Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-05-11

Presideat to the House of Representa-
tives, in answer to their inquiry as to
when and where he had exercised the
functions of his Office away from the
seat of government, is memorandum
of the absence of Presidents of the Uni
ted States from the National Capital
during each Of the several administra-
tions. and of the public and executive
acts performed during the time ofsuch
absences. This momaraHdum contains
the following Information, and much
more of the same general character,
only the most important of the acts re-
cited in the memorandum being se-
lected:
As aforementioned in this abstract,
President Washington was frequently
absent from the Capital; he appers to
have been thus absent at least 181 days
days during his term. In March, 1871,
the seat of government being then at
Philadelphia, he issued II proclamation
dated at Georgetown in reference to
running the boundary for the District
of Columbia. He signed al Mt. Yer
non an official letter to the Emperor of
Morocco, and from the same place is
sued the commission of Oliver Walcott
as Comptroller of the Treasury, and
proclamation respecting the whisky
insurre,tiOn in Pennsylvania; also the
proclamation of the treaty of 1895 with
Spain and the executive order of Au-
gust 4, 1892, in relation to duties ON dis
titled spirits, &c. When at German
town he signed sundry commissions.
He proposed to have Mr.. Yrujo Off
cially presented to him az Mt. Vernon
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
PlenipOtentiary from Spain, and Mr..
YrujO went there for that purpose, but
the ceremony of presentation was pre-
vented by an accident, the omission of
tho Minister to bring his credentials.
President John Adams was absent
from the Capital during his term of
four years on various occasions 385
days. He discharged official duties
and performed the most solemn acts at
Quincy, Mass, in the same manner as
when at the Seat OF Government. Sew
eral of them are recited, and it is also
specified that on the 2Sth of Septem-
her, 1897, he forwarded to the Secreta-
ry of State commission for a Justice |
tice of the Sup. Court, signed in blank |
at Qcincy, with instructions to fill in |
the name of John Marshall, if he would |
accept, and if not, that Of Bushrod
Washington. President Jefferson was
absent from the seat of government
during his two terms of Office, 1876 |
days, or more than One-quarter of the
whole official period; he signed and is
sued from Monticello among other
things, s,seventy-five commissions. Pres
ident Madison was absent 637 days,
and President Monroe was absent
708 days, independent of the year 1924
and two months of 1925, for which pc
rio6 no data are found. The latter
transacted public business wherever he
happened to he, and sometimes while
travelling. President John Quincy
Adams was absent during his single
term 222 days, and in his Memoirs
Vol. s, page 75) speaks of his prac-
tite of leaving with his chief clerk
blank papers signed by him to be used
when necessary for proclamations, re-
mission of penalties and commissions
Of Consuls. He also speaks of doing
this same thing in regard to patents
and land grants. President Jackson
W DO uoJCht iAOtiI thO oOot WI fONcA |
5O2 days. Among other important acts {
performed by him when away from
Washington was his signing at Boston
he famous order for the removal of de-
DOsits from the State banks. (,
The memorandum at this point re-
ers to the Presidents refusal, in 1888, {
o furnish the Senate with copy of /
certain papers alleged to have been {
.ead by him to the Cabinet, and men, {
ions that in Janury, 1887, he refused
o allow Committee of the House of
to make a general iT
of the Executive Depart
nent without specific charges on the S
ground, amongst Others, that the use of S
he official books and records for such
purpose interfere with the discharge of ]
public business. Other Presidents !
we're absent from Washington, and c
performed their numerous official du- c
les while absent-Vau Buren, 132 ]
lays, Tyler 163 days, Polk 81 days,
Pierce GO days, Buchanan 81 days. No |
is made of the absences of t
Presidents Lincoln or Johnson.