Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-08-17

- -'Ot"OtS He1teT Nooe uOtc at Last
Presidential Elections Diseased Con-
,9fese The Sale Tribunal to Decide the Re-
suit Obedience the Duty Of the Army
The WM Of the People
The following letter was written in reply
to two letters on the situation received from
Gen. Sherman:.
"CARoNDELEr P. O., Sr LOUIS, Decem.
Der %, l876-My Dear General: Your
favor Of the 4.h instant reached me in New
York on the 9th, the day before l left for
the West. / Intended to reply to it before
leaving. but cares incident to departure in>
,ertered. Then again, since my arrival hare
have been so occupied with personal affairs
of business nature that have deferred
writing from day to day until this moment,
and now lind myself in debt to you another
letter 10 acknowledgement of your favor of
the 18th, received few days since
have concluded to leave hero on the
18th (to'mnrrow) p. NJ, so that I may be
expected in Now York on the 3lst in staut
II has been cold and drcary since my arrival
here. have worked like Turk II pre
sumo that means hard work. in the country.
IN tDaklog fences, in cutting down trees re-
ps'rIng buildings, etc, and am nt least able
to say that St. Louis is tue coolest rlucc in
the winter and it is the hottest in the sum-
mer OF any that l havo encountered in tenn
perate Zone. l have known ST. Louis in
December to have genial weuther throughout
the month; this December has been friyid
and the river has been frozen more solid
than | have ever known it.
when heard the rumor that was or
dered to the Pacific coast thought it proba>
trna 1ln-1 l.
that subject. The possibilities seemed to me
to point that way Had it been true I should
of course have presented no complsut nor
made resistance Of any kind. would have
gone quickly, if not prepared TO 90 promptly.
certainly would have been relieved from
the responsibilities and uuxieties ooncerninr
presidential matters which may fall to those
ucar the throne or 10 authority within the
next four mouths we'll as from other in
cidcnts or matters which could not contrul.
and the action cnncerning which nj hit not
approve. was not exactly prepared to go
to the Pnc'hc, however, and therefore felt
relieved when received your note III for IN ny
me that thcre was no truth in the runiors
Then did not wish to appear To be escaping
from responsibilities aud possible danger.
which may cluster around military comnan-
ders in the Esst, especially in the critical
period fast approaching. ANS we'll tha,
ends we'll. The whole matter of the urcsi-
deucy seems TO mo to be simple and to admit
of u peaceful solution. The machinery fo7
such q contingency rs threatens 10 present
itself has been all carefully prepared 1t only
requires lnhricatIOu owing to dsuse The
army should have nothing to do with The
election or Inauguration Of Presi6unts The
pcople elect the President The Congress
dor g t,;D l. =
the army have only to obey his mandates and
are protected iu 80 doing ouly so far as they
may be lawful Our commissions express
that. like Jefferson's way oil Inauguration;
it suits our systpm He rode alone on horse,
back to the Capitol, q fear it was tho sold
CAPITOL tied his horse to rail fence, en-
tered and was duly sworn, then rode to the
Executive Mansion and took possession. lie
luauGurated himself simply by taking the
oath OF office. There is no other legal insu.
RUratlon in our system. The people or
politicians may institute rarades in honor Of
the event, and public officials may add to the
pageant by assembling troops and banners
but all that ou'y comes properly after tho
insuyuration-not bciuro-snd it is not part
Of it. Our system does not provide that ono
President should iDnugurate another There
might be danger in that aud it was studi-
ously left out of the charter. lut you are
placed in on exceptionally im portant position
ln connection with coming events. Tho
capitol is in my juri-diction also. but am
subordinate and not on the tpot. and if
were also would be my superior in nutbori-
~, for therO is the station of the gencral,in
chief On the principle that a regularly
elected Presidents term of Office expires
with the 81 OF March, (oF which have not
tho slightest donbt) and which the laws
bearing 90 the suhj.ct uniformly recognize.
and in consideration nt the possibility that
the lawfully c'cCtsd Prts dcnt.may not ap>
pear until the 5'h Of March, a great deal of
responsibility may necessarily fall upon Won
I Ou will have power aud rrestige 10 support
you The Secretary Of War, too. probably
holds over bnt !: no President nppeor. ke
may not be allie to exercise functions in the
name OF President. for his proper acts sre
those OF known superior. lawful Presi
dent. lou act on your own responsibility
and by virtue nj c"mmssi0n duly restricted
by the law. the Secretary OF War is the
mouthpiece Of President You arc not If
neither candidate has a constitutional naiari-
ty Of the electoral college or The Senate snd
House On the occasion of the count do not
unite IN declaring some person legally elected
by the people. there Is a lawful machinery
already provided to meet that Contingency
and decide the question peacefully. 1t has
not been recently used. no occasion present :
ing itself, hn, our torefathers provided it It
has been exercised aud has heeu recognized
"od submitted 20 as lawful on every hand
That machinery would probably elect Sir
Ti'den President and Mr Wheeler Vica-
President. That would be right enough. for
the law provides that in failure to elect
duly by the people the House shall inmedi-
ately elect the President and the Senate the
! Vice President. Some tribunal must decide
whether the people have duly elected Presi
| dent. l presume, of course, that it is in
the joint affirmative action of the Senate and
the House. or why are they present tn wit