The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-05
To this il can readily be answered that while both the

To this II can readily be answered that while both the
constitution and laws of the country entirely silent
upon the subject OF stopping The iee, Of gopern on
Sunday, The constitution declares that the President
shall hold his office during The term OF four years"
and the act OF 1892 declares hat the of four years
for which President and Vice President shall be elected
shall, IN all cases. commence the 4M day Of March
next succeeding the day which the votes OF the elect
shall have been gwen Here provision for the
contingency of the 4th OF March falling on Sunday,
but positive enactment that the term shall commence
the an OF March, reco xnsng and confirming the pre-
vousy determined fact that the government did actually
commence It's operations the 4th day of March, and
positive declaration that "before he enter the
ton of his office" The President shall take The oath of
office and hence the conclusion irresistible, that it
is sacred constitutional duty of the President elect to
comply with Its nlunctlons to be feady TO assume
the powers and to perform the high and important duties
of that station, with which he has in SO solemn man
ner been nrused by the sovereign power OF the nation,
at the moment that his predecessor in that high station
shall be dvested, by the expiration of his term of
vice, of the powers and relieved of the dutes of Pres
dent of the United States
Custom has established the observance of the naug,
ration with considerable public formalty and i is this
circumstance alone which presents the idea OF difficulty
in going Though with these public demonstrations
Sunday But the constitution does not say hoV, Uhere,
or before acom the oath shall be taken does II
qure that speech (Which has been customary shall be
made on the occasion and it does not follow that because
James Monroe thought proper to consider these formaes
as paramount TO the strict njunctons OF the constitu
tion and that they could not conscienously be gone
through tn, b WIN nn on Sunday the precedent which ne
commenced Sunday, and In which he clearly dsre
garded the strict nincons OF the constitution, shall be-
come the law of the land and more especially when the
continued practice of the government to the contrary
ders this precedent, by individual, nugaory. Proof
that the functions and operations of the government,
CURED by the constitution to be execdted, have been
performed on Sunday will not be insisted on, when
it is demanded to exhibit any other than the soil
tary case OF Mr. Monroe to show that such neces.
saTy and constitutional duties have ever been prefer
mted account of the recurrence of the seventh day
OF te aceck. IL is not REQUISITE to recur to all the in
stances in which the national legislature considered it
proper and necessary TO perform their Constitutional d
ties on Sunday. One example may suffice, and may be
considered Of stronger authority on account Of its earlier
occurrence. The Congress were in session Sunday,
the Sd March, 1905, and transacted much important bus
ness, AMI the President Thomas Jefferson that day
approved and signed thirteen important bills and one joint
resolution, and communicated the fact to Congress; but
this is only out of many instances in which the
stutona duties of Congress and of the President of the
United States have been performed necessate Sun
day, which is neither prohibited nor condemned by the
Law Divine
WAsHNGroN, Nov. 80, ls4s.