, 1865-04-30

HOW Vacancies In the pre.idencv nrn
to 5r-Fakfrd
'ee In,tof OF the New Yozk'T,mes:~ s,~:ese
j.. nssc 1itqnen'1s be- n inquired Of cont.-n3 .
ns LIE N'9l>ions which have bean mnlr hv
Prc,:drnta tng scr. nSt'tu i9n. relating To the
Gr a1ssb'litf Of T. 9th the President ,nd ".
tfes'dsh1, and .1nd that mIuy mi,ta.s.
anu eone very strange Opinions txisf r. -
iefcncs thereto; tie law is as follows:
States provides that, ~A~sa
In case Ct tue removnl of the Prrs.aent
tf NJ Office, or Of his du.tb, resignation. ~
fnsolllty 70 dt change the powers end dr,:e.
q sid Office, The same shall tlryolve on tha
Wee President: ard tue Con-ress may. by
;stisuaticn or inability both OF the Pecs;.
dtnt aud fi:e President, declaring what off,
Ger shall then set as President. and IN II an
.,er shA'l act accordingly until th. dlsa 5li,lv
IL removed Or President elected -:,nxt
Art. II, See. 6. ''
rose, the power Of appointing or eiec ct;T;17
President, Or one to ut Us President, Ia case
ri the removal Of buth President and Vire
President, bur its authority can only ba ~
ercised in its legislative capacity, and By gen
e1al enactment. 1t de7o'ves upon Cong: esa
to declare by taw-Whlch msans BY ssat1;e-
not that person, but what officer, shall act
as. not BE-, President7 du,ing vacancy in
that ottice; and
&cond-ln pursuance of this constitutional
requirement, IT las been enacted ~ Congress
that, iu casv Of the death removal. resiyna-
ton. or inability 10 act, Of both the President
and Vice President the President of the 5.n-
a1e pro t<nrore-or, In case there should be
u" President Of the Senate, the Speaker al
tt" House Of Krpteseu a:fves tor the time
bting-shall act as P. P.esidcnt, III tbs disa-
h'1t!y lie removed OF President be elected.
Ard also, that n ca,sc Of AMI suea vacancY in
the Office o. beth Presid: Mt and Vice P. esi-
dent, the Secretary Of State shall give ,tice
requiring . SPECIAL election Of electors
to be held at least tn rty-four days
cviSns to the first Wednesday Of
December following; prorided such n,.ica
uuy te first given ut least TWO months bcfoee
such first "Wednesday in December: and If
thu time he insufficient 20 give suca two
months notice, then the election is deferred
until The following year. The manner OF
casting, receiving. and announcing :he votes
OF tht electors tAus CHOSEN IS the same Us Of
all o;6inasy Presidential eiecti,n-
Such art the general Provisions Of the law
nbson this matter. Thus lar in ou: uatiopal
history they have proved simply suiticient,
and yet it Will b, noticed shat not many rou-
Lii gencles are provided tor. Ihc President
eud Vic Fir s'd-nt both beiug remnv-d, ,hrs,s
are but tn" utilec's who can act us President.
asd cur ny the long Congressional yatati n,
irom March to December, these two Offices
nhy both be left vacant. Indeed, ut the
pcsent time. there Is no SpeAke: Of the
House OF RePrc>e natives, and thus the Pr.s-
id.nt pro 'enpore OF .h.. Senate, is the on.y
officer WIN could act Us President in case u
Pr sideut j, hnsou's death. For this relson,
II for no other, is it not highly important
that Congress should be assembled vi hous q
moments delay, not merely to elect Speak
er, but to provide d further line Ut Temporary
succession. npd thu: guald against any probi-
1t-h.. n
night be d.prsycd Ut its executive bead.
G. 8. T.