The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-05-12

the proper discharge of it's powers Of legisla~
ton or Of impeachment. The inquiry IN the
of the House ~ to where the exocu.
tive acts have within the last seven years been
performed. and at what distance from any par
ticular spot, or for how long period At any
one time etc, doee not necessarily belong TO
the province Of legislation. 1t does not pro-
fess to be asked for that object. II this In
formation be sought through an inquiry OF the
President ~ to his executive acts In view or in
aid of the power of impeachment vest
ed In the House, 1t Is asked In derogation
OF an inherent natural right recognized
in this country by q constitutional guarantee
which protects every citizen, the President rs
we'll as the humblest in the land, from being
made witness against himself. During the
time that / have had the honor to occupy the
position of President of this Government 1t has
been, and while continue t. occupy that posi-
ton it will continue TO be, my earnest
endeavor to recognize and to respect the sew
eral trusts and duties and powers Of the CO.
ordinate branches of the Government, not en-
croachipg upos thcm nor allowing encroach-
ment upon the proper powers OF the ONCE which
the people of the United States have confided
to me, but aiming to preserve in their proper
relations the several powers and functions OF
each of the coordinate branches OF the Gov
eminent agreeably to the constitution, and in
accordance with the solemn oath which have
taken to preserve, protect, and defend that iu-
strumept In maintenance of the rights Sc
cured by the constitution to the executive
branch of the Government / am COM
PEELED to decline any specific OF
detailed answer to the request of the House
for information as TO any executive offices,
acts or duties that have been performed at a
distance from the seat OF Government estab-
lished by law, and for how long period at any
one time, and in what part of the United
States. II, however, the House Of Represent
l. A.
period of upward of seven years during which
/ have held the Office Of President Of the Uni
ted States, have been absent from the seat Of
Government, and whether during that period
have performed, or have neglected to per-
form duties Of my office, l 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 only one month after assuming the
duties Of his Office, and one whose
continued preqence in Washington WAS
necessary from the existence at the time
of q powerful rebellion, of absenting myself
at times from the seat of Government andthat
during such absences did not neglect or fore
60 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 ana
powers of my Office in every case requiring
their discharge or Of my exercising all neces-
sary executive acts in whatever part of the
United States / may at the time have been.
Fortunately the rapidity of trave. and of mail
communication and the facility of almost in
Simultaneous 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 as constant
ar IA int wit no
departments at Washington as may be main
tanned while he remains in the capital. The
necessity of the performance of executive acts
by the President Of the United States exists
and is devolved upon him wherever he may be
within the United States during his term of
Office, by the Constitution of the United States.
His civil powers are no more limited 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 al Com
mander-in-chief OF the army and navy, which
latter powers 1t is evident he might
be called upon to exercise POSSIBLY
even without the limits of the United
States. Had the efforts of those recently in
rebellion against the government been success
full in driving a 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
this constitutional duty. am not aware Of
the existence of any act Of Congress which as
sumes 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 reference is
made in the resolution of the House relates
to the establishment OF the seat OF Govern
ment 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
presence at the seat of Government.
On the 30th of March, 1871, shortly after
the passage Of the treaty referred to, Gen.
Washington issued an executive proclamation
having reference to the subject of this very
act from Georgetown, a place remote from
Philadelphia, which then was the seat of Gov
eminent, where the act referred to directed
that all offices attached to the seat of Gov
eminent should for the tine remain" That
none Of his successors have entertained the
idea that their executive offices could be per-
formed only at the seat of Govern
ment is evidenced by hundreds upon
hundreds of such acts performed by
my predecessors in unbroken line from
Washington to Lincoln, memorandum Of
general nature and character OF some of which
acts is submitted herewith, and no question has
been raised as to tho validity of those acts or to
the right and propriety of the Executive to ex-
ercise the powers Of his Office in any part of the
United States. u. S. GRANT.
WASHINGTON, May A, 1876.
It will be perceived that the message
is dated Washington, without the usual
prefix Executive Mansion" Accom-
panying the message was memorandum
of the absences of Presidents from the
capital during each of the sew
eral administrations, and of the public
and executive acts performed during the
time of such absences.
Heavy Failures in Massachusetts,.
The most disastrous failures western
Massachusetts has experienced since the