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.
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