Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1880-08-28
authority, for there is the station Of the
General-in- Chief.
NO HoLD-ovER PRLsrpEscy.

NO HoLD-ovER PRLsIpEyoY.
On the principle that d regularly
elected Presidents term of Office expires
with the Sd of March (of which have
not the slightest doubt), and which the
laws bearing on the subject uniformly
recognize, and in consideration that the
possibility that the lawfully elected
President may not appear until the 9th
of March, a great deal of responsibility
may necessarily fall upon you. You
hold over! You viii have power and
prestige to support you. The Secretary
OF War, too, probably holds over; but
if no President appears be may not be
able to exercise functions in the name of
a President-for his proper acts are
those of 4 known superior "a lawful
President. You act on your own re-
sponsibility, and by virtue of commits
sion only restricted by the law. The
Secretary of war is the mouthpiece of
President. You are not. If neither
candidates has constitutional majority
Of the Electoral College, or the Senate
and House on the occasion Of the count,
do not unite in declaring some persons
legally elected by the people, there is
lawfal IN :chinery already provided to
meet tl-zs contingency and decide the
question r,acefully 1t has not been re-
Gently used. no occasion presenting it
self, out our forefa.hers provided it. 1t
has been exercised, and has been rccog-
nized and submitted to Ms lawful on ev-
cry hand,
That machinery would probably elect
Mr.. Tilden President and Mr.. Wheeler
Vice President That would be righ.
enough, for the law provide that in q
failure to elect duly by ths: people the
House shall Immediately elect the Pres,
/ ident and the Senate the Vice Pres.
! dent. Some tribunal must decide
whether .he people have elected Tresi
dent. l presume, Of course, that it i:
in the joint affirmative action Of the
! House and the Senate, or why are they
present to witness the count if not tc
see that it is fair and just? If failure
| 70 q ,rroa or;ra, b., ,,o,,, ~, k;-,, III.
there cen be no lawful affirmative decis
ion chat the people have elected a Presi
d Mt, and the House must then proceed
to act, not the cenate. The Senate elect
Vice Presidents, not Presidents. Doubt
less in case of failure by the House t,
elect President by the 4th of March
the President of the Sei.atc IF there ~
one) would lie the legitimate person t.
exercise Presidential authority for tn
time being or until the appearance o
the lawful President. or for the time lai
down by the Constitution. Such Course
would be peaceful, and, I have firm be
lief, lawful.
have no doubt Governor Haye
would make an excellent President.
have met him and know of hin For
brief period he served under my con
ynand, but as the matter stan'is ! can
see any likelihood Of his being tiu,9 d,
clarcd elected by the people unless th
Senate and House come to be in accor
az to that fact, and the House would {
course not otherwise elec: him. Wha
the people want is r. peaceful deterniI
alton of this matter, as fair determins
tion az possible, and lawful one. n
other administration could stand th
test The country if not plunged int
revolution would become poorer day l.
dav, business would languish, and OF
bonds would come home to find a depr
ciated market.
was
, NOT IN FAVOR OF THE MILITARY AcTlc
, IN SOUTH CAROLINA RECENTLY,
And if General Ruyer had telegraphe
q ~ ME or asked for advice, would -ha,
ADJ iset. him not under any circumstanc
y to himself or his troops to determir
! who were the lawful members Of IL
b. State Legislature. could not ha'
o given him better advice than to ref
= him to the special message of the Pres
dent in the case Of Louisiana some tin
= before.
( Blu. in South Carolina he had had Il
n question settled by q decision OF Il
l. Supreme Court OF the State-the hig
= est tribunal which had acted on Il
n question-so that this line Of du
f seemed to be clearer than in the Loui