The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-01-06
Grant on the Situation.

Grant and newspaper reporter, as fol-
lows: He (GFant) had something to
say in regard to the counting Of the
Electoral vote, and the differences Of
opinion now existing between the two
houses Of Congress as to the mode in
which this shall be done. He said that
while he has no disposition to pass
judgment on the merits of this contro-
versy, 1t seems to him as II the decision
Of 1t, and the consequent announcement
Of the result Of the election, will not
take place before noon on the 4th day Of
March next, at which time his term OF
Oifice will expire. he believes that the
Constitution and the law give the Pres
ident Of the Senate the power to open
and to count the Electoral votes, but sd-
mits that precedent has established the
right OF either house to object to the
counting Of the vote Of O state. He
cites one or two early instances in which
this right has been accorded, and called
attention to the uniform practice ever
since the separation Of the two Houses
whenever any question has arisen In the
joint convention, and their independent
action upon it. Believing that objec-
tions will be made to counting the vote
OF one or more States ou the 14th of
February next, and that such a separa-
ton of the two Houses will take place,
he thinks that the discussion which will
ensue is very likely to continue during
the whole Of the two weeks which will
intervene before the 4th of March, and
that the latter day will arrive before
any agreement upon them is reached.
lr such an event he is very positive in
Ills opinion that under the Constitution
aud the Act Of 1902 the President of
the Senate will become the acting Pres
idsnt, and will be sworn in as SUCH
But while the Official term of the Presi-
dent will then expire, that of the heads
Of the Executive Departments will
continue uninterrupted. The President
has caused full investigation Of this
matter to be made by his legal advisers,
and the conclusion reached is that all
Cabinet Officers except the Postmaster
General continue to act until their sue
cessors are appointed. The term Of
the Postmaster Gen eral Is by law limit.
ed to thirty days after the beginning of
the new administration. The post office
department was for many years provid-
cd for from time to time by special leg
islative enactment, and the officer who
presided over 1t did not participate in
the deliberations of the Cabinet until
during the administration of President
jackson. II the President of the Senate
should therefore become the acting
President Of the United States General
Grant says that he would find himself
In possession of every facility for con-
tinuing and conducting the Executive
Department of the government, and
that he would not be embarrassed by
necessary changes as would be the case
II the terms Of Cabinet officers necesc
sarily expired on the 9TH of March.
The President was asked whether
an extra session of Congress would be
called to meet on or after the 4th Of
March. He said in reply that II was
customary for the outgoing President to
call the Senate together at an early day
after the Inauguration Of the new ex-
ecutive for the convenience Of his sue
cessor, but he was in doubt as to bis
power 10 call an extra session of the
House, and would take no action in the
premises, should occasion for an extra
session OF the House arise, until the
matter had been fully investigated. 1t
seemed to him, however, that as the
Congress, Of which the House is COM
pOnent part, expires on the same day
with his own official life, it would be
found that, no matter what the emerR-
ency might be, he had no right to call
the members of the next House togeth-
er. No embarrassment would be oc-
casloned by his failure to do so, as the
acting President could promptly con-
vene the Forty-ffth Congress for the
transaction of any business which he
might think made a session of It neces-
sary. 1.-THE Forty-ffth Congress should
meet during the spring, he thought 4
very likely that the question of the re-
cent Presidential election might become
a matter Of consideration and that tina
body might determine to hold q new
election earlier than the time provided
for in the act of 1902, Congress he sale
might provide for holding the election
in June and for the Inauguration of th,
new President on the 4th OF July
which he believed would be more salts.
factory, as 1t would shorten the tim,
Of the interregnum.