The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-08-14
CARoNDEIET p. o.,

furnished 10 the VOrH, WuS "i"Sn -. '..P'J
TO two letters on the situation, receiver iron
Gen. Sherman
CARoNDELET =. o.,
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Dec, %, 1876
My DEAR GENERAL-Iour favor OF th'
fourth reached me in New YORK, the uay DC
fore left for the West l Intended 10 reply
70 it before leaving, but cares incident 10 my
departure lnterfered. Then, again, since my
Arrival here have been so occupied with per
sonal affairs of business nature that nave
deferred writing from day to day until TINS
morning. and now find myself In debt 70
yol another in acknowledgment OF your favol
Of the 18th received few days since. o.,
have concluded TO leave here on the 2vth
Tomorrow p. NJ, so that may be expected 10
New York on the 31st instant. IL mas Deen
cold and dreary since my arrival here. nave
worked 'l,ke Turk" Il presume that neana
hard work. in the country in making fenees'
cutting down trees, repairing buildings, &C.,
and am at least able TO Say that 81. iIeuis IL
me coolest place in the winter and 10 10 hottest
In summer of any that have encountered 10
a Temperate zone, have knOwe 81. Louis 10
Decem ber 70 have genial wsather throughout
The month. This December has been frigid,
and the river has been frozen more seiid man
have ever known It.
When heard the rum0r that was ordered
10 the Pacific coast thought itprobsbly true.
Considering the past discussion on that suo.
iect the possibilities seemed 10 me 70 point
that way. Had it been true should OF course
have presented no complaint nor made resist
ance Of any kind would have gone quickly.
If not prepared to 80 promptly l certainty
would have been relieved from the responst.
bll,ties and anxieties concerning presidential
matters which may fall to those near the throne
or in authority within the next four months,
a. we'll as from other incidents or matters
which would not control action concerning
which might not approve. / was not exact
" prepared 10 go to the Pacific, however, and
/, therefore, felt relieved when received your
note informing me that there was no truth in
the rumors. Then did not wish to appear TO
be escaping from responsibilities and possible
dangers which may cluster around military
commanders in the East, especially in the
critical period fast approaching.
ALPS well that ends well. The whole mat
ter of the presidency seems TO me to be simple
and to admit of peaceful solution. The ma
chinery for such contingency rs threatens 10
present itself has been all carefully prepared
Ii only requires fabrication, owing 10 disusc.
The army should have nothing to do with the
election or inauguration OF presidents. The
people elect the president. The congress de-
clares in a Joint session who lie is. We OF the
army have to only obey his mandates, and are
protected in so doing only 80 far as they may
be lawful. Our commissions express that.
like ,Jeferson's way Of Inauguration; 1t suits
our system. He rode alone ON horseback to
the capitol fear it was the "0ld capltol"-
tied his horse to a rail fence, entered and was
duly sworn, then rode 10 the executive man
sion and took possession. He inaugurated
himself simply by taking the oath Of office
There is no other legal Inauguration in our
system. The people or politicians may insti
tyte parades in honor of the event, and public
officials may add to the pageant by assembling
troops and banners but all that only comes
properly after the inauguration, not before,
and it is not part of It. Our system does not
provide that one president should inaugurate
vt was studously left out of the charter. But
you are placed in an exceptionally important
position in connection with coming events.
The capital is lnmy jurisdiction also, but am
Il subordinate and not on the spot, and II |
were so also, you would be my superior IN ar-
thority, for there is the station of the general
in chief.
On the principle that regularly elected
presidents term of office expires with the 3D.
of March (of which | have not the slightest
doubt and which the laws bearing on the sub
ject uniformly recognize, and in consideration
Of the possibility that the lawfully elected
president may not appear until the 9Th of
March, a great deal Of responsibility may ne
cessarIly fall upon you. You hold over. You
will have power and prestige to support you.
The secretary of war, too, probably holds over,
but II no president appears he may not be able
to exercise f ions in the name of presi.
dent for his per acts are those of known
SUPERIOR vful president. You act on your
own respor Jllity and by virtue Of commits
sion only restricted by the law OF the land TheI
secretary OF war is the mouthpiece of presi.
dent you are not If neither candidate has
constitutional majority of the electoral col.
lege, 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
a lawful machine already provided to meet
that contingency and decide the question peace
fully, 1t has not been recently used, no occa.
sion presenting itself; but our forefathcrs pro.
vlded it, II has been exercised and been re-
cognized and submitted to as lawful on every
hand. That machinery would probably elect
Mr.. Tilden president and Mr.. Wheeler vice.
president That would be right enough, for
"
The people, the house shall Immediately elect
the president and the senate the vice-president
Some tribunal must decide whether the peo-
pie have duly elected president. presume,
oi course that Is in the JOINT affirmative action
oil The senate and house-or why are they pres.
ent to witness the count II not 10 see that il Is
fair and just? If a failure TO agree arises be.
tween the two bodies there can be no lawful
affirmative decision that the people have elect
ed president, and the house must then pro-
ceed to act, not the senate The senate elects
presidents, not presidents. Doubtless IN
case OF failure by the house to elect president
by the 4th Of March the president OF the sen
ate Of there be one) would be the legitimate
person 10 exercise presidential authority for
.he time being, or until the appearance OF al
awful preslden. or for the time laid down in
:he constitution. Such courses would be peace.
III. aud have firm belief lawful.
have no doubt Gov Hayes would make an
excellent president. have met him and know
of him. For brief period he served under