Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1871-11-03

Mr. EDtToR: Ny attention has been called TO
an article in the ,Seatlnel, Of the 9th ultimo,
in vndicatiOn Of the Radical Board Of School
Commissioners in relation to certain charges
which made in n speech at Clarksburg. The
writer charges that 1 said, that Board " left a
large debt for the present Board to pay, and
that the great embarrassmenis of The present
Board are due to that debt" | am further
charged that, as a reckless and careless poll
tician, | had made gross Misrepresentation
to the people.
have always spoken TO the people with a
Jealous regard for truth, and my conscience is
clear that | have never tried to mislead or de-
ceiye them. BY the courtesy of the present
Treasurer and Secretary of the Board of School
Commissioners have had the liberty of ex-
aiming the accounts of that old Board, and
by flrthcr refereHce 10 tie records lgU not
nail 10 tie c0uRtCr, but will. demonstrate by
figures that, by their own books, my state
ment was true.
The first meeting of the Board chosen under
Democratic and Conservative auspices was on
the goth day Of April, 1868. The qnondam
Treasurer shows that The old Board settled up
with the teachers to the 3lst January, 1868,
the end of the winter term. The next term
ended on the 18th Of April, 1868, and the old
Board was in Office up TO the 10Th of April,
1868 So when they went out Of Office there
was due by them, according to their own
showing, TO the teachers alone, one entire term
of % months, and Ia days in the next term.
The books and records OF the Board show the
amount then due to the teachers was 81, $50
50, to pay which sum the late Treasurer
turned over the handsome sum of 5000 "a,
leaving a neat little balance of So, $50 IS 10
be provided for by the new Board. This is
the showing 10y the figures If any one has
any doubt, il is a matter Of record in the office.
may have been extravagaut in using the lam
GUage large debt. - but | was speaking to
yeomanry OF old Montgomery, and am GER
tain our people do consider that a large debt.
If had been speaking to some of the United
States revenue officers, such as collectors, &c,
and a small difference OF So $50 rs had oc-
Cured, | should have considered it such
trifie as unworthy of notice.
One of the first acts Of the new Board, when
it came INTO Office, was to pass order direct
ing their President and Secretary TO negotiate
loan of So, 800 TO pay the salaries of the
teachers The old Board and its officers had
attended TO the payment Of themselves.
A word in this connection. | FIND the fol-
lowing in the records: " Richard NJ. Will
liams, Esq, was elected Secretary and Treas
urer OF the School Board on the nth day Of
July, 1865, at a salary of $500 per annum."
Gu July Is, 1866. paid as salary, $500 90
August l5 1867 " +" 800 90
He gets full pay for three years, when, in
fact, he went ont of Office on the 29th April,
1868, two months and nineteen days before
his third year had expired. will not charge
my friend with gross error in calculation, but
he made n mistake of about 500 20 against the
county. That is triae to his other showing
Of 1902 81 to pay 81 So 50, and still leave
money in the treasury.
was a little surprised to read the article to
which have replied, and more so at the sig
nature; for thought my friend had renowned
the Radical faith and had esponsed the Demo-
cratic Conservative cause. His letter does not
read as if he had very strong tendency in
that way. 1t looks ms il he may still banker
after the g flesh-pots OF Egypt" And il seems
to have happened unto him according to the
| true proverb, The dog is turned TO his own
vomi again, and the SOW that was washed to
her wallowing in the mire,"
GEORGE PETER.