Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1886 — THE CASE OF STOKE. [ARTICLE]

THE CASE OF STOKE.

Tha Suspended District Attorney of 1 Western Pennsylvania Will Not Be Reinstated. President Cleveland’s Reason* Therefor—The Correspondence in ~ the Case. 1 - [Washington telegram.] The President make* public the following corresjKndeucc: PmsovHon, Pa., Nov. 18. The Hon. A. H. Garland. Attorney Genonn: hn.- l ha.e read the c<rreayoudoMce between the Preniuent and the Hou. M, E. Limton, Vlilted Stut s Attorney, connected with his restoration to office, in which it ti a‘ he was suspended from ofll e for his apparent neglect of official duties in making campaign speeches. 1 resumably my suqeuaUn was ordered for the sumo reason. I desire, therefore, to state the facts in my case. I made but two speeches prior to the roccijit of tno order of BLspeusicn— one at butler in an udjoining county the evening of Oct. 1, and <ue at Kittanning a town near Pittsburgh, the eveiUiL' of Oct. 2. I did not ‘leave i’ittsourg formatter until nearly 4 o'clock, .Cfst. 1, Mid returned the morning of the 2d about 9 o'clock. I left J’ittsbi rg for Kit.aiming, Saturday, Oct. 2, about 5 o’clock p. tn., and returned tiie same night. Eo'h of the above cates the lialt -d state- ('o-.rrta here were not in session, except a short time in the morning ot each day for ord nary iito.ions. 1 was i>. n t -ndnm-e upon the courts during their sittings ui.d did not leave H.o city upon either oieaslon until long utter the court; had kdjourued. Get. 18 thu United (states District Court began its session at Pittsburg for the trial of jury causes, a Petit aud Grand J ury being in attendance. From Oct. 2 until Oct. 18 f was engaged in tire preparation of causes for trial, and from Oct. 18 until Oct. 27, the date of the receipt ot the order of suspension, I was engaged in the trial of these causes. Neither during this period frpm Oct. 2 to Oct. 27 nor at any other time did I in any particular neglect the duties of iny office. These statements may be verified by'inquiry of any officer of our courts. I fuel it my duty aftor ria ling the correspondence between the President and Mr. Feutou to.state thi so facts in justice to niyielt, end respictfully request ti at this coin- . mun,cation lie referred to tue fresident. I may also add that I did not th-nk that making ah occas.ona; campaign speech to my neighbors, while Hot neglecting the duties of my office, would be a violation of the Presid. nt s order of July Id. 1880.’ Very respecttullr. your bbeettont servant, VVm. A. Stone. Exr cctive Mansion, Nov. 23. The Hon.% H. Garland, Attorney General: Deab Sib—l have read the 1 tter of the isth inst., writcvn to you by William A. Stone, lately suspended Irom office as Distiict Attorney lor the Western District of Peunsylvani .1, and ihe subject matter to which it refers has received my careful consideration. I shall not impute to .he writer any mischievous moriyo in Ida plainly errqneous assumption that his case and that of Mr] Benton, recently suspended 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 reinstatement. You remember, of c -urse, that soon after the jiresent administration was installed, and I think nearly a ye. r and a half ago, I considered with you certain charges which had been preferred against Mr. btone as a Federal official. You remember, too, that the action then <?qiy»inplated was withhold by reason of the excuses nrr.l explanations of his friends. These excuses and explanations induced me to believe that Mr. Stoners retention would insure a faithful performance of oiibial duty, and that whatever offensive partisanship lie had deemed justifiable in other circumstances he would, during his continuance in office at his request, under an administration opposed to him in political creed, and 1 elieyreeirtent himself with a quiet and unobtrusive “enjoyment cd his political privileges. I certainly supposed that his souse nf propriety would cause him to refrain from pursuing such a partisan course as would w antonly ollind and irritate the friends of the administration, who insisted that he should not be retained in office, either because of hiß personal merit nr in adherence to the methods -w hicli have for a long time prevailed in the d.strioution of Federal offices. In the light of a oetter system, and without considering his political affiliations. Mr. Stone, w hen permitted to remain in office, became a part of the business organization ot the present administration, bound by every obligation of honor to assist within his sphere in its successful operation. This obligation involved not only the proper performance of official duty, but a certain good faith and fidelity, wldclirVhile not “exaettng the least sacrifice of political principle, forbade active participation in purely partisan demonstrations of a pronounced type, undertaken for the purpose of advancing partisan interests, and conducted upon the avowed theory that the administration of the Government was not entitled to the confidence and respect of the people. There is no dispute whatever concerning the fact that Mr. Stone did join others who were campaigning the State of Pennsylvania in opposition to the administration. It appears, too, that be was active and prominent; with noisy enthusiasm in attendance upon at least two large public meetings where the speeches were largely 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 speakers at each of Said meeting. I shall accept as true the statement of Mr. Stone that the time spent by him in thus demonstrating his W'illingness to hold a profit.....ftlzliiQfflfiiViit.. hcUiilii id. ....teß...AllxmmatxatiQxx . which he endeavored to diicredit with the people, and which had overlooked bis previous offenses, did not result in the neglect of ordinary official duty; but his conduct has brought to light such an unfriendliness toward the admin-, istrution which he pretends to serve, and of which he is nominally a part, and such a consequent lack of loyal interest in its success, that the safest and surest guaranty of his faithful service is, in my opinion, entirely wanting. His course, in itself, such as should not have been entered upon while maintaining official relations to the administration, also renews and revives, with unmistakable interpretation of their character and intent, the charces of offensive partisanship heretofore made, and up to this time held in abeyance. Mr. Stone and others of like disposition are not to suppose that party lines are so far obliterated that the administration of the Government is to be trusted, in places high or low, to those who aggressively and constantly endeavor unfairly to destroy the confidence of the people in the petty responsible for such administration. While vicious partisan methods should not be allowed for partisan purposes to degrade or injure the public service, it is my belief that nothing tends so much to discredit our efforts, iti the interest of such servicerto treat fairlv and generously the official incumbency of political opponents as conduct'such as is here disclosed. The people of this country certainly do not require the best results es administrative endeavor to be reached with such agencies as these. Upon a full consideration of all I have before me, I am constrained to decline the application «f Mr Stone for his reinstatement. I inclose bis letter with this, and desire you to acquaint him with my decision. Y’ours verj»truly, Gboveb Cleveland. Department op Justice, i - Washing! on, D. C., Nov. 21, 188 G. f The Hon. William A. Stone, Pittsburg, Pa.: Siß—l am directed by the President to say to you that, after consideration of your letter of the 18th inst., he will not revoke or change the order heretofore made suspending you aa District Attorney for the Western. District of Pennsylvania. Very respectfully, A. H. Garland, Attorney Gensral.