The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-05
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

--->---
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.
WASHINGTON, May g. 1875
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT TO TEE house
REGARDING EXECUTIVE ACTS WHEN ABSENT
FROM THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.
Tho President to-day sent tho following message to
the House in reply to Representative Blackburns
To THE House. RErRxsgSrArivEs:--
have given very attentive consideration TO - roso
I'D OF April requesting the President OF the United
States 10 inform tho House whether any executive
Offices, acts duties, and, II any what have within
seat OF government established by law, &c l have
never hesitaied aud shall no. hesitate muncato
Congress, and 10 either branch thereof all tho in
the duty OF the President TO give. which
my Judgment may suggest to me, or request
from either house may indicate to will be useful in
tho discharge OF the appropriate duties conhdcd 10
them. | TAIL however 10 find IN the constitution OF
the United States the authority given tho House Of
Representatives branch OF the Congress in which
is vested the legislative power OF the government TO
require Of the Executive an indcpendent branch o.
of Representatives account OF his discharge Of his
appropriate and partly executive oiccs acts and du
ticC either as 10 when where or how performed What
the House OF Representatives. may require right In
its demand upon the Executive for Information, Is
limited to what Is necessary the proper discharge
OF its powers Of Legislation or Of impeach.
ments. The inquiry in the resolution OF the
House as to where executive acts have, within the
last years. been performed and at what distance
IRON any particular spot for how long period at
any time. &c, does not necessarily belong 10 the
provinces legislation 1t does not profess ~ be asked
for that object II this information be sought through
inquiry OF the President his executive acts in
view or In aid Of tho power OF impeachment vested in
the House, u Is asked derogation or inherent
natural right. recognized IN this country by consttu
tional guarantee which protects every citizen, tho
President well AS the humblest the land, from
being made witness against himself During tho
time that have hVd the honor to occupy the position
OF President Of this government II has bccn and while
continue occupy that position will be- my earnest
endeavor TO recognize and TO respect the several trusts
and duties and powers OF the coordinate branches Of
the government, not encroachng upon Them nor allow
ing Entertainments upon the proper powers which tho
people Of the United States have conndcd to me- but
aiming to preserve ~ their proper relations the several
dnate branches Of tho government agreeable TO
the constitution. and in accordance with the
serve, protect and dcfcndn that instrument
In maintenance Of tho rights secured by the consttu
to the Executive branch OF the government.
compelled decline any specific detailed
the request of the House for information to ssany
executive offices acts or duties and il any what have
been per formed at distance from the OF govern.
ment established by law and for how long period AZ
any time, and in what part Of the United States
IT, however, the House of Representatives, desires to
know whether during the period Of upward Of seven
years. during which have held tho office OF President
Of the United States have been absent from the seat
OF government, and whether during that period havo
performed have neglected to perform Of the du
ties Of my Office, freely inform the House that from
the time OF my entrance upon the duties OF my Office
have been IN the habit As were all Of my predecessors
with The sxccrticn OF ono who lived only
one month after Assuming the duties of his ONCE aud
one whose continued presence In Washington
essary from the existence ut the time o. powerful
rebeliion) OF nbscntng myself ut times from the seat
OF government and that during absences did
not neglect forego the OBJ gatons the duties Of
Office but continued 10 discharge all Of the executive
Offices acts aud duties which were required OF me
President Of the United States. Applause the
publican side. am not aware that ailure occurred
powers Of my Office in every requiring their dis
charge OF my exercising all necessary executive acts
In whatever part Of tho United States may at the
time have been. Fortunately the rapidty OF travel
and OF mail communication, aud the facility of almost
instantaneous correspondence with officers the
dent in whatever section OF the Union he may be,
enable him in these days TO maintain constant and
almost quick intercourse with departments mt Wash
ngton may be maintained while he remains in the
The necessity OF tho performance OF executive acts
by the President OF the United States exists and 10 de-
volved upon him wherever ne may DO within the
United States dung his term OF oco by the constitu
ton or the United ssses His civil powers arc no
where they shall be exercised than those which nc
might be required TO discharge IN his capacity OF
mander- in-chcf OF the army and navy, which latter
powers II is evident he might be called upon
cise possibly even without the limits OF tho United
States Had the efforts of those recently in rebellion
against the government been successful In driving
late President Of tho United States from Wash
iugton IL Is manifest that he must have dis
=
elsewhere than in tho place named by law Ms the
seat OF government No act OF Congress can limit
pend or conhne this constitutional duty. | am not
Of the existence OF any act OF Congress winch
thus To limit or restrict the exercise OF tho
functions Of the Executive. Wore there such acts
should nevertheless, recognize the superior authority
Of the constitution and should exercise the powers
quired thereby OF the President
The act TO which reference Is made In the resolution
OF the House relates to the establishment OF
the seat or government and the providing OF suitable
buildings and removal thereto al the Offices attached
IN lhn nnrur "a nat fiaF a n0 N IL
date and by General Washington 10 conhne the Presi
dent In the discharge Of his duties and powers, TO ac-
ua presence at the seat Of government TN the Both
March, 1891 shortly alter the passage Of the act
referred 10, General Washington issued an exccu-
OF TINS very from Georgetown, place remote from
Philadelphia, which then the seat OF government,
where Tho act referred to directed that aIl Offices at
tached to the scat Of government should for the time
That none Of his Successors have entertained
the idea that their executive offices could be performed
only at the seat OF government is evidenced by the
hundreds upon hundreds OF such acts performed by
my predecessors IN unbrckcn line from Washington to
Lincoln
OF some OF which acts " submitted herewith, and no
question has been raised TO the validity Of those
crcsc the powers OF his Office IN any part Of the
United States. L. - GRANT
WASHINGTON, May Z, 1875
II viii be observed that the message is dated Wash
ington, without the usual prefix Of Executive Man
son.n Accompanying the message Is a memorandum
OF absences OF the Presidents OF the United
the national capital during each Of tho several admin
isiratons aud Of public and executive performed
during the time Of such absences This memoirs ndum
contains the following information and much moro Of
the same general character, only the most important
OF the acts rcciled in the being selected
for mention In this abstract:--
President Washington frequently absent from tho
capital He appears to have been thus absent least
Isl days durlns his term. In March, l7vI, the
OF government being then Pliladel-
phia. he issued proclamation dated 1t
Georgetown In reference to running tho boundary
Tor the District Of Columbia. He signed Mount
Vernon Official letter 10 the Emperor OF Morocco,
and from the same place issued The commission of
oliver Wolcoft Comptroller OF the Treasury. tho
proclamation respecting the wniskcy insufrcctOn IN
Pennsyyania also the proclamation OF The Treaty Of
1895 With SPAN, and the executive order oi August T.
1872, rcasive 10 the duties on distilled spirits nc.
When ut Germantown 10 signed slndry commissions.
He proposed 10 Sir. Yunio officially presented to
hlni IL Mnini Vernon Envoy Extraordinary md