Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-13
Eepresenta.ive Meredith of Virginia has fallen

Representative MeredItn OF virginia mas fallen
into the error of confusing the legislative and
executive branches Of the government He has
been chosen by the people Of the eighth vir-
ginia district to represent them in Congress, to
participate In national legislation and incident
ally TO serve a local legislator for the capital
But in no shape whatsoever does there devolve
upon him the executive function Of removing
from or appointing to Office IN the District of
Columbia. he has not even the Senatorial
privilege Of advising and consenting to certain
appointments. He is legislator pure and sim
pIe-simple at any rate-and he has no more to
do with directing dismisssls or appointments
at the District building than the Akhoond of Swat
When he presumes to order the District Commits
sioners to dismiss a certain clerk and peremptor-
ny announces that his removal must be made he
usurps q function of tie President; he expands
himself into sub-presiden. for the District OF
Columbia. and he insults both the President of
the United States whose prerogative he usurps
and the District Commissioners whose self
respect he wounds. II President Cleveland
thinks it not beneath his dignity to pursue and
punish petty clerk in the District auditors
Office who called him hard names in the sour
rilous political campaign of 1854 he of course
has the power to cause the mans official decsp-
itation. But IL he holds tina. the statute of
limitations runs in eight years against the
misdemeanor Of offensive partisanship, or
II he is too big q man to pay any at
tention whatsoever to such small fry, then he
NAV well resent the attitude in which his self
constituted viceroy has placed him. Mr.. Mere
dith showed no executive credentials in his
visit to the District building and the chances
are that his assumption OF authority was as
much an inpertinence to the President of the
United States as il to the District Commits
sioners. 1t Is a matter of very little conse-
quence whether this offending clerk goes or
STAYS. The slightest authorized intimation of q
desire for his removal on President Cleveland's
part would Of course be promptly recognized
and obeyed by the District Commissioners.
But it is a matter of consequence, and Of serious
consequence, to the District of Columbia
whether every Representative whom the wh;m
seizes may betake himself to the District build
ing and there crack slave driv-
er's whip about the Of the Dis
trict Commissioners, instructing and COM
naanding them in respect to appointments with
which Is a part of the executive branch of gov
eminent they are officially intrusted- There has
been entirely too much of this brow beating and
bulldozing in the past One of the greatest
obstacles to the acceptance Of the Office of Dis
trict Commissioner by able. Intelligent and self
respecting citizens is tine knowledge that they |
viii be subjected to the insolence Of those men,
bers Of Congress who are small az to attempt
to bargain for Offices as the price of performing
their constitutional function District legisla
tors or who are so contemplate as to threaten |
injury to the capitals welfare il the Commits |
sioners in self-respect resent their dictatorial
demands. 1t is we'll that Commissioner Par |
ker has entered q vigorous and manly protest |
against this idea that the District Commission
ers are dogs TO be ordered and kicked about at |
the will of every member OF Congress whom an |
inscratable Providence has sent to the |
capital, and who may take it into his head to |
vary his Legislative duties by bossing the Dis |
trict building. The Commissioners have GER
tain important local executive functions, and in
their performance they are the Representatives
Of the President Of the United States. In full
filing these duties the President will surely
protect them against the threats and insults of
individual Congressman or any other interlopers
Whatsoever. II he has definite wishes in respect
to the manner in which the Commissioners |
shall perform any Of these functions, small or !
great, he can and doubtless will intimate them |
he il not afraid to exercise IT. He is not at all /
likely to delegate his powers to a Represents
tive from virginia to constitute the latter an |
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipoten-
tiary to lay down the law in a dictatorial way to
those worms Of the earth, the District Com
missioners.