Southern shield., 1850-08-03
Vacancy in the Presidency and the Vice
 Presidency.


 Presidency.
 Many inquiries are made as to the provis- ions in the constitution and laws of the United States for supplying vacancies in the offices of President and Vice President We can sum them up in few sentences.
 The constitution makes no specific pro- vision for any vacancy except that which occurs in the office of President. It says briefly-art ,, sec. l-"In case of the re- moval of the President from office the same shall deyolve on the Vice Presdent'
 It was this contingency which made John Tyler President on the death of Gen. Har- riSon, in l84l-and which now makes Mil lard Fillmore President on the death ofGen. Taylor. It has been sometimes contended that the Vice President should not succeed to the name of President, but should be termed Acting President; but it has been generally conceded, and is no longer dispu- ted, that the Vice President becomes Presi- dent in name as in powers and duties, and serves out the term for which the President was chosen.
 But the Vice President might also die, re- sign or be otherwise disqualified The con- stitution does not in that case designate a successor but empowers Congress to pro- vide for such contingency. The conclud- ing part of the sane clause in the consttu- ton goes on to sa{: -"The Congress may provide by law for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability of both the President and Wee President, declaring what officer shall hen act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability shall be removed or President be elected.'
 Immediately on the adoption of the con- stituton, the Congress proceeded to provide for this contingency. At the first session of the fifth Congress 9 law was paSsed-5th March, l192-decaring that when the office of President and Tice President shall both become vacant from the causes stated, "the President ot the Ssnate pro temp0re, and in case there shall be no President of the Se- 1 nate, the Speaker d the House of Represen- tatives for the time being, shall act as Pres ident of the Unitei States until the disabil- ity be removed, or a President shall be elected.'
 The acting term of these officers is, how ever chNr+ 1T fhss- zVooes.I~2, -nannr in tk ke- last year of the Presidenual term, no elec- ton is held; because the regular election would occur in the fall of the same year, and the acting officers, therefore, hold on to the fourth of the next March, If the va cancies occur in any othe- year, new cleo ton for President and Vice President takes place the succeeding fall, on the customary days of the month, as at the regular elec- tions; provided there is sufficient time to allow of notice of sixty days previous 10 the first "Wednesday of December, when the electors in the several States are requr- ed by law to cast their votes; otherwise, and if the time be too short to give this notice, the election is deferred to the succeeding year.
 A President and Vice President chosen at an extra election, ordered under these circumstances, hold their offices for a full term of four years from the 4th of March next succeeding the day on which the votes of the electors are given.
 Should MT. Fillmore die at any time pre- vious to the first Wednesday in October next, or on that day, Wm. R. King, now President of the Senate, would become act ing President of the United States, and re- main so until the 4th of March next. In the interim, special election would be held for a President and Vice President on the 9th day of next November, and on the 4th of next March the successful candidates would be inaugurated for term of four years. Should the death occur at any time after the day mentioned, King would con- tinue to act for another year, the election would be deferred until November, 1851, and the new terms commence in 1852.
 This is law in such contingency. We trust the President may live long and the law be a dead letter--N o. Picayune.