St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-25
REPUBLICANS GALL.
He Makes Speeches Abusing the Ad-
miniSIratiOn. and Then Wants TO
Continue TO Hold Office.


minisIratiOn. and Then Wants 10
Continue to Hold Office.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 24.-The president
makes public the following correspond
snce:
Pittsburg. Pa, Nov. Is. 1ss6.-Hon. a. h.
Garland, Attorney General. Dear Sir: l have
:ead the CORES spondence between the presi-
lent and Hon. NJ. E. Benton, United States
district attorney. connected with his restora-
ton TO Office, in which ii appears that he was
suspended from Office for his apparent neg
lect OF official duties in making campaign
speeches. Presumably nv suspension was
ordered for the same reason desire, there
fore, to state the facts in my case. | made
but two speeches prior to the receipt of the
order of suspension: One at Butler, in an
adjoining county. on the evening or Oct l,
and one at kittanniug.a town near Pittsburg,
On the evening Of Oct ,. | did not leave
Pittsburg for Butler until nearly o'clock
Oct. /. uai returned Ou the morning of the
I'd of October, about 9 o'clock. | left Pitts
burg for Kittanning Saturday. Oct. 2. about
o'clock p. m, and returned the same night.
Upon both of the above dates the United
States courts here were not in session, except
short time on the morning of Tuesday for
ordinary notions l was in
ATTENDANCE UPON THE COURT,
and did not leave the cit on either occasion
until long after the courts had adjourned. On
Oct. Is. the United SJaUes district court began
its session al Pittsburg for the trial OF jury
cases, petit and grand jury being'in attend
Rnce. From Oct. until Oct. Is | was en-
gagged in the preparation of United States
causes for trial, and from Oct. IS until Oct.
p, the date of the receipt OF the order of sus-
peLsion, was engaged in the trial of these
causes. Neither during this period, from
Oct. = TO 27, nor at any other time cid in any
particular neglect the duties of MY Cffice.
This statement may be verified by inquiry of
an officers OF our courts / feel ii my dutY
after reading the correspondence between
she president and Mr.. Benton, TO state these
facts in justice to myself. and respectfully re-
quest that this communication be referred TO
the president. 1 may also add that 1 did not
think that making an occasional cam aign
speech to my neighbors, while not neglecting
the duties of my Office, would be a violation
Of the presidents order of July 10, 1885.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM a. STONE.
CLEvELAND's LETTER.
Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov. 23.-
Hon. a. H. Garland, Attorney General, Dear
Sir: l have read the letter Of the 18th inst,
written 10 you by VIM. A. Stone. lately sus-
pended from Office as district attorney Tor 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 miScbievous motive in his
plainly erroneous assumption that his case
L.
and reinstated. rest upon the same state OF
facts. but prefer to regard mis- letter as con-
tanning the least statement possible upon the
question of his reinstatement. You remem-
ber, of course, that soon after the present
administration was installed, and ! think
nearly q year and half ago, l considered
with you certain charges which had been
preferred against Mr.. Stone as q fedora &Dffi-
cial You remember, too, that the action we
then contemplated was withheld by reason of
the excuses and explanations of his
friends. Those excuses ana explanations
induced me to believe that Mr..
Stones retention would insure q
faithful performance of official duties;
and that Whatever offensive partisanship he
had deemed iustitiable 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 quiet and unObtrusive eujoymen. of
mis- political privileges. / certainly supposed
that his sense of prOpriety would cause him
TO refrain from pursuing such partisan
course as would only 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 in adher-
snce 10 the methods which for a long time has
prevailed in the distribution of federal Offices.
Il the light Of g better system and without
eonsderng his political affiliations. Mr.. Stone
when permitted TO remain in Office, became a
part of the business organization of the pres
snt administration. bound by every obligation
Of honor TO assist within his sphere in its sue
ceSsful operation, The obligation involved
not only the proper performance of official
duty, but a certain good faith and fidelity.
which, while not eXactng the least sacrifice of
political principle. forbade active participa-
ton in purely partisan demonstration of q
pronounced type. undertaken for the pur-
pose of advancing partisan interests and con-
Quoted upon the avowed theOrv that the ad-
ministratiOp OF the government was not enti-
tied TO the confidence and respect Of the peo-
ple. There is no dispute whatever concern
ing the fact that Mr.. Stone did join others
who were campaigning the state of Pennsvl-
yania in opposition to the administration. 1t
appears. too, that he was active and promin-
ent in attendance upon at least two large
public meetings; that the speeches at such
meetings were 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 of making such addresses,
and that he was advertised as one OF the
sneakers at each of said meetings. l shall
sccept as true the statement of Mr. Stone
that the time spent by him in thus demon
s+ratiug his willingness TO hold profitable
Office at the hands of an administration which
he endeavored to discredIt with the people.
vious offenses. did not result in the neg
lect of ordinary Official duty. But his con-
duct has brought TO light partisan unfriend-
liness toward the administration which he
nretends to serve, and of which he is nomi-
nalIy part, and such consequent lack of
Ioval interest in its success that the safest
and surest guarant, of his faithful service is
in NV opinion entirely wanting. His course
in1tself such as should not have been entered
anon while maintaining official relations with
the administration, also renews and revives
With unmistakable Interpretation of the char
acter and intent. the charges of offensive par
t1sapship before made, and up to this time
held in abeyance. Mr.. Stone and others of
ike disposition are not 10 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
sndeavor unfairly to destroy the confidence
of the people in the party responsible for
s1,ch administration. While vicious partisan
.oethods should not be allowed for partisan
D,,rDoses TO degrade or fnjure the public
seryice, it is my belief that nothing tends SO
vrueh TO ciscredit our efforts in the interest
.,-ok aervice to treat fairly ard generously