Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-25
MANLY CLEVELAND.
A Good View of Civil
Service.
DISCHARGE TO BE COMMENDED
Mr.. Attorney Stone Abuses the
Administration and Loses
His Place.

ISpecidL to the Herald bu the associated Preas,
WASHINGTON, November 23.-Presi.
dent Cleveland makes public letter
addressed to Attorney.Ge Garland,
by VIM. A. Stone, lately suspended
from office as District Attorney for the
Western District, and in which Mr..
respondence between Hon. M. 4. Ben.
ton and the President regarding the
suspension of the former from Office for
making campaign speeches, and his
restoration upon showing that he had
not neglected the duties of his office.
Mr.. Stone goes on to say that if his re.
moval was on account of similar reasons,
he desired to place before the President
the facts of the matter. He then stated
that during the entire campaign he had
made but two speeches and on neither
occasion neglected the duties of his of.
flee. The letter was submitted to Presi.
dent Cleveland The Presidents reply
to Attorney General Garland is in sub
stance as follows: The assumption that
Mr.. S;one's suspension rested upon
analogous grounds to that of Mr.. Benton,
recently reinstated, is an erroneous one,
Charges had been preferred against Mr..
Stone year and a half ago, but owing
TO earnest representations and explana.
tions of his friends the course OF action
then contemplated in regard to him was
withheld. 1t was to be expected that
during his continuance in office under
an administration opposed to him
politically, he would content him
self with an unobtrusive enjoy
ment of his political privileges.
1t was to be at the least expected that
he would refrain from pursuing a course
which would wantonly irrita,e friends
of the administration. The retention Of
MIR. stone under new and better sys.
TEN of distribution of federal patronage
placed him under every obligation of
honor TO assist in its successful opera.
tion, There is no dispute in regard to
the fact that Mr.. Stone was in attend.
ance and spoke before at least two large
public meetings. He publicly approved
speeches devoted to abuse and misrep-
resentatioa Of the administration and
actually addressed meetings hlmeelf in
somewhat similar strain. The President
then goes on to say: 81 shall accept as
time spent by him in thus demonstrating
his willingness to hold profitable
office at the hands of an administra-
ton which he endeavored to dis.
credit with the people and which had
just overlooked his previous offences
did not result in neglect of ordinary
:s,ilnncial duty, but his conduct has brought
to light such an unfriendliness toward
the administration which he pretends to
serve and of which he is nominally q
part, and such a consequent lack OF
loyal interest in its success that the
safest and su cest guaranty of his faith.
full service Is, in my opinion, entirely
wanting. His course in itself, such as
should not have been entered upon
while maintaining official relations to
the administration, also renews and re-
wives with unmistakable Interpretation
of their character and intent the charges
of offensive partizanship heretofore
made aud up to this time held In
advance; Mr.. Stone and others OF ike
disn, sitiop are not to suppose that
marty lines are so far obliterated that
the administration of the Government is
to be trusted in places high or low to
those who aggressively and constantly
endeavor unfairly to destroy the
confidence of the people in the party re-
snonsible for such administration, while
yicious partisan methods should not be
allowed for partisan purposes 10 degraue
or iniure the public service. IL Is my
belief that nothing tends to so mucn
discredit our efforts in the interest OF
the service to treat fairly and generously
the official incumbency OF political op'
nonents as the conduct OF such as is here
disclosed. The people OF this country
certainly do not require the best results
of administrative endeavor to be reached
With such agencies as these. Upon
II consideration of all the facts l have
u ,re me, am constrained to decline
'ef, pplication of Mr.. Stone for his re-
he a. ment. l enclose his letter with
nstatt desire you to acquaint him with
his aao IN. Yours very truly,
ny decisi> GROVER CLEVELAND.
TrTER TO STONE.
Ii ,ARrMENT OF JUSTICE,
DEL N, Nov, 23. 1884.
WAsHrNaTt Stone, Pittsburg, Pa.
Hon. VIM. 4. ed by the President
SIR: L am direc, vt after considers
, say to you th he 18th instant ht
on of your letter of, ,e the order here
ill not revoke or chan, -ou as District
,fore made, suspending> n District OF
ttorney for the Wester. fully,
ennsylvania. Very respec, ,RLAND.
tSigned) A. HG.
Minister Manning. tbt