ould　it　be　otherwise　than　that　he　be　isolated　and　persecuted　when　such　minds　are　concerned？
  In　his　written　explanation　to　the　commandant　the　corporal　admitted　the　charge　of　disobedience　of　orders　on　his　part；　but　excused　himself　by　saying　he　had　delegated　another　cadet　to　discharge　the　duty　for　him。　This　was　contrary　to　regulations；　and　still　further　aggravated　his　offence。
  For　an　incident　connected　with　this　tour　of　guard　duty；　see　chapter　on　〃Incidents；　Humor；〃　etc。
  The　only　case　of　downright　malice　that　has　come　to　my　knowledgeand　I'm　sure　the　only　one　that　ever　occurredis　the　following：
  It　is　a　custom；　as　old　as　the　institution　I　dare　say；　for　cadets　of　the　first　and　second　classes　to　march　in　the　front　rank；　while　all　others　take　their　places　in　the　rear　rank；　with　the　exception　that　third…classmen　may　be　in　the　front　rank　whenever　it　is　necessary　for　the　proper　formation　of　the　company　to　put　them　there。　The　need　of　such　a　custom　is　apparent。　Fourth…classmen；　or　plebes　not　accustomed　to　marching　and　keeping　dressed；　are　therefore　unfit　to　be　put　in　the　front　rank。　Third…　classmen　have　to　give　way　to　the　upper　classmen　on　account　of　their　superior　rank；　and　are　able　to　march　in　the　front　rank　only　when　put　there　or　allowed　to　remain　there　by　the　file…closers。　When　I　was　a　plebe；　and　also　during　my　third…class　year；　I　marched　habitually　in　the　rear　rank；　as　stated　with　reason　elsewhere。　But　when　I　became　a　second…classman；　and　had　by　class　rank　a　right　to　the　front　rank；　I　took　my　place　there。
  Just　about　this　time　I　distinctly　heard　the　cadet　captain　of　my　company　say　to　the　first　sergeant；　or　rather　ask　him　why　he　did　not　put　me　in　the　rear　rank。　The　first　sergeant　replied　curtly；　〃Because　he's　a　second…classman　now；　and　I　have　no　right　to　do　it。〃　This　settled　the　question　for　the　time；　indeed　for　quite　a　while；　till　the　incident　above　referred　to　occurred。
  At　a　formation　of　the　company　for　retreat　parade　in　the　early　spring　of　'76；　it　was　necessary　to　transfer　some　one　from　the　front　to　the　rear　rank。　Now　instead　of　transferring　a　third…　classman；　the　sergeant　on　the　left　of　the　company　ordered　me；　a　second　classman；　into　the　rear　rank。　I　readily　obeyed；　because　I　felt　sure　I'd　be　put　back　after　the　company　was　formed　and　inspected；　as　had　been　done　by　him　several　times　before。　But　this　was　not　done。　I　turned　to　the　sergeant　and　reminded　him　that　he　had　not　put　me…back　where　I　belonged。　He　at　once　did　so　without　apparent　hesitation　or　unwillingness。　He；　however；　reported　me　for　speaking　to　him　about　the　discharge　of　his　duties。　For　this　offence；　I　submitted　the　following　explanation：
  WEST　POINT；　N。　Y。；　April　11；　1876。
  Offense：　Speaking　to　sergeant　about　formation　of　company　at　parade。
  Explanation：　I　would　respectfully　state　that　the　above　report　is　a　mistake。　I　said　nothing　whatever　about　the　formation　of　the　company。　I　was　put　in　the　rear　rank；　and；　contrary　to　custom；　left　there。　As　soon　as　the　command　〃　In　place；　rest；〃　was　given；　I　turned　to　the　nearest　sergeant　and　said；　〃Mr。；　can　I　take　my　place　in　the　front　rank？〃　He　leaned　to　the　front　and　looked　along　the　line。　I　then　said；　〃There　are　men　in　the　front　rank　who　are　junior　to　me。〃　I　added；　a　moment　after；　〃There　is　one　just　up　there；〃　motioning　with　my　head　the　direction　meant。　He　made　the　change。
  Respectfully　submitted；
  HENRY　O。　FLIPPER；
  Cadet　Priv。；　Comp。　〃D；〃　First　Class。
  To　Lieut。　Colonel；　Commanding　Corps　of　Cadets。
  This　explanation　was　sent　by　the　commandant　to　the　reporting　sergeant。　He　indorsed　it　in　about　the　following　words：
  Respectfully　returned　with　the　following　statement：　It　was　necessary　in　forming　the　company　to　put　Cadet　Flipper　in　the　rear　rank；　and　as　I　saw　no　third…　classman　in　the　front　rank；　I　left　him　there　as　stated。　I　reported　him　because　I　did　not　think　he　had　any　right　to　speak　to　me　about　the　discharge　of　my　duty。
  〃；　Cadet　Sergeant　Company　〃D。〃
  A　polite　question　a　reflection　on　the　manner　of　discharging　one's　duty！　A　queer　construction　indeed！　Observe；　he　says；　he　saw　no　third…classman　in　the　front　rank。　It　was　his　duty　to　be　sure　about　it；　and　if　there　was　one　there　to　transfer　him　to　the　rear；　and　myself　to　the　front　rank。　In　not　doing　so　he　neglected　his　duty　and　imposed　upon　me　and　the　dignity　of　my　class。　I　was　therefore　entirely　justified　in　calling　his　attention　to　his　neglect。
  This　is　a　little　thing；　but　it　should　be　borne　in　mind　that　it　is　nevertheless　of　the　greatest　importance。　We　know　what　effect　comity　or　international　politeness　has　on　the　relations　or　intercourse　between　nations。　The　most　trifling　acts；　such　as　congratulations　on　a　birth　or　marriage　in　the　reigning　family；　are　wonderfully　efficacious　in　keeping　up　that　feeling　of　amity　which　is　so　necessary　to　peace　and　continued　friendship　between　states。　To　disregard　these　little　things　is　considered　unfriendly；　and　may　be　the　cause　of　serious　consequences。
  There　is　a　like　necessity；　I　think；　in　our　own　case。　Any　affront　to　me　which　is　also　an　affront　to　my　class　and　its　dignity　deserves　punishment　or　satisfaction。　To　demand　it；　then；　gives　my　class　a　better　opinion　of　me；　and　serves　to　keep　that　opinion　in　as　good　condition　as　possible。
  I　knew　well　that　there　were　men　in　the　corps　who　would　readily　seize　any　possible　opportunity　to　report　me；　and　I　feared　at　the　time　that　I　might　be　reported　for　speaking　to　the　sergeant。　I　was　especially　careful　to　guard　against　anger　or　roughness　in　my　speech；　and　to　put　my　demand　in　the　politest　form　possible。　The　offence　was　removed。　I　received　no　demerits；　and　the　sergeant　had　the　pleasure　or　displeasure　of　grieving　at　the　failure　of　his　report。
  I　am　sorry　to　know　that　I　have　been　charged；　by　some　not　so　well　acquainted　with　West　Point　and　life　there　as　they　should　be　to　criticise；　with　manifesting　a　lack　of　dignity　in　that　I　allowed　myself　to　be　insulted；　imposed　upon；　and　otherwise　ill…treated。　　There　appears　to　them　too　great　a　difference　between　the　treatment　of　former　colored　cadets　and　that　of　myself；　and　the　only　way　they　are　pleased　to　account　for　this　difference　is　to　say　that　my　good　treatment　was　due　to　want　of　〃spunk；〃　and　even　to　fear；　as　some　have　said。　It　evidently　never　occurred　to　them　that　my　own　conduct　determined　more　than　all　things　else　the　kind　of　treatment　I　would　receive。
  Every　one　not　stubbornly　prejudiced　against　West　Point；　and　therefore　not　disposed　to　censure　or　criticise　every　thing　said　or　done　there；　knows　how　false　the　charge　is。　And　those　who　make　it　scarcely　deserve　my　notice。　I　would　say　to　them；　however；　that　true　dignity；　selon　nous；　consists　in　being　above　the　rabble　and　their　insults；　and　particularly　in　remaining　there。　To　stoop　to　retaliation　is　not　compatible　with　true　dignity；　nor　is　vindictiveness　manly。　Again；　the　experiment　suggested　by　my　accusers　has　been　abundantly　tried；　and　proved　a　most　ridiculous　failure；　while　my　own　led　to　a　glorious　success。
  I　do　not　mean　to　boast　or　do　any　thing　of　the　kind；　but　I　would　suggest　to　all　future　colored　cadets　to　base　their　conduct　on　the　aristonmetpon；　the　golden　mean。　It　is　by　far　the　safer；　and　surely　the　most　Christian　course。
  Before　closing　this　chapter　I　would　add　with　just　pride　that　I　have　ever　been　treated　by　all　other　persons　connected　with　the　Academy　not　officially；　as　becomes　one　gentleman　to　treat　another。　I　refer　to　servants；　soldiers；　other　enlisted　men；　and　employés。　　They　have　done　for　me　whatever　I　wished；　whenever　I　wished；　and　as　I　wished；　and　always　kindly　and　willingly。　They　have　even　done　things　for　me　to　the　exclusion　of　others。　This　is　important　when　it　is　remembered　that　the　employés；　with　one　exception；　are　white。
  〃NATIONAL　SCHOOLS　AND　SNOBOCRACY。
  〃'Cadet　Smith　has　arrived　in　Columbia。　He　did　not　〃pass。〃'　Phoenix
  〃'Alexander　Bouchet；　a　young　man　of　color；　graduates　from　Yale　College；　holding　the　fifth　place　in　the　largest　class　graduated　from　that　ancient　institution。'　Exchange。
  〃These　simple　announcements　from　different　papers　tersely　sum　up　the　distinction　between　the　military　and　civil　education　of　this　country。　One　is　exclusive；　snobbish；　and　narrow；　the　other　is　liberal　and　democratic。
  〃No　one　who　has　watched　the　course　of　Cadet　Smith　and　the　undemocratic；　selfish；　and　snobbish　treatment　he　has　experienced　from　the　martinets　of　West　Point；　men　educated　at　the　expense　of　the　government；　supported　by　negro　taxes；　as　well　as　white；　who　attempt　to　dictate　who　shall　receive　the　benefits　of　an　education　in　our　national　charity　schoolsno　one　who　has　read　of　his　court…martialings；　the　degradations　and　the　petty　insults　inflicted　upon　him　can　help　feeling　that　he　returns　home　to…day；　in　spite　of　the　Phoenix's　sneers；　a　young　hero　who　has　'passed'　in　grit；　pluck；　perseverance；　and　all　the　better　qualities　which　go　to　make　up　true　manhood；　and　only　has　been　'found'　because　rebel　sympathizers　at　West　Point；　the　fledglings　of　caste；　and　the　Secretary　of　War；　do　not　intend　to　allow；　if　they　can　prevent　it；　a　negro　to　graduate　at　West　Point　or　Annapolis；　if　he　is　known　to　be　a　negro。
  〃Any　one　conversant　with　educational　matters　who　has　examined　the　examinations　for　entrance；　or　the　curriculum　of　the　naval　and　military　academies；　will