The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-12-03
Mr.. STONES CASE SETTLED.
The President Declines 10 Reinstate
Suspended Official.

Suspended Official.
WAsHINGToN, d. c., Nov. 24.-Pres-
ident Cleveland yesterday addressed a
letter to Attorney General Garland, re-
questing the latter to inform William
A. Stone, of PittsDuTg, that the Presi-
dent refused 10 reinstate him in the
office of District Attorney for the West
ern District of Pennsylvania, from
which he had been suspended for making
political speeches during the recent
State campaign. After acknowledging
the receipt and consideration Of Mr..
Stones letter Of explanation Of the 18th
inst, the President says:
II shall not impute to the writer any
mischievous motive in his plainly eTTO-
neoRs assumption thai his case and that
of NJ. E. Benton, recently suspended and
reinstated, rest upon the same state OF
facts, but prefer to regard his letter as
containing the best statement possible
upon the question Of his reinstatement.
You remember, of course, that soon
after the present Administration was
Installed. and l think nearly year and
a half ago, l considered with you certain
charges that had been preferred against
Mr.. Stone as A Federal official. You
contemplated was withheld by reason of
the excuses and explanations of his
friends, These excuses and explanations
induced me to believe that Mr.. stones
retention would insure a faithful per-
foTmance of official duty (; and that
whatever offensive partisanship he had
deemed jus,ifiable in other ciTcumstan-
ces. he would during his continuance IN
office at his request, under an Admins
tration opposed TO him in political creed
and policy, content himself with quiet
and unobtrusive enjoyment of his polltl-
cal privileges. l certainly supposed that
his sense OF prOpriety would cause him
tO,refrain from pursuing such a partisan
course as would waDtOnly offend and
iIritate the friends of the Administra-
tion. who insisted that he should not be
retained in Office either because of bis
personal merit or in adherence to the
methods which had for long time
prevailed in the distribution Of Federal
offices.
YIN the light of better system, and
without considering bis political affilia-
/ tions, Mr.. Stone, when permitted TO
| remain in office, became part of the
! business organization of the present Ad
/ ministration, bound by every obligation
] of honor to assist within his sphere in
! its successful operation. This obligation
/ involved not only the proper performance
/ of official duty but a certain good faith
/ and fidelity which while not exacting
| tue least sacrifice Of political principle.
| forbade active participation in purely
/ partisan demonstrations of a pronounced
| type, undertaken for the purpose of ad-
| vancing partisan interests and conducted
/ upon the avowed theory that the admin
| istration of the Government was not
/ entitled to the confidence and respect OF
/ the people.
/ ''Tf ere is no dispute whatever con-
! ceIniug the fact that Mr.. Stone did join
! others who were campaigning the State
| of PENNSYLVANIA in opposition to the
/ Administration. 1t appears. too, that
/ he was active and prominent with noisy
I enthusiasm in attendance upon at least
| two lWge public meetings; that The
/ speeches at such meetings were largely
| devoted to abuse and misrepresentation
/ of the Administration that he approved
/ all this, and actually addressed the
| meetings himself in somewhat the same
/ strain that he attended such meetings
away from his home for the purpose o.:
/ making such addresses, and that be was
! advertised as one of the speakers at each
of said meetings.
4 shall accept as true the statement
Of Mr.. Stone, that the time spent by him
in thus demonstrating his willingness to
hold profitable office at :he hands of
an administration which he endeavored
to discrediS with the people, and which
had kindly overlooked his previous often
ses. did not result in the neglect of
ordinary official duty. But his conduct
has brought to light such an unfTiendli-
ness toward the Administration which
he pretends to serve, and of which he is
nominallY a part, and such a consequent
lack of loyalty to rest in its success, that
the safest and surest guarantee of his
faithful service is, in my opinion, entire
ly wanting. His course, in itself such
as should MT have been entered upon
while maintaining official relations to
the Administration, also lenews ard
Tevives, with unmistaka able inteTpTeta-
tiOn of their character and intent, the
charges of offensive partisanship hereto
fore made and up to this time held in
allegiance.
Mr.. Stone and others of like disposi-
tion are not to suppose that party lines
are so far obliterated that the admins
tration of the Government is to be
trusted, in places high or low, to those
who aggressively and constantly endeav-
or unfairly to destroy the confidence of
the people in the party responsible for
such administration. While vicious
partisan methods be allowed Tot for
partisan purposes to degrade or injure
the public service, it is my belief that
nothing tends so much to discredit our
efforts, in the interest of snch service. to
treat fairly and generously the official
incumbency of political opponents, as
conduct such as is here disclosed. The
people of this country certainly do not
require the best results of administrative
endeavoT to be reached with such agen-
cies as these.
Upon a full consideration Of all 1
have before me, am constrained to de-
cline the application of Mr.. Stone for
his reinstatement. 1 incl0se his letter
with this, and desire you to acquaint
him with my decision" p"