Morning journal and courier., 1886-11-25
FROM ALL QUARTERS. STONE GETS NO SHOW. His Offensive Partisanship Was Republican. < |.
 X A HUGE STEAL AT BUFFALO. McQuade To Be Tried Again
 Monday.
 THE PLOT TO KILL DkvITT. Mayor O'Brien Bids For Labor Votes.
HE PLOT TO KILL DkvITT.

' & Labor Votes. s
 THE BOOT ON THE OTHER LEG. Attorney Stones Offensive Partisan. ship Being of the Republican Kind IsNOt Acceptable to the Administra. tion and He Must Put Up With His Suspension.
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 24-The following correspondence relative to the case of Will liam A. Stone, the suspended district attor- ney for the western district of Pennsylvania, was made public this afternoon:
 PITTsBURG, Nov. IS, 1886.
 Hon. A. H. Garland, attorney general
 Sir-I have read the correspondence be- tween the President and Hon. NJ. E. Benton,
 United States attorney, connected with his restoration to office, in which it appears that he was suspended from office for his apparent neglect of official duties in making campaign speeches. Presumably my suspension was ordered for the same reason. I desire there fore to state the facts in my case. I made but two speeches prior to the receipt of the order of suspension, one at Butler in an adjoining county on the evening of October 1, and one at Kittanning. a town near to Pittsburg, on the evening of October 3. I did not leave Pittsburg for Butler until nearly o'clock October and returned on the morning of the 2d of Octo
 Der about 9 o'clock. I left Pittsburg for Kittanning October about 5 o'clock p. m. and returned the same night. Upon both of the above dates the United States courts were not in session except short time in the morning of each day for ordinary motions. I was in attendance upon the courts during their sittings and did not leave the city upon either occasion until long after the cou1 ts had adjourned. On October IS tso United States court began it's sessio
 at Pittsburg for the trial of jury causes From October until October IS was en- gagged in the preparation of United States causes for trial and from October IS until October 27, the date of the receipt of the or der of suspension, was engaged in the trial of these causes. Neither during this period other time, did in any particular neglect the duties of my office. These statements may be verified by inquiry of any officer of our courts. I feel it my duty after reading the correspondence between the President and Mir. Benton to state these facts in justice to myself and respectfully request that this com munication be referred to the President. I may also add that did not think that making an occasional campaign speech to my neighbors while not neglecting the duties of my office would be a violation of the Presi- dents order of July 1, 1886.
 
 WILLIAM R. STONE.
 EXECUTIVE MANSION, Nov. 23, 1886.
 Hon. A. H. Garland, attorney general:
 Dear Sir-I have read the letter of the 18th inst. written to you by William R. Stone, lately suspended from office as district attor ney for the western district of Pennsylvania, and the subject matter to which it refers has received my careful consideration. shall not impute to the writer any nischjevous motive in his plainly erroneous assumption that his case and that of M. E. Benton, re- gently suspended and reinstated, rest upon the. the same am s state at of of facts, facts as containing the best statement possi- ble upon the question of his reinstatement. You remember, of course, that soon after the present administration was installed, and I think nearly year and half ago, consid- cred with you certain charges that had been preferred against MT. Stone as 8 federal of fcial. You remember too that the action we then contemplated was withheld by req son of the excuses and explanations of his friends. These excuses and explanations induced me to believe MT. Stones retention would insure faithful performance of his official duties and that whatever offensive partisanship he had deemed pistiiable in other circumstances he would, during his continuance in office at his request under an administration opposed to him in political creed and policy, content himself with aquiet and unobtrusive enjoyment Of his political privileges. l certainly suppose that his sense of propriety would cause him to re- frain from pursuing such a partisan course as would wantonly offend and irritate the friends of the administration who insisted that he should not be retained in office either because of his personal merit or adherence to the methods which for long time had prevailed in the distribution of federal offices In the light of better system and without consid- ering his political affiliations MT. Stone when permitted to remain in office became part of the business organization of the present administration, bound by every obligation of honor to assist within his sphere in it's sue cessful operation. This obligation involved not only the proper performance of official duty, but 8 certain good faith and fidelity which, while not exacting the last sacrifice of political principle. forbade active participa- si9n stpnon. in purely tTpe undertaken for the purpose of advancing partisan interests and conducted upon the avowed theory that the administration of the government was not entitled to the conf dence and respect of the people. There is no dispute whatever concerning the fact that Mir. Stone did join others who were cam paigning the State of Pennsylvania in oppo- sition to the administration. It appears, too, that he was active and prominent with noisy enthusiasm in attendance upon two large public meetings; that the speeches at such meetings were largely devoted to abuse that he approved all this and actually address ed the meetings himself in somewhat the same strain; that he attended such meetings away from his home for the purpose of making such addresses, and that he was advertised as one of the speakers at each of the said meetings.
 I shall accept true the statement of MT. Stone that the time spent by him in thus demonstrating his willingness to hold profitable office at the hands of an admins tration which he endeavored to discredit with the people. and which had kindly over looked his previous offenses, did not result in the neglect of ordinary official duty. But his conduct has brought to liz ht such un- friendliness toward the admin istration which he pretends to serve 8 part, and such "a consequent lack of loyal interest in it's Success, that the safest and surest guaranty of his faithful 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 reviews, with unmistakable interpreta. tion of their character and intent, the charges | of offensive partisanship heretofore made and up to this time held in abeyance. MT Stone and others of like disposition are not to suppose that party lines ase s1 lar tha 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 respon- sible for such administration. While vicious partisan methods should not be allowed for partisan purposes to degrade injure the public service, it is my belief that nothing tends so much to discredit our efforts, in the interest of such service, to treat fairly and generously the official in cumbency of political opponents as conduct such as is here disclosed. The peo- pie of this country certainly do not require the best results of administrative endeavor to be reached with such agencies as these. Upon a full Consideration of all have before me