Montgomery County sentinel., 1888-04-27
A Gard from Hon. George Peter.

the Laws" in which am arraigned before
the public as one guilty of some heinous
offence. l propose to reply in the simple,
unvarnished truth, giving the reasons which
actuated me in making this disposition OF that
printing.
/ was urged by numbers of prominent
Democrats in this county TO give this print
ing exclusively to the Sentinel because the
aoiCioso of the late Matthew Fields had been
80 unfortunate as TO suffer heavy loss in
the burning of some of her property, and
for the further reason that public patronage
belonging 10 party should be distributed
with an eye to equality, and as the editor
of the Ad0Ocdte held the lucrative position
of postmaster under the present Democratic
Administration it was certainly no equiva-
lent TO that to give the Sentinel the printing
of the laws I fully concurred in these
views, and therefore acted as did.
/ am sure if Mrs. Brewer and her son
shared in the patronage of the post-office,
which was the gift of the Democratic party
to the editor of the Adoocdte, both mother
and child have too just an appreciation Of
what is fair and right to begrudge the wild
ow who owns the Sentinel this small recog
milton by the same party in her hour of mis-
fortune So far as my feelings and personal
relations with Mrs. Brewer and her child
are concerned, the columns of newspaper
are not the place to discuss them, neither do
ever expect to change in my esteem and
regard for both by reason Of anything the
editor OF the AdoOcate might say or do. Ger.
tainly have not in the past, neither do
expect in the future to hold her responsible
for anything which has or may hereafter
appear in that journal. AT the same time
| do not propose that the editor Of the Ado0-
| cate shall shield or shelter himself under the
protecting care of Mrs. Brewer, when in fact
she is not cognizant Of any article he may
publish until she reads the paper. Had she
asked me why made this disposition of the
| printing, / should have given her the infor-
nation, and l misjudge her very much If
she would have attributed my action to any
desire on my part to deprive her or her son
Of one cent.
do not propose to reply in detail to the
petty charges of the Adu0cdte, suffice it 10
say its editor Is my bitter enemy and spares
neither time nor place TO vent his anger. To
this privilege, and if 1t gratifies him, SO long
as it is exercised out Of my presence, and
adds TO his pleasures, l will not seek to mar
them. For 10, these many years he has rev.
eled in this delight OF his heart. 1t Is safe rule
to Judge the dimensions OF man by what
charms and delights him. While he may
revel in his animosities and hatreds, claim
the privilege of reveling in my friendships
/ was never known to desert q friend, and
if there was no other excuse for my action
/ am proud to say the printing was given to
true and tried friend, to paper that has
stood true to me as well in the hour of de-
feat as success-to paper which started in
to life in the year A. d. 1866, espousing the
cause of the Democratic party as against the
then hosts of Know Nothingism who were
running riot with our State. 1t lived through
that terrible ordeal, it lived through oul
civil war, when Its editor was hunted dowr
for giving expression to Democratic senti
ments. 1t lives to-day as the firm supporter
of the Democratic party, as well as my
friend, and after SO many years l am proud
TO say its columns are free from persona
abuse toward all and any aspirants for nom
nations in our party, and for this, if no othel
cause, it is revered and respected by the
party If the editor of the AdUOcate is suf
fering from his surprise at my action, he car
soon be relieved by asking some of the prom
inent Democrats whether l was right ol
wreng under the circumstances. l do mo-
request him to ask my friends, for If they
were my friends that would be sufficient te
incur his animosities.
A little of the history of the causes which
incurred and brought down upon me the
wrath of the editor of the Adg0cdte may moi
come amiss. The difficulties and troubles
to which man is subjected in this life seem
TO run in veins Just so with the editor o
| the AdU0cGte, and d little history will throw
considerable light on the subject OF the pub
lication of the laws. BY the laws of 1855
chapter 81, section A. the publication OF the
Public General Laws, as designated for pub
lication were required to be published In
two daily papers in the city of Baltimore
| in, oh MT ho W M
the largest circulation, Qf there be news
paper published in said county, as the Pres
ident OF the Senate and Speaker of the House
of Delegates may respectively designate fol
publication"
Now this law expressly conferred tht
printing Of the laws in each county to tht
newspaper having the largest ctrcuLGtaOn-
While this law existed, Notwithstanding tn,
fact that the Sentinel showed it had tn,
largest circulation, Notwithstanding the ex
press law combining the publication to th
paper having the largest circulation, in SOM
way, which never comprehended, the Ad
pocats get one-half of the printing. If th
Sentinel had not the largest circulation, how
was it the printing was given to two news
papers in this county when the law express
ly said one, and there was no provision fo
two. represented the Sentinel in that mat
ter, and thereby incurred the strong dis
pleasure of the owner or owners of the Ad
vocase. q do not remember who run th,
paper then.)
BY the law of 1868, chapter 81, section 8
''The Treasurer, upon the warrant of thu
Comptroller, shall pay to the publishers o
the newspapers in which the Public Gen
eral Laws are printed in conformity will
the first section of this article, the compen
sation to which they may respectively b.
entitled for printing said General Laws
within six months from the time of publ
cation"
. This was the milk in the cocoanut-tht
newspaper fixed its own valuation upon th,
printing, and under its liberal and benigr
provisions there was paid to this county fo
such printing anywhere from twelve to four
} teen hundred dollars. In fact it was like
little bonanza, a rich pocket in gold vein
Now in the session of the General Assem-
bly, of 1880, bill was introduced by (now
Judge Fisher, of Baltimore, to repeal thi:
law That bill was referrrd to the commit
tee on judicial proceedings, of which | wa!
a member, and which bill was favorably re
ported to the Senate by that committee. Sci
Senate Journal of 1880, pages 458 and SIT
The bill introduced by Judge Fisher pro
posed, under the head of reform, as recon
mended by Gov. Hamilton, to cut down the
charges for the publication of the laws
The present editor OF the Adoocate came OF
to Annapolis to use his Influence to defea
this law. He appealed to me in that behalf
and for no other reason that l could evel
learn than my refusal TO support his view:
upon this matter, he returned to Rockville
and spoke of me in such terms as do mo-
propose to reiterate here. On the other hand
party representing the Sentinel came alst
to Annapolis, and after talking over thu
matter returned home satisfied with my po
sitiOn on this law,