The Indianapolis journal., 1901-05-01
PRESIDENTIAL TOURS AND EXEC-
ITIyE POWERS.

3tt fOts EA>
President McKinley's tour. which has be-
gun under such auspicious circumstances,
will be the longest ever made by Presi-
dent of the United States Such tours
have always been approved by the people.
because they give the President chance
10 become acquainted with different sec
tions OF the country and also afford the
people an opportunity to see their chief
magistrate and show their loyalty TO the
government. Washington first set the ex-
ample. and it has been followed by many
Presidents since. There were some reasons
for presidential tour in Washington s
case which have never existed since. The
Constitution had just been adopted and
the government was an untried expert
ment. In some sections of the country
there was still considerable opposition to
both. 1t was largely to allay this oppo-
sition that Washington. in the first year
of his administration. determined to make
a tour through New England. That was
before the days of railroads, and he trav-
eled in his private carriage. Starting from
New York. which was then the capital he
visited Boston. Portsmouth, New Haven
and some other towns of less Importance,
and was welcomed everywhere with great
enthusiasm The trip contributed ma
terially towards developing "a national
sentiment which was much needed at that
time. The next year he made a similar
overland journey through the Southern
oil
made Journeys of greater or less extent
A curious incident in this connection was
the impertinent action of a Democratic
House of Representatives towards Presi-
dent Grant. During his term Of office he
was in the habit of running up to Long
never to the neglect of public business. On
the Sd Of April, 1876, the House passed a
resolution requesting the President to in
form the House whether any executive
offices. acts or duties, and if any what.
have within a specified period been per-
formed al a distance from the seat of gov
ernment established by law. and for how
long a period at any one time, and in
what part of the United States" The i'm
pIication was that President Grant had
transacted public business outside of the
national capital in violation of some as
sumed law, while in fact there is no law
on the subject. President Grant replied TO
the resolution in a special message of
May 4. 1876. In which he completely demol-
ished the position Of the House and showed
that it had no constitutional right to make
any such demand upon the executive. He
also showed by unanswerable argument
that the President had perfect right TO
perform executive acts and duties outside
Of the national capital if he wished to
do so. anywhere within the limits of the
United States. "No act of Congress-" he
said. ''can limit. suspend or define this
the existence of any act of Congress which
assumes thus to limit or restrict the ex-
ercise of the functions Of the executive
Were there such acts, l should neverthe-
less recognize the superior authority of
the Constitution. and should exercise the
powers required thereby Of the President .
He therefore declined TO inform Congress
whether he had performed any executive
acts outside of the city of Washington or
not. For the information of Congress, how
ever. he accompanied his message with a
memorandum showing absence of various
Presidents of the United States from the
national capital during their respective ad-
ministrations. and also public and execu-
tive acts performed during the time of such
absence. This memorandum must have
been a surprise TO Congress. 1t showed
that during the several terms of office
capital ISL days; President John Adams,
3S5 days: President jefferson, 1876 days:
President Madison. 637 days; President
Monroe, 7OS days; President John Quincy
Adams. 222 days; President Jackson. 5O2
days; President Van Buren. l3l days;
81 days President. Taylor. 81 days. Prcsi-
dent Fillmore. 60 days: President Pierce.
81 days President Buchanan. 81 days. IL
also appeared from the records that every
one OF the Presidents named performed
many important executive acts during alb
r'h''S ii"ih 'h' ''Pi'"' N""h''eS h'"
nothing more 60 say. and since then no
question has ever been raised as TO the
right and proprety of the President to
exercise the powers OF his ONCE In any
part OF the United States
During the present trip President Me-
Kiniey will be In close touch and constant
communication by telegraph with the eN-
ccutivc departments al Washington, and
as his secretary and several members OF
the Cabinet are with him he viii doubt
less perform quite a number OF executive
acts in the way of signing letters. com
missions, exeduaturs 10 foreign consuls,
executive orders. etc.