Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-25
10 declare MIR. GInhnln. Vice President eIeet-he

TO declare Mr.. Graham Vice President elect-he
being the only living person who has any votes
We cannot see the force of such al, argument
that leads TO such conclusion. Mr.. King was
elected Vice President ON the. tfrst "Wednesday OF
December, inst, when the electors of the severnl
states. met and voted for President and Vice Pres
;deut. What the Senate has to do now, is TO open
the votes thus made, and ascertain who Is elected
There is nothing said in the Constitution about
the person elected .'dyng before" the day fixed for
the counting Of the votes, nor does the Language
Of the constitution admit the construction that III
such case the votes cast are to be declared Voiu.
If Mr. King should die before The fourth oil
March, it would be the same, as far as his successor
is concerned, as if he had died. afler,.-Ihe pre-
siding officer of The Senate, Mr. AchiScn will be-
BY virtue of that Office, tie Vice President, with
the same power and duties that Ar. King had,
when he, on the death Of Gen. Taylor, and the
transfer of Mr.. Fillmore to the Office of President
was elected the presiding officer of the Senate.
Anott er inquiry has been started out of the pro-
bable death of Mr.. King, and that is, who would
succeed Gen. Pierce, as President, If he should
not live out the term of his Office. The constitu-
ton referred to Congress to provide by law for this
exigenoy. They accordingly passed law, which
declared that in the event of the death of both the
President and Vice President the presiding officer
Of the Senate first, and, if there be no presiding
officer, then the Speaker OF the House of Repre-
sentatyes; shall act as President, till an election
by the people can be held to supply the vacancy.
If the death occurs two months before the first
Wednesday in December, succeeding, then the
election shall be held in that year, but If not,
then the year after: provided, however, the tenn
of the deceased President does not expire on the
fourth of March next succeeding his death, in
which case provision is 10 be made for an imme-
date election. The law is silent as to how long
the President, so elected to fill vacancy, shall
hold the Office, and the conclusion therefore seems
to be necessarily that he will hold 1t for four years
the term fixed by the constitution. So if it should
occur that both the President and Vice President
should die in office, or by resignation or otherwise
vacate their offices, there would be change in The
year in which the elections are now fixed to be
heidi Baltimore Patriot. "a, .auaz-fHE
1.-THE following is Mr.. Kings letter. of resig.
nation:
WASHINGTON CRY, Dec. 20, 1862.
SENAroRs: The feeble state OF my health rem
ders me unable to discharge the duties of President
pro ten. Accept, beg you, my resignation OF the
honorable position in which you have, with 81
much unanimity, placed me.
In taking leave of you, Senators, permit me e
express my grateful Acknowledgements for your uni
Jorm personal kindness, and the generous suPpOI
you have never failed to give me III my efforts t.
| preserve order and enforce the parliamentary law
May mercifuI Providence preserve to each o
you the greatest OF all earthly blessings health
| With the highest respect and esteem, am YOU
obedient servant, ~ ~ .....
| ~. WILLIAM R. KING.