The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-12-03
The President Refuses to Reinstate the
Pennsylvania Attorney.

States Distsict Attorney Stone, of the
Western Pennsylvania District. The
following correspondence bearing up
on tho case was made public to day.
The first letter is from district Attorney
Stone and is as follows:
PrrsBuRG, Nov. is, 1896.
Hon. A. II. Garland, Attorney Cen
eral--Sir: | have read the correspon-
dence between the President and Hon.
NJ L. Benton, United States attorney,
connected with his restoration to office
10 which it appears that he was sus-
pended from Office for his apparent
neglect OF official duties in making
campaign speeches. Presumably my
suspension was ordered for the same
reason. | desire, therefore, 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 OF
October l, and one at Kittanning, a
town near to Pittsburg, on the evening
of October 2.
did not leave Pittsburg for Butler
until nearly o'clock October /, and
returned on the morning of the I'd of
October about o'clock. left Pitts
burg for Kitianning Saturday, October
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 in the morning Of each day for
ordinary motions. | was in attendance
upon the courts during their sittings,
and did not leave the city on either
occasion until long after the courts had
adjourned. On October Is the United
States District Court began its session
at Pittsburg for the trial of jury causes
a petit and grand jury being in attend
ance. From October 2 until October
1s l was engaged in the preparation Of
United States causes for trial, and from
October 1S until October 81, the date
of the receipt of the order of suspen
sion, was engaged in the trial of these
causes. Neither during this period
from October to October 27 nor al
any other time did l in any particular
neglect the duties of my office. These
statements may be verified by inquiry
Of any officer of our courts. l feel il
my duty after reading the correspon.
dence between the President and Mr.
Benton to state these facts in justice
to myself, aud respectfully request that
this communication be referred to the
President.
may also add that / did not think
that making an occasional campaign
speech to my neighbors, while no,
neglecting the duties of my office
would be violation Of the President
order of July 10. 1886. Very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM A. STONE.
Upon receipt of this letter the Presi
dent wrote the following to Attorney
General Garland
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Nov. 23, 1886.
Hon. A. H. Garland, Attorney Gen
eral-Dear Sir: have read the lettel
of the 18th instant, written to you by
William A. Stone, lately suspended
from Office as discrict attorney 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
mischievous motive in his plainly erro
neous assumption that his case and
that of NJ E. Benton, recently suspend
ed 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 rein
statement.
You remember, of course, that soon
after the present Administration was
installed, and, I think, nearly a yeal
and a half ago, considered with you
certain charges which had been pre-
fered against Mr. Stone as a fedora
official. You remember, too, that the
action we then contemplated was with
held by reason of the excuses and ex
plantations of his friends. These ex
cuses and explanation induced me to
believe that Mr.. Stones retention wouli
insure faithful performance of officia
duty, aud that whatever offensive par
tisanship he had deemed justifiable in
other circumstances he would during
his continuance in office at his request
under an Administration opposed tC
him in political creed and policy, con
tent himself with a quiet and unob
trusive enjoyment of his political priv
leges certainly supposed that biz
sense Of propriety would cause him t.
refrain from pursuing such partisan
course as would wantonly offend ant
irritate the friends of the Administra
tion who insisted that he should not b
retained in Office, either because of hi
personal merit or in adherence to tn
methods which for long time had pre-
vailed in the distribution of feders
offices.
In the light of better system an
without considering bis political affils
tions Mr.. Stone, when permitted to rt
main in office, became part of tn
business organization Of the preser
Administration, bound by every obi
CATION of honor TO assist within hi
sphere in It's successful operation TIL
obligation Involved not only the prope
performance of official duty, but a ce
tain goo faith aud fidelity which, Will
not exacting the least sacrifice of polit
cal principle, forbade active partioipi
tion in purely partisan demonstration
Of a pronounced type, undertaken f.
the purpose Of advancing partisan il
teresls auI conducted npon the avov
ed theory that the administration {
the Government was not entitled
the confidence ard resnect of the peopl
There IS no dispute whatever col
cerning the fact that Mr. Stone di
join others v no were campaigning u
State Of Pennsylvania III opposition
the Admi nistration. 1t appears, TO
that he was active and prominent viii
noisy enthusiasm in attendance upC
at least two large public meeting'
that the speeches at such meeting
were largely devoted to abuse and mi
representation Of the Administration
that he approved all this and actual
addressed the meetings himself in som