Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1869-02-20
General Grant Informed OF Iais
Election.

| pruyn, OF New 4ork, ana wilson, OF iowa,
made their appe arance at the headquarters
of the army for the purpose Of presenting to
General Grant the certificate of his election
as President of the United States. The i'm
preston that the proceeding would be alto.
pether private, together with the fact that
! the committee arrived half hour in al
vance Of the time at which it was understood
the ceremony would take place, prevented
the presence of a large number of persons
who would otherwise have been attracted
by the interesting proceedings. Gen. Grant
Yves in his office at the time of the arrival of
the committee, busily engaged in the per-
formnnce of his official duties. Thcy were
eoon lin yited into his presence, ana after the
usual courtisies.
SENATOR MORTON, OF INDIANA,
ON behalf of the committee, said:
"Gencral:- joint committee appoint.
cd by the two Houses of Congress visit you
this morning to notify you officially that you
have been elected President of tac United
States for the term of four years from the 4tli
of March next. The great majority of your
countrymen hail your election with delight,
while even, those who did not support you
at the polls entertain for You the highest
confidence and respect.
"The friends of our country, and the
friends of liberty throughout the world, re-
joiee at your elevation to the Presidency,
and all believe that you will lyring to the
performance of your duty unalloyed patrio-
tism, inflexible integrity, great powers OF
intellect, and all the high qualities that en-
abled YOU to achieve sn9h distinguished suc-
cess in another sphere of duty. They cherish
full faith in your ability and virtue; enter
tain the highest hopes of your Success, and
believe that during your administration the
work of reconstruction will DC completed
and the wounds of civil war healed, and that
our country will take new departure in
growth, progress and prosperity"
Senator Morton then handed the ollic.a!
notifcation to General Grant.
REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT ELpcV.
General Grant said:
81 can promise the committee that it will
be my cndeayor to call around me as as.
sstants such men only as think will carry
out the principles which you have said the
country desires to sec successful economy,
retrenchment, luithful collections of the re-
venue, and pa yment of the public debt. II
I should fail in my first choice, shall not
at any time hesitate to make a second or
OK even third trial, with the concurrence
of the Senate, who have the confirming pow
or. SHOULD just as soon remove one of my
own appointees as the appointce of my pre-
deccssor 1t would make no difference.
There is one matter that might posi-
bly, speak of here, and that is the selection
of a Cabinet. | have always felt that it
would be rather indeliCate to announce, or
even to consult with The gentlemen whom
thought OF Inviting to positions in my Cabi-
net, before the official declaration of the re.
suit of the election was made, although |
presumed that there was no doubt about
what the declaration would be. But, after
consideration, have come to the conclusion
that there is not a man in the country who
could be invited to q place in the Cabinet
without the friends Of some other gentleman
making all effort to secure the position; not
that there would be any objection to the
party namsd but that there would be Others
whom they had set their hearts upon having
in the place. can tell that from the great
number of requests which come to me in
writing and otherwise, for this particular
person or that one, for different sets and
delegations. If announced in advance, eff.
forts would be made to change my deter
mination, and, therefore, have come to the
conclusion not to announce whom | am 60
ing to invite to seats in the Cabinet until |
send in their names to the Senate for con-
irmation. If say anything to them about
it, it will certainly not be more than two or
three days previous to sending in their
names. l think it well to make public
declaration of this to the committee, SO that
my intentions may be known
General Grant spoke without any reserve,
and with the greatest fraukness and cour'
tesy, and his remarks were received by his
: IL liSti ~
interest and appreciation. Afterwards, Mr.
Pruyn, of the committee, addressed the
General very briefly, to the effect that while
the party with which he was identified diff.
fered politically from the President elect
he desired to assure him that his administra
tlcn, in carrying out the principles which
ne had mentioned, would have their hearty
support ~and cooperation. The speeches
were delivered more in conversational than
in a formal, set manner, and the occasion
was one of quiet though most intense inter
est. The members Of the staff Of Genera
Grant were present. About twenty gentle
men were present altogether, including tht
committee and staff officers.
! SPEAKER CoLFAX RECEIVES HIS CERTIFICATE
The committee, after leaving Genera
Grants Headquarters, proceeded to the Capt.
tol and waited upon Speaker Colfax in his
reception room. They presented him with
the certificate of his election as Vice prcsi
dent of the Senate, and then severally con
graduated him, to which friendly expires
sion he responded -
Gentlemen Please convey to the two
Houses of Congress my acceptance of th
office to which have been elected by tn
people Of the United States, and assure then
that shall cndcavor to prove worthy o
this mark of confidence by fidelity to IN
principles and my duty.
The committee then Withdrew. The
will make their report to both Houses Q
Congress tomorrow.
s..
The E'ish ssili Declared S'nconsti
sutionai.
Judge Pearson of IIarrisburn on AIonlo