Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-25
NO SHOW FOR A REPUBLICAN.
ffesldent Cleveland Refuses to Rein.
state WIN. \. >tOne, Recently Sus.
pended for Making Political Speeches
in Pennsylvania.
WIsurScror Nov d

WASHINGTON. Nov "a.
President Cleveland has refused the re
quest tor Reinstatement made nv VIM. A,
Stone, recently suspended as district attorne,
TOR the western district of Pennsylvania fo
participating in tue political campaign. Ston,
wrote TO Attorney General Garland from
Pittsburg, under date OF Nov. Is, saving tba
he had read the correspondence between tn,
President and Hon. NJ. Z. Benton, United
States attorney, connected with his restora
tion to office in which he ii appears he was
suspended from office for his apparent ne
glect OF official duties in making campaign
speeches. As his suspension was presumabl,
ordered for the same reason he desires tC
state That he made but two speeches prior tc
the receipt of he order of suspension neithe,
OF which lnterferred with his official duties
nor were the courts in session those days
AT no time did he neglect the duties of his
ONCE lie concludes as follows
II feel 1t nv duty, after reading the cor
respondence between the President and Ben.
ton, to state these facts in justice to myself
ana respectfully request that this communi-
cation be referred to the President. NAV
also add that didn't think that making an
OCCASIONAL campaign speech 10 my neighbors,
while not ntgle citing the duties of my Office,
would be in violation of the Presidents order
of July 10, 1886"
President Cleveland wrote to Garland yes
terday, AS follows:
| have read the letter of the 18th, written
to you by VIM. A. Stone. lately suspend
from office as district attorney for the western
district of Pennsylvania and the subject mat
ter TO which it refers has received my careful
consideration. | shall not impute to the
writer any mlschevoHs motive in his plainly
erroneous assumption that his case and that
OF Nj. r. Benton, recently suspended and re-
lnstated, rest upon the same state of affairs.
but prefer to regard his letter as containing Z
the best statement possible upon the question
OF his reinstatement. You remember, of
course, that soon after the present admins
tration was installed, and | think nearly a
year and half ago, | considered with you
certain charges which had been preferred
against Stone rs federal official. You re-
member too that the action we then contem.
plated was withheld by reasons of excuses
and explanations of his friends. These ex
cuses and explanations induced me to believe
that Stones retention would insure faithful
performance of official duty, and that what
ever offensive partisanship he had deemed
Justifiable in other circumstances, he would,
during his continuance in Office at his request
under an administration opposed to him iu
political creed and policy, content himself
with quiet and unob,ruslve enjoyment of his
political privileges. | certainly supposed
his sense of proprety would cause him to re.
frain from pursuing such partisan course
as would wantoniy offend and irritate friends
of the administration, who insisted that he
should not be retained in office, either be-
pt nal in uAh
to methods which for long time had pre-,
vailed in the distribution of federal offices
Stone, when permitted to remain in his office
became part of the business organization
of the present administration bound by every
obligation of honor to assist within his sphere
in its successful operation. This obligation
inv olved not only proper performance OF
official duty, but certain good faith and fidsl-
ity, which while exacting at least a sacrifice
of political principle, forbade an active par
ticipation in purely partisan demonstration
undertaken tor the purpose of advancing par
tisan interests, and conducted upon the
avowed theory that the administration of the
government was not entitled to the respect
and confidence of the people. There is nc
dispute, however, concerning the fact thai
Stone did join others who were campaigning
the State of Pennsylvania in opposition tc
the administration. 1t appears, too, that he
was active and prominent in attendance upor
at least two large public meetings; that the
speeches at such meetings were largely de-
voted to the abuse and misrepresentation OF
the administration; that he approved all this
and actually addressed meetings himself thai
he attended such meetings for the purpose
of making such addresses anc
that he was advertised as one Of the speaker,
at each of the meetings. | shall accept as
true the statement Of Stone that the time
spent by him in thus demonstrating his will.
ingness to hold profitable effice at the hands
of an administration which he endeavored tc
discredit with the people and which had kind.
ly overlooked his previous offenses did moi
result il neglect of ordinary official duty but
his conduct has brought to light such un
friendliness towards the administration which
he pretends to serve, and such consequent
lack of LOYAL interest in its success, that the
safest and surest guaranty of his faithful ser.
vice is, in my opinion, entirely wanting
Stone and others of like disposition are not
to suppose that party lin-s are SO far oblter.
ated that the administration of the govern
ment is to be trusted in places, high or low
to those who aggressivey and consequently
eudeavor unfairly to destroy the confidence
Of the people in the party responsible fol
such administration. While vicious partisan
methods should not be allowed for partisan
purposes to degrade or injure the public ser
vice it is my belief that nothing tends &C
much to discredit our efforts in the interest,
of such service TO treat fairly and generous
ly official incumbency of political opponent:
as the conduct such as is mere disclosed, Ger.
tsinly do not require the best results of ad
ministrstive endeavor to be reached with
such agencies as these. Upon full considera
ton Of all have before me, am constrained
to decline the application of Stone for rein
statement.