New-York tribune., 1876-05-05
GEN. GRANTS VACATIONS.


WASHINGTON, May 4.-The President to-
day sent the following message to the House III reply w
Representative Blackburn's resolutions:
To the House Of Representatives.: ,
have given worry attentive consideration to resoiu
on OF the House of Representatives, passed on the 3d
day OF April requesting the President of the United
States inform the House whether any Executive oHce
acts rdutes, and If any what have within specified
period been performed at a distance from the seat
OF Government. established by law, DC. nave never
hestated and shall not hesitate to communicate TO Con-
gress and either branch thereof all the information
which the Constitution makes II the duty OF the Presl-
or request from either House may indicate TO me will
be useful in the discharge OF the appropriate dulles con
ton Of the United States the authority, given to
gress in which is vested the Legislative power Of the
Government, t. require OF the Executive an ndepen,
Senate and House OF Representatives an account 9r ms
discharge of his appropriate and partly executive oees
formed. What the House Of Representatives may re-
qure right in its demand upon the Executive Tor IN
formation limited to what Is necessary Tor the proper
discharge Of its powers Of legislation or OF Impeachment
The inquiry IN the resolution & OF the oG as TO bsan
performed, and at what distance from any particular
spot or FOR how long period for any time, &c. does
essary belong TO the province Of legisati0n It
does not profess TO bo asked for That object Object
OF the President to his Executive acts in view
or in AID OF the power Of mpeacnHent en- Eessn Eessd
natural right recognized in this country by constlt
onal guarantee Wnlch protects every c%Sn n rom G beS
MADE witness against himself During the time that
OF This Government 1t has been and while continue to
occupy that position 1t will be- my earnest endeyor 10
recognize and to respect the several trusts and duties
and powers Of the coordinate branches Of the Govern
meut. not encroaching upon them, nor allowing en-
which the opIe Of the United states have conlcd to
but aiming To preserve In their proper relations the
branches Of the Government aSreeaby to the COlsu,
ton and in accordance with the solemn oalh wmcn
Lave taken to preserve, prot CT hnd defend thaI III
strument. ia
ion 10 lie
compelled to decline any specific or detailed answer To
the request OF the House for information to any EN
ecutiye offices acts duties, and If amy. what have
been performed at distance from the seat OF Govern
ment established by law, ana for how long period ht
any Que time aud in what part of the United States" IT,
however House of Representatives desires To know
during Which have held the office Of President o the
United states have been absent from the scat OF Gov
eminent, aud whether during that pcIlod nave err
formed or have neglected to perform, any or tAe
dues OF my Office freely inform tLe houSe 'nat from
been In the habit were all Of my predecessors
with the exception OF one who lived only one month
after assumn. the duties OF his office, and one whose
continued presence IN Washington was necessary from
seSn S "a at imes from tie .cat Of government
and that during such absences did not neglect or oreg9
to discharge all OF the Executive Offices acts ana duties
which wcrc required OF me ~ PEC7dcn OF the uhi'ed
states. (ApplJtlse from the Republican eide.
not aware that failure occurred in any enc IN
stance Of my exercising the functions anu powers OF my
requiring their discharge or OF my
exercising all necessary Executive acts IN whatever part
OF the United may at tie time have been. For
tunatcy the rapiity OF travel and og mail communicI-
tOu aud the facility OF almost instantaneous correspond
encc with officer, ut the government whicn the
telegraph affords the president In whatever section of
Union he mny be- enable HIM IN tese days to main
tam a. constant ana almost as QUICK IhtelcoutS'
with departments at Washington as may be maln-
tanned while lie remains IN tnG GIpi'ai me us
tue President of the UuIicd states exists ana Is
dcvolycd upon him wherever lie may be within Tie
United state. during his term of ON e. by inc Coisn
ton tue United Stacs. His CNll po"rIS are no more
limited capable OF Limitation As Ia Inc pace NhtIe
they s, be- exercised than those which ne might he
rcgufrd tu dischargcin Lis capacity or cOnuiHucllh
evident he isht be called upon to exercise, possibly.
even without iAc limits OF the United states lal mo
efforts of those recently rebellion AGAINST tue Govern
meut been successful IN driving late President OF the
United state, irum Washiuson,u - manifest thit nc
must have discharged his functions boh cyll ana MN
tayy elsewhere than III the place named by ~" ~ lhe
SCAT OF government No art 'ohE.,a' eau ull' suS
penI or c0utnc this constitutional duty ! am not
aware ~ the existence Of auy act of Congress when as
,. tnus Ia limit or restrict the cNrrcls, Uf the fHc
tous Of the Executive. We there such acts. should,
nevertheless. recognize the superior authority OF The
"ostitnt,on and should exercise tho powers required
TIE ct 10 which reference f. made in the resolution OF
the IIoU, af,s 10 the ,aol smeu OF the scat OF gov
cru,ncnt and the providing suitable bIdln-s ANA re-
mova tncrcn Of the oic attached to tne Govelhneht
ueton President In tue discharge Of his du-
ms ana poTfts % ION 20 ,'" n1 Sfrb I2ei soy al hr
passage the referred too H. Washington issued an
Executive proclamation having reference 10 the subject
oi this very act nom GcorehtoWh, llce 'iCo iIon
philadelphia which then was tbc seat oI gov Fhmch'
wherc The act referred 10 directed nat all officers at
tached 10 the seat uf Government" should for nc mt
remain. That Of his SUCCESSOR nave entertained
only at the seat o Government i evidenced ny the nun
drcds hundreds OF sich acts prlionodD by my pre-
drcessors uuDrpkcn line from Washington 10 Lincoln
memorandum Of the general nature and cha aeicr
Of of which acts Is submitted hrreWliI ana no
question ms been raised the validity OF those acts
the right and prdpnety OF the EAtcuuIe 10 1cAc
else the powers Of his Oco In any part Of he Unted
states u. ). GRANT.
Washington. May /, 1876
Iw be observed that the message Is dated Washing
ton without the usual prefix Of Executive Mansion"
Acc mIanying tho message ia a memorandum OF alb
s,prcs Of the Presidents of the United states from the
National Capital during each OF the several adminstr'-
lions and Of public and executive acts performed during
the time OF such absences This memorandum contains
the following Information, and much more OF thc sime
general character only the most important OF the acts
rece in the memorandum being selected Tor mention In
this abstract:
President Washington frequently absent from the
capital He appears tO have been tnus absent at least
Government being then at Philadelphia. he issued q
proclamation dated ut Gcorgetown IN reference 10 run
ming the boundary for tho District OF Columbia. io
signed at Mount Vernon an official letter 10 tle Emperor
OF Morocco and nom the sam pac iIaeT G tue nn
the proclamation respecting the WHISKY lhsurle'tloh ~
PENNSYLVANIA also the proclamation ol the treaty oi
I7o5 With spain and ths executive order Of Aug j,
I7y2 relative 10 tine duties ON distilled shrts %c "hth
at d ugi Mr ~ Y"nI odciay presented to him at
Mount Vernon Envoy ENtriordihary ana h.is.er Lister
Plcnlpotenary from spain and Mr.; lciDo went iheae
for that purpose but the ceremony Of presentation was
prevented by accidental omission OF the Minister 10
President John Adams was absent from the capital
during his term Of four years on various occasions 2So
days lie discharged official duties and performed the
most solemn public acts ut Quincy. Mass III tlc Same
manner as when at the seat Of government several O
tLc orc r,ctrd and IL also specified that the 2Sih Of
september 1897 he forwarded To the secretary OF state
a commission for Justice OF the supreme Court sighed
in blank at Quincy with instructions To MI In the name
of John Marsaall if he would accept, and not mat OF
BushrOd Washington. 49,
President Jefferson absent from the seat OF Govern
mcut during his terms OF Office 100 days or more
than one fourth Of the wnOe official period In signed
aud from Monticello among othcr things 10 COM
Preslcrt Madison was absent G37 days. and President