Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-02-20

To the Public.

upon my private or official character, an
content to leave them to the judgment of my
fellow citizens, without note or comment, be
lieving that they carry with them their own
retutation. Discreet friends, however, have
advised me to correct some misrepresenta
tons that have been circulated, and in def
erence to their counsel, the following state
ment is submitted:
On the Both day Of April, 1858, was
elected secretary, treasurer and examiner 81
the School Board appointed by the Board O
County Commissioner, receiving the sup
port of three out of its five members, on,
member voting for the Rev. Samuel r
White, and one throwing away his vote on
Mr.. William H. Pace, who was not an appli
cant. Early in May, subscribed TO the
oath Of office, flied my bond with the CLERK
of the Circuit Court, and entered upon the
discharge of my duties. On the 4th day o.
January, 1870, was again elected, this time
unanimously, and by Board elected by the
sovereign people. Acting upon the advice
of counsel, this Board informed me that a
renewal of my bond was unnecessary, and
in the opinion of competent judges this
bond is as valid to-day as it was eleven years
ago. ! have the same warrant for the he.
lief that the five gentlemen who were elected
in November. 1869, constitute the present
CNlOpl DDAiAs All SuDStluCut tp-
| polntments by the Circuit Court having
been made in violation of the Constitution
of the State
During my term of service, the number OF
public schools has been more than doubled,
while the attendance of pupils has INCREASED
in still larger ratio, A corps Of teachers OF
which, for the most part, any School Board
might well feel proud has been gathered
around us, and TO their efforts is mainly due
the educational advancement of the county.
The duties of the Office have been faithfully
and conscientiously administered. An ex-
animation of its books and papers will es-
tabiish the fact that its debts and credits
have been correctly audited, and that every
centthat has come into my hands as treasurer
has been honestly accounted for. In word,
every thing has been done decently and in
order, no sianderous resolutions disfguring
the pages of its journal of proceedings.
will here remark that Mr.. White has
several times to me, and at least once 10 Mr.
William I. Jones, expressed his qualification
that he failed 10 be elected secretary, treas
urer and examiner, alleging as reason
therefor that, at the time he was an applicant,
he was not aware of the duties and respon-
sibilities of the position. If these duties
and responsibilities were appalling when
there were only thirty-nine schools in the
county, what must they be now when there
are eighty-ones
With poverty and i'll health in worthy OBJ
jects all generous natures sympathiEe, hut,
unfortunately for my would-be successor,
poverty and i'll health are not the only
qualifications necessary for an examiner OF
public schools. Scholarship is generally re-
garded as one of these, and in this particu-
lar the reverend gentleman's deficiency will
become apparent 10 any one who will take
the trouble 10 inspect certain examination
papers on file in the Office Of the School,
Board.
The sixth of January, the day on which
Messrs. Davis, White and Renshsw met to
resolve themselves into a School Board, was
spent by me, in part, in the discharge OF the
ordinary duties of the Office. At the re-
quest OF Mr. Davis, gave shape and con
slstency to confused mass OF six OF eight
lines in which he had attempted TO record
the proceedings of his Board, Ishould cheer
fully have performed this OF similar service
for any other gentleman, little supposing
that this trifiing act of courtesy would be
construed by him as an acknow iedgment of
the constitutionality of his appointment. If
the august presidents thoughts had been as
wild OF wing as to cause him to imagine
himself the king OF Dahomey, and, in that
capacity, he had called upon me TO draft for
him declaration OF war against the king
OF Ashantee, should probably have COM
pied with his request, but certainly with no
idea of indorsing his pretensions TO royalty.
When the gentlemen above named went
TO dinner, l again entered the Office and at
tended to some further business there, and
this | did the third time when they ad-
journed in the afternoon. At the usual hour
for doing SO, | locked the door, putting into
my pocket the key, which had never been
out Of my custody. The assertion that !
borrowed it carries afalsehood upon its face,
for at that time Mr.. White was not sworn
or bonded officer of the Board, and he had
no more authority in that room or over any
thing pertaining to it than John Doe or
Richard Roe. How could he lend what had
not come into his possession, or how could
! borrow what had not passed out of mine
The alleged loan occurred on the 9Th of Jan
uary, and he did not subscribe to the oath of
office or file his bond until the 18th Of the
same month.
The belief that the appointment of at least
two members of the so-called School Board
was made for the purpose Of electing the
Rev. Samuel X. White secretary, treasurer,
and examiner rather than for the purpose of
promoting the educational interests of the
county is shared by many, and candor com
pels me TO admit that this belief appears to
have some foundation in fact. As soon as the
names OF these members were announced
the true intent and meaning Of their appoint
ment filled the public mind with indigna-
ton On the day they met TO organize, a
petition not OF my procurement, and which
have not even seen, charactcrizing their
contemplated action as a gross outrage upon
public sentiment was signed by every mem
Der of the Board Of County Commissioners
and their clerk; by the Judges OF the Or
phans' Court and the Register of Wills and
his deputy by the States Attorney, the
Sheriff and the three deputies of the Clerk
OF the Circuit Court in a word, by every
official in attendance at the courthouse on
that day, and by other prominent and infu-
entail gentlemen from every part Of the
county, and presented to the so-caled School
Board, but it failed 10 be regarded This
petition was supplemented, as Nj. Allen B.
Davis informed me, by letter addressed 10
him by the Hon. Richard J. Bowie, one of
the two Judges of the Circuit Court whose
names are affixed to the order appointing
this pseudo Board, in which he expressed
the opinion that any change in the Office of
examiner would prove detrimental 10 the
efficiency of the schools. This letter shared
the fate Of the petition, the gentlemen TO
whom It was presented, true TO their pre-
concerted scheme, choosing to crafty the
wishes of faction rather than the wishes
OF the community at large.
Acting, therefore, upon my own convic-
ton OF right, upon the best legal advice ac-
cessibe TO me and in obedience To the de-
mands Of public sentiment, determined to
resist this action Of the so.callei School
Board, and to retain possession of the office,
unless dispossessed by the highest judicial
tribunal in the State
No one regrets more than the delay in
the payment of teachers salaries and all
other debts Of the school fund, but il should
be borne in mind that my necessities are not
less urgent than theirs, while the amount
due me as secretary, treasurer and examiner
is considerably in excess of the amount due
to any teacher.
IL the usurping School Board feel for the
teachers the soicitude which they profess,
why have they not resorted to measures
tending to an early adjustment of the pres
ent difficulties?
For the first time pending these troubles,
now have i in my power to inaugurate