Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-12-25
THE VICE PRESIDENCY.

THE VICE PRESiDENCS.
The Philadelphia News remarks that the
announcement Of the serious indispositiou
Of MIR. King, the Vice President elect has
given rise 10 the inquiry as 10 the effect OF
his death. The provisions of the Conslitu.
ton in relation 10 the subject are as fol.
lows -
"The electors shall meet in their respec.
tive States, and vote by ballot Tor President
and Vice President one of whom, at least,
shall not be an inhabiant of the same State
with themselves. They shall name in the
ballots the person voted for as President
and, in distinct ballots, the person voted for
as Vice President and they shall make
distinct lists Of all persons voted for as Vice
President, and of the number OF votes for
each Hhich list they shall sign and certify,
and transmit sealed TO the seat Of govern.
ment Of the United States, directed TO The
President of the Senate The President Of
the Senate SHALL in the presence Of the Sem
ate and House Of Representatives, open all
the certificates, and the votes shall then be
counted, &c.
"The person having the greatest number
of votes as Vice President shall be wee
President, if such number be a majority o'
the whole number of electors appointed, and
if no person have ma iority, then from the
tvo highest numbers on the list THE SENATE
SHALL CHOSE THE VICE PRESIDENT. A
quorum for the purpose shall consist of two
L.. L., 10. or a
a majority OF the whole number shall BE-
necessary TO choice" &c.
1t will be perceived, by all examination OF
these provisions, that in case of Mr.. Kings
death before the day named for counting the
votes, the Senate W ould have to elect sfrom
the two highest numbers on the listn Of per.
sons voted for and as only two numbers or
persons were thus voted for by the State
electors, (Wm. R. King and VIM. A. Ora.
ham, the Senate would have 10 declare Mr..
Graham Vice President of the United States
Should Mr.. King live until after the votes
are counted, and die thereafter, then the
Senate would elect its own President, pro
tenn, as it did on the death of General Har-
rison and Taylor, when the Vice Presidents
were transferred TO the Executive mansion.
because the time would have passed when
different action is required.
The subject under discussion is fully trea-
ted in the second, third and fourth clauses of
the first Section of Article H. of the Con-
situ,ion, and in the first and second clauses
OF Article XII. Of the Amendments 10 the
Constitution.
The Philadelphia Ledger says, should Mr..
King die, it will give rise to the constitu-
tional question, who shall be his successor,
and probably cause an amendment 10 the
Constitution, TO meet such difficulties in fu-
ture. Vice President never having died
before being naugurated, the possibility OF
such an occurrence does not appear 10 have
occupied the attention of Congress- The
electors have already cast their votes, and
sent them, under seal, 10 Washington. Their
authority therefore ceases with that act, and
they have no power to revoke it.. The only
reference in the Constitution TO the Vice
Presidential Office i, in article I, section III,
where the Senate is given power to choose
It's own President pro tempore in the absence
of the Vice President, and again, in article
XII, where the Senate is given The power
10 choose Vice PIesiden, when any candi.
date for that Office shall not have a majority
Of the electors. Neither OF these cases ex.
actly meet that of the Vice President elect
in the event of his death before his inaugu-
ration, though it is probable that the neces-
sity of the case will compel the Senate TO
give such an Interpretation 10 article |, as
will enable them 10 fill the office with an
acting Vice President