The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-15
The Presidents View Of the Polit.
iCal Situation.

uehl ilhh observed Win The closest alien
tion the various phases OF tho Presiden-
tial complications. To him II Ia not a
question Of individuals, bat a general
desire TO have the authority which he has
welded for the past eight years transmit.
ted TO his successor without turmoil, and
within the meaning Of the Constitution
and the laws. He ia deeply sensible Of
the depressing effects Of the existing un.
certainty aS to the solution OF the Presi.
DENTAL question upon the business Of the
country. In the correspondence of the
Executive Departments II is shown by
officials in tho different States that the
industries Of the country have Of late
shown healthy indication Of revival
OF activity, and that capital Is ready 10
second this tendency as soon as something
definite has been reached on the pend.
ing political question. In the event Of
m interregnUm In the Presidential office,
owing to the inability on the part Of the
two Houses 10 come to an agreement on
the question Of the Presidency prior 10
the day which terminates the present
Administration, the President is Of the
opinion that the Cabinet officers, in &C.
cordance with the provision Of the act Of
1902, will recognize the presiding officer
Of the Senate, whom he considers er.o6fcio
acting Vice President OF the United
States, and TO him will be trans
mitted the important trust which
he himself has so long exercised.
In speaking Of the subject the President
states that to his mind the question as 10
his duty under such contingency Is
quite clear, and that the partisan view
taken by portion OF those who have the
matter 10 deal with directly, is untenable
and unsnstained by any statutory proyi-
sion. lie says that the act Of 1902 is
clear on that point, providing that in
case Of the removal, death, resignation or
inability Of both the President and Vice
President Of the United States, the Presi-
dent Of the Senate, or il there is none.
then the Speaker Of the House OF Repre-.
sentatives for the time being, shall act as
President until the disability.is removed
or a President elected. He says II the
position assumed by some that there is no
President Of the Senate, and therefore in
event. Of no choice, that tho Speaker Of
the House should succeed on the 4th of
March, were the correct one, this would
find the Government absolutely without
an Executive. That he has no power TO
call an extra session Of the Forty-fith
Congress, 40 that, under the present cir
cumstanCeS, alone rests with Congress,
and can only be done upon their concur
rent action. 1t is not probable that the
Senate would agree to an extra session
Tor any such purpose, so that admitting
this view, there could be no President
until Congress shall have again assembled
in due course OF law. In the meantime,
the Cabinet wOnld have to act, except in
the case OF the Postmaster General,
whose term would expire within thirty
days after Morch 4, thus leaving that
department entirely without head,
and, therefore, snspending all postal
operations, as no one Of competent au-
thority would be left to carry them out.
Nor could there be any harmony Of ac-
tion as regards the other operations of
the Government, as each Cabinet officer
would act for himself, he being solely
responsible for the administration OF his
department. The literal result Of this
would be six executive officers acting
seyerally, without the directing authori.
~ Of the Chief Executive contemplated
by the Constitution. Pending this condi-
ton OF things, under the act Of 1902, the
election for President and Vice President
would be held upon the notification of
the Secretary OF State. In the meantime,
during this interregnum in the Presi-
dental office, there would be no authori-
lty to compel obedience to the
avs, for no Cabinet officer could exer-
else authority except over the officers
OF his department. The inevitable ten
dency Of such a condition of things
would naturally be political disintegra.
tion. The President said that it is quite
evident, taking all these circumstances
into consideration, that the claims Of the
House :of Representatives, should they
take that form, would not be entitled TO
recognition, and he does not believe that
such a claim would ever be seriously
entertained by them. Taking all these
considerations into account, as well as
the statutes in the premises, there is eyi.
IDENTIFY no doubt in the Presidents mind
as to the person designed by the Consti.
tuition to be intrusted with the Executive
power in event OF no election by March 4,
and to him will the Executive authority
be transmitted.