Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-02


December %, 1S76.-My Dear General
Your favor of the 9Th inst. reached me in
New York the 9Th, the day before l started
for the west. 1 intended to reply to it before
leaving, but the cares incident to departure
interfered. Then, again, since my arrival
here have been SO occupied with personal
affairs of business nature that l have de.
ferred writing from day to day until this
morning, and now find myself in debt to
yen another letter. In acknowledgment of
your favor of the 18th inst, received
few DAYS since, have concluded to leave
here the 29th tomorrow afternoon), so
that 1 may be in New York on the 31st
inst. 1t has been cold and dreary since my
arrival here. L have worked "like Turk. y
Il presume that means hard work. in the
country, in making fences, cutting down
trees, preparing buildings, etc., ETC., and am
at least able to say that st. Louis is the cold
est place in the winter and it's the hottest in
summer of any that have encountered in a
temperate zone. l have known st. Louis in
December to have genial weather through
the month. This December has been frigid,
and the river has been frozen more solid
than have ever known.
L
to the Pacific coast thought 1t probably true;
considering the past discussion on that sub
iect the possibilities seemed to me to point
that way. Had it been true should of
course have presented no complaint nor made
resistance of any kind. [ would have gone
quickly if not prepared to 60 promptly. l
certainly would have been relieved from
responsibilities and anxiety concerning Presi-
Dental matters which may fall to those near
to the throne or IN authority
within the next four months, as well
as from the other incidents, or matters which
I could not control, and action concerning
which might not have approved. l was
not exactly prepared to go to the Pacific,
however, and [ therefore felt relieved when
l received your note informing me that there
was no truth in the rumors. Then | do not
wish to appear to be escaping from the re-
sponsibility and possible dangers which may
cluster around military commands in the
East, especially in the critical period fast ap-
preaching. "AlI's we'll that ends WELL"
The whole matter of the Presidency aeems
to me to be simple, and to admit of a peace
full solution. The machinery for such q
contingency as threatens to present Itself,
has been all carefully prepared. 1t only re-
quires fabrication, owing to disuse. The
army should have nothing to do with the
election or Inauguration of Presidents.
The people elect the President, 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 OK
press that.
like Je1ferson's way of inauguration. 1t
suits our system. He rode alone on horse
back to the capitol, before it was the old
capitol, tied his horse to rail fence, entered
aud was duly sworn, then rode to the execu-
tive mansion and took possession. He in
augurated himself simply by taking the oath
Of Office. There is no other legal Inaugural
ton in our system. The people or politi-
clans may institute 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 q part
of it. Our system does not provide that
one President should inaugurate another.
There might be danger in that and it was
studiously left out of the charter.
But you are placed in an exceptionally i'm
portant position In connection with coming
events. The capital is iii my Jurisdiction
also, but am subordinate and not on the
spot, and if l were so, you would be my
superior in authority, for there is the station
of the general in-chief. On the principle
that 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 sub ect uniformly re-
cognize, and in consideration of the pos
sibility 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 will have power and prestige to support
you. The secretary of war, too, probably
holds over, but if no President appears, he
may not be able to exercise functions in the
name of the President, or his proper acts be
those of his now superior, lawful president.
You act on your own responsibility, and by
virtue of commission only restricted by the
law. The secretary of war is the mouthpiece
of President, you are not. If neither
candidate has a constitutional majority
of the electoral college or the
Senate and House, on the occasion of
the count, do not unite in declaring some
person legally elected by the people, there is
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 fore
fathers provided it. 1t has been recognized
and submitted to as lawful on every hand.
That machinery would probably elect Mr..
Tilden the President and Mr. Wheeler Vice
President. That would be right enough, for
the law provides that on failure to elect
duly by the people, the House shall imme-
diately elect the President and the Senate
the Vice President.
Some tribunal must decide whether the
people have duly elected President. pre-
sumo, of course, that it is in the joint affirma-
tive action 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 failure
to agree arises between the two bodies, there
can be no lawful affirmative decision that the
people have elected President, and the
House must then proceed to act, not the
Senate. The Senate elects Vice Presidents,
not Presidents. Doubtless, in case of fail
IRE by the House to elect President by the
fourth of March, the President of the Senate,
if there be one, would be the legitimate per,
son to exercise Presidential authority for the
time being, or until the appearance of law
full President or for the time laid down in
the constitution.
Such courses would be peaceful, and have
a firm belief lawful have no doubt Gov.
Hayes would make an excellent President
l have met him and know of him for a brief
period. He served under my command, but