The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-05-11

To the House of Representatives.;
have given very attentive considera-
ton to the resolution of the House of
Representatives passed on the Sd ofApril,
requesting the President of the United
States to inform the House whether any
Executive offices, acts or duties, and if
any, what have. within specified period
been performed at distance from the
seat OF government established by law,
&c. | have never hesitated nor shall
hesitate to communicate to Congress and
to either branch thereof all information
which the Constitution makes it the duty
of the President to give, or which my
judgment may suggest to me, or q request
from either House may indicate to me
will be useful in the discharge ofits prop
or duties con6ded to them. l fail, how
ever, to find ia the Constitution of the
United States authority given TO the
House of Representatives Zone branch OF
Congress in which is vested the legisla-
tive power of the government to require
of the Executive, an independent branch
of the Government, coordinate with the
Senate and House Of Representatives, an
account of his discharge of his appropri-
ate and partly executive Offices, acts and
duties either as to when, where or how
performed. What the House of Repre-
sentatives may require as right in its
demand upon the Executive for informa-
ton is limited to what is necessary for
the proper discharge of its powers of Leg
islation as ofImpeachment The inquiry
in the resolution of the House as to where
Executive acts have within the last sew
en- years been performed, and at what
distance from any particular spot, or for
how long period at any one time, &c,
does not necessarily belong to the prov
ince of legislation. 1t does not profess to
be asked for that object. Ifthis informa-
ton be 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, it is asked in dero-
cation of an inherent natural right reCOg-
nized in the United States by constitu-
tional guarantee which protects every
citizen, the President, as we'll as the
humblest citizen in the land, from being
made witness against himself
During the time have had the honor
to occupy the position of President of the
Government, it has been and while | con-
tinue to occupy that position, it will con-
tinue to be my earnest endeavor to rec
ognize and to respect the several trusts
and duties and powers of the coordinate
branches of the Government, not en-
croaching upon them nor allowing en-
croachments upon proper powers of of
fee which the people of the United States
have confded to me, but aiming to pre-
serve, in their proper relations the sew
eral powers and functions of the Govern
ment agreeably to the constitution, and
in accordance with the solemn oath which
have taken to preserve and protect that
instrument. In the maintenance of the
rights secured by the Constitution to the
Executive branch Of the Government, l
am compelled to decline any specific or
detailed answer to the request of the
House for information as to any execu-
tive Offices, acts or duties, and if any,
what have been performed at distance
from the seat of government established
by law, and for how long a period at any
one time, and in what part of the United
States,
If, however, the House of Representa-
tives desires to know whether, during O
period of upwards Of seven years, during
which time | have been President of the
United States, have been absent from
the seat of government, and whether,
during that period, have performed or
neglected to perform the duties Ofmy Of
fee, / freely inform the House that from
the time of my entrance upon my Office,
| have been in the habit, as were all my
predecessors with the exception of one
who lived only one month after assuming
the duties of his office, and one whose
continued presence in Washington was
necessary from the existence at the time
of q powerful rebellion) of absenting my
self at times from the seat of government
and that during such absences, l did
not neglect or forego any obligations or
duties of my Office, but continued to dis
charge all of the executive offices, acts
and duties which devolved upon me as
President of the United States, applause
on Republican side). 1 am not aware
that failure occurred in any one in
stance of my exercising the functions and
powers of my Office in every case requir-
ing their discharge, or of my exercising
all the necessary executive acts in what
ever part of the United States I may at
the time have been. Fortunately, the
rapidity of travel and of mail communi-
cation, and the facility of almost instan-
taneous correspondence with officers at
the seat of government which the tele-
graph affords the President in whatever
section of the Union he may be, enables
him in these days to maintain as con-
stant and almost as quick intercourse
with the departments at Washington as
may be maintained while he remains in
the city. The necessity of the perform
ance of executive acts by the President
exists and is devolved upon him wher-
ever he may be within the United States
during his term of Office.
By the Constitution of the United
States his civil powers are more limited
or capable of limitation as to the place
where they shall be exercised than are
those which he might be required to dis
charge in his capacity of Commander-in-
Chief of the Army and Navy, which lat
ter powers it is evident he might be call
ed upon to exercise possibly even with
out the limits of the United States. Had
the efforts of those recently in rebellion
against the government been successful
in driving the President of the United
States from Washington, it is manifest he
must have discharged his functions, both
civil and military, elsewhere than in the
place named by law as the seat of gov
ernment. No act of Congress can limit,
suspend or confne this Constitutional
duty. am not aware of any act of Con-
gress which assumes thus to limit or re-
strict the exercise of the functions of the
Executive. Were there such acts, l
should nevertheless recognize the super
ior authority of the Constitution, and
should exercise the powers required
thereby Of the President. The act to
which reference is made in the resolu-
ton OF the House relates to the establish
ment of seat of government, and pro-
viding of suitable buildings and the re-
moval thereof of offices attached to the
government, &c. 1t was not understood
at its date and by Gen. Washington to