Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-04-30
The Late Vice President.

the Vice Presidency which must remain un-
filled until the next Presidential election
Neorge Clinton, Elbridge Gerry. and Daniel
d. T0mpkins. oil died while in the same office.
Air King is therefore the fourth Vice Presi-
dent whose death the nation has been called
Go mourn. So Gar as the operation of the gov
eminent Is concerned, the removal Of the Vice
Pfesden, Is less felt than that Of any other
great functionary. While the executive chair
" filed, the duty Of the second officer under
the constitution is Of very limited nature, be-
iag simply to preside in the Senate. lie has
no relations to the executive which devolve
responsibility Of any kind upon him. He is
taS member Of the cabinet council, aud IL he
y Is consulted upon measures Of policy, it is a
matter OF courtesy, or compliment to his
personal eharactes, and not because II is de-
1,anded by his official station When the
settnstitutou was framed, FRtSKLIN opposed
the creation of the office, and suggested, by
iewAvgof derision that the Vice President
should be called "his superfuous hshness."
Bat Il may be doubted whether a more elgi-
BILE mode could have been provided for con-
ftsniug the functions of the executive, in case
of the Presidents death The Vice Presi-
dent takes no part in the proceedings of the
Senste--that is he has no vote except when
the body isequaliy divided That occurs very
rarely, particularly when one party is so large
" in the ascendaucy as the democrats are at
the present time. The tariff bill of 1s46 pass
ed the Senate by the casting vote of Mr.. Dali
.eIAs. but such state of things is not likely to
arise again for many long year to come
Mr. Atchison, of Missouri, is now President of
the Senate, and in the event Of the death of
President Pierce, the powers and duties of the
executive office would be temporarily devolv-
1ed upon him. In 1892, Congress passed a
law, providing that in case of the removal, by
death, resignation or inability both of Pres-
dent and Vice President, the President, pro
tenn, of the Senate, and next after him. the
Speaker for the time being of the House of
Representatives shall act as President until
the disability be removed or a President shall
be elected. In case this contingency occurs
more than year previous to the period fixed
for the regular Presidential election, then
Congress is to direct a special election Of
President and Vice President. Otherwise the
temporary provision remains in force until the
end of the term. 1t has been supposed that
trouble might grow out of the death of both
the President and Vice President. All such
apprehensions are groundlcss, as the Constitu-
tion empowers Congress to provide FOR such
an eTigency by declaring what officer shall act
Q as President
But however admirably the Constitution has
provided for supplying the place Of the Vice
President in the Senate, the death of Mr..
King is an event which the American people
will mourn with unaffected grief He leaves
no purer patriot, no more upright, just and
honorable man behind him. He was high
toned, accomplished and cbivalric gentleman.
He was not man of brilliant parts, but his
intellect was highly respectable, and he had
good perceptve faculties and strong common
sense, which, added to his long experience in
civil affairs, made him a valuable legislator,
and one of the safest counsellors of all the men
connected with the government. In person
he MAS tall and erect, and his fine manners
and engaging address, equable temper and
arniable disposition, conspred to make him
model of senatorial courtesy and propriety.-
He had thorough knowledge of the cond-
ton and necessities of the country, and when
be spoke it was to the question before the
Senate. and for the purpose of calculating
some point not generally understood. There
was nothing Of the demagogue in his nature,
and he has never made speech or gave a
vote for Buneombe. Although q decided
democrat in principle, he was no bisoted par
tizan, and ever held the obligations Of honor
and justice paramount to party considerations.
During at least twenty years of his service in
the Senate, the Democrats, when 10 power.
never failed to choose him President of the
Senate in the absence of the Vice President,
and no man could have more worthily dischar-
ged the trust He was for long time one Of
the best parliamentarians 10 Congress, and as
presiding officer he had few superiors.
Few of Mr.. Kings cotemporaries have run
career SO eminent or so useful as his has
been. He has served his country for nearly
half century in different stations, and al
ways credtably and acceptably. We must
trust to memory in mentioning some of the
more prominent incidents of his public life
Mr. King must have been a little rising of sew
enty years of age. He was elected member
of Congress from North Carolina in 1907
Whether be served more than one term, we
have not at hand the means Of ascertanng-
In lsl2-13, he was appointed Secretary OF
Legation at the Court Of Madrid, and in that
capacity spent two 0. three years on the Con
tinent Soon after his return, he migrated tc
Alabama, then territory, and upon its an'
mission into the Union, he was chosen one o.
the Senators in Congress. He was re-elecLet
three or four times, and at the period of his
appointment as Minister to France, in ls43
he was the senior member of the body. Or
bis return in 1867, he was again elected t.
the Senate, and continued in the body unit
some time in December last when the state o
his health compelled him to resign, and seei
the genial influences Of tropical climate
Ru; the mournful result shows that human
agencies were unavang 10 prOong bis life
Bu6alo Com. Adg.
New Railroad Company.
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