Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-15
vacancic. in the office of President.


The Committee on the Judiciary of the
Senate of the United States, under reSO-
luton of the Senate adopted few months
SINCE have reported bill providing for
every contingency in the succession to the
Presidential Office, when it shall become va
cant.
The resolution of the Senate was in the
following words: -
"Whereas, the Constitution of the United
States provides that Congress may by law
provide for the case of removal, death, resig-
nation, or inability, both of the President and
Vice President, declaring what officer shall
then act as President, and such officer shall
act accordingly until the disability be removed
or President shall be elected:
"And whereas II greatly concerns the peace
of the country, and perhaps the very existence
of the Government, that the laws enacted by
Congress in pursuance of that provision of the
Constitution should be so comprehensive as
TO provide for every vacancy that can possibly
occur in the Office of President, and so clear
as to admit of no controversy, nor any ones
| ton of disputed succession TO that high Office
|
defects which may exist 10 our present laws on
| this subject may be remedied, and further
controversy prevented
"Be it resolved by the Senate of the United
States, That the Committee on the Judiciary
be instructed TO examine into those laws aud
| inquire whether the provisions they contain
are constitutional, proper and adequate, in all
respects, TO that purpose and end, or whether
| any further legislation be necessary or proper
and to report thereon by bill or otherwise"
The following is the bill presented by
the Committee:
A BILL supplementary to the several acts in
force relative to the election Cl President of
the United Ssaies.
Be IL enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States OF Anne
| RIGA in Congress assembled, That in case Of
removal, death, resignation, or inability both
Of the President and Vice President of the
! United States, the President of the Senate pro
| tempOre, and if there be no President of the
! Senate, then the Speaker of the House Of Rep
resentatives for the time b,ii 2, shall act as
! President of the United States until the disa-
| bility be removed or President shall be elect.
ed; and if there should be no President of the
Senate nor Speaker of the House of Represen-
tatves for the time being, and il be not a case
of vacancy caused by removal, the Chief JUS
tice of the Supreme Court OF the United States
or if there be no Chief Justice in office, or il
be case OF vacancy caused by removal, then
the Associate Justices of the said Supreme
Court, successfully, according to seniority Of
commission, shall act as President of the Uni.
ted States until the disability be removed or 3
President shall be elected: Provided, however,
That in case any person holding either of the
offices mentioned 10 this section shall not have
the qualifications prescribed for President Of
the United States BY the Constitution, or shall
be under impeachment, then tie next officer
in succession (ss herelnbeiore speched) who
may have the requisite qualifications, and not
under impeachment, shall act as President OF
the United States until the disability be re-
moved or President be elected.
Sec 2. And be IL further enacted, That the
electors appointed or chosen In the several
States, pursuant TO the tenth section Of an act
relative TO the election Of President and Vice
President OF the United States, and declaring
the officer who shall act as President in cases
OF vacancies in the offices both of President
and Vice President, approved the first day II
March, in the year seventeen hundred SDe
ninety two, shall, at tie time and places 0f
! meeting to vote Tor 8 President Of tie United
Siases. as prescribed in said section. vote also
4 tor Vice President Of the United Stafes; and
that the term OF the President and Vice Pres
1 ident So elected shall commence on the fsuTth
day of March next succeeding such election,
and continue for the period specified in sriicl 10
secoDd, section first, of the Constitution VI the
United SIates