204

may of the papers of the country created so much stir

as this pasquinade.²³

Jacob Gibson, one of the associate judges of the
Talbot County Court, was one of the chief targets of
the lampoon,²⁴ and it was this Jacob Gibson who caused
Cowan some difficulty in his Easton career. Cowan's
revenue was shrinking; when the Republicans came into
power, the benefit which Cowan derived from the publi-
cation of laws and other governmental papers, both

national and state, was withdrawn,²⁵ and his rival,

Thomas Perrin Smith, publisher of the Republican Star.
even succeeded Cowan as postmaster on October 27,
1801,²⁶ Cowan applied to the County Court for a
license to sell liquor, but Judge Jacob Gibson denied
it, requesting Cowan to produce a certificate of
character. Cowan refused to comply on the grounds
that he was already well known to the judge and others
as a man of irreproachable conduct; and added that the
judge was, in his opinion, governed by political
prejudices rather than a regard for the welfare of the
citisens; and proceeded to attack the judge in the
columns of the Herald. The judge accordingly went to
the office of the Herald and summarily knocked down

25 Tilghman. op. cit. v. 1, p. 247.

24 Ibid.

25 Easton star. September 8, 1874.

26 Information from the Post-office department.