Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-05-05

information be sought through an inquiry OF
the President as TO his executive acts ID view
or in aid Of the power OF impeachment vested
in the House, It is asked IN deroEatlon OF an
inherent natural right recognized IN this coun-
try by constitutional guarantee which pro-
rects every citzeu, the President as we'll as the
bumbest 10 the land, rCm being made wit
ness against himself.
During the time that lave had the honor
70 occupy the position Of President OF this
Government it has been, and While | continue
t. occupy that position II sill continue t. be,
! nv earnest endtavor to rccp-n'Zc AND - re-
sheet the several trusts and duties aud powers
| nf the coordinate branches OF the Govern.
ment, not encroaching upon them nor allow
ing epcroachmcnts upon the proper powers OF
the Office which the people OF the United
States have c)nided 10 NE, but aiming to pre-
| serve 10 their proper relations the several pow
ers and functions Of each Of the coordinate
branches of the Government agrccabiy to the
Constitution and in accordance with the solemn
oath which have taken to "prrScrvc, protect
and defrud' that Instrument. In nanten'
auce of the rights secured by the Constitution
to the Executive branch OF the Government,
| am compelled tn decline aoy specified or dc
tailed answer to the request OF the House Tor
| inflammation as to "any Executive Offices, acts
|
ed at distance from the seat of Government
established by law, and Tor how long rcriod
at any one time, aud 10 what part Of the UnlIed
States"
If, however, the House Of Representatives
desires 10 know whether during the period OF
upwards of seven years DUNG which L nave
held the office OF President Of the United States
| have been absent from the scat oil Govern
meut and whether during that period haVc
performed or neglected to perform the duties
of my Office, | freely inform the House t"at
from the time Of my entrance upon my othce
have been 10 the habit, as we're all OF my
predecessors, with the exception of one who
lived only one month after assuming the duties
OF his Office, and one whose Continued presence
Ia Washin was rendered necessary from
the existence at the time OF powerful rebel
lion of abscnting myself at tunes from the
seat Of Government, and that durlns sucn ab-
8 nee did not negecr or forego the obligations
or the duties Of my office, Blu, continued to dis
charge al, of the executive offices, acts aud du
ties which we're required of me as President OF
the Uuited States. | am not aware thar tall
ure occurred 10 any one instance OF my cxercs'
ing the functions and powers OF my office III
every case requiring their discharge, or OF my
exercising all necessary executive acts ID what
ever part of the United States | may at the
time have been.
Fortunately the rapidity oil travel and CT mail
communication, aud the facility Of almost IN
Simultaneous correspondence with the officers at
the seat of Government, which the telegraph
affords to the President III whatever section OF
the Union he may be, enable hlu, III these
days to maintain constant and almost Us
quick Intercourse with the Departments at
Washington as may be malntaneu While he re-
mains 10 the Capital
The necessity Of the performance Of cxecu
tive acts by the President of the United States
exists and is devolvcd upon him wherever he
NAV be within the United States du:l1g his
term of office, by the Constitution OF the United
States.
His civil powers are no more limited, or
capable OF Limitation, as to tire place where
they shall be exercised. than are those which
he might be required to discharge in his "a
pacity of Coumand"r.in-t hlet of the Army
and Navy, which latter powers. i is evident,
be might be called upon to exercise, p 'slh'y.
even without the limits OF the United States.
Had the efforts Of those recently IN rebellion
against the Government 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, else where than IN lbe place named 10y
law as the seat ofGovcrnmcnt.
No act Of Congress can limit, suspend or
contne this Constitutional duy. | am not
aware of the cXlsle oil any acl OF Congress
which assumes thus To limit or rctrlct the cX-
ercisc o. the fUnctiG!is of the Executive. Were
there such acts should never hrl'ss recognize
the superior authority u die Constitute ;. aud
should exercise The powers required thereby Of
the President.
The act to which reference il ma1e. in the
resolution Of tn House relates 10 the c>tlo
Eshmcnt Of the seat Of GnvcruluGG. and the
providing Of suitable hti;,iiGz- az! the
novel thereto of the ciii - attached t" the
Government, &, Il was ~! understood at It's
date aud by General Washington, IL c,i'dac
the President in the discharged of his duties ami
powers to actual pr ScGcc at the seat ii Gov
crpment. GA the 3Oth OF March, 1871. short
ly alter the passage IT the act referred Il" Zen.
Washington issued an executive proclamation
having reference to the >ubjcc OF this very act,
from Georgetown. a place remote from Phla
delphia, which then was the seat. Of Govern
ment where the ACT referred t. directed that
"al officers attached to the seat Of Govern
meut" should for the time remain.
That none oil his SUCCESSORS have entertained
the idea that their executive offices could be
4 performed only at the seat Of Government IS
evidenced by the hundreds upon hundreds Of
such acts performed by my predecessors, IN uu
broken line from Washington 10 Llocoln, a
memorandum of the general nature aud char
acter OF some of which acts is transmitted here
with and no question has ever cu raised as to
the validity of these acts or As to the right and
propricty oil the Executive to exercise the pow
ers of his Office 10 any part nf the United
States. U 5. HRANT
Washington, May 4 1916
| Private Letter.