Remarks on the Posthumous Pardon of Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper February 19, 1999

Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Feb. 19 But I think that it’s important to remember quires that they accept autonomy, at least for this is an election which occurs in November 3 years, and sets in motion a 3-year process of 2000, and she has just been through a very to resolve all these outstanding questions. Three exhausting year. And there are circumstances years would give us time to stop the killing, which have to be considered, and I think some cool the tempers. And it would also give time time needs to be taken here. for the Serbs to argue that if they return to I also think that even in a Presidential race, the original constitutional intent, that is, to have it’s hard to keep a kettle of water boiling for genuine autonomy for Kosovo, as Kosovo once almost 2 years. And so I just—from my point enjoyed—that that would be the best thing for of view, this thing is—it’s a little premature. them, economically and politically. And people And I would like to see her take—my advice would have a chance to see and feel those has been to take some time, get some rest, things. listen to people on both sides of the argument, Right now—after all that’s gone on and all and decide exactly what you think is right to the people that have died and all the bloody do. And then, whatever she decides I’ll be for. fighting and all the incredibly vicious things that have been said, you know, we just need a time- Kosovo out here. We need a process within which we Q. Mr. President, if it appears that the can get the security forces out, as Mr. Milosevic Serbs—they have to be sanctioned because they said he would do, before—and build some inter- refuse the presence of NATO troops in Kosovo, nal institutions within Kosovo capable of func- have you the assurance that the Kosovo Libera- tioning, and then see how it goes. I think that’s tion Army will renounce its demands on inde- the most important thing. pendence? And so, yes, to go back to what President President Chirac. Well, as I said before, the Chirac said, yes, both sides have responsibility. pressure that we are exerting, legitimately, espe- Their responsibility would be to acknowledge cially we’re exercising on both parties, on both that that is the deal for the next 3 years, during sides. And we replied to a question on Serbia which time we resolve the long-term, permanent because the question was on Serbia, but let’s questions. be perfectly clear: A lot will depend on the Thank you very much. personal position adopted by Mr. Milosevic. But it goes without saying that if the failure, NOTE: The President’s 168th news conference the breakdown, was caused by the Kosovars, began at 3:44 p.m. in the East Room at the White their responsibility, sanctions of a different kind, House. In his remarks, he referred to President probably, but very firm sanctions would be ap- Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal Republic of plied against them. We haven’t—there’s no Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro); U.S. Ambas- choice. I mean, we don’t have to choose. We sador to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Mac- want peace; that’s all. edonia Christopher Hill; and President Boris President Clinton. First of all, I can entirely Yeltsin of Russia. President Chirac spoke in support what President Chirac said. But if I French, and his remarks were translated by an could just emphasize that the agreement re- interpreter. Remarks on the Posthumous Pardon of Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper February 19, 1999 Thank you. First of all, I’d like to welcome General Reimer, Secretary Caldera. I under- this distinguished assemblage here: Dr. King and stand we’re joined by Clarence Davenport, the the members of the Flipper family and your sixth African-American graduate of West Point, friends, Secretary West, Congressman Clyburn, other distinguished West Point graduates who General Powell, Deputy Secretary Hamre, are here. Welcome to all of you. Under Secretary de Leon, General Ralston, 217 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 11:57 Mar 19, 2001 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00217 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 C:\99PUBPAP\99PUBPAP.TXT txed01 PsN: txed01 Feb. 19 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 There’s one person who could not be here the time there wasn’t much justice available for today—Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, a young African-American soldier. In December I’m glad to see you—the one person who could a court-martial acquitted him of embezzlement, not be here today I want to acknowledge, and but convicted him of conduct unbecoming an that is Senator Max Cleland from Georgia, who officer. President Chester A. Arthur declined to has done a lot to make this day possible. We overturn the sentence, and in June of 1882 thank him in his absence. Lieutenant Flipper was dishonorably discharged. I welcome you all to an event that is 117 His life continued. He became a civil and years overdue. Here in America’s house of lib- mining engineer out West. He worked in many erty, we celebrate ideas like freedom, equality, capacities for the Government, as special agent our indivisibility as one people. Great leaders for the Department of Justice, as an expert on lived here, people like Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Lin- Mexico for the Senate Foreign Relations Com- coln, the Roosevelts, after whom this room is mittee, as a special assistant to the Secretary named. All of them deepened the meaning of of the Interior. He died in 1940 at the age those words while they lived here. But we must of 84. be candid and say that the special quality of But even after his death, this stain of dishonor American freedom is not always extended to remained. One hundred and seventeen years all Americans. have now elapsed since his discharge. That’s a A word like ‘‘freedom,’’ to be more than a long time, even more than the span of his long slogan, requires us to acknowledge that our life, more than half the history of the White ‘‘more perfect Union’’ was created by imperfect House, indeed, of the Untied States itself—and human beings, people who did not always define too long to let an injustice lie uncorrected. freedom in the ways that we would, and in The Army exonerated him in 1976, changed ways that they knew they should. For this word his discharge to honorable, and reburied him to live for ourselves and our children, we must with full honors. But one thing remained to recognize it represents a difficult goal that must be done, and now it will be. With great pleasure be struggled with every day in order to be real- and humility, I now offer a full pardon to Lieu- ized. tenant Henry Ossian Flipper of the United Today’s ceremony is about a moment in 1882 States Army. This good man now has completely when our Government did not do all it could recovered his good name. do to protect an individual American’s freedom. It has been a trying thing for the family to It is about a moment in 1999 when we correct fight this long battle, to confront delays and the error and resolve to do even better in the bureaucratic indifference, but this is a day of future. affirmation. It teaches us that, although the The man we honor today was an extraordinary wheels of justice turn slowly at times, still they American. Henry Flipper did all his country turn. It teaches that time can heal old wounds asked him to do. Though born a slave in Geor- and redemption comes to those who persist in gia, he was proud to serve America: the first a righteous cause. Most of all, it teaches us— African-American graduate of West Point; the Lieutenant Flipper’s family teaches us—that we first African-American commissioned officer in must never give up the fight to make our coun- the regular United States Army. He showed bril- try live up to its highest ideals. liant promise and joined the 10th Cavalry. While Outside of this room, Henry Flipper is not stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he perfected known to most Americans. All the more reason a drainage system that eliminated the stagnant to remember him today. His remarkable life water, and malaria, plaguing the fort. Still known story is important to us, terribly important, as as ‘‘Flipper’s Ditch,’’ it became a national land- we continue to work—on the edge of a new mark in 1977. century and a new millennium—on deepening He distinguished himself in combat on the the meaning of freedom at home and working frontier and then was transferred to run a com- to expand democracy and freedom around the missary at Fort Davis in Texas. In 1881 Lieuten- world, to give new life to the great experiment ant Flipper was accused by his commanding of- begun in 1776. This is work Henry Flipper ficer of improperly accounting for the funds en- would have been proud of. trusted to him. A later Army review suggested Each of you who worked so hard for this he had been singled out for his race, but at day is a living chapter in the story of Lieutenant 218 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 11:57 Mar 19, 2001 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00218 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 C:\99PUBPAP\99PUBPAP.TXT txed01 PsN: txed01 Administration of William J.

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