Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-01-18

LII H. lt1VoNIV1vA1
-. y. RICHARDSON. Editor.
FRIDAY kvEsiNC.............JAN. 10.
'slf alsc 1srcsidcns Should BE Ism.
penchcA-whnt rhen.
There arc two opinions current in refer.
cncc 70 the succession In case President
johnson shall be dcposed. One is the ultra
Radical idea that the President Of the Sem
ate would became President Of the United
States for four Year,, upon the removal Of
President johnson the other 10 the general
idea that the public that the same s1Acial
will hold ofics until the expiration Of Mr.
Johnson's proper term. But ths Law upon
the subject says:
.. Whsnsve the efbess Of the President
and Vice President shall both become ~
cent, IL Secseeasy q 0nts shall forthwith
cause noeincaeion thssssf 70 b mods -
the Executive Of every State, ed ohall
causs the same 70 b published 10 q
least enc Of ~ sewopapsgs pahlished In
each 0eses, specifying thaa Dc sleseeu Of
the PpssidssS q ~ Uattsd STATES shall b.
sppointsd a cheoen IN the several States
withio thisty.fous days psscsding the first
Wednesday IN Dscembes then next ensuing
Provided. there shall b the space Of two
months between the date Of such noti6caaion
aud the said first Wednesday in December
bit II there shall not he the space Of two
months between the date Of such notiflca>
ton and the first Wednesday in December,
and il the term for which the President and
Vice President lass in Office were elected
shall not expire on the third day Of March
next ensuing, then the Secretary shall
specify In the notification that tho electors
shall tie appointed or chosen within thirty
four days preceding the first Wednesday in
December in the year next ensuing within
which tiu1e the electors shall accordingly be
appointed o. choscd and the electors shall
meet and give their votes on the said first
Wednesday Ia December, and the proceed
i0gs and notice Of the said electors and
others. shall b. pursuant 70 the directions
prescribed in THE act.
Upon this the New York World com.
ments - follows: There may b. . qsss.
ton whether the Prssidsst and vics Prsei.
dent % elected would hold fss four yeass, or
only for the unexpissd portion Of the rsgsiar
term. The latter seems 70 be the more reason.
oble interpretation. BE this - u nay, Il 10
quite certain that. II Psssidsst Johnsoa
shoald be dsposed previous 10 The lst
Of October this year. thcrc must b
Presidential election In Novembsr to
MI tho vacancy. The bearing Of this fact
on the state Of parties end prospects q par
siculss candidates. makes Il - important an
element in political calculations that the
Republican party cannot afford 70 ignore Il.
We assume that the new election would b.
to piece out Mr. Johnson's term. and that
~e should accordingly have presidential
election in 1867, and aneahw In $685. We
can estimate the party violenes, the rage Of
contendinp factions, the universal disturb.
ancs and commotion which would from two
general scrambles for that great prize, in
such quick succession! During the pro-
gress Of the impeachment, public passions
would be kindlcd to fierce intensity. 70
go immediately into . presidential election
while the country was frantic with Ancry
excitement would bc like two armies going
into battle on the blazing edge Of a volcano.
eager 10 plunge each other into its fiery
depth. The public liberties could not SUR
vivc such . contest. We expect nothing
from tho moderation or patriotism Of the
Republican congressman, but the clashing
ambition Of Republican aspirants for the
presidency may perhaps afford . better
ground OF hope. Would the Republicans
run the same candidates in tho two cleo
tons. or would an attempt be made to buy
of . competitor for the full term by giving
him tho short one, With the understanding
that he should use the patronage Of the
government 10 repay the obligasienl There
could be no security for the fulfillment Of
such bargain. II lis not in human nature
that . man elected president for one year
should not clutch q the full term. An eIec>
ton u 1857 would thsssless sohssrass
every candidate fss The nemino1loa il 1858.
There b no Rspub lican candidate vho 10
ready y 60 into presidential canvass this
year. The prominent ones would DO 80 re-
lated to the impe achment that they could
not run; the lesser orc need more time 10
mature their arrangements. The Republ-
cans could not take up Mr.. Stanton, for the
conclusive reason that he belonged 10 the
Cabinet of the deposcd president. Mr.
Chase. being Chief Justice, must preside 1t
the trial OF tho impeachment, and it would
be an insuiierable public scandal for him to |
oHer himself candidate to supply
the place Of . president whom he. in judi.
cial capacity. has helped put out Of office.
In all other cases Of impeachment. the Pres
idcnt Of the Senate prssides, but that officer
being the successor Of dsposed President,
the Constitution iorbids him to preside at
che trial, lest he should be biased BY his In
terest, and substitutes the Chief Justice Of |
the Supreme Court. Mr. Chase has shown
that he can do some very iadscossus things;
but even he would b. ashamsd 10 ask foe Q
place which he had ussd his judicial stat:on
% make vacant. Chass's friends would not
tolerate Butter for the short tern. Those
Of every other candidate would b Of the
same mind. Nothing could 70 smbasass and
distract the Republican party ~ the nsces
sity Of going into = Presidential slectioa
this year immediately after deposing Prss;.
dent Johnson. We csnolsds. thsrsfore, that
the influence Of I'll the Presidential candi> |
datss. except Butler. win b adverse to The
impeachment. Bssle be- qualities whscA |
adapt hun to such period Of violence -
would follow an imrlnch0ant: and A 4 n. |