henry ossian flipper-第41节

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Here　is　the　manner　of　ceremony　we　had　on　that　day；　as　reported　in　the　New　York　Times：

〃The　concluding　ceremony　in　the　graduation　exercises　at　the　West　Point　Academy　took　place　this　morning；　when　the　diplomas　were　awarded　to　the　graduates。　The　ceremony　took　place　in　the　open　air　under　the　shadow　of　the　maple　trees；　which　form　almost　a　grove　in　front　of　the　Academy　building。　Seats　had　been　arranged　here　for　the　spectators；　so　as　to　leave　a　hollow　square；　on　one　side　of　which；　behind　a　long　table；　sat　the　various　dignitaries　who　were　to　take　part　in　the　proceedings。　In　front　of　them；　seats　were　arranged　for　the　graduating　class。　The　cadets　formed　line　in　front　of　the　barracks　at　10。30；　and；　preceded　by　the　band　playing　a　stirring　air；　marched　to　the　front　of　the　Academy　building。　The　first　class　came　without　their　arms；　the　other　classes　formed　a　sort　of　escort　of　honor　to　them。　The　graduating　class　having　taken　their　seats；　the　other　classes　stacked　arms　and　remained　standing　in　line　around　the　square。　The　proceedings　were　opened　by　an　address　from　Professor　Thompson；　of　the　School　of　Technology；　Worcester　Mass。；　who　is　the　Chairman　of　the　Board　of　Visitors。〃

And　thus　after　four　years　of　constant　work　amid　many　difficulties　did　I　obtain　my　reward。

〃Lieutenant　H。　O。　Flipper　was　the　only　cadet　who　received　the　cheers　of　the　assembled　multitude　at　West　Point　upon　receiving　his　parchment。　How　the　fellows　felt　who　couldn't　associate　with　him　we　do　not　know；　but　as　the　old　Christian　woman　said；　they　'couldn't　a　been　on　the　mountain　top。'〃　Christian　Recorder。

Victor　Hugo　says　somewhere　in　his　works　that　he　who　drains　a　marsh　must　necessarily　expect　to　hear　the　frogs　croak。　I　had　graduated；　and　of　course　the　newspapers　had　to　have　a　say　about　it。　Some　of　the　articles　are　really　amusing。　I　couldn't　help　laughing　at　them　when　I　read　them。　Here　is　something　from　the　New　York　Herald　which　is　literally　true：

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃MR。　BLAINE　AND　THE　COLORED　CADET。

〃Senator　James　G。　Blaine；　with　his　wife　and　daughter　and　Miss　Dodge　（'Gail　Hamilton'）　left　at　noon　yesterday　in　anticipation　of　the　rush。　Before　going　the　Senator　did　a　very　gracious　and　kindly　deed　in　an　unostentatious　way。　Sending　for　Flipper；　the　colored　cadet；　he　said：

〃'I　don't　know　that　you　have　any　political　friends　in　your　own　State；　Mr。　Flipper；　and　you　may　find　it　necessary　to　have　an　intermediary　in　Congress　to　help　you　out　of　your　difficulties。　I　want　you　to　consider　me　your　friend；　and　call　upon　me　for　aid　when　you　need　it。'

〃With　that　he　shook　the　lad's　hand　and　bade　him　good…by。

〃Bishop　Quintard；　of　Tennessee；　and　Senator　Maxey；　of　Texas；　also　complimented　the　pioneer　graduate　of　the　colored　race　upon　his　conduct　throughout　the　four　years　of　his　training；　and　proffered　their　sympathy　and　assistance。　With　these　encouragements　from　prominent　men　of　both　political　parties　the　young　man　seemed　deeply　touched；　and　thanking　them　suitably　he　returned　with　a　light　heart　to　his　quarters。〃

It　was　so　very　kind　of　the　distinguished　senators　and　bishop。　I　valued　these　congratulations　almost　as　much　as　my　diploma。　　They　were　worth　working　and　enduring　for。

The　New　York　Herald　again　speaks；　and　that　about　not　hearing　my　voice；　etc。；　made　me　〃larf。〃　Here　is　the　article：

　　　　　〃THE　COLORED　CADET'S　EXPERIENCE　AND　PROSPECTS。

〃Flipper；　the　colored　cadet；　who　graduates　pretty　well　up　in　his　class；　said　to　me　to…day　that　he　is　determined　to　get　into　either　the　Ninth　or　Tenth　colored　cavalry　regiment　if　possible。　He　seems　to　be　very　happy　in　view　of　the　honorable　close　of　his　academic　career；　and　entertains　little　doubt　that　he　can　procure　the　appointment　he　wishes。　When　asked　whether　he　was　not　aware　that　there　was　a　law　providing　that　even　colored　troops　must　be　officered　by　white　men；　he　replied　that　he　had　heard　something　of　that　years　ago；　but　did　not　think　it　was　true。　'If　there　is　such　a　law；'　he　said　emphatically；　but　with　good　humor；　'it　is　unconstitutional　and　cannot　be　enforced。'　He　added　that　several　weeks　ago　he　wrote　to　a　prominent　gentleman　in　Alabama　to　inquire　what　the　existing　law　on　the　subject　was；　and　had　not　yet　received　an　answer。　I　questioned　him　about　his　experience　in　the　Academy；　And　he　said　that　he　had　suffered　but　little　on　account　of　his　race。　The　first　year　was　very　hard；　as　the　class　all　made　their　dislike　manifest　in　a　variety　of　ways。　'That；'　he　said；　'was　in　a　great　measure　caused　by　the　bad　conduct　of　Smith；　the　colored　cadet　who　preceded　me。　When　the　class　found　out　that　I　was　not　like　him；　they　treated　me　well。　The　professors　act　toward　me　in　every　respect　as　toward　the　others；　and　the　cadets；　I　think；　do　not　dislike　me。　But　they　don't　associate　with　me。　I　don't　care　for　that。　If　they　don't　want　to　speak　to　me　I　don't　want　them　to；　I'm　sure。'　Save　in　the　recitation…　room　Flipper　never　heard　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　for　months　and　months　at　a　time；　but　he　was　kept　so　hard　at　work　all　the　time　that　he　did　not　mind　it。　If　he　should　join　a　regiment；　however；　he　would　be　more　alone　even　than　he　has　been　here；　for　the　association　with　other　officers　in　the　line　of　duty　would　not　be　so　close　as　it　has　been　with　the　cadets。　He　would　be　isolated　ostracizedand　he　would　feel　it　more　keenly；　because　he　would　have　more　leisure　for　social　intercourse；　and　his　mind　would　not　be　so　occupied　as　it　has　been　here　with　studies。

〃Senator　Blaine；　in　the　course　of　a　conversation　last　night；　thought　the　career　of　Flipper　would　be　to　go　South　and　become　a　leader　of　his　race。　He　could　in　that　way　become　famous；　and　could　accomplish　much　good　for　the　country。〃　。　。　。　。

When　I　entered　the　Academy　I　saw　in　a　paper　something　about　colored　officers　being　put　in　white　regiments；　etc。　It　purported　to　be　a　conversation　with　the　then　Secretary　of　War；　who　said　there　was　such　a　law；　and　that　it　would　be　enforced。　The　then　Secretary　of　War　has　since　told　me　he　was　sure　there　was　such　a　law；　until　to　satisfy　himself　he　searched　the　Revised　Statutes；　when　he　found　he　was　mistaken。

I　have　mentioned　elsewhere　the　untruthfulness　of　the　statement　that　I　never　heard　my　own　voice　except　in　The　recitation…room。　Every　one　must　know　that　could　not　be　true。　The　statement　is　hardly　worth　a　passing　remark。

〃If　he　should　join　a　regiment；　however；〃　etc。　Ah！　well；　I　have　joined　my　regiment　long　ago。　Let　me　say；　before　I　go　further；　I　am　putting　this　manuscript　in　shape　for　the　press；　and　doing　it　in　my　quarters　at　Fort　Sill；　I。　T。　These　remarks　are　inserted　apropos　of　this　article。　From　the　moment　I　reached　Sill　I　haven't　experienced　any　thing　but　happiness。　I　am　not　isolated。　I　am　not　ostracized　by　a　single　officer。　I　do　not　〃feel　it　more　keenly；〃　because　what　the　Herald　said　is　not　true。　The　Herald；　like　other　papers；　forgets　that　the　army　is　officered　by　men　who　are　presumably　officers　and　gentlemen。　Those　who　are　will　treat　me　as　become　gentlemen；　as　they　do；　and　those　who　are　not　I　will　thank　if　they　will　〃ostracize〃　me；　for　if　they　don't　I　will　certainly　〃ostracize〃　them。

〃But　to　get　into　a　cavalry　regiment　is　the　highest　ambition　of　most　cadets；　and　failing　in　that　it　is　almost　a　toss…up　between　the　infantry　and　the　artillery。　Flipper；　the　South　Carolina　colored　cadet；　　wants　to　get　into　the　cavalry；　and　as　there　is　a　black　regiment　of　that　character　he　will；　it　is　thought；　be　assigned　to　that。　There　is　in　existence　a　law　specifying　that　even　black　regiments　shall　be　officered　by　white　men；　and　it　is　thought　there　will　be　some　trouble　in　assigning　Flipper。　As　any　such　law　is　in　opposition　to　the　constitutional　amendments；　of　course　it　will　be　easily　rescinded。　From　the　disposition　shown　by　most　of　the　enlisted　men　with　whom　I　have　conversed　at　odd　times　upon　this　subject；　I　fancy　that　if　Flipper　were　appointed　to　the　command　of　white　soldiers　they　would　be　restive；　and　would；　if　out　upon　a　scout；　take　the　first　opportunity　to　shoot　him；　and　this　feeling　exists　even　among　men　here　who　have　learned　to　respect　him　for　what　he　is。〃

Now　that　is　laughable；　isn't　it？　What　he　says　about　the　soldiers　at　West　Point　is　all　〃bosh。〃　Nobody　will　believe　it。　I　don't。　I　wish　the　Herald　reporter　who　wrote　the　above　would　visit　Fort　Sill　and　ask　some　of　the　white　soldiers　there　what　they　think　of　me。　I　am　afraid　the　Herald　didn't　get　its　〃gift　of　prophecy〃　I　from　the　right　place。　Such　blunders　are　wholly　inexcusable。　The　Herald　reporter　deserves　an　〃extra〃　（vide　Cant　Terms；　etc。）　for　that。　I　wish　he　could　get　one　at　any　rate。　Perhaps；　however；　the　following　will　excuse　him。　It　is　true。

〃He　is　spoken　of　by　all　the　officers　as　a　hard　student　and　a　gentleman。　To　a　very　great　extent　he　has　conquered　the　prejudices　of　his　fellows；　and　although　they　still　decline　to　associate　with　him　it　is　evident　that　they　respect　him。　Said　one　of　his　class　this　morning：　'Flipper　has　certainly　shown　pluck　and　gentlemanly　qualities；　and　I　shall　certainly　shake　his　〃flipper〃　when　we　say　〃Good…by。〃　We　have　no　feeling　against　him　at　all；　but　we　could　not　associate　with　him。　You　see　we　are　so　crowded　together　here　that　we　are　just　like　one　family；　possessing　every　thing　in　common　and　borrowing　every　thing；　even　to　a　pair　of　white　trousers；　and　we　could　not　hold　such　intimate　fellowship　with　him。　It　may