Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-07-22

notice the anonymous communication
Published in yonr last issue over the
signature of "A Teacher" were it not
for the purpose Of clearing The School
Board from the imputation he has cast
upon them by misquoting me, and my
self from the charge of applying to
them language which I directed only
to himself. He garbles from my letter
"Alas for those figured premises and the
deductions naturally dedueible there
from seem so unpalatable." His failure
TO complete the sentence and show to
whom the language is directed, reveals
the insidiousness Of his motive. After
one or two more quotations., he then goes
on to say: @The gentleman win please
explain how the muni6cence Of the Leg
islature, as exhibited in the surplus of
$1,000 4S in the hands of the Treasurer
Of the School Board, can be so unpala-
table TO that Body unless, in his opin-
ion and as clearly intimated by him,
some improper use Of this surplus has
been made" / have nothing to do
with explaining why the above surplus
in the hands Of the School Board should
be unpalatable to them, never having
said that it was so and not having any
reason to believe that il is. Here is what
1 did say: "Alas for those figured
premises and the deductions naturally
deducible tLerefrom seem so unpalata-
bic to yo'r correspondent, that 1 would
wish for las especial beaef. they had
been different" Observe that l named
him in particular, and said for his espe-
cial benefit. Then, if / referred to him
only and especially, could mean no
other.
inferred from his letter that the
facts were unpalatable to him, as could
draw no other inference, having made
no deductions from them, except as re-
CARDS the munificencc of the Legisla-
ture. Why they were so l know not
any more than l know who my masked
assailant" is. I did not apply the Ian
guage to the Board, nor do l recognize
him as their authorized defender or
| vindicator. 1t is himself who casts the
reflection by endeavoring to prove, by
incorrect quotations, that charges have
been brought against them when the
contrary is the case. Had l spoken of
| the Board in this connection / should
have used very different language, for
they are men for whom have always
entertained the highest esteem, and !
should be slow to believe them capable
of dishonest or dishonorable action,
and so far as all that constitutes the
true gentlemen is concerned, / regard
them as far above my unknown assail.
ant as Hyperion" is to "Satyr''
If surplus has been allowed to &c.
cumulate for the schoolsin question and
has not yet been applied to the pur.
poses for which it was intended, is that
any reason why it will not be so ap.
| piled? Is not the Board the judge
| of the time and manner of its applica-
ton? From whence then does your
correspondent deduce the idea from my
showing from figured premises that
there was.a surplus on hand for those
schools, that I thereby intimated "some
improper Use Of this surplus" or that
my letter pointed, as he says, to "sus
pected corruption in the School Board
when expressly disclaimed any sucl
intimation?
The scope of my letters has been an ar
gument against the reduction of the
salaries Of the teachers, and is there
ANYTHING wrong in this or anything t6
which the teachers should except /? Fol-
nv views with regard to decreasing the
salaries and closure of so many of the
public schools, they are honestly enter.
tanned and susceptible of being met and
combatted; and / have vet to learn tina,
men may not differ in their views, upor
any subject, and vet be honest in their
convictions, and am always willing &c
accord to all honorable men the same
honesty of purpose and conviction that
/ claim for myself. Nor did l suppose
the Board was perched so high or Sc
overfowering with wisdom, so infallible
and incapable of error that it was a
crime to criticise its public acts. There.
fore, any views / may have advanced
against their action was not with d view
to cast reflection upon or impugn then
honesty and integrity of purpose. and
if any one has considered my letters
capable Of such Interpretation I sin.
cerely regret it and trust that this ex.
PLANTATION will erase such impression.
Your correspondent characterizes my
published statement of facts as "unau.
| thorized," unreliable" " unofficial,
&c, and says they are, ten chances to
one, false either in the beginning or the
end" and further SAYS: "His business
with me is, as far as the public is con-
cerned, as to the guilt or innocence OF
the School Board" / think the gen.
tleman. before asserting business with
any one, had better tell them rlo he is
and not conceal his individuality be-
hind an unrecognized and irresponsible
mask; and it would seem more appro-
pirate in him to wait until guilt is
charged before he attempts to prove in
nocence.
"Tc fear the foe before the foe pursues.
Were to incense the foe TO follow U.s.
So far as his impugning the facts pub
lished by me are concerned, will state
that they are in the main obtained from
official sources, and those that are not
are known to be correct by the people,
and he has not controverted a single
one of them. He says that / am a mere
extern, &c. In what character does be
anY,ear hu& n mere MYTHICAL ssRichard