Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-12-09

ParsrD1KrIxL SrccEsslox.-The de-
cease Of Vice President Wilson has
brought shout discussion - . vheth-
er the President pro tempors Of the
Senste, succeeds to the Office Of Acting
President. There il no such Office u Act
ing Vice President" The law regulating
the succession Of the Presidency Of the
Senate and the Presidency Of the United
States, in case Of the death or other dis
ability of both the President and the
Vice President, is very plain. and may
be stated in . few paragraphs. The
Constitution makes the Vice President Of
the United States the President Of the
Senate;and another section ofthat instru-
ment declares ''the Senate shall choose
also President pro tempore, in the absence
of the Vice President, or when he shall
exercise the Office of President, Of the
United States" Another section Of
the Constitution, in Article IL, says
that in case Of the removal Of the Pres
ident from Office, Of his death, RESIGNS
ton or inability to discharge the Poy-
ers and duties of said office, the same
shall devolve on the Vice President,
and Congress may by law provide 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 then act accordingly until
the disability shall be removed or o
President shall be elected" Under
this last section Of the Constitution
Congress has enacted the following
law: "In case of removal, death, res
ignation or inability of both the Presi-
dent and Vice President of the United
States, the President of the Senate, or
If there is none, then the Speaker Of
the House of Representatives for the
time being shall act as President until
the disability is removed or . Presi-
dent is elected"
From the foregoing it will be seen
that the Senate of the United States
merely elects President pro tempore
in the absence of the Vice President,
or when he SHALL exercise the Office of
President. This is solely to provide a
presiding officer for the Senate for all
cases. The law enacted in pursuance
Of the Constitutional requirement de-
clares that the President pro tempore
of the Senate shall, in case of the death
of both the President and Vice Presi-
dent, act as President. There being
no such exigency at this time, Senator
Ferry, of Michigan, who is the Prcsi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate at this
time, becomes simply the President of
the Senate, in the absence Of the Vice
President, caused BY death. 1t is en-
tirely within the province of the Sem
ate at any time after the beginning of
the session Of Congress, now so near
at hand, to choose a new President
pro tempore of the Senate in the place
of Mr.. Ferry, if the Senate should see
it to do so, and to choose, at any time,
a President pro tempore according to
its own convenience or will, or the ext
gencies of the public business. The
decease of the Vice President at time
when Mr.. Ferry happens to be the Pres
ident pro tempore Of the Senate, does
not make that Senator the permanent
presiding officer of the Senate as mary
persons seem to think If President
Grant should die. and the condition of
affairs provided for by the Constitu-
tion and laws should thus be brought
about-viz no President and no Vice
successor to the acting
Presidency would be whoever shorld
happen to be President of the Senate
at that time, without regard.