reply　more　than　to　say　my　opinion　is　deducible　from　what　I　have　said　elsewhere　in　my　narrative。
  However；　my　correspondent　agrees　with　me　that　color　is　of　no　consequence　in　considering　the　question　of　equality　socially。　　My　friends；　he　says；　gain　an　important　point　in　the　argument　for　equal　rights。　It　will　be　in　this　wise；　viz。；　that　want　of　education；　want　of　the　proof　of　equality　of　intellect；　is　the　obstacle；　and　not　color。　And　the　only　way　to　get　this　proof　is　to　get　education；　and　not　by　〃war　of　races。〃　Equal　rights　must　be　a　consequence　of　this　proof；　and　not　something　existing　before　it。　Equal　rights　will　come　in　due　time；　civil　rights　bill；　war　of　races；　or　any　thing　of　that　kind　to　the　contrary　not…withstanding。
  And　moreover；　I　don't　want　equal　rights；　but　identical　rights。　The　whites　and　blacks　may　have　equal　rights；　and　yet　be　entirely　independent；　or　estranged　from　each　other。　The　two　races　cannot　live　in　the　same　country；　under　the　same　laws　as　they　now　do；　and　yet　be　absolutely　independent　of　each　other。　There　must；　there　should；　and　there　will　be　a　mutual　dependence；　and　any　thing　that　tends　to　create　independence；　while　it　is　thus　so　manifestly　impossible；　can　engender　strife　alone　between　them。　On　the　other　hand；　whatever　brings　them　into　closer　relationship；　whatever　increases　their　knowledge　and　appreciation　of　fellowship　and　its　positive　importance；　must　necessarily　tend　to　remove　all　prejudices；　and　all　ill…feelings；　and　bring　the　two　races；　and　indeed　the　world；　nearer　that　degree　of　perfection　to　which　all　things　show　us　it　is　approaching。　Therefore　I　want　identical　rights；　for　equal　rights　may　not　be　sufficient。
  〃It　is　for　you；　Henry；　more　than　any　one　I　know　of；　to　demonstrate　to　the　world　around　us；　in　this　part　of　it　at　least　（the　North）；　the　equality　of　intellect　in　the　races。　You　win　by　your　uprightness　and　intelligence；　and　it　cannot　be　otherwise　than　that　you　will　gain　respect　and　confidence。〃
  Thus　a　lady　correspondent　（Miss　M。　E。　H。；　Durham　Centre；　Ct。）　encourages；　thus　she　keeps　up　the　desire　to　graduate；　to　demonstrate　to　the　world　〃the　equality　of　intellect　in　the　races；〃　that　not　color　but　the　want　of　this　proof　in　this　semi…barbarous　people　is　the　obstacle　to　their　being　recognized　as　social　equals。　A　tremendous　task！　Not　so　much　to　prove　such　an　equalityfor　that　had　already　been　abundantly　demonstratedbut　rather　to　show　the　absurdity　and　impracticability　of　prejudice　on　account　of　color；　or；　in　other　words；　that　there　is　no　such　prejudice。　It　is　prejudice　on　account　of　non…refinement　and　non…education。
  As　to　how　far　and　how　well　I　have　discharged　that　duty；　my　readers；　and　all　others　who　may　be　in　any　manner　interested　in　me；　must　judge　from　my　narrative　and　my　career　at　West　Point。　Assuring　all　that　my　endeavor　has　been　to　act　as　most　becomes　a　gentleman；　and　with　Christian　forbearance　to　disregard　all　unfriendliness　or　prejudice；　I　leave　this　subject；　this　general　résumé　of　my　treatment　at　the　hands　of　the　cadets；　and　my　own　conduct；　with　the　desire　that　it　be　criticised　impartially　if　deemed　worthy　of　criticism　at　all。
  〃Reporter。Have　you　any　more　colored　cadets？
  〃Captain　H。Only　oneHenry　O。　Flipper；　of　Georgia。　He　is　a　well…built　lad；　a　mulatto；　and　is　bright；　intelligent；　and　studious。
  〃Reporter。Do　the　cadets　dislike　him　as　much　as　they　did　Smith？
  〃Captain　H。No；　sir；　I　am　told　that　he　is　more　popular。　I　have　heard　of　no　doubt　but　that　he　will　get　through　all　right。〃New　York　Herald；　July；　1874。
  CHAPTER　XII。
  PLEASURES　AND　PRIVILEGES。
  THE　privileges　allowed　cadets　during　an　encampment　are　different　generally　for　the　different　classes。　These　privileges　are　commonly　designated　by　the　rank　of　the　class；　such；　for　instance；　as　〃first…class　privileges；〃　〃third…class　privileges；〃　etc。　Privileges　which　are　common　receive　their　designation　from　some　characteristic　in　their　nature　or　purpose。　Thus　we　have　〃Saturday　afternoon　privileges；〃　and　〃Old　Guard　privileges。〃
  The　cadets　are　encamped　and　are　not　supposed　to　leave　their　camp　save　by　permission。　This　permission　is　granted　by　existing　orders；　or　if　for　any　reason　it　be　temporarily　denied　it　can　be　obtained　by　〃permit〃　for　some　specified　time。　Such　permission　or　privilege　obtained　by　〃permit〃　for　a　particular　class　is　known　as　〃class　privileges；〃　and　can　be　enjoyed　only　by　the　class　that　submits　and　gets　the　permit。
  〃First…class　privileges〃　permit　all　members　of　the　first　class　to　leave　camp　at　any　time　between　troop　and　retreat；　except　when　on　duty；　and　to　take　advantage　of　the　usual　〃Saturday　afternoon　privileges；〃　which　are　allowed　all　classes　and　all　cadets。　　These　privileges；　however；　cannot　be　enjoyed　on　the　Sabbath　by　any　except　the　first…class　officers；　without　special　permission。
  The　usual　form　of　a　permit　is　as　follows：
  WEST　POINT；　N。　Y。；　November　6；　1876。
  Cadet　A　B　C　has　permission　to　walk　on　public　lands　between　the　hours　of　8　A。M。　and　4　P。M。
  ；　Lieut。Colonel　First　Art'y　Comd'g　Corps　of　Cadets。
  ；　Commanding　Company　〃A。〃
  By　〃Saturday　afternoon　privileges〃　is　meant　the　right　or　privilege　to　walk　on　all　public　lands　within　cadet　limits　on　Saturday　afternoon。　This　includes　also　the　privilege　of　visiting　the　ruins　of　old　Fort　Putnam；　which　is　not　on　limits。　These　privileges　are　allowed　throughout　the　year。
  The　second　class　being　absent　on　furlough　during　the　encampment；　of　course　have　no　privileges。　Should　any　member　of　the　class　be　present　during　the　encampment；　he　enjoys　〃first…class　privileges；〃　unless　they　are　expressly　denied　him。
  〃Third…class　privileges〃　do　not　differ　from　〃first…　class　privileges；〃　except　in　that　they　cannot　be　taken　advantage　of　on　the　Sabbath　by　any　member　of　the　class。
  The　fourth　class　as　a　class　have　no　privileges。
  〃Old　Guard　privileges〃　are　certain　privileges　by　which　all　members　of　the　〃Old　Guard〃　are　exempted　from　all　duty　on　the　day　they　march　off　guard　until　one　o'clock；　and　are　permitted　to　enjoy　privileges　similar　to　those　of　Saturday　afternoon　during　the　same　time。　They　also　have　the　privilege　of　bathing　at　that　time。
  The　baths　are　designated　as　〃first；〃　〃second；〃　and　〃third。〃　The　officers　and　non…commissioned　officers　have　the　first　baths；　and　the　privates　the　others。
  Cadets　who　march　off　guard　on　Sunday　are　restricted　in　the　enjoyment　of　their　privileges　to　exemption　from　duty　on　the　Sabbath　only。　They　may　take　advantage　of　the　other　privileges　on　the　following　Monday　during　the　usual　time；　but　are　not　excused　from　any　duty。　All　members　of　the　〃Old　Guard；〃　to　whatever　class　they　may　belong；　are　entitled　to　〃Old　Guard　privileges。〃
  Besides　these　there　are　other　privileges　which　are　enjoyed　by　comparatively　few。　Such　are　〃Hop　managers'　privileges。〃　〃Hop　managers〃　are　persons　elected　by　their　classmates　from　the　first　and　third　classes　for　the　management　of　the　hops　of　the　summer。　To　enable　them　to　discharge　the　duties　of　their　office；　they　are　permitted　to　leave　camp；　whenever　necessary；　by　reporting　their　departure　and　return。
  Under　pleasures；　or　rather　sources　of　pleasure；　may　be　enumerated　hops；　Germans；　band　practice；　and　those　incident　to　other　privileges；　such　as　〃spooneying；〃　or　〃spooning。〃　The　hops　are　the　chief　source　of　enjoyment；　and　take　place　on　Mondays　and　Fridays；　sometimes　also　on　Wednesdays；　at　the　discretion　of　the　Superintendent。
  Germans　are　usually　given　on　Saturday　afternoons；　and　a　special　permit　is　necessary　for　every　one。　These　permits　are　usually　granted；　unless　there　be　some　duty　or　other　cause　to　prevent。
  Two　evenings　of　every　week　are　devoted　to　band　practice；　Tuesday　evening　for　practice　in　camp；　and　Thursday　evening　for　practice　in　front　of　the　Superintendent's　quarters。　Of　course　these　entertainments；　if　I　may　so　term　them；　have　the　effect　of　bringing　together　the　young　ladies　and　cadets　usually　denied　the　privilege　of　leaving　camp　during　the　evening。　It　is　quite　reasonable　to　assume　that　they　enjoy　themselves。　On　these　evenings　〃class　privileges〃　permit　the　first…　and　third…classmen　to　be　absent　from　camp　till　the　practice　is　over。　Sometimes　a　special　permit　is　necessary。　It　might　be　well　to　say　here；　ere　I　forget　it；　that　Wednesday　evening　is　devoted　to　prayer；　prayer…meeting　being　held　in　the　Dialectic　Hall。　All　cadets　are　allowed　to　attend　by　reporting　their　departure　and　return。　The　meeting　is　under　the　sole　management　of　the　cadets；　although　they　are　by　no　means　the　sole　participants。　Other　privileges；　more　or　less　limited；　such　as　the　holding　of　class　meetings　for　whatever　purpose；　must　be　obtained　by　special　permit　in　each　case。
  We　have　not　much　longer　here　to　stay；　　　　Only　a　month　or　two；　　　　Then　we'll　bid　farewell　to　cadet　gray；　　　　And　don　the　army　blue。
  Army…blue；　army　blue；　we'll　don　the　army　blue；　　　　　We'll　bid　farewell　to　cadet　gray　and　don　the　army　blue。
  To　the　ladies　who　come　up　in　June；　　　　We'll　bid　a　fond　adieu；　　　　And　hoping　they　will　be　married　soon；　　　　We'll　don　the　army　blue。　　　　　Army　blue；　army　blue；　we'll　don　the　army　blue；　　　　　We'll　bid　farewell　to　cadet　gray　and　don　the　army　blue。
  Addresses　to　the　Graduating　Class　of　the　U。　S。　Military　Academy；　West　Point；　N。　Y。；　June　14th；　1877。　By　PROFESSOR　C。　O。　THOMP