67
regularly.¹³⁶

Martin's polities probably interfered, during the
first few weeks of his new venture, with the steady
flow of news to his office. On May 22, Martin hinted
that the Baltimore Post Office was not delivering mail
as it should:

Yesterday, for the third time, we did not re-
ceive any papers per mail! What can all this
mean? Has corruption and espionage crept into
our federal establishments?¹³⁷

Sometimes the editor's difficulties took on a
more violent aspect. Martin apparently suffered rather

I frequently from illness. He was recovering, late in
August, from one of these attacks, and rode out for
country air and business, stopping, on his way, at
the Post Office. While receiving his mail, he was
shoved violently aside by Lieutenant Heath of the

Army, Lieutenant Philip Edwards of the Marines (for-
mer editor of the Maryland Journal) and two others,
unnamed, all of whom threatened him for "publishing
against the army." Edwards declared it was beneath
him to strike a sick man, but Martin had insulted the
standing army, (opposition to a standing army was at
this time an important Republican issue¹³⁸) the Marines
to which Edwards belonged was a standing army, and
136 American. June 9, 1000.

137 Ibid May 22, 1800.

138 Minor, A. History of the Democratic party,
p. 29, 31.