The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-11-25

Hon. a. H. Garland, Attorney General,
sIR;-I have read the correspondence
between the President and Hon, NJ. Il
Benton, U, S, Attorney, connected will
his restoration to ottiCe, IN which 1t ap
pears that lie was suspended from otRe(
for his apparent neglect 81 official autleI
In making campaign speeches. Presuma
bly, my suspension was ordered for thI
same reason, ! desire therefore to STATE
the facts in my case,
! made buttwo speeches prior to tht
receipt Of the order oi suspension, one a
Butler, in an adjoining county, on thu
evening OF October 10, and one at Kittan
ming, "a town near Pittsburgh, on the even
ing OF October 2.
did not leave Pittsburgh for Butler ur,
til nearly 4 o'clock, October l, and re-
turned on the morning OF October 2 about
0 O'Clock, l loft Plttsburgh for Kittanning
saturday, October 2, about 5 o'clock p, NJ
and returned the aame night,
Upon both OF the above dates, the
United States Courts here were not in Res-
Lon, except q short time In the morning
oil each day for ordinary motions. l was
IN attendance upon the courts during their
sittings, and did not leave the city upon
either occasion until long alter the courts
mad adjourned. On October IS the United
States District Court began ils session
At PitAburgh for the trial Of jury causes,
q petit and grand jury being in attend
Ance. From OCtober2 until October IS |
was engaged In the preparation oi Unitad
States causes for trial, and from October Is
until October 81, the date oi the receipt Of
the order 'oi suspension, | was engaged In
thS trial OF these causes. Neither during
this period from October 9 to October 27,
nor at any other time, did In any par.
SECULAR, neglect the duties Of my office.
These statements may be verified by in.
quiry OF any otllcefol our courts. feel 1t
my duty, after reading the correspond.
snCe between the President aud MIR.
Benton, to state these facts In Justice to
myself, and respectfully request that this
communication bs referred to the Pfesi-
dent.
mOy also add that l did not think
that making an occasional campaign
speech to my neighbors, while not neg
leCting the duties Of my Office, would he q
violation Of the President's order OF July
10, 1885.
Very respectfully, your obedlcnt ser.
want, WM. A. STONE.
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHIEdroN, d. o., Nov %, 1856. !
Hon. a. II, Garland. Attorney General
DEAR SIR:-IhayO read the letter Of the
18th inst, written to you by Wm. A.
Stone, lately suspended from Office as
District Attorney f1r the Western Dis.
trict Of Pennsylvania, and the subject
matter to which It refers has recaiv.
ed my careful consideration, / shall
not impute to the writer any
miachievous motive In his plainly errone.
ous assumption that his case and that Of
n. L, Benton, recently suspended an | re.
lnstated, rest upon the ssps state Of facts,
nut prefer to regard his letter az contain.
ing the best statement possible upon tho
question Of bis reinstatement. You re.
member, OF course, that soon alter the
present administration was inGtalled, and
| think nearly q year and half ago.
considered with you certain charges which
mad been preferred against Mr.. Stone Rs q
Federal official. You remember, to, that
the action w0 then contemplated was
withheld by reason OF the EXCUSES and ex.
plantations Of his friends. These excuses
and explanations induced me to believe
that Mr., stones retention would insure q
faithful performance OF official duty; and
whatever oHeDtiyepartigaUship he had that
deemed iustiGable In other circumstances,
he would, during his continuance In OF.
dee, at his request, under an.adminiatra.
ton opposed to him In political creed and
policy, content himself with 9 quiet and
unobUusiYe enjoyment Of his political
privileges.
certainly supposed that bis sense Of
propriety would cause him TO refrain irom
pursuining such partisan course es
would wantonly offend and irritate tho
friends Of the administration, holnslsted
that he should not be retained In office
either because Of his personal merit
or in ADHERENCE to the methods which for
q long time had prevailed In the llstribu.
tion Of federal offices. In the light Of Q
better system, snd without consideripg
his political affiliations, Mr., stone, when
permitted to remain in Office, became @
part OF the bpsiness organization Of the
present administration, bound by every
obligation Of honor to RGsist within his
sphere in its successiul operation. This
obligation involved, not only the proper
performance Of Official duty, but q GER
tain good faith aud fidelity which,
while not exacting the least Dagri.
fee Of political principle, forbade
active participation In purely partizIn
demonstrations oil 0 pronounced type, I'm.
derlaken for the purpose Of advancing
party interests, mud conducted upon the
ayowed theory that the administration oi
the Government was not entitled 10 the
confidence and respect Of the people.
There 10 no dispute whatever concerning
the iSokthat Mr., Stone did join others who
we're campaigning the State. OF PennSyl.
vania In opposition TO the administration.
Il appears, too, that he was. sctIve and
prominent with noisy enthusiasm, In OF,
tendSuEa upon at least two large
nublIc meetings, that the speeches
Al such meetlnss wsra lergely de.
voted 10 abcaa and Misrepresentation
Of The Administration; that he approved
ali this and actually addressed the meet.
inps himself 10 Bomep hat the same strain
that he attended such mSeIlngp away
from his homo ior the purpose OF making
snCh addresses, and that DO was adyer:
tissd az one Of the speakers N EACH oi
said meetings.
/ shall accept 90 tTaS tho statement ol
Mr., Stone that the time spent by him 10
thus demonstrating his willingness to hold
. profitable ollCO at the hands Of an Adj
mlniStfation which hO endeavored 70 dis
credit With the people, and which bad kind.
" overlooked bis previous offences, did
not result Ia tho neglect ol ordinary
official duty. But bis eohdgCt has brought
10 light such on unlrlendllnegS toward The
Sdmlnlstfatlon which he ptetends to serve
and ol whlsh be ls rlomlnally o part, and
SuCh conseQ lent lack Of loyal interest ID
its success, that the safest and PnreSt guar
Gntee Of his faithful service, 10 Ia lny opIn
Ion entirely wanting.
His course, In ilssli such a5 ehould mo-
have been entered Hpou while maintain
Ing official relations 10 the Standardization
also gsnsws aud reylyea With unmibtakal
BILE Interpretation Of tbel Z character ant
intent the charges OF offensive pattl
A.as.lal.s. s,.aNa aaA ~ lttti