The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-12-17
Qrus Nortbermer.
Paw PAW, MICHIGAN, Dec. II, 1875,
wum before lost the Tau. NoHrunsnn


Speaker OF the House of Representatives !
might possibly be regarded as the legitimate
SUCCESSOR, although the Senate had provided a
Pres.dent PRO tefnpore. BY the following WASH
ington dispatch to the Chicago Tribune, IT Will
be seen THAT every question has already re-
ceIved the attention OF the Magnates at wash
ington. and has been made the subject OF PR
vate senatorial discussion. II will be noticed
that the came clause of the United States Stat
utes ,srolied on for authority that we quoted,
and IN edition thereto. passage from Jeher-
sons N annual, as a precedent OF the practice
that eaoud prevail In such cases. The dis
patch reflect the Democratic view.
WAsmNaroS, d. {. Dec. 2.-There is a pos
sible contingency in which very serious ma
tioua complication might result from the death
OF Vice President Wilson. That possible COM
ploetlou lies in the fact that, in the event OF
tho death of President Grant, the Democrats
would claim that Speaker Kerr would be Pres-
dent OF the United States. This subject has
recently been made the test of private Sena-
tarial discussion, from winch 1t appears that
theleading Democrats have given the matter
much thought, ana have arrived at the conclu-
sion above stated This conclusion is reached,
byan examination OF the constitutional pro-
visions relative to the Vice Presidential success
zion and from the rules and precedents laid
down ia Jeferson's Manual. The Democratic
Interpretation of these provisions is not gen.
orally known, and cannot fail to excite extend
ed comment The Constitution, Art. 2, Sec. /,
a a ID
for tao case OF removal, DEATH resignation, or
inability both OF the President and Vice Presi-
dent, directing what officer shall act as Presi-
dent. aud such officer shall act accordingly I'M
til the disability be removed, or a President
shall be elected" Congress, in 1892, passed a
law to carry out this provision of the Constitu-
ton That law is contained in Sec. 147 Of the
Revised Statutes, which is
Incase OF the removal, death. resignation
or inability OF both the President and Vice
President OF the United States, the President
OF tho Senate, or, il there is none, the Speaker
OF the House OF Representatives for the time
beng eha!l act az President until the disability
isremoyed or President is elected.
Tho claim Of the Democrats to the Presiden-
cyinthe event of the possible death of Pres
ident Grant, turns, of course, upon an alleged
vacancy IL the Presidency of the Senate This
raised the disputed point as to the necessity for
the'eection OF presiding officer in the Senate.
The Constitution is silent upon the subject
There are no definite provisions which are con-
elusive under the existing circumstances. In
tho Absence OF the affirmative constitutional
provisions. the Dem ocrats insist that the inter-
pretabon which prevailed in the early history
OF Government should control the succession
now. rhe7 claim, therefore, that there is a
vacancy n tie Presidency Of the Senate, aad
base thei' claim upon this passage IN Jeher-
sons MauUC OF the Constitution:
II the senate. a President Dro ten,Dorc il the
absence O.. the ICE President is proposed and
chosen by ballot. This Office is understood TO
be detoymlc5Ou tleNIce Presidents appearing
and taH-- the CHAIR at the meeting or the SEN
ata after tie recess
The Wee President being dead and the sen
ate havuy ue, after the recess without elect
ins president ,r9 anD.re the Democrats
Glenn Cha. t. -4e event of the death Of Prosi-
dent 0ral.t speaker Kerr would become Prcsi-
dent OF the nited States
"ho later practice has been adverse to the
rule az LAID dow by Jeferson's Manual. When
che Senate had elected a President pro tempOre,
that officer continued to act as such, until the
expiration OF the term for which he had been
elected a member Of that body, or had been
removed by that body by the election OF a sue
cessOf
To us tae better opinion would seem to be,
tho Senate having elected President pro tenn
pore, or IN the language Of the law, Presi-
dent OF the Senate, and the law having Prov
ded that FOR just such contingency as would
exlst w case the President OF the niteC
States should die before the expiration of hii
term OF Office, that the acting Vice Presiden
would become the acting President of the Unit
ed States. The language of section 147, X
SFC. T. most positively enacts and establisbe
this 81 the rule, and under which the Presiden
OF the Senate would become the acting Presi
dent OF the United States, for the time be
,ng" and - until President is elected"
The quotation from Jeffersons Manual.
seems 70 us, can have no possible effect on th
case 1Dder consideration, for, by the terms
it's own language the Vice President must ap
pear and take the Chair on the meeting of tina
body after recess and failing to do so, !
must he apparent that Jefferson's rule woul
not apply. II the Senate had failed to elect
President at the last session, there would hay
been no officer clothed with power to act a
Vice President. The law, it will be observed
does not permit the Speaker Of the House q
Representatives TO assume the functions OF &C
tang Vice President. 1t says that in case of tn
disability or death Of both the President an
Vice President. and there being no Presidep
OF tho Senate, he may become acting Presider
and not otherwise
From what we have said, it may be though
hat we assume that Mr.. Ferry, the preser
President Of the Senate, has become VIC
PRESIDENT Of the United States. We do nc
assume any such position. Mr.. Ferry is simpl
Senator who, having been elected thereto
holds the position Of presiding officer OF ths
body By virtue OF such election, under the La
quoted. But should the President Of the Unit
cd States die. then, We think, he would be
come the acting President. This appears to b
clesr from the language OF the law itself a
well es the Legitimate deduction from the M
ture OF the body OF which he is member, an
the practice and presidents so far as they CO.