The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1853-04-23
THE CECII. WING.
The News OF THE WEEK.-Else.
April 23, 1858.

death OF the Vice President, and short /
sketch of his life. Not having been
present in Washington to take part in |
governmental affairs since the installation
OF the new administration, and the coun-
try having been prepared, too, by re-
peated accounts of his failing health, to
hear OF his demise, his death does not
strike with the stunning blow, usually
felt when one so high in office and hon
ors passes away; still great respect is
shown to his memory in all parts of the
country.
The state of the Presidents health is
also causing much anxiety. A cores
pendent of The Baltimore Sun of Thurs
day. thus refers to it
The general health of President
Pearce has been for some time I,ast in
firm. The calamtous death of his son,
and the cares of his high Office, have
further impaired it. and it is with diff
Guilty and no little risk that he attends
to the indispensable part of his official
duties"
The question has arisen "Who would
be President IN case OF the death of Mr..
Pierce :" Mr.. Atchison, President of
the Senate pro tem., would have to per-
form the duties Of President of the U.
S. until new election by the people.
On this subject the Baltimore Sun of
yesterday says:
CAS- there will be no Speaker Of the
House of Representatives until one is
elected on the meeting of Congress next
December, (the term of Office of Mr..
Speaker Boyd having expired on the
4th of March last the United States
would be without a President and Vice
President, and it is said without the au.
thority on the part Of any one to assume
the duties OF either office, or to fill them
by appointment, should both Gen.
Pierce and Mr.. Atchison die in the
meantime. This would be a state Of
affairs (Which we surely hope may new
er happen) to be deeply depIorcd. Con-
gress, at its next session, should by all
means provide for such contingency.
The Philadelphia Ledger suggests that
that Congress should pass law directing
in case, at any time, both offices should
become vacant, the Chief Justice of the
United State shall assume the duties
of President, and in the event OF his
deathto on- ofthe Judges ofthe Supreme
Court, till the Senate should elect their
President, which would, of course, be
done in very short time. The Con-
stitution gives Congress authority to
provide by law for vacancies in both
the Offices OF President and Vice Prosl-
dent and further provides in such a
contingency that the Secretary OF State
shall forthwith notify the Executive of
each State that Presidential Electors
will be chosen in the several States
within thlrty-tour days preceding the
first Wednesday in December next en-
suing, if there shall be the space of two
months between the date of such Motif
cation and the said Wednesday. But if
there shall! not be the space of two
months between such date and said
Wednesday, and if the term for which
the President and Vice President last
in Office were elected shall not expire
Oh the Sd day of March next ensuing,
he shall specify on the notification that
the election shall be appointed or chos-
en- within thirty-four days preceding
the first Wednesday in December of the
year next ensuing, within which time
the electors shall be appointed or chos-
en-; and they shall meet and give their
votes on such Wednesday. This makes
provision for the filling of vacancies in
the offices, but does not specify who
shall act until they are filled by new
election, in case of the death or lnabil-
ity Of both the President of the Senate
and Speaker OF the House, in the mean
time"
The political axe is busily applied to
the official necks Of wing incumbents in
all departments under the government,
and heads are "oH'' in a trice in all d.
rections. So far as We are informed.
none of our Cecil friends, who had been
favored by the late administration, have
yet been decapitated. Democratic appli.
cants for the places of all such abound
by the score, however, and we suppose
the doom Of some of them is certain and
not far distant.
There Is rumor that Judge lie Grand
has accepted an office in the U. S. Urea.
sury Department, and that Gov. Lowe
has offered 10 Hon. A bert Constable the
vacancy thus caused in the Court Of
Annaalr mill :, 10 uIoct;or / L. IL. .,.A,.l0