Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-08-19

81 L TCsiucthS. L H0 pSOPio CiOIl
the President, and Congress de-
clares in foint session who he is
We, of the army, have only to obey
his mandates, and are protected in
so doing only so far as they may be
lawful. Our commissions express
that. I like Jcfferson's way of in
auguration. 1t suits our system.
He rode alone on horseback to the
Capitol Il fear it was the old Capt..
tol), tied his horse to rail fence,
entered and was duly sworn; then
rode to the Executive Mansion and
took possession. He inangurated
himself simply by taking the oath
of office.
There is no other legal lnaugu-
ration N our system. The people
or politicians may institute parades
in honor of the event and public
officials may add to the pageant b.
assembling troops and banners, but
all that ouly comes properly after
the Inauguration, not before, and IS
not part of it. Our system does
not provide that one President
should inangura:e another; there
might be danger ID that, and it was
stndiously lett ont Of the charter.
But you are placed in an except
ionally important position in con
nection with coming events The
Capital is within my jurisdiction,
but l am a subordinate, and not on
the spot, and if l were, SO also
would be my superior in authority
| for there is the station of the Gen
cral- in-Chief. On the principle
that q regularly elected Presidents
term Of office expires with the 3rd
Of March Got which have not the
slightest doubt), and which the
laws bearing on the subject uni
formly recognize, and in consider
atioh of the possibility that the
lawfully elected President may not
appear until the 5ih Of March
great deal of responsibility may
necessarily fall upon you. You
hold over; you will have power
and prestige to support you. The
Secretary Of War, too, probably
holds over but if no President APP
pears he may not be able to exer-
else the functions in the name of
the President, for his proper acts
are those of known superior,
lawful President. You act on your
own responsibility and by virtue OF
a commission only restricted by the
the law. The Secretary of War is
the mouth-piece Of President
you are not. If neither candidate
has a constitutional majority of the
Electoral College, or the Senate
and House on the occasinon of the
count do not unite in declaring
some person legally elected by the
people, there is lawful machinery
already provided to meet that CON
:ingency and decide the question
peacefully. 1t has not been re-
Gently used--no occasion present
ing itself-but our forefathers pro
vided it. 1t has been exercised ana
has been recognized and submitted
to as lawful on every hand. That
machinery would probably elect
Mr.. Tilden President and Mr..
Wheeler Vice President, and that
would be right enough, for the law
provides that in failure to elect
duly by the people, the House shall
Immediately elect the President and
the Senate the Vice President
Some tribunal must decide whether
the people have duly elected
President. l presume. of course,
that it is in the joint affirmative ac'
ton of the Senate and House, or
why are they present to witness the
count, if not to see that it is fair
and just? If a failure to agree
arises between the two bodies there
can be no lawful affirmative decis-
ion that the people have elected a
President, and the two Houses
must then proceed to elect-not the
Senate the Senate elects the Vice
President, not the President
Doubtless, in case of failure by
the House to elect a President by
the 4th of March, the President Of
the Senate (if there be one) would
be the legitimate person to exercise
the Presidential authority for the
time being, or until the appearance
of the laful President, or for the
time laid down in the Constitution.
Such courses would be peaceful,
and, [ haye firm belief, lawful.
| have no doubt that Gov. HAYES
would make an excellent President.
| have met him and know of him.
For brief period he served under
my command but as the matter
staEds l cannot see any likelihood
Of his being duly declared elected
by the people, unless the Senate
and House come to be in accord as
/ 4 al. Al.