, in the cadets
themselves. It has many times been said to me by
persons at West Point and elsewhere: "I don't suppose
many of those fellows would care to encounter you?"
This idea was doubtless founded upon my physical
proportions--I am six feet one and three-quarter
inches high, and weigh one hundred and seventy-five
pounds. In behalf of the corps of cadets I would
disclaim any such notions of fear,
First. Because the conception of the idea is not
logical. I was not the tallest, nor yet the largest
man in the corps, nor even did I give any evidence
of a disposition to fight or bully others.
Second. Because I did not come to West Point purposely
to "go through on my muscle." I am not a fighting
character, as the cadets--those who know me--can well
testify.
Third. Because it is ungenerous to attribute what
can result from man's better nature only to such
base causes as fear or cowardice. This seems to be
about the only way in which many have endeavored to
explain the difference between my life at West Point
and that of other colored cadets. They seem to think
that my physique inspired a sort of fear in the cadets,
and forced them at least to let me alone, while the
former ones, smaller in size, did therefore create no
such fear until by persistent retaliation it was shown
they were able to defend themselves.
Now this, I think, is the most shallow of all reasoning
and entirely unworthy our further notice.
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