The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-08-10

Then, 1 did not wish to appear to be
escaping from responsibilities and posi-;
BILE dangers which may cluster around
military commanders in the East, espe-
cially in the critical period fast approach.
ing. Ais we'll that ends WELL The whole
matter of the Presidency seems to me to
b, simple and to admit Of peaceful solu.
ton. The machinery for such a con.
tingency as threatens to present itself
has been ali carefully prepared. 1t only
requires fabrication, owing to disuse.
The army should have nothing to do
With the selection or Inauguration Of
Presidents. The people elect the Presi-
dent. The Congress declares in joint
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. like Jefferson's way oi
inauguration; it suits our system. He
rode alone on horseback to the Capitol
/ (I fear it vas the "Old Capitow). tied
his horse to q rail fence, entered and
was duly sworn, then rode TO the Execu.
tive Mansion 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 institute pa
rades in honor Of the event, and public
officials may add to the pageant by as.
sembling troops and banners, but al
that only comes properly after the in
auguration-not before; and it is not /,
part of it. Our system does not provide
that one President should inauguratt
another. There might be danger ia that
and it was studiously left out of tht
charter. But you are placed in an ex
EXCEPTIONALLY important position in con
nection With coming events. The capita
is 10 my jurisdiction also. but l am .
subordinate, and not on the spot, and i
l were, 80 also would be my superior II
authority, for there is the station of thl
Genera!.in Chief. ,sG
| On the princirle that regularly elec
ted Presidents term of office expires
with the Sd Of March (of which | nav,
not the slightest doubt), and which thl
laws bearing on the subject uniformlI
recognize, and in consideration of th,
possibility that the lawfully elected Presi
dent may not appear until the 5th o
March, a great deal Of responsibility,
may necessarily fall upon you. Yol
hold over! You will have power ant
prestige to support you. The Secretar,
of War. too, probably holds over; bu
il no President appears he may not b,
able to exercise functions in the nam,
of President, for his proper acts ar,
those Of known SUPERIOR lawfu
President. You act on your own re-
sponsibility and by virtue Of a commits
sion, only restricted by the Law. Th,
Secretary Of War is the mouthpiece o
a President. You are not If neither
candidate has constitutional mejority
of the Electoral College, or the Senate
and House on the occasion OF the coun
do not unite in declaring some person
legally elected by the people, there is 9
lawful machinery already provided to
meet that contingency and decide the
question peacefully. 1t has not been
recently used, NO occasion presenting
itself, but our forefathers provided it.
1t has teen exercised and has been recog-
nized and submitted to as lawful on
every hand. The machinery would
probably elect Mr.. Tilden President and
Mr.. Wheeler Vice. President. That
would be right enough, for the law pro-
vides that in failure to elect duly by