henry ossian flipper-第24部分

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the　same　time；　and；　like　them　all；　or　most　of　them；　is　rather　farfetched。　It　is　too　broad。　Its　denunciations　cover　too　much　ground。　They　verge　upon　untruth。

As　to　Conyers　and　McClellan　at　the　Naval　Academy　I　know　nothing。　Of　Napier　I　know　nothing。　Of　Smith　I　prefer　to　say　nothing。　Of　Williams　I　do　express　the　belief　that　his　treatment　was　impartial　and　just。　He　was　regularly　and　rightly　found　deficient　and　duly　dismissed。　The　article　seems　to　imply　that　he　should　not　have　been　〃found〃　and　dismissed　simply　because　he　was　a　negro。　A　very　shallow　reason　indeed；　and　one　〃no　fair…minded　man〃　will　for　an　instant　entertain。

Of　four　years'　life　at　the　Academy；　I　spent　the　first　with　Smith；　rooming　with　him。　During　the　first　half　year　Williams　was　also　in　the　corps　with　us。　The　two　following　years　I　was　alone。　The　next　and　last　year　of　my　course　I　spent　with　Whittaker；　of　South　Carolina。　I　have　thus　had　an　opportunity　to　become　acquainted　with　Smith's　conduct　and　that　of　the　cadets　toward　him。　Smith　had　trouble　under　my　own　eyes　on　more　than　one　occasion；　and　Whittaker*　has　already　received　blows　in　the　face；　but　I　have　not　had　so　much　as　an　angry　word　to　utter。　There　is　a　reason　for　all　this；　and　had　〃Niger　Nigrorum〃　been　better　acquainted　with　it　he　had　never　made　the　blunder　he　has。

*Johnson　Chestnut　Whittaker；　of　Camden；　South　Carolina；　appointed　to　fill　vacancy　created　by　Smith's　dismissal；　after　several　white　candidates　so　appointed　had　failed；　entered　the　Academy　in　September；　1876。　Shortly　after　entering　he　was　struck　in　the　face　by　a　young　man　from　Alabama　for　sneering　at　him；　as　he　said；　while　passing　by　him。　Whittaker　immediately　reported　the　affair　to　the　cadet　officer　of　the　day；　by　whose　efforts　this　belligerent　Alabama　gentleman　was　brought　before　a　court…　martial；　tried；　found　guilty；　and　suspended　for　something　over　six　months；　thus　being　compelled　to　join　the　next　class　that　entered　the　Academy。

I　cannot　venture　more　on　the　treatment　of　colored　cadets　generally　without　disregarding　the　fact　that　this　is　purely　a　narrative　of　my　own　treatment　and　life　at　West　Point。　To　go　further　into　that　subject　would　involve　much　difference　of　opinion；　hard　feelings　in　certain　quarters；　and　would　cause　a　painful　and　needless　controversy。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XI。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RESUME。

JULY　1；　1876！　Only　one　year　more；　and　yet　how　wearily　the　days　come　and　go！　How　anxiously　we　watch　them；　how　eagerly　we　count　them；　as　they　glimmer　in　the　distance；　and　forget　them　as　they　fade！　What　joyous　anticipation；　what　confident　expectation；　what　hope　animates　each　soul；　each　heart；　each　being　of　us！　What　encouragement　to　study　this　longing；　this　impatience　gives　us；　as　if　it　hastened　the　coming　finale！　And　who　felt　it　more　than　I？　Who　could　feel　it　more　than　I？　To　me　it　was　to　be　not　only　an　end　of　study；　of　discipline；　of　obedience　to　the　regulations　of　the　Academy；　but　even　an　end　to　isolation；　to　tacit　persecution；　to　melancholy；　to　suspense。　It　was　to　be　the　grand　realization　of　my　hopes；　the　utter；　the　inevitable　defeat　of　the　minions　of　pride；　prejudice；　caste。　Nor　would　such　consummation　of　hopes　affect　me　only；　or　those　around　me。　Nay；　even　I　was　but　the　point　of　〃primitive　disturbance；〃　whence　emanates　as　if　from　a　focus；　from　a　new　origin；　prayer；　friendly　and　inimical；　to　be　focused　again　into　realization　on　one　side　and　discomfiture　on　the　other。　My　friends；　my　enemies；　centre　their　hopes　on　me。　I　treat　them；　one　with　earnest　endeavor　for　realization；　the　other　with　supremest　indifference。　They　are　deviated　with　varying　anxiety　on　either　side；　and　hence　my　joy；　my　gratitude；　when　I　find；　July　1；　1876；　that　I　am　a　first…classman。

A　first…classman！　The　beginning　of　realization；　for　had　I　not　distanced　all　the　colored　cadets　before　me？　Indeed　I　had；　and　that　with　the　greater　prospect　of　ultimate　success　gave　me　double　cause　for　rejoicing。

A　first…classman！　〃There's　something　prophetic　in　it；〃　for　behold

〃The　country　begins　to　be　agitated　by　the　approaching　graduation　of　young　Flipper；　the　colored　West　Point　cadet　from　Atlanta。　If　he　succeeds　in　getting　into　the　aristocratic　circles　of　the　official　army　there　will　be　a　commotion　for　a　certainty。　Flipper　is　destined　to　be　famous。〃

Such　was　the　nature　of　the　many　editorials　which　appeared　about　this　time；　summer　of　'76。　The　circumstance　was　unusual；　unexpected；　for　it　had　been　predicted　that　only　slaughter　awaited　me　at　that　very　stage；　because　Smith　had　failed　just　there；　just　where　I　had　not。

〃Henry　Flipper；　of　Atlanta；　enjoys　the　distinction　of　being　the　only　negro　cadet　that　the　government　is　cramming　with　food　and　knowledge　at　West　Point。　He　stands　forty…sixth　in　the　third　class；　which　includes　eighty…five　cadets。　A　correspondent　of　the　New　York　Times　says　that；　while　all　concede　Flipper's　progress；　yet　it　is　not　believed　that　he　will　be　allowed　to　graduate。　No　negro　has　passed　out　of　the　institution　a　graduate；　and　it　is　believed　that　Flipper　will　be　eventually　slaughtered　in　one　way　or　another。　The　rule　among　the　regulars　is：　No　darkeys　need　apply。〃

Or　this：

〃Smith's　dismissal　leaves　Henry　Flipper　the　sole　cadet　of　color　at　West　Point。　Flipper's　pathway　will　not　be　strewn　with　roses；　and　we　shall　be　surprised　if　the　Radicals　do　not　compel　him；　within　a　year；　to　seek　refuge　from　a　sea　of　troubles　in　his　father's　quiet　shoe　shop　on　Decatur　Street。〃

Isn't　it　strange　how　some　people　strive　to　drag　everything　into　politics！　A　political　reason　is　assigned　to　every　thing；　and　〃every　thing　is　politics。〃

The　many　editors　who　have　written　on　the　subject　of　the　colored　cadets　have；　with　few　exceptions；　followed　the　more　prejudiced　and　narrow…minded　critics　who　have　attributed　every　thing；　ill…　treatment；　etc。；　to　a　natural　aversion　for　the　negro；　and　to　political　reasons。　They　seem　to　think　it　impossible　for　one　to　discharge　a　duty　or　to　act　with　justice　in　any　thing　where　a　negro　is　concerned。　Now　this　is　unchristian　as　well　as　hasty　and　undeserved。　As　I　have　said　elsewhere　in　my　narrative；　aside　from　the　authorities　being　de　facto　〃officers　and　gentlemen；〃　and　therefore　morally　bound　to　discharge　faithfully　every　duty；　they　are　under　too　great　a　responsibility　to　permit　them　to　act　as　some　have　asserted　for　them；　to　compel　me　〃to　seek　refuge　from　a　sea　of　troubles；〃　or　to　cause　me　to　〃be　eventually　slaughtered　in　one　way　or　another。〃　Who　judges　thus　is　not　disposed　to　judge　fairly；　but　rather　as　suits　some　pet　idea　of　his　own；　to　keep　up　prejudice　and　all　its　curses。

It　would　be　more　Christian；　and　therefore　more　just；　I　apprehend；　to　consider　both　sides　of　the　question；　the　authorities　and　those　under　them。　Other　and　better　reasons　would　be　found　for　some　things　which　have　occurred；　and　reasons　which　would　not　be　based　on　falsehood；　and　which　would　not　tend　to　perpetuate　the　conflict　of　right　and　prejudice。　My　own　success　will　prove；　I　hope；　not　only　that　I　had　sufficient　ability　to　graduatewhich　by　the　way　none　have　questionedbut　also　that　the　authorities　were　not　as　some　have　depicted　them。　This　latter　proof　is　important；　first；　because　it　will　remove　that　fear　which　has　deterred　many　from　seeking；　and　even　from　accepting　appointments　when　offered；　to　which　determent　my　isolation　is　largely　due；　and　second；　because　it　will　add　another　to　the　already　long　list　of　evidences　of　the　integrity　of　our　national　army。

To　return　to　the　last　quotation。　Immediately　after　the　dismissal　of　Smith；　indeed　upon　the　very　day　of　that　event；　it　was　rumored　that　I　intended　to　resign。　I　learned　of　the　rumor　from　various　sources；　only　one　of　which　I　need　mention。

I　was　on　guard　that　day；　and　while　off　duty　an　officer　high　in　rank　came　to　me　and　invited　me　to　visit　him　at　his　quarters　next　day。　I　did　so；　of　course。　His　first　words；　after　greeting；　etc。；　were　to　question　the　truth　of　the　rumor；　and　before　hearing　my　reply；　to　beg　me　to　relinquish　any　such　intention。　He　was　kind　enough　to　give　me　much　excellent　advice；　which　I　have　followed　most　religiously。　He　assured　me　that　prejudice；　if　it　did　exist　among　my　instructors；　would　not　prevent　them　from　treating　me　justly　and　impartially。　I　am　proud　to　testify　now　to　the　truth　of　his　assurance。　He　further　assured　me　that　the　officers　of　the　Academy　and　of　the　army；　and　especially　the　older　ones；　desired　to　have　me　graduate；　and　that　they　would　do　all　within　the　legitimate　exercise　of　their　authority　to　promote　that　end。　This　assurance　has　been　made　me　by　officers　of　nearly　every　grade　in　the　army；　from　the　general　down；　and　has　ever　been　carried　out　by　them　whenever　a　fit　occasion　presented　itself。

Surely　this　is　not　discouraging。　Surely；　too；　it　is　not　causing　me　〃to　seek　refuge　from　a　sea　of　troubles。〃　We　need　only　go　back　to　the　article　quoted　from　the　Era；　and　given　in　Chapter　III。；　to　find　an　explanation　for　this　conduct。

〃We　know　that　any　young　man；　whether　he　be　poor　or　black；　or　both；　may　enter　any　first…class　college　in　America　and　find　warm　sympathetic　friends；　both　among　students　and　faculty；　if　he　but　prove　himself　to　be　possessed　of　some　good　qualities。〃

This　is　the　keynote　to　the　whole　thing。　One　must　not　expect　to　do　as　one　pleases；　whether　that　be　right　or　wrong；　or　right　according　to　some　fanatical　theory；　and　notwithstanding　to　be　dealt　with　in　a　manner　warranted　only　by　the　strictest　notion　of　right。　We　must　force　others　to　treat　us　as　we　wish；　by　giving　them　such　an　example　of　meekness　and　of　good　conduct　as　will　at　least　shame　them　into　a　like　treatment　of　us。　This　is　the　safer　and　surer　method　of　revenge。

〃Therefore　if　thine　enemy　hunger；　feed　him；　if　he　thirst；　give　him　drink；　for　in　so　doing　thou　shalt　heap　coals　of　fire　on　his　head。〃

To　proceed：　I　am　undoubtedly　a　first…classman。　None　other　has　enjoyed　that　eminence。　There　are　many　honors　and　responsibilities　incident　to　that　position　or　rank。　First…classmen　have　authority　at　times　over　their　fellow…　cadets。　How　will　it　be　when　I　come　to　have　that　authority？　Will　that　same　coldness　and　distance　be　manifested　as　hitherto？　These　are　important　questions。　I　shall　be　brought　necessarily　into　closer　relations　with　the　cadets　than　before。　How　will　they　accept　such　relationship？　　The　greatest　proof　of　their　personal　con