The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-08
SUSPENSION CONFIRMED.
The President Refuses to Rein.
state District Attorney Stone.
MI. Cleveland's Reasons for His Ac-
t:oa in the Matter.
President Cleveland has made public the
following correspondence:

President Cleveland has maie public the
following correspondence:
PrTTsBURG, Nov. IS, 1856.
The Hon. 4. II. Gurlund, Attorney Cen
eruL.
Sill have read the correspondence be-
tween the President and the Hon. ii. f. Ben
ton, United States Attorney connected with
his restoration TO office in whi h it aprears
that he was suspended from oIlice for his ap-
parent neglect Of official duties in making
campaign spec hes. Presumably my sus-
pension WINS ordered for the same reason. I
desire, therefore, to state the fucti in my
case. made but two speeches prior to the
receipt of the order of suspension; che Mt
Butler in an nd joining county OIL the evening
of October |, and one at Kittanning, town
near to l'ittsburg, on the evening of October
2. ! did not leave Pittsburg or Butler until
nearly o'clock October !, and returned on
tho morning of the I'd of October at out 8
o'clock. left Pittsbarg for Kittan-
ming Saturday, October =, about5 o'clock T..
NJ, and returned the same night. Upon
both of the above dates the United States
Courts here were not in session, except a
short slime in the morning of each day for Or
dinary motions. | was in attendance upon
the courts during their sittngs aud did not
leave the city upon either occasion until long
after the cOurt' had adjourned On October
18th the United States District Court be-
gan its session az Pitt,Gurg for the trial
of jury causes, a petit and Grand Jury
being in attendance. From O"toher = until
October Is was engaged in the preparation
of United States causes for trial, and from
Ortoher Is to October 81, the date of tho re-
ceipt of the order of suspension, was en-
gaged i'll the trial Of these causes. Neither
during this period from October to October
u, nor at any OTHER time, did I in any rar-
ticlar neglect tho duties of my Office.
qu;ry of any officer of our courts.
L feel it my duty, after reading
the correspondence between the President
nnd Mr. Benton, to state these facts in jus
tice to myself, nnd respectfully request that
this communication l,e referred to the Pres.
dent. I may also ,uld tlmt did not think
that making an occasional campaign speech
to my neighbors while not negle,.ting tile
duties of my Office, would lo n violation Of
tho Presidents order of July 10, 1856. Very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM A. STONE.
H.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Nov. %, 1885.
To Hon. Il H. GarLund, .it'y-GcneruL:
DEARStR: have read the letter of the
18th inst, written to you by William A.
Stone, lately suspended from o.Ice rs District
Attorney for the Western District of Penn
sylvanin, and the subject matter to which it
refers has received my careful consideration.
Ishall not impute 10 the writer any mischicr-
olls motive in his plainly erroneous us>ump-
tion that his case and that of M. T.. Benton,
recently suspended an.i reinstatetl, rest upon
the same state Of IN iS but prefer to regard
his letter us containing the best statement
possible upon the question of his reiustate.
nient.
You remember, of course, that soon after
the present Administration was installed,
and think nearly year and q half ago. l
considered with you certain charges which
Federal official. You remember too, that
the action we then contemplated was with
held by reason Of the excuses and
explanations of lis friends. These ex-
cuses and explanations induced me to be-
ieve that Mr.. Stones retention would insure
n faithful performance of official duty, and
that whatever offensive partizanship he had.
deen eli justitiable in other circumstances he
would, during his continuance in Office at his
request, undei. an Admi istration opposed to
him in pnitical creed and policy, content
himself with q quiet and unobtrusive en-.
joyment of his political privileges. I
certainly supposed that his sense of
propriety would cause him to re.
frain from pursuing such q artisan course
as would wantonly offend and irr.tate the
friends of the Administration, who insist>d
that he should not be retained in Office, either
because Of his personal merit or in adher-
ence to the methods which for a long time
had prevailed in the distribution of Federal
offices.
In the light of better system, and without
considering his political affiliations, Mr.. Stone
when permitted to remain in office became a
part of the business organization Of the pres
ent administration, bound Ly every obliga-
tion of honor to assist within his sphere i'll its
successful operation. This obligation. in
volved not only the proper performan g Of
official duty, but q certain good faith and
fidelity, which, while not exacting the least
sacrifice of political principle, forbade active
participation in purely partisan demonstra-
tions of q pronounced type, undertaken for
the purpose Of advancing partisan interests
and conducted upon the avowed theory that
the Administration of the Government was
not tentitled to the confdc nee and respect of the
ing tue fact that Mr.. Stone did join others
who were campaigning the State Of Penn
sylvania in opposition to the Administration.
It appears, too, that he was active and promi-
nent with noisy enthus ;aem, in attendance
upon at least two large public meetings; that
the speeches at su h meetings were largely
devoted to abuse and Misrepresentation oil
the A irniniStration; that he approved
all this. and actually addressed the meeting
himself in somewhat the same strain; that
he attended such meetings away from his
home for the purpose of making such adj
dresses, aud that he was advertised as one Of
the speakers at each of said meetings
shall accept as true the statement Of Mr..
Stone that the time spent by him in thus
demonstrating his willingness to hold a profit
able Office at the hands Of au Administration
which he en- leavored to discredit with the
people, and which had kindly overlooked his
previous ofenses, did not result in the
neglect of ordinary official duty. But his
conduct has brought to light such an un-
friendiness toward the Administration
which he pretends to serve, and of
which he is nominally q part, and such
q consequent lack of loyal interest in its sue
cess. that the safest and surest guarantee Of
his faithful service is in my opinion entirely
wanting. His course, in itself such as should
not have been entered upon while maintain