Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-05-12

PRESIDENT GRANT REFUSES TO FURNISH THE
| HOUSE WITH INFORMATION AS To HIS
| VARIOUS ABSENCES FROM WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Nav 4. - The fol-
lowing Is the full text of the Presidents
message, relative to the resolution passed by
the House of Representatives, requesting
him to furnish information as to whether
any executive Offices, acts or duties, and.
II any, what, have, within a specified
period. been performed at a distance from
the seat OF government established by law -
To the House Of Representatives.
have given very attentive consideration
to the resolution of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes. passed on the third day of
April, requesting the President of the
United States to inform the House whether
any executive Offices. acts or duties, and if
any. what, have, within the specified period,
been performed at a distance from the seat
OF government established by law
have never hesitated, and shall not hesi-
tate, to communicate to Congress, and to
either branch thereof, all the information
which the constitution makes 1t the duty
oil the President to give, or which my
Judgment may suggest to me, or that re-
quest from either House may Indicate to me
will be useful in the discharge of the ap-
propriate duties cOnfied to them | fail,
however. TO ind in the constitution of the
United States authority given to the House
OF Representatives (oEe branch of the Con-
gress IN which is vested the legislative
power OF the goyernment) to require of
their executive. an independent branch of
the government. Coordinate with the SEN
ate and House of Representatives. an ac-
count OF his discharge Of his appropriate
and partly executive Offices, acts and duties,
either as to when, where or how perform
ed. 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 discharge
of its powers in legislation, or of impeach-
ment. The inquiry In the resolution OF the
House as to where executive acts have.
within the last seven years, been perform
ed, and at what distance from any partic-
ular spot, or for how long period at any
one time. etc., does not necessarily belong
to the province of legislation. IL does not
profess 70 be asked for that object. Ii this
information be sought through an inquiry
OF the President, a. TO his executive acts,
IN view, or In aid of the power of impeach-
ment vested in the House, it is asked
in derogstiOn of au inherent natural
right. recognized in this country by
constitutional guarantee, which protects
every citizen. the President as well as the
humblest in the land from being made wit
ness against himself. During the time that
| have had the honor to occupy the position
OF the President of this government, it has
been. and while | continue to occupy that
position 1t will continue to be, my earnest en-
deavor to recognize and respect the several
trusts and duties and powers of coordinate
hrav. aha 81 . he ~
ing upon them nor allowing encroachments
upon the proper powers of the Office which
the people of the United States have cOnfd-
ed to me, but aiming to preserve in their
proper relations the several powers and
functions of each of the coordinate branch
es OF the government agreeabiy to the con-
stitutlOn, and in accordance with the SOL
emn oath which | have taken to ''preserve.
protect and defend that instrument. In
I he maintenance Of the right secured by
the constitution to the executive branch
of the gEernment, | am compelled to de-
cline any specific or detailed answer to the
request of the House for the information as
to any executive Offices acts or duties and.
II any, what, have been performed at dis
tance from the seat of government estsb-
lished by law, and for how long a period at
any one time aad in what part of the
United States. III, however, the House of Rep
resentatiyes desire to know whether during,
the time which | have heidi the office of
President of the United States, | have been
absent from the seat of government, and
whether during that period have perform
ed or have neglected to perform the duties
of ny office, freely inform the House |
have been in the habit, as were all my pre-
decessors. with the exception of one who
Oh an1v- 81 hs,
duties of mis- office, and one whose continued
presence in Washington was necessary from
the existence at the time of powerfulIrebel-
lion of absenting myself at times from the
seat of government, and that during such
absences | did not neglect or f0rego the
the obligations or duties of my office. but
continued to discharge all of the executive
Offices, acts and duties which were required
of me as President of the United States. |
am not aware that a failure occurred IN any
one instance of my exercising the functions
and powers of my Office in every case re-
qulring their discharge, or OF my exercising
all necessary executive acts in whatever
part of the United States | may at the time
have been. Fortunately, the rapidity CT
travel and OF mail communication, and
the facility of almost instantaneous ccr-
respondence with officers at the seat Of gov
ernment which the telegraph affords to
the President IN whatever section of the
Union he may be, enable him in these
days TO MAINTAIN as constant and almost
as quick intercourse with the departments
at Washington a. may be maintained
while he remains in the capital. The neces-
sity of the performance of executive acts by
the Presiden. of the United States exists and
is devolyed upon him wherever he may be
r.,L, ~ So "A H..
office. BY the constitution of the United
States. his civil powers are no more limited
or capable of limitation to the place where
they shall be exercised, than are those which
he might be required to discharge IN his Ca
pacity of commander-in-chief of the army
;.nd navy, which latter powers, it is evI-
dent, he might be called upon to exercise.
possibly even without the limits of the
United States. Had the efforts of those re-
Gently in rebellion against thagovernment
been successful in driving late President
of the United States from Washington, it is
manifest that he must have discharged 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 conine this constitional
duty. am not aware of the existence of
any act of Congress which assumes thus to
limit or restrict the exercise of the func-
tions of the executive, as to where they
shall be performed. Such acts should,
nevertheless, recognize the superior author
itv of the constitution, and should exercise
the powers required thereby OF the PresI-
dent. The act to which reference is made
in the resolution of the House, relates to the
establishment of the seat of government
and the providing of suitable buildings and
II N..- a l. @AE. hal
to the government, etc. Ii was not under
stood at Is date, and by General Washing
ton, to confine the President in the dis
charge of his duties to actual presence az
the seat of the government. On the Both
of March, shortly after the passage Of the
act referred to, General Washington issued
an executive proclamation. having reference
to the subject of this very act, from GeOrge-
| town. a place remote from Philadelphia.
which was then the scat of the government.
where the act referred to directed that "all
| Offices attached to the seat of government
should for the time remain. 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 hundreds upon hundreds OF such acts.
performed by my predecessors, in unbroken
line from Washington to Lincoln, memo
randum of the general nature and character
of some of which acts i3 submitted herewith.
and no question has been raised as 10 the
validity Of these acts or the right and pro-
prety Of the executive to exercise the pow
ers Of his Office in any part of the United
States. [Signed is. GRANT.
Washington, MAY 4th, 1916.
A telegram from Ann Arbor, Mich, says
that Mr.. Joshua q. Leland, prominent
resident of that city. aged 20. died on
Thursday from the effects of the bite OF
rat. Some days previously he attempted to
kiII a rat and il hit him ON the hand. The