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hat　thy　days　may　be　long　upon　the　land　which　the　Lord　thy　God　giveth　thee；〃　in　that　they　have　profited　by　their　teaching　both　mentally　and　morally。

On　the　other　hand；　we　hear　from　many　the　very　worst　possible　language。　Some　make　pardonable　errors；　while　others　make　blunders　for　which　there　can　be　no　excuse　save　ignorance。　Judging　their　character　by　their　speech；　what　a　sad　condition　must　be　theirs；　and　more；　what　a　need　for　missionary　work！

This　state　of　affairs　gives　way　in　the　second；　and　often　in　the　first　year；　to　instruction　and　discipline。　West　Point's　greatest　glory　arises　from　her　unparalleled　success　in　polishing　these　rough　specimens　and　sending　them　forth　〃officers　and　gentlemen。〃　No　college　in　the　country　has　such　a　〃heterogeneous　conglomeration〃to　quote　Dr。　Johnsonof　classes。　The　highest　and　lowest　are　represented。　The　glory　of　free　America；　her　recognition　of　equality　of　all　men；　is　not　so　apparent　anywhere　else　as　at　West　Point。　And　were　prejudice　entirely　obliterated；　then　would　America　in　truth　be　that　Utopia　of　which　so　many　have　but　dreamed。　It　is　rapidly　giving　way　to　better　reason；　and　the　day　is　not　far　distant　when　West　Point　will　stand　forth　as　the　proud　exponent　of　absolute　social　equality。　Prejudice　weakens；　and　ere　long　will　fail　completely。　The　advent　of　general　education　sounds　its　death　knell。　And　may　the　day　be　not　afar　off　when　America　shall　proclaim　her　emancipation　from　the　basest　of　all　servitudes；　the　subservience　to　prejudice！

After　feeling　reasonably　sure　of　success；　I　have　often　thought　that　my　good　treatment　was　due　in　a　measure　to　a　sort　of　apprehension　on　the　part　of　the　cadets　that；　when　I　should　come　to　exercise　command　over　them；　I　would　use　my　authority　to　retaliate　for　any　ill…treatment　I　had　suffered。　I　have　thought　this　the　case　with　those　especially　who　have　been　reared　in　the　principles　of　prejudice；　and　often　in　none　other；　for　〃prejudices；　it　is　well　known；　are　the　most　difficult　to　eradicate　from　the　heart　whose　soil　has　never　been　loosened　or　fertilized　by　education。　They　grow　there　as　firm　as　weeds　among　rocks。〃

When　the　time　did　come；　and　I　proved　by　purely　gentlemanly　conduct　that　it　was　no　harder；　no　more　dishonorable；　to　be　under　me　than　under　others；　this　reserve　vanished　to　a　very　great　extent。　I　might　mention　instances　in　which　this　is　evident。

At　practical　engineering；　one　day；　three　of　us　were　making　a　gabion。　One　was　putting　in　the　watling；　another　keeping　it　firmly　down；　while　I　was　preparing　it。　I　had　had　some　instruction　on　a　previous　day　as　to　how　it　should　be　made；　but　the　two　others　had　not。　When　they　had　put　in　the　watling　to　within　the　proper　distance　of　the　top　they　began　trimming　off　the　twigs　and　butt　ends　of　the　withes。　I　happened　to　turn　toward　the　gabion　and　observed　what　they　were　doing。　In　a　tone　of　voice；　and　with　a　familiarity　that　surprised　my　own　self；　I　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　don't　do　that。　Don't　you　see　if　you　cut　those　off　before　sewing；　the　whole　thing　will　come　to　pieces？　Secure　the　ends　first　and　then　cut　off　the　twigs。〃

They　stopped　working；　listened　attentively；　and　one　of　them　replied；　〃Yes；　that　would　be　the　most　sensible　way。〃　I　proceeded　to　show　them　how　to　sew　the　watling　and　to　secure　the　ends。　They　were　classmates。　They　listened　to　my　voluntary　instruction　and　followed　it　without　a　thought　of　who　gave　it；　or　any　feeling　of　prejudice。

At　foot　battery　drill　one　day　I　was　chief　of　piece。　After　a　time　the　instructor　rested　the　battery。　The　cannoneers　at　my　piece；　instead　of　going　off　and　sitting　down；　gathered　around　me　and　asked　questions　about　the　nomenclature　of　the　piece　and　its　carriage。　〃What　is　this？〃　〃What　is　it　for？〃　and　many　others。　They　were　third…classmen。　Certainly　there　was　no　prejudice　in　this。　　Certainly；　too；　it　could　only　be　due　to　good　conduct　on　my　part。　And　here　is　another。

Just　after　taps　on　the　night　of　July　12th；　1876；　while　lying　in　my　tent　studying　the　stars；　I　happened　to　overhear　a　rather　angry　conversation　concerning　my　unfortunate　self。

It　seems　the　cadet　speaking　had　learned　beforehand　that　he　and　myself　would　be　on　duty　a　few　days　hence；　myself　as　senior　and　he　as　junior　officer　of　the　guard。　His　chums　were　teasing　him　on　his　misfortune　of　being　under　me　as　junior；　which　act　caused　him　to　enter　into　a　violent　panegyric　upon　me。　He　began　by　criticising　my　military　aptitude　and　the　manner　in　which　I　was　treated　by　the　authorities；　that　is；　by　the　cadet　officers；　as　is　apparent　from　what　follows：

〃That　nigger；〃　said　he；　〃don't　keep　dressed。　Sometimes　he's　'way　head　of　the　line。　He　swings　his　arms；　and　does　other　things　not　half　as　well　as　other　'devils；'　and　yet　he's　not　'skinned'　for　it。〃

What　a　severe　comment　upon　the　way　in　which　the　file…　closers　discharge　their　duties！　Severe；　indeed；　it　would　be　were　it　true。　It　is　hardly　reasonable；　I　think；　to　suppose　the　file…closers；　in　the　face　of　prejudice　and　the　probability　of　being　〃cut；〃　would　permit　me　to　do　the　things　mentioned　with　impunity；　while　they　reported　even　their　own　classmates　for　them。

And　here　again　we　see　the　fox　and　sour　grapes。　The　gentleman　who　so　honored　me　with　his　criticism　was　junior　to　me　in　every　branch　of　study　we　had　taken　up　to　that　time　except　in　French。　I　was　his　senior　in　tactics　by　well；　to　give　the　number　of　files　would　be　to　specify　him　too　closely　and　make　my　narrative　too　personal。　Suffice　it　to　say　I　ranked　him；　and　I　rather　fancy；　as　I　did　not　gain　that　position　by　favoritism；　but　by　study　and　proficiency；　he　should　not　venture　to　criticise。　But　so　it　is　all　through　life；　at　West　Point　as　well　as　elsewhere。　Malcontents　are　ever　finding　faults　in　others　which　they　never　think　of　discovering　in　themselves。

When　the　time　came　the　detail　was　published　at　parade；　and　next　day　we　duly　marched　on　guard。　When　I　appeared　on　the　general　parade　in　full　dress；　I　noticed　mischievous　smiles　on　more　than　one　face；　for　the　majority　of　the　corps　had　turned　out　to　see　me。　I　walked　along；　proudly　unconscious　of　their　presence。

Although　I　went　through　the　ceremony　of　guard　mounting　without　a　single　blunder；　I　was　not　at　all　at　ease。　I　inspected　the　front　rank；　while　my　junior　inspected　the　rear。　I　was　sorely　displeased　to　observe　some　of　the　cadets　change　color　as　they　tossed　up　their　pieces　for　my　inspection；　and　that　they　watched　me　as　I　went　through　that　operation。　Some　of　them　were　from　the　South；　and　educated　to　consider　themselves　far　superior　to　those　of　whom　they　once　claimed　the　right　of　possession。　I　know　it　was　to　them　most　galling；　and　although　I　fully　felt　the　responsibility　and　honor　of　commanding　the　guard；　I　frankly　and　candidly　confess　that　I　found　no　pleasure　in　their　apparent　humiliation。

I　am　as　a　matter　of　course　opposed　to　prejudice；

but　I　nevertheless　hold　that　those　who　are　not　have　just　as　much　right　to　their　opinions　on　the　matter　as　they　would　have　to　any　one　of　the　various　religious　creeds。　We　in　free　America　at　least　would　not　be　justified　in　forcing　them　to　renounce　their　views　or　beliefs　on　race　and　color　any　more　than　those　on　religion。

We　can　sometimes；　by　so　living　that　those　who　differ　from　us　in　opinion　respecting　any　thing　can　find　no　fault　with　us　or　our　creed；　influence　them　to　a　just　consideration　of　our　views；　and　perhaps　persuade　them　unconsciously　to　adopt　our　way　of　thinking。　　And　just　so　it　is；　I　think；　with　prejudice。　There　is　a　certain　dignity　in　enduring　it　which　always　evokes　praise　from　those　who　indulge　it；　and　also　often　discovers　to　them　their　error　and　its　injustice。

Knowing　that　it　would　be　unpleasant　to　my　junior　to　have　to　ask　my　permission　to　do　this　or　that；　and　not　wishing　to　subject　him　to　more　mortification　than　was　possible；　I　gave　him　all　the　latitude　I　could；　telling　him　to　use　his　own　discretion；　and　that　he　need　not　ask　my　permission　for　any　thing　unless　he　chose。

This　simple　act；　forgotten　almost　as　soon　as　done；　was　in　an　exceedingly　short　time　known　to　every　cadet　throughout　the　camp；　and　I　had　the　indescribable　pleasure；　some　days　after；　of　knowing　that　by　it　I　had　been　raised　many　degrees　in　the　estimation　of　the　corps。　Nor　did　this　knowledge　remain　in　camp。　It　was　spread　all　over　the　Point。　The　act　was　talked　of　and　praised　by　the　cadets　wherever　they　went；　and　their　conversations　were　repeated　to　me　many　times　by　different　persons。

When　on　guard　again　I　was　the　junior；　and　of　course　subject　to　the　orders　of　the　senior。　He　came　to　me　voluntarily；　and　in　almost　my　own　words　gave　me　exactly　the　same　privileges　I　had　given　my　junior；　who　was　a　chum　of　my　present　senior。　In　view　of　the　ostracism　and　isolation　to　which　I　had　been　subjected；　it　was　expected　that　I　would　be　severe；　and　use　my　authority　to　retaliate。　When；　however；　I　did　a　more　Christian　act；　did　to　others　as　I　would　have　them　do　to　me；　and　not　as　they　had　sometimes　done；　I　gave　cause　for　a　similar　act　of　good…will；　which　was　in　a　degree　beyond　all　expectation　accorded　me。

Indeed；　while　we　are　all　prone　to　err；　we　are　also　very　apt　to　do　to　others　as　they　really　do　to　us。　If　they　treat　us　well；　we　treat　them　well；　if　badly；　we　treat　them　so　also。　I　believe　such　to　be　in　accordance　with　our　nature；　and　if　we　do　not　always　do　so　our　failure　is　due　to　some　influence　apart　from　our　better　reason；　if　we　do　not　treat　them　well；　or　our　first　impulse　if　we　do。　If　now；　on　the　contrary；　I　had　been　severe　and　unnecessarily　imperious　because　of　my　power；　I　should　in　all　probability　have　been　treated　likewise；　and　would　have　fallen　and　not　have　risen　in　the　estimation　of　the　cadets。

It　has　often　occurred　to　me　that　the　terms　〃prejudice　of　race；　of　color；〃　etc。；　were　misnomers；　and　for　this　reason。　As　soon　as　I　show　that　I　have　some　good　qualities；　do　some　act　of　kindness　in　spite　of　insult；　my　color　is　forgotten　and　I　am　well　treated。　　Again；　I　have　observed　that　colored　men　of　character　and　intellectual　ability　have　been　treated　as　men　should　be　by　all；　whether　friends　or　enemies；　that　is　to　say；　no　prejudice　of　color　or　race　has　ever　been　manifested。

I　have　been　so　treated　by　men　I　knew　to　beto　use　a　political　term〃vile　democrats。〃　Unfortunately　a　bad　temper；　precipitation；　stubbornness；　and　like　qualities；　all　due　to　non…education；　are　too　often　attributes　of　colored　men