Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-11-15

Following two presidents the President
elect Of tbs United States will take the oath
and enter upon bis duties at noon on Mon
Gay, the 5th of March next. The precedents
are In the case OF President Monroe, who was
re.iDsusurated Monday, March 5, 1921, and
zachary Taylor, who was iDaugurated on the
same day Of the week and month In isI9 The
record in the case OF Monroe Is incomplete, but
In the case OF Taylor the journal OF the Senate
shows that on Friday, the I'd Of March, 1919,
Mr.. Polk, the President, sent q communica-
ton to the Senate requesting that body to
meet In special session on Monday, the 5th
OF March At 10 O'Clock a. M, as there would,
on that day, be matters OF interest to engage
lis attention The record also shows that
the sepate extended Its session of Saturday
March Sd by recesses until O'Clock on Sum
day morning, March 4th, when the presiding
officer declared that body adjourned sine die.
The term Of United States Senators expires
by law on the Sd of March, but this has been
construed to mean until noon on the 4th OF
the same month. A precedent was estab-
lisbed in 1851, which has been followed ever
since. McDoDsld's manual for the use OF
Senators says:
"OD tie Sd OF March, 1851. on which day
the Thirty first Congress expired, and on
which the terms of one third OF the members
OF the body would also expire, the Senate
being In session at Il O'Clock midnight q
Senator Mr.. Mason, of Virginia. expressed
q DOUBT whether the term for which he had
been elected did not expire at that hour, and
desired 10 be qualified as Senator under his
credentials of re- election. TIE Senate there
upon passed by vote OF q yeas to IL nays
The following resolution Offered by Stephen
A. DCuglsssG
"Resoirsd, That inasmuch as the second
session of the Thirty-first Congress does not
expire under the Constitution until Il O'Clock
on the ith OF March Instant, the Honorable
James ~. Mason, Senator-eiect from the
state OF Virginia, IL not entitled to take the
cath OF Office at this time, to wit, on the Attn
OF March al O'Clock a. m.' "
UEcer this resolution the retiring Senators
at that time were United States Senators
whether the Senate was In session or not,
until noon Of Sunday and no longer. On
Monday, the 5th Of March, when the Senate
was convened In session they couli take no
part In the proceedings, their terms having,
expired at noon on the preceding day.
That there il an actual interregnum of
twenty-four hours from Sunday, March Atm,
at noon, until Monday. March 5th, at noon,
when the country Is without a legal Presi-
dent, there Is no doubt In the two cases
referred TO in our national history this inter
resnum has been unsupplied. Neither the
presiding officer of the Senate nor any one else
has ever attempted TO exercise the functions
OF President for the space mentioned, and IL
Is cafe 10 say that no one ever will. The pay
of the outgoing President ceases at noon on
the 18th OF March, and that of the incoming
one begins at that time. To suppose that
any trouble will grow out OF this hiatus "is
putting too 6ne Q point upon it," as Mr.
Snagsby wopld say President Grant will
doubtless follow the precedent Of Mr.. Polk
and convene the Senate IN special session on
Monday, March 5th, when the new Senators
will take The oath of offic..