Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-12-24
RlCnN0KD EKQUIig.isss.
THuRsDAY MoRxsNG. .nEsc scE,InER 2s, lee :
TIE VICE PRESIDENCY.

VIM. r. King, Esq, has resigned the position Of PicGi
den! ot the L. ). Senate in consequence ol continued III
health He is afflicted with distressing cough which
nothing relieve We thai so pure n man, and so
patriot may be spared enjoy The hencr con-
erred upon him by the people, ami continue his well tried
usefulness 10 the county
Should it, however, be the will Of Providence 10 cmove
him from the stage Of life question arises 10 VINO will
supply his place. rendered by saI occurrence
We observe thai Whg papers argue at shonId 2ir
King die before the votes are officially counted on second
Monday in February next le day fixed !or counting the
votes would devu!vc The Senate select :c The
two highest on The st' The Vice President; AMI,
other person has but Mr. KGg and i Giaiia and
the for the former being virtually cancelled by lie
dea,h the Senate would have declare Mr Graham the
Vice President eec-he being The only living person who
has any votes.
This is very ur-lelched conclus!on-thongh we admit
that had Mr. King died before tie voting of the Electoral
Colleges, at lime apprehendcd, the above app
cation of the Constitution would doubtless been
rect. But the facts are materially different
The provisions of the Constitution follows:
"Thc electors shall in their respective States and
by ballot for President ami Vice President;
whom least shall not be nhatiant o the State
with themselves They shall in tho ballots the person
voted for as President and IN distinct BALLOTS the person vo-
ted for Vice Presidents and they shall make distinct lists
OF all persons voted for President and o all persons v0
ted for Vice President and of the number of votes for
each; which list they shall sign and certify and transmit
sealed the of government Of the United States d.
rected the President of the Senate The President Of The
Senate shall in the presence of the Senate and House of
Representatives open all TIC certificates and the votes shall
then be counted &c.
"The person having The creates, number Of Vice
President shall be Vice President il such number shall be
majority Of the whole number OF electors appointed; and II
person have majority, then from the ro highest nam.
bars the list SENATE VICE PRE-
slnEST quorum for the purpose shall consist Of
rds a of q
the whole number shall be necessary TO a choice"
In the language of the Baltimore Patriot Whig paper
Mr. King elected Vice President The first Weines-
day Of Dscombe:. ns when the electors OF The several
States met and voted FOR President and Vice President
What the Senate has d. now is open the thus
made and ascertain who is elected There is nothing said
in the Constitution about the person elected yng borc
the day fixed for the counting the votes does the Ian
guage of the constitution admit the construction that in
such case the votes cast 10 be declared void
If Mr.. King should die before the fourth OF March, it
would be the same far his successor is concerned
II he had died after. The presiding officer OF The Senate
Mr. Achson, will be- by virtue of that Office the Vice Pre-
sdsnt with tie power and duties that Mr. King had
when he the death Of Ger. Taylor and the transfer Of
Mr. Fillmore the Office of President cleceG the pre-.
siding officer oil The Senate.
Another inquiry Of the probable !ca,
of Mr. Kin. and that s vino would succeed Gen Pierce,
President, II he should ave OFT Ire oil MS
The Constitution referred Congress provide BY law for
this exgeacy They accordingly passed law which declared
,ha the OF the death Of both the Precedent lnd
Vice President the presiding officer Of the Senate frs and
i! there be presiding officer hen the Sreake. OF the
House OF Representatives, shall President till cleo
ton by the people be held supply the vacancy II the
death months before the first "Wednesday in De-
ccmber succeeding, hen The election shall be held
year. but ii not then the Yea. after provided however, c
term OF the deceased President doe expire the fourth
March succeeding his death provision
be made for immediate election The law is silent
how long the President elected - fill vacancy
saa od the office and tie conclusion therefore,
be necessarily, that will held il :or four years the terms
fixed BY the Constitution. So ii il shoui lha, bch
the PIcsden, and Vice President should die in Office
resignation Otherwise their Offices there would b.
change in the year in which these elections Fixed
20 be held.
Richard ~ Johnson, chosen in 1887 the only Wee Pre-
sden who has been elected by The Senate in consequence
of choice by hs Electoral Colleges Two Vice Presi.
DENTS both under Maison have died in Office viz: George
Clinton with President Madison in lSO9 died April
20th 1872 aged 10 Ebridsc Gerry chosen with Madison
in 1912, died November %, 1914. aged &c years.