henry ossian flipper-第27节

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！



〃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　convictions　will　be　manifested　in　their　conduct　here。　If　they　evade　my　authority；　or　are　stubborn　or　disobedient；　then　are　their　convictions　unfriendly　indeed。　But　if　kind；　generous；　willing　to　assist；　to　advise；　to　obey；　to　respect　myself　as　well　as　my　office；　then　are　they；　as　I　ever　believed

them　to　be；　gentlemen　in　all　that　recognizes　no　prejudice；　no　caste；　nothing　inconsistent　with　manhood。

There　are　certain　privileges　accorded　to　first…classmen　which　the　other　classes　do　not　enjoy。　The　privates　of　the　first　class　do　duty　as　officers　of　the　guard；　as　company　officers　at　company　and　battalion　drills；　at　light　battery　drills；　and　at　other　drills　and　ceremonies。　In　all　these　cases　they　have　command　of　other　cadets。　These　cadets　are　subject　to　their　orders　and　are　liable　to　be　reportedindeed　such　is　requiredfor　disobedience；　stubbornness；　or　for　any　thing　prejudicial　to　good　order　and　good　discipline。

In　this　fact　is　a　reasonthe　only　one；　I　think；　which　will　in　any　manner　account　for　the　unpardonable　reserve　of　many　of　the　cadets。　To　be　subject　to　me；　to　my　orders；　was　to　them　an　unbearable　torture。　As　they　looked　forward　to　the　time　when　I　should　exercise　command　over　them；　they　could　not　help　feeling　the　mortification　which　would　be　upon　them。

I　must　modify　my　statement。　They　may　be　prejudiced；　and　yet　gentlemen；　and　if　gentlemen　they　will　not　evade　authority　even　though　vested　in　me。

We　go　into　camp　at　West　Point　on　the　17th　of　June；　'76　for　ten　days。　During　all　that　time　I　enjoy　all　the　privileges　of　first…classmen。　Nothing　is　done　to　make　it　unpleasant　or　in　any　way　to　discourage　or　dishearten　me。　We　go　to　Philadelphia。　We　visit　the　Centennial；　and　there　not　only　is　the　same　kindness　shown　me；　but　I　find　a　number　of　cadets　accost　me　whenever　we　meet；　on　the　avenues　and　streets；　on　the　grounds　and　in　the　city。　They　ask　questions；　converse；　answer　questions。　This　occurred　several　times　at　the　Southern　Restaurant；　as　well　as　elsewhere。　After　the　parade　on　the　4th　of　July；　every　kindness　was　shown　me。　Those　cadets　near　me　bought　lemons；　lemonade；　etc；　and　shared　with　me；　and　when；　on　another　occasion；　I　was　the　purchaser；　they　freely　partook　of　my　〃good　cheer。〃　What　conclusion　shall　I　draw　from　this？　That　they　are　unfriendly　or　prejudiced？　I　fain　would　drop　my　pen　and　burn　my　manuscript　if　for　even　an　instant　I　thought　it　possible。　And　yet　how　shall　I　explain　away　this　bit　of　braggadocio　in　the　words　italicized　in　this　article　from　the　Philadelphia　Times？

〃The　Color　Line。One　of　the　first…classmen　is　Mr。　Flipper；　of　Georgia；　a　young　colored　man。　'We　don't　have　any　thing　to　do　with　him　off　duty；'　said　one　of　the　cadets　yesterday。　'We　don't　even　speak　to　him。　Of　course　we　have　to　eat　with　him；　and　drill　with　him；　and　go　on　guard　with　him；　but　that　ends　it。　Outside　of　duty；　we　don't　know　him。'　'Is　he　intelligent？'　'Yes；　he　stands　high　in　his　class；　and　I　see　no　reason　to　doubt　that　he　will　graduate　next　June。　He　has　the　negro