The
Lad Will March Back Into The College With All The Honors Of A
Victory, And Will Be Conscious Of A Triumph Over The Superintendent
And His Officers." "And Is That Common?" I Asked.
"Not at the
present moment," I was told.
"But it was common before the war.
While Mr. Buchanan, and Mr. Pierce, and Mr. Polk were Presidents,
no officer or board of officers then at West Point was able to
dismiss a lad whose father was a Southerner, and who had friends
among the government."
Not only was this true of West Point, but the same allegation is
true as to all matters of patronage throughout the United States.
During the three or four last presidencies, and I believe back to
the time of Jackson, there has been an organized system of
dishonesty in the management of all beneficial places under the
control of the government. I doubt whether any despotic court of
Europe has been so corrupt in the distribution of places - that is,
in the selection of public officers - as has been the assemblage of
statesmen at Washington. And this is the evil which the country is
now expiating with its blood and treasure. It has allowed its
knaves to stand in the high places; and now it finds that knavish
works have brought about evil results. But of this I shall be
constrained to say something further hereafter.
We went into all the schools of the college, and made ourselves
fully aware that the amount of learning imparted was far above our
comprehension.
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