The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-03
canoSpRLEr p. o., ST. LOUIS; Mo,}

civil. AUThoRiTf.
CAnoxpsLgr +. o., ST. Louis. MO-,
December %, 1876.
NV Dear General, Your favor oil the 4.n
instant reached me IN New York on the otb'
tho day before left for The west. ih'
tended to reply TO IL before leaving, put tue
cares incident to my departure interiereo.
Then again since my arrival mere 4 nave
been 30 occupied with personal ana,'s
OF business nature that L have ae-
ferred writing from day to day until this
moment. and now find myself IN dept 10
YOU another letter In acknowledgements OF
your favor OF the 18th, received few days
since. / haye concluded to leave here on tue
Goth (to.morrow), so that may be expected
In New York on the 3lst instant. IL mas
been cold and dreary since my arrival mere.
have worked "like Turk " Il presume
that means hard work) in the country 10
making fences, cutting down trees, repair
ing buildings, etc, etc, aud am az leal aDle
10 say that ST. Louis Is the coolest place III
winter. as IL is The hottest IN summer, OF
any that I have encountered IN temperate
zone. | have known ST. Louis in Deem
Der to have gentle weather throughout the
month. This December has been frigd,
an0 me TlNtT udN DrCu iiOENh h'N'N "N"N'
than have ever known 1t.
When heard a rumor that was
ORDERED TO THE PACIFIC COAST
thought it probably true, considering past
discussions on the subject. The possibiIi-
ties seemed TO me 10 point that way. Had
it been true | should, of course, have pre-
sented no complaint nor made resistance OF
any kind. | would have gone quietly, II
not prepared 10 20 promptly. l certainly
would have been relieved from response
bilitits and anXieties concerning preslden-
tiaI matters which may fall TO those near
The throne or in authority within the next
four months as well as from other incl
dents or matters which | could not
control, and the action concerning
which I might not approve. was
not exactly prepared to 90 to the Pa
cific, however, and therefore felt relieved
when | received your note informing me
that there was no truth In the rumors. Then
| did not wish 10 appear to be escaping from
responsibilities and possible dangers which
NAV cluster around military commanders
in the East, especially in the critical Pc
Rod fast approaching. GAPS well that
ends WELL"
The whole matter OF
THE PRESIDENCY
seems to me to he simple. and to admit OF n
peaceful solution. The machinery for such
a contingency as threatens 10 present Itself
has been all carefully prepared. IL only
requires lubricatng, owing to disuse. The
army should have nothing TO do with the
the selection or inauguration OF President.
The people elect the President. The Con-
cress declares IN session who he is. We OF
the army have only TO obey its mandates and
are protected in so doing only so far A. they
may be lawful. Our commissions express
that. like JeflersOn's way Of Inauguration.
IL suits our system. He rode alone on horse
back to the Capitol q fear it was the "Old
Capitol y, tied his horse TO rail fence, en-
tered, and was duly sworn, then rode TO the
Executive mansion and took possession.
lie inaugurated himself simply by taking
the oath OF Office. There is
NO OTHER LEGAL INAUGURATION
in our system. The people or politicians
mas institute p'rades in honor Of the event,
and public officials may add 10 the pageant
by assembling troops and banners, but all
that comes only properly after the inauSu-
ration, not before, and it is not part OF IT.
our system does not provide that one
President should inauguIate another.
There might. be danger in that, and it was
studiously left out OF the charter. But you
are placed in an exceptionally important
position in connection with coming events.
The capital is in my jurisdiction also; but
| am a subordinate and not on the spot, and
if | were so, also, you would be my supe-
rior in authority, for there is still the sta
ton OF the Gcneral-in-Ch
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 bear
Ing on the subject uniformly recognize, and
in consideration Of the possibility that
THE LAwFULLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT
may not appear until the 5h 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, il no President appears, he may
not be able to exercise the functions in the
name Of a President, for his proper acts are
| those Of q known superi0r-a lawful Presi'
dent. You act on your own RESPONSE
blity and by virtue OF commission
only restricted by the law. The Secretary
| OF War is the mOuthpiece OF President
| You are not. II neither candidate has q
constitutional majority OF the Electoral Col
lege, or the Senate and House, on the occa'
sion 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
onestiOn peacefully. 1t has not recently
been used, no occasion presenting itself
but our forefathers provided 1t. 1t ha'
been exercised and has been recognized anC
submitted to as lawful on every hand. Thai
machinery would probably elect
| Mr.. TILDEN PRESIDENT
and Mr.. Wheeler Vlce.President. Tha
would be right enough, for the law pro
vides that IN failure to elect duly by thC
people the House shall Immediately elect ;
President and the Senate Vice-President
Some tribunal must decide whether thu
people have duly elected a President.
presume, OF course, that it is in the join
affirmative 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
two bodies there can be no law
fu affirmative decision that the peo
pie have elected a President, and
the House must then proceed TO act, not the
Senate. The Senate elects the Vice-Pres
dents, not the Presidents. Doubtless in case
OF a failure by the House to elect a Presi
dent by the 4lh OF March the president Of
the Senate liz there be one) would be legiti'
mate person to exercise presidential authOri'
ty for the time being, or until the appear
ance Of a lawful President, or for the time
laid down in the Constitution. Such course
would be peaceful and, have Il firm belief,
lawful. L have no doubt