Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-12
sTEvENSON'S NOMINATION.
The District Bar Dissatisfied.

Washington Correspondence Baltimore Sun.
The nomination IF First Assistant Postnlas-
| ter-General Stevenson for the vacancy on the
District bench, caused by the death of Judge
Merrick. is universally disapproved Of by the
bar of the District. The objection is mainly
on the ground Of unfamiliarity with the Dis
| trict courts, for Mr.. Stevenson in every other
| respect is recognized as above reproach. The
nomination was made out on last Friday, to be
| sent to the Senate on that day, but the Presi-
! dent was induced to withhold it on account of
| the very vigorous protest made personally to
| him by distinguished member Of the bar. This
| gentleman walked into the Presidents private
Office, and without any formality told him 1t
would be an outrage on the bar and the people Of
| the District of Columbia to put another west
| ere man on the bench. He said the admins
tration of justice had been seriously obstructed.
and the bar and suitors subjected to the most
| serious embarrassment and Inconvenience by
| the total ignorance of the District procedure of
| the two western men the President had already
| put upon the bench. The President expressed
| surprise to hear this, and then remarked that
Mr.. Stevenson was a man of ability and char
acter and he thought ought to be acceptable.
| The gentleman replied that he had no criticism
| to make on Mr.. Stevenson's character or his
| ability, but il these western men we're SO able
| as was alleged, he did not see why they did not
stay at home and become judges there. He
repeated that the two western men already put
| on the bench by Mr.. Cleveland were so totally
unfamiliar with the laws and the procedure Of
the local courts that it absolutely pitiable,
and to put on another equally deficient in this
respect would be practically equivalent to
blocking the entire judicial machinery. He
used language much stronger even than that
quoted. and further said that exclusive of these
| considerations it was certainly due to the Dis
trict that one of its own citizens should have
| this appointment. He spoke of the great
ability and fitness of Judge Merrick and how
his ambition and strict sense Of duty had i'm
PEELED him to sacrifice himself to make up for
the deficiencies of his colleagues Much more
was said and the Presidents visitor then left
with the idea that he had made some impress
sion. 1t is understood that Judge Merrick had
spoken of MIR. J. J. Darlington as a man most
suitable to go on the bench. and had intimated
if he did not recover he would like Mr.. OAR
lingtOn to be his successor. MIR. Darlington's
name was presented to the President Endorsed
by many influential citizens and members of
the bar. and on Saturday Representative Hemp
hill handed to the President paper in hfs
favor signed by the entire South Carolina dele
CATION. He is a native of South Carolina, but
has been practicing in the courts here for
number of wears, and is thoroughly conversant
with the local code. Other names, some of
them well-known members of the bar, were
brought to the Presidents notice, but after
waiting the two days he has seen fit to adhere
to his original intention. Senator Edmunds,
the chairman of the Judiciary committee, said
Mr.. Stevenson was good man, and then shook
his head in his peculiar style to indicate that
MIR. Stevenson would have to be satisfied with
that compliment. OF course there will be
deal OF log-rolling in favor of Stevenson's con-
firmation, but it is not in the least likely it will
succeed The republican Senators are not
going, at this late stage of the game, to put a
democrat into an important life-Office. and the
bar of the District will with unanimitv ask that
majority at least of their judges shall know
at least something OF the requirements for the
position