible　courtesy　while　I　was　there。　My　treatment　there　was　in　high　and　honorable　contrast　to　that　I　received　in　Atlanta。

Here　are　two　articles　that　have　a　few　words　to　say　about　me。　I　adopt　and　quote　them　at　length：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　（From　the　New　York　Tribune。）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WEST　POINT。

〃The　examinations　of　the　boys　in　the　national　school　have　become　an　object　of　national　interest　this　year　more　than　any　other；　simply　because　there　is　a　stagnation　of　other　news。　While　the　public　is　waiting　for　an　outbreak　from　Kars　or　the　new　party；　it　has　leisure　to　look　into　the　condition　of　these　incipient　officers。　Hence　reporters　have　crowded　to　West　Point；　the　Board　of　Visitors　and　cadets　have　both　been　quickened　to　unwonted　zeal　by　the　consciousness　of　the　blaze　of　notoriety　upon　them；　and　the　country　has　read　with　satisfaction　each　morning　of　searching　examinations　and　sweeping　cavalry　charges；　giving　a　shrug　however；　at　the　enthusiastic　recommendation　of　certain　members　of　the　board　that　the　number　of　yearly　appointments　should　be　doubled　or　quadrupled。　In　this　cold　ague　of　economy　with　which　the　nation　is　attacked　just　now；　and　which　leaves　old　army　officers　unpaid　for　a　disagreeably　long　time；　the　chances　of　any　addition　to　the　flock　in　the　nest　are　exceedingly　small。　In　fact；　while　the　average　American　in　war　time　recognized　the　utility　of　a　trained　band　of　tacticians；　he　is　apt　to　grumble　at　their　drain　upon　his　pocket　in　piping　times　of　peace。　Only　last　year　he　relieved　himself　in　Congress　and　elsewhere　by　a　good　deal　of　portentous　talking　as　to　the　expediency　of　doing　away　with　the　naval　and　military　free　schools　altogether。　He　has；　in　short；　pretty　much　the　opinion　of　the　army　officer　that　Hodge　has　of　his　parish　priest；　'useful　enough　for　Sundays　and　funerals；　but　too　consumedly　expensive　a　luxury　for　week　days。'

〃This　opinion；　no　doubt；　appears　simply　ludicrous　and　vulgar　to　the　gallant　young　fellows　who　are　being　trained　for　their　country's　service　up　the　Hudson；　and　who　already　look　upon　themselves　as　its　supports　and　bulwarks；　but　there　is　a　substratum　of　common…sense　in　it　which　we　commend　to　their　consideration；　because；　if　for　no　other　reason；　that　the　average　American　is　the　man　who　pays　their　bills　and　to　whom　they　owe　their　education　and　future　livelihood。　If　they　do　not　accept　his　idea　of　the　conduct　and　motives　of　action　by　which　they　may　properly　repay　him　the　debt　they　owe；　it　certainly　is　fitting　that　their　own　idea　should　be　indisputably　a　higher　one。　We　begin　to　doubt　whether　it　is　not　much　lower。　The　country；　in　establishing　this　school；　simply　proposed　to　train　a　band　of　men　skilled　to　serve　it　when　needed　as　tacticians；　engineers；　or　disciplinarians；　the　more　these　men　founded　their　conduct　on　the　bases　of　good　sense；　honor；　and　republican　principles；　the　better　and　higher　would　be　their　service。　The　idea　of　the　boys　themselves；　however；　within　later　years；　seems　to　be　that　they　constitute　an　aristocratic　class　（moved　by　any　thing　but　republican　principles）　entitled　to　lay　down　their　own　laws　of　good…breeding　and　honor。　Accounts　which　reach　us　of　their　hazing；　etc。；　and　notably　their　treatment　of　the　colored　cadets；　show　that　these　notions　are　quite　different　from　those　accepted　elsewhere。　　Now　such　ideas　would　be　natural　in　pupils　of　the　great　French　or　Austrian　military　schools；　where　admission　testifies　to　high　rank　by　birth　or　to　long；　patient　achievement　on　the　part　of　the　student。　But　really　our　boys　at　West　Point　must　remember　that　they　belong　to　a　nation　made　up　of　working　and　trades　men；　that　they　are　the　sons　of　just　such　people；　that　the　colored　laborer　helps　to　pay　for　their　support　as　well　as　that　of　the　representative　of　his　race　who　sits　beside　them。　Furthermore；　they　have　done　nothing　as　yet　to　entitle　them　to　assume　authority　in　such　matters。　They　have　recited　certain　lessons；　learned　to　drill　and　ride；　and　to　wear　their　clothes　with　precision；　but　something　more　is　needed。　The　knight　of　old　was　skilled　in　gentleness　and　fine　courtesy　to　the　weak　and　unfortunate　as　well　as　in　horsemanship。　It　was　his　manners；　not　his　trousers；　which　were　beyond　reproach。

〃It　is　not　as　trifling　a　matter　as　it　seems　that　these　young　fellows　should　thus　imbibe　mistaken　ideas　of　their　own　position　or　the　requirements　of　real　manliness　and　good…breeding。　The　greatest　mistakes　in　the　war　were　in　consequence　of　just　such　defects　in　some　of　our　leading　officers；　and　the　slaughter　of　the　Indians　in　the　South…　West　upon　two　occasions　proceeded　from　their　inability　to　recognize　the　rights　of　men　of　a　different　color　from　themselves。　Even　in　trifles；　however；　such　matters　follow　the　rule　of　inexorable　justiceas；　for　instance；　in　this　case　of　Cadet　Flipper；　who　under　ordinary　circumstances　might　have　passed　without　notice；　but　is　now　known　from　one　end　of　the　country　to　the　other　as　a　credit　to　his　profession　in　scholarship；　pluck；　and　real　dignity；　while　his　classmates　are　scarcely　mentioned；　though　higher　in　rank；　except　in　relation　to　their　cruel　and　foolish　conduct　toward　him。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（From　the　New　York　World。）

〃WEST　POINT；　August　29。In　my　earnest　desire　to　do　justice　to　the　grand　ball　last　night　I　neglected　to　mention　the　arrival　of　the　new　colored　candidate　for　admission　into　the　United　States；　Military　Academy；　although　I　saw　him　get　off　at　the　steamboat　lauding　and　was　a　witness　to　the　supreme　indifference　with　which　he　was　treated；　save　by　a　few　personal　friends。　Minnie　passed　the　physical　examination　easily；　for　he　is　a　healthy　mulatto。　Whether　this　stern　Alma　Mater　will　matriculate　him　is　still　a　question。　　It　is　really　astonishing；　and　perhaps　alarming；　in　view　of　the　enthusiastic　endeavors　of　the　Republican　party　to　confer　upon　the　colored　race　all　the　rights　and　privileges　of　citizens　of　the　United　States；　to　see　with　what　lofty　contempt　every　candidate　for　academic　honors　who　is　in　the　slightest　degree　'off　color；'　is　received。　As　you　are　aware；　there　is　at　present　a　colored；　or　partly　colored；　cadet　in　the　Freshman　ClassWhittaker　by　name。　This　poor　young　mulatto　is　completely　ostracized　not　only　by　West　Point　society；　but　most　thoroughly　by　the　corps　of　cadets　itself。　Flipper　got　through　all　right；　and；　strange　to　say；　the　cadets　seem　to　have　a　certain　kind　of　respect　for　him；　although　he　was　the　darkest　'African'　that　has　yet　been　seen　among　the　West　Point　cadets。　　Flipper　had　remarkable　pluck　and　nerve；　and　was　accorded　his　parchmentwell　up　on　the　list；　tooat　last　graduation　day。　He　is　made　of　sterner　staff　than　poor　Whittaker。

〃A　most　surprising　fact　is　that　not　one　of　the　cadets　and　I　think　I　might　safely　include　the　professors　tries　to　dissemble　his　animosity　for　the　black；　mulatto；　or　octoroon　candidate。　When　I　asked　a　cadet　to…day　some　questions　concerning　the　treatment　of　Cadet　Whittaker　by　the　corps；　he　said　：　'Oh；　we　get　along　very　well；　sir。　　The　cadets　simply　ignore　him；　and　he　understands　very　well　that　we　do　not　intend　to　associate　with　him。'　This　cadet　and　several　others　were　asked　whether　Minnie；　if　admitted；　would　also　be　ostracized　socially。　Their　only　answer　was：　'Certainly；　that　is　well　understood　by　all。　We　don't　associate　with　these　men；　but　they　have　all　the　rights　that　we　have　nevertheless。'　I　asked　if　he　knew　whether　Whittaker　attended　the　ball　last　night。　The　cadet　said　he　didn't　see　him　at　the　ball；　but　that　he　might　have　been　looking　on　from　the　front　stoop！　'How　does　this　young　man　Whittaker　usually　amuse　himself　when　the　rest　of　the　boys　are　at　play？'　I　asked。　　'Well；　we　don't　get　much　play；　and　I　think　that　Whittaker　has　as　much　as　he　can　do　to　attend　to　his　studies。　He　managed　to　pull　through　at　last　examination；　but　I　doubt　if　he　ever　graduates；'　was　the　reply。　Meeting　another　cadet　to　whom　I　had　been　introduced　I　asked　what　he　had　heard　of　the　prospects　of　the　new　colored　candidate；　Minnie。　'I　haven't　heard　any　thing；　but　I　hope　he　won't　get　through；'　said　the　cadet。　Another　cadet　who　stood　near　said　that　the　case　of　Flipper；　who　graduated　so　successfully；　was　an　exceptional　one。　Flipper　didn't　care　for　any　t