I am
not at all surprised to find it so. Indeed, in ordinary
civil life I should consider such people beneath me in
the social scale, should even reckon some of them as
roughs, and consequently give them a wide berth.
What surprises me most is the control this class seems
to have over the other. It is in this class I have
observed most prejudice, and from it, or rather by it,
the other becomes tainted. It seems to rule the corps
by fear. Indeed, I know there are many who would
associate, who would treat me as a brother cadet, were
they not held in constant dread of this class. The
bullies, the fighting men of the corps are in it. It
rules by fear, and whoever disobeys its beck is "cut."
The rest of the corps follows like so many menials
subject to command. In short, there is a fearful lack
of backbone. There is, it seems at first sight, more
prejudice at West Point than elsewhere. It is not
really so I think.
The officers of the institution have never, so far
as I can say, shown any prejudice at all. They have
treated me with uniform courtesy and impartiality.
The cadets, at least some of them, away from West
Point, have also treated me with such gentlemanly
propriety. The want of backbone predominates to such
an alarming extent at West Point they are afraid to
do so there. I will mention a few cases under this
subject of treatment.
During my first-class camp I was rather surprised on
one occasion to have a plebe--we had been to the
Centennial Exhibition and returned, and of course my
status must have been known to him--come to my tent
to borrow ink of me.
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