The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-12-03
Presidents, Vice Presidents.
md Presidents DrO tenn.

Three presidents have died in of
fee, namely, Harrison, Taylor and
Lincoln. OF the eighteen persons
who have held the Office of presi-
dent, General Grant alone survives.
or eighteen persons who have been
elected vice-president by the peO-
pie, Hannibal Hamlin and Schuyler
Colfax are the only SURVIVOR. Geo.
Clinton, Eldridge Gerry, William
r. King and Henry Wilson, died in
the Office. When Harrison died and
Vice-PresideDt Tyler became presi-
dent, Samuel Southard, of New Jer-
sey, was president pro tenn of the
senate and er.oWciO president.
When Taylor died and Vice-Presi-
dent Fillmore succeeded him, Will
liam r King was president pro tenn
of the senate and ec-O1icio vice pres
ident. When King died in 1858 af-
ter taking the oath of Office as vice.
president elect, David Il. Atchison,
OF Missouri, was president pro tenn
of the senate and became ec .ODiciO
Vice-president, and was succeeded
in that position by Jesse ID. Bright,
of Indiana, in 1855. When Presi-
dent Lincoln was assassinated and
Vice President johnson became
president in 1864, Lafayette Foster,
of Connecticut was vice president
e,r-oDiciO for a time, and was sue
ceeded in that position by Benjamin
f. Wade, of Ohio.
Senator Thomas w. Ferry, of
Michigan, is now the president pro
tenn of the senate, and will there
fore succeed Mr.. Wilson as vice
president. The constitution pro-
Vides that in case of the Presidents
death, removal, resignation, or ina
bility to discharge the duties of his
Office, the powers and duties there
of shall devolve upon the vice
president. In case both of these
officials die, resign or are disabled,
the constitution empowers congress
to declare by law what officer shall
act as president temporarily until
the disability be removed or a pres
ident elected. BY law of congress,
the senate's president pro tenn be-
comes its president when the vice
president dies, and acts temporarily
as president of the United States
when both the president and vice
When the president dies, the vice
president fills out the remainder Of
the term as president, and the salary
and ordinary functions of the vice
president go to the president of the
senate, but do not make him vice
president. But he may temporarily
fill the position of chief magistrate
in certain contingencies specified by
law. If he, too, dies or is disabled
the speaker of the house acts al
president; after him the chief jus
tice, and after the latter the assC-
ciatc justices in the order of theil
appointment. The senate canno
elect either president or vice
president of the United States, an(
therefore Mr.. Ferry is neither thI
one nor the other, but he will pre-
side over the senate and draw TIT
vice-president's salary until the SEN
ate elects another presiding officer
and would be authorized to stel
temporarily into Grants shoes i
the latter should step down and out
A singular feature of Mr.. Ferry
case is that il is quite uncertain how
long he may act as vice-president
The senate, it appears, can chang
its president pro tenn at any time
and the hard money members tall
of removing Mr.. Ferry at once be.
cause he is in favor of initiation, ant
in the possible event of Presiden
Grants death they cannot afford Il
have an inflationist occupy the pres
idential chair. Congress meets mex
Monday, the 9th, and the senate will
probably proceed without delay t,
elect q new president pro tenn, if i
ia resolved TO Dust Mr.. Ferry, anC
knock his presidential chances int
smithereens.