Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-05-12
President Grants Message to thC
House.

HllVe ItbOlubiOns
very attentive consideration to the resolution of
the House Of Represen ntatiyee, passed on the Sd
Of April, requesting the President of the United
States to inform the House whether any HXecu-
tive offices, acts, or duties and, any what, have
within a specified period been performed at q dis
tance from the seat OF Government estaelished
by law,' etc. have never hesitated, and shall
not hesitate, TO communicate to Congress, and 20
either branch thereof, all information which the
Constitution makes 1t tho duty of the Pres
gett to me, 6r reHuest from either House may
indicate to me, may be useful in the discharge OF
the appropriate duties conlded to them. fail,
however, to find in the Constitution of the United
States the authority given to the House of Repre-
sentatiycs Zone branch Of Congress in which is
vested the Legislative power of the Government)
to require OF the Executive, Independent
branch of the Government, coordinate with the
Senate and House of Representatives, an account
Of his discharge OF his appropriate and purely
Executive offices, acts and duties, either as to
when, where or how performed What the House
of Representatives may require as right, in its
demand upon the Executive for Information, Is
limited to what is necessary for the proper dis
charge Of its powers of legislation of OF impuach-
mont.
The inquiry in the resolution Of the House as
to where the Executive acts, within the last sew
en- years. have been performed, and at what dis
tance from any particular spot, or for how long
period at any one time, etc, does not necessa-
riy belong to the province Of Legislation. II does
not profess to be asked for that object III this
Information he sought through an inquiry OF the
President as TO his Executive acts in view or in
aid Of the power of impeachment vested in the
House, 1t Is asked in deIOgation OF on inherent
natural right recognized In this country by con-
stitutional guarantee which protects every citi-
zen-the President as we'll as the humbles In the
land-from being made witness against him
self.
During the time that have had the honor to
occupy the position of President ,of this Govern
ment, it has been, and while | continue TO ocCu-
py that position it will continue to be, my earn
est endeaVor to recognize and to respect the sew
eral trusts and duties and powers OF the co-ordi'
nate branches Of the Government not encroael-
Ing upon them, nor allowing encroachment upon
the proper powers OF the office which the people
of the United States have confdcd to me, but
aiming to preserve in their proper relations the
several powers ard functions of each of the CO
ordinate branches of the Government agreeahly
TO the Constitution, and in accordance with the
solemn oath which have taken to preserve, pro-
tect and defend that instrument. In maintenance
of the rights securcd by the Constitution to the
Executive branch Of the Government, am COM
PEELED to decline any specific or detailed answer
10 the request OF the House for information as to
"any Executive offices, acts or duties and, II any,
what have been performed at distance from the
seat OF Government established by law and for
how loIg period AT any one time, and in what
part Of the United States" IT, however the
House of Representatives desires to know
whether. during the period of upwards OF seven
years during which | have held the Office of
President of the United States, l have been alb,
sent frem the seat of Government and
whether during that period have performed,
or have neglected to perform, the duties
Of my Office, freely inform the House that from
the time OF my entrance upon my office have
been in the habit as were all of my predecessors,
with the exception of one who lived oaly one
month after assuming the duties of his office,
and one whose continued presence in Washing
ton was necessary from the existence at the time
Of powerful rebellion, of absenting myself at
times from the seat of Government and that
during such absences / did not neglect or forego
the obligations or duties Of my Office, but con-
tinued to discharge all OF the Executive
offices, acts and duties which were required
of me as President of the United States.
l am not aware that failure occurred
in any one instance of my exercising the func-
tons and powers of my Office in every case re-
quirng their discharge, or of my exercising all
the necessary Executive acts in whatever part of
the United States may at the time have been.
Fortunately, rapidity Of travel and of mail com
munication, and the facility Of almost instanta.
neous correspondence with officers at the seat of
Government which the telegraph affords TO the
President, in whatever section of the Union he
may be, enable him in these days to maintain ms
constant and almost as quick intercourse with the
tanned while nc remains in the Capital.
The necessity of the performance of Executive
acts by the PRESIDENT OF the United States exists
and Is cevolved upon him wherever he may he
within the United States. during his term Of
office, by the Constitution of the United
i' tied or capable Of limitation as to the
place where they shall be exercised than
are those which he might be required to discharge
| in his capacity of Commander-in-Ch Chief OF the
army and navy which latter powers it is evident
he might be called upon to exercise possibly even
without the limits of the United States. Had the
/
| the Government been successful in driving a
| late President of the United States from Wash
ington, il is manifest that he must have dis
| charged his functions, both civil and military
! elsewhere than in the place named by law as the
| seat of Government. No act OF Congress can
| limit suspend or confine this Constitutional duty.
| am not aware of the existence of any act of Com
gress which assumes thus To limit or restrict the
exercise of the functions Of the Executive. Were
| there such acts, should nevertheless recognize
the superior authority of the Constitution and
should exercise the powers required thereby of the
President. The act to which references is made Ia
the resolution OF the House acs 10 the establish
ment of seat OF Government. and the providing
of suitable buildings, and the removal thereto of
| the offices attached to the Government, etc. 1t
was not understood at its date, and by Gen.
| Washington, to confne the President in the dis
| charge OF his duties and powers to actual pres
! ence at the scat OF Government On the 30th OF
March, 1871, shortly after the passage of the act
! referred to, Gen. Washington issued an .Execu-
tive proclamation, having reference TO the
subject Of this very act from George, IgS
| then was the seat Of Government, where the
act referred to directed that all officers
i6s e to ss sep q Thai Ssns S b
| cessors have entertained the idea that Sheir
Executive offices could be performed only at We
| seat OF Government is evidenced by hundreds
upon hundreds of such acts performed by my
predecessors in an unbroken line from Washing
| ton TO Lincoln memorandum Of the general ma
| ture and character OF some of which acts is sub
| mitted herewith, and no question has been raised
as to the validity of those acts or to the right and
propriety OF the Executive 10 exercise the powers
of his office in any part of the United states,
Washington, May 4, 1876.
1t will be perceived that the message is
dated Washington, without the usual prefix
Of Executive Mansion"
pREoEDENTs.
accompanying the message is memo
randum Of the absences of Presidents Of the
| United States from the National Capital dur
I'M pf = ,i,,ic fro
of public and Executive acts performed dur
ing the time Of such absences. This memo
randum contains the following information,
and much more of the same general charac-
ter, only the most important of the acts re-
cited In the memorandum being selected foI
mention In this abstract;
President Washington was frequently absent
| from the Capital Hoappears to have been thus
| absent at least lSl days during his torn. In
March, 1891, the seat Of government being ther
at Philadelphia, he Issued proclamation dated
at Georgetown in reference to running the
boundary for the District of Columbia lie signed
at Mount Vernon an official letter 10 the Emperor
of Morocco, and from the same place issued the
commission Of Oliver Wolcott as comptroller o
the Treasury, and proclamation respecting the
whisky insnrection in Pennsylvania, etc, etc.
President Joha Adams was absent from the
Capital during the terin-oi four years ON yariou'
occasions 3So days, lie discharged the oficia
duties and performed the most solemn public
acts at Quincy, Mass, in the same manner az
when at tire seat of Government Several o
| them are reclted
President Jefferson was absent from the sea
of Government during. his two terms of office 79
days, or more than one fourth Of the whole Of
fetal period. He signed and Issued from Mon
tlcello among other things, seventy-fve commits
sions. T.f f...
President Madison was absent Gs7 days anc
, President Monroe was absent i0S daye, indepen
dent Of the year 1924 and two months Of 1928, 70
which period no data are found. The latter trans
acted public business wherever he happened {
, | be, and sometimes while travelling
President John Quincy Adams was Absen
during his single term 222 days, and in hi
Memoirs, Vol. VIII. p. 10, speaks Of his practic
Of leaving with his chief clerk blank paper
y signed by him, TO be used, when necessary, 70
IrocamAtions, remission Of penalties, and CON
missions Of Consuls.
President Jacksonwas absent from the seat G
Government s502 days. Among many other i'm
portant acts performed by him when away iror
Washington was his signing at Boston the II
NOUS order for the removal OF depOsite FROM III
Z State Banks. The.memorandum a. this point r.
iere 10 Prosidont Jackeon's refusal, in 1888, Z
, furnish the Senate a copy Of a certain paper al
legged 10 have been read by him to the Cabine
. and mentions that in January, 1887, he refuse
to allow committee OF the House
Representatives TO make a general investig'
af tf.fa nat. .tAf