 Solution

Define ${\sigma }_{ij}={\mathbf{e}}_i\cdot \mathbf{t}({\mathbf{e}}_j)$: the second index labels the normal direction of a coordinate face, and the first labels the force component. These nine entries form the Cauchy stress tensor.

Take a small tetrahedron with oblique face of area $S$ and outward normal $\mathbf{n}$. First suppose $n_j>0$; its other three faces have normals $-{\mathbf{e}}_j$ and areas $S_j=n_{j}S$, by orthogonal projection of the oblique face. The total surface force isIf its linear size is $\ell$, its inertia is $O({\ell }^3)$ while its surface forces are $O({\ell }^2)$. Divide the momentum balance by $S$ and shrink the tetrahedron to the point. Smoothness of the stress and the odd-normal relation then give $\mathbf{t}(\mathbf{n})={\sum }_j{n}_j\mathbf{t}({\mathbf{e}}_j)$. Choosing coordinate faces with the appropriate reversed normals gives the same identity in the other octants. In components,The face-area relations used are exactly $S_j=|n_j|S$, with each coordinate face oriented opposite the corresponding component of the oblique normal.