Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-11-10
THE LAW AGAINST GRANTS
ABSENT'EEISM.

A correspondent makes the follow.
ing inquiry in good faith, and is on.
titled TO a full answer that may serve
to remove misapprehcnsions like bis
in other minds H
"sir Can you inform me what law require,
the buduess Of the Gevernment 10 BE- done n
washingtonY You have frequently said thai
Grants long absence At Long Branch is illegal
but ! can hnd no Law fsrbiddins 6 II. E.w'"
The act of July l6, 1890, "for cstab.
fishing the temporary and permanent
seat Of the Government of the United
States" provides rs follows:
"sxc. !. That district Of territory, not exceed.
ing ten miles square, 10 be located ~ hereafter
directed, the river Potomac, be snd' the same 10
hsrsby accepted for tho permanent scat Of the
Government Of the United States.
"sEc. 2. And BE- Il enacted, That on the said
fret Monday In December, iu the year one thou
sand eight hundred, the scat Of government Of
the United States shall. by virtue Of this act, be
Transferred to the district and place aforsaid.
And aH oeiess attached TO the said seat oi
government shall accordingly be removed thereto
ty their respective holders, and shall, after the
said day, cease 10 be exercised slsswhere.'
This act was signed by Washington;
and bissucccssor, John Adams, inaugur.
atcd the Government in its new home
on the third Monday of November,
1900, where il has remained ever since.
1t Las been pretended that the last
section does not apply to the President;
but If his office, in the language of the
law, Is not ATTACHED to the seat Of
government" and therefore to be ex.
crcised there, and not elsewhere, II has
no local habitation whatever. If the
Executive is not TO exercise his func.
tions at the capital designated for that
purpose, and provided with residence
for his official use, whore is he to exer.
else them
But there is still another statute
which emphasizes tho legislation on
this subject. The act of February 25,
1893 (Revised Statutes, page 939), pro.
vidcs. Hf ff tnr nf
"ln case Of the prevAlencs Of . contagious or
epidemic disease at the seat Of government. the
President may permit aud direct the removal Of
any or all the public ofces 10 such other pla Oct
~ he shaii deem lnost safe and convenient for
conducting the public busine ss.'
Therefore the public business is to
be conducted only ut Washington ex-
cept in the case stated "of the prevail
encc Of a contagious or epidemic dis
ease" This has been the uniform
practice and even Grant has conformed
to it by false prctencc in signing all
commissions as at Washington, and
issuing orders as from the "Exccutive
Mansion" when he is notoriously at
Long Branch, and has been absent
from the capital continuously since the
Sd of June last,
There is no law absolutely requiring
the President to pass oil his days and
nights in the White House, or forbid
ding him any reasonable recreation
which is accorded to other public oni.
GERS A regulation in the departments
at Washington allows the subordinates
one month Of leave Of absence during
the year without loss Of pay, but their
chiefs enlarge this privilege for them.
selves, and mako no deduction for the
excess Of time belonging to the public
which is appropriated to their personal
use.
The complaint against Grant is the
gross abuse and psrvsTsion Of his great
trust by prolonged absences and neg
lcct OF duty demanding his personal
attention At Washington. Hchas not
only violated all precedent and pro-
pricty in this bad example, but by cs.
tablishing residence at tho seaside
he has encouraged practice which
:s.as demoralisod tho public ssrviee, and
led to the frauds, stealing, apd oorrup.
tion which havs become ~ chisf char.
acteristics. i.SsI W