Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1876-11-02
Why .Tilden, if Elected, Will Not be
InauguraIed Oh the Fourth OF
March.

':If Tilden is elected to be the next
President of the United States, I'll bet
500 that he is not sworn in on the 4th of
March,
This was the remark dropped by 4 Re
publican in discussing the Presidential
probabilities with a Democrat, whereat
the latter replied, "Great God, does your
party mean revolution in addition to its
other usurpations of law?'' 'EOh, no, not
at all. Tilden. if elected, will not be in
augurated President on the 4th of March,
and for the very good reason that it falls
on Sunday
Such is the fact. The official term of
General Grant expires at twelve o'clock
noon on Sunday, the 4th of March, and
from that time until the day following,
when either Gov. Hayes or Gov. Tilden
can take the oath, the acting Vice Presi-
dent, Senator T. w. Ferry, of Michigan,
will be the President of the United
States.
That the next President will not be
sworn in on Sunday has already been
settled by historical precedent. The Con-
stitution provides that the President and
Vice President Of the United States shall
hold their offices during the term of four
years, but no provision was made by the
trainers of that instrument when. the
four years term should commence. By
act of Congress, passed September 18th,
lICO-GLC CONSTITUTION VI GIldL IIIllG nav
| ing been ratified by 4 sufficient number
of States-the time set for the Inaugural
tion of the first President of the United
| States and the commencement of the
working of the new Constitution was the
| first Wednesday in March, 1888, that be-
llng the fifth of March. In fact, however,
the Inauguration of President Washing
ton did not take place until Wednesday
April Both, eight weeks after the desig-
mated time. In more than one history it
has been enormously stated that the Con-
stitution went into effect and the inaugu-
ration took place on the 4th of March,
that being neither the day appointed nor
the actual day of either event.
Before the second term of President
Washington the day for commencing the
term of office was changed. The act of
March 1st, 1892, provided that the term
of four years for which the President and
Vice President shall be elected, shall in
all cases commence on the 4th day of
| March next succeeding the day on which
the votes of the electors shall have been
given. The 4th of March, 1898, on which
by law the second term of President
| Washington commenced, fell on Sunday.
There is no record stating exactly the
day OH which Washington took the oath
of office, but from his known character,
and from the course of after proceedings
in similar cases, there is little doubt his
SCCOllN lN'SsNl Stllutl NdS Oll hOuudN
March ath,
The next occurrence of the 4th of March
in Presidential year falling on Sunday
was in 1921, when President Monroe com.
menced his second term. The Inaugural.
tion was on Monday, 9th. The National
IntelIgencer of March 9th describes the
scene, and said the oath was administered
by Chief Justice Marshall. The proceed
ings took place in the House of Repre-
sentatives.
The third occurrence of this kind was
i'll 1S49, when President Tyler was inau.
gurated. In this instances, also, the cere.
monies took place on Monday, the 9TH oi
March.
Next year the President elect will
therefore, be inaugurated on Monday
the 9TH of March, instead of Sunday, the
J 4th. There is no special law bearing oil
the subject, but the proceedings follow
: the general rule that for legal purposes
: Sunday is dies non, and Saturday, the 81
| of March, therefore only ends when Mon
| day, the 9th of March begins. This rul
t is followed in Congressional proceedings
t where it has happened that Saturday
D sitting has been prolonged until Monday
g the records showing no evidence of tn
+ part of the proceedings having takel
G place on Sunday.
: Every seventh Presidential term til
: 4th of March, on which the term shoul
t commence, falls on Sunday. Unless ther
e should be a change in the duration of tn
! term, the coincidence will not again oC
eur until the year 1907 Washington Sta