The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1865-08-11
THE Law ON PRESIDENTS.
How the Contingencies are TO be Met
..ImpOrtant Considerations.

A&Vv~ SAAO OVAAs11ASVAASAO~ e>AS ~ wv SsAOs
..ImpOrtant Considerations.
Since the organization of the Govern
ment of the United States, there have been
twenty elections of President and Vice
President. Of the Presidents elected,
three died before the expiration of their
term of Office. Gen. Harrison, inaugurat-
ed on the 4th of March, 1S41, died in
April of the same year, and was succeed
ed by John Tyler, the Vice President.
Gen. Taylor, inaugurated on the 4th of
March, 1849, dying the same year, was
succeeded by Vice President Millard Fill
more and Abraham Lincoln, inaugurat-
ed for q second term on the 4th of March,
1865, dying, by the hand of an assassin,
in April last, was succeeded by Andrew
johnson, of Tennessee, the present Presi-
dent.
THE RIGHT OF VICE PRRsIDREf TO AOr AS
PRECEDENT.
The Constitution of the United States,
article 2, section 1, provides that:
In case of the removal of the President from
Office, or of his death, resignation or inability
to discharge the powers and duties of the said
Office, the same shall devolve on the Vice
President, and the Congress may, by law, pro-
vide for the case of removal, death, resignation
or inability, both of the President and Vice
President, declaring what officer shall then act
as President, and such officer shall act accord
ingly until Athe disability be jremOved, or q
President shall be elected.
wHKN THE PRESIDENT AND WOE PRESIDENT
DIE WHO sUCCRKDs.
Under that clause of the Constitution
above quoted, which gives to Congress the
right, "by law" to "provids for the case
of removal, death, resignation or ability,
both OF the President and Vice President,
declaring what officer shall then act as
President, that body, by law approved
March 1, 1892, enacted as follows:
Sec. 9. ,And be 1t further enacted, That in
case of remnval, death, resignation or inabi-
ity, both of the President and Vice President
of the United States, the President of the Sen-
ate pro tempore, and in case there shall be no
President of the Senate, then the Speaker of
the House of Representatives for the time be.
ing shall act as President of the United States
until the disability be removed or President
shall be elected.
Sec. 10. And be II further enacted, That
whenever the offices OF President and Vice
President shall both become vacant, the Secre-
tary of State shall forthwith cause notifica-
ton thereof to be made to the Executive of
every State, and shall also cause the same to
be published in at least one of the newspapers
printed in such State, specifying that electors
of the President of the United States shall be
appointed or chosen in the several States with
in thirty-tive days preceding the first Wednes-
day in December then next ensuing; PrOrided,
There shall be the space of two months be-
tween the date of such notification and the
said first Wednesday in December; but, if
there shall not be the space of two months
Iofn 0fc sGno J<I~o
first Wednesday in December, and if the term
for which the President and Vice President
last in office were elected shall not expire on
the third day of March next ensuing, then the
Secretary of State shall specify in the notitica-
ton that the electors shall be appointed or
chosen within thirty-five days preceding the
first Wednesday in December in the year next
ensuing, within which time the electors shall
accordingly be appointed or chosen, and the
electors shall meet or give their votes on the
said first Wednesday in December, and the
proceedings and duties of the said electors and
others shall be in pursuance OF this act
SEC. II. Aad be aturther enacted, That the
only evidence of q refusal to accept, or q resig.
nation of, the Office of President or Vice Presi-
dent, shall be an engagement in writing, de-
claring the same SO subscribed by the person
refusing to accept or resigning, Us the case
may be, and delivered into the office of the Sec
retary of State.
SEC. II. Ind be IL further enacted, That the
term OF four years for which President and
Vice President shall be elected, shall, in all
cases. commence on the fourth day of March
next succeeding the day on which the votes of
the electors shall have been given.
Approved March 1. 1892.
THE POWER OF THE SENATE TO ELECT
PRESIDENT PRO TIM.
Ia section 8, article l, the Constitution
declares
The Vice President of the United States
shall be President of the Senate, but shall
have no vote, unless they be equally di-
vided.
The Senate shall choose their other off.
GERS, and also President pro tempore, in
the absence of the Vice President, or when
he shall exercise the office of President of
the United States.
HOW THE PRESIDENT PRO TKNPORK AND
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE ARE K1CTRD.
It has been the custom in the United
States Senate, near the close of the session
of Congress, for the Vice President tova-
cate the chair in order that President
pro tsmpore of the Senate be elected, in
order, among other things, to provide for
the contingency of the President and Vice
PRESIDENT both dying during the recess Of
congress. The presiding officer thus elect
ed, by majority of the members present,
holds his office until the Vice President re-
sumes the chair as President of the Sem
ate, or until the acting presiding officer is
superseded by another election. Upon the
retirement of Mr.. johnson, Lafayette S.
Foster, q Senator from Connecticut was
elected President pro tempore, and in the
event of the death of President .Johnson.
unless superseded by new election, that
Senator would act as President Of the