The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1873-07-26
QUESTION TO BE SETTLED,

The condition OF Vice.President Henry
W ilson is such that the papers have beer.
induced thereby TO turn into the considera.
to- OF an old question, which NAV vet
cause trouble in the country unless the
laws ia regard to it are so ALTERED as 10 b.,
in conformity with the Federal Constitn-
ion.
Ii is not necessary TO tell any one that
the Executive, the Legislative and the
Judicial Departments OF the Government,
ought to he KEEP; separate. Yet, in disregard
OF the wise injunction so to keep them. tn.
law As 1t stands makes the TEMPORARY
president ot the Senate the Presi lent OF
the Unitei STATES when there is no Pres,-
dent or VicePresid ent or when these are
both Il sabei The president of the Senate
holds las office IN virtue OF being "A repre-
sentative OF Il certain State, and lie Is made
Presd nt OF the United States because lie
is temporary president Of the senate fhe
moment, however, that he takes the Office
OF President OF the United states he loses
his office as well as his seat in the Senate.
and another person Is elected To each lie
thereby looses the only title that he has to
the office OF President OF the United States.
and his successor in the senatorial chair
becomes entitled to that office Either he
does, or else n man NAV be both President
Of the United States aud president of the
Senate. But no Vice-Presdent even was
ever allowed 10 preside over the Senate
alter he had succeeded to the presidency
However, II has not yet happened that
this question has been II practical ONE
The Vice President has always been ready
aud aule TO Till the Office OF President
when vacancy has occurred Andrew
johnson came very near being turned OUT
| II he bad been, Senator Wade, OF ONO
would have hee" entitled under tue To-
to succeed him. And yet, as the three
departments are to be kept separate, IL
would Immediately have lost his office OF
pre-Ident OF the Senate, and losing it would
have disqualified him for the place We
are strongly impressed with the belief that
Mr.. Chase held the law liking the success
sion TO the presidency to be unconst.tutioD-
al, aud that this tact had something to dc
with his refusal to vote Mr johnson ont
OF office There were several very long
and able articles published in the National
| I"tcitgeHcer at the time in which the
anconsttuuouality OF the law VAS set forth
IN clear and convincing language; and
II was said that these articles were written
by warm and intimate friend OF NJ
:
reflection ought to satisfy anybody tina;
the law ought to be changed The Pre-i-
dent ought never TO hold his executive
office IN virtue OF being senator or repre-
sentative. The law might provide for the
/ election ola President 10y the House Of
Representatives ~ IS done when no candi
date has majority Of the eIectora. vote-.
a. John Quincy Adams was elected -
Some one OF the heads OF the Executive
Departments, or all OF them in succession.
could be authorized TO act ~ Presl lent in
virtue Of his Office 60 which he could and
would Of course hold on. there beiu, up
reason why he should surrender it. a. a
senator is oblise to surrender his place }
until congress could be assembled. or. III
m session, until the House Of Representa-
uyes could elect new President This
IS only one Of many ways in which the
difficulty now existing might he removed
-RichmoHf DiDgfh