National Republican., 1880-12-02
MISCELLA
rHE vICE- PRESIDENCY.
The Importance of the Position Not Gen
orally RecogniGed - How Worthily
General Arthur win Fin II.
tFrom The Troy Times, Nov. 20.l

The Importance of the Position Not Gen
orally ReoogniEed - How Worthily
General Arthur VIII Fin II.
tFrom the Troy Times. Nov. 2o.l
Chester A. Arthur will he the seventh vice.
president elected from the state Of New York
His six predecessors wcro Aaron Burr, George
Clinton, Daniel ID. Tompkins, Martin Van
Burcn, Nlillard Fillmore aud William A.
Wheeler Clinton aud Tompkins were each
reelected and Van Buron passed from the
vicc-presidoncy into the presidential Office, as
Adams aud Jefferson had done before him.
These three were the only vcc-presidcnts
who reached the highest Office in tho
land except through tho accident OF
death, as was tho case with Tyler
Fillmore and johnson. Burr and Van Buren
alone had previously held seats in the
senate, over which they were called upon to
preside. Clinton, Tompkins and Van Buren,
had been governors of tile state, and had
served in legislative bodies. Fillmore and
Wheeler had acquired parliamentary knowl.
edge and experience In the legislature and in
the lowcr house of congress. Mr.. Arthur has
not had the advantage of legislative traiuing
Tor the discharge OF tho duties of the high Office
to which he has been called but no one doubts
his ability TO acquit himself with a dignity
impaitiality and skill second to none of the
great mon who have occupied the exalted sta
ton with which the nation Is soon to invest
him. The talents aud requirements he has
| ovincod, both in his professional and public
career, are sure guarantee of his capacity to
| preside with honor over the highest legisla.
| tive body in the world.
We read in the papers that the vce.prosi.
dency is an office Of little honor and no re-.
| sponsibility. Tho early fathers did not think
| so. John Adams made decisions and laid
down principles while holding it, which are
to-day engrafted into the very form aud sub.
stance Of our government Some of the most
| delicate questions that ever camo nm for tho
action of the senate were disposed of by the
casting vote of the vico.president. The next
senate, It now appears, may be politically tied
| aud General Arthur's vote is likely to play an
important part in the legislation of the coming
two years at least. We venture the predic.
tion that whenever given 1t will be as nearly
| right as that of any senator upon tho floor
and in harmony with the ideas of advanced
aud wise republican statesmanship in all es.
scntial particulars.
The nomination Of General Arthur at Chi
cago for the second place on the republican
ticket, following the selection of General Gar.
| field, was n happy stroke of sagscity. II moi
OF what may be called genius. His name
was presented by tho majority of tho New
York delegation as the one which would best
dissipnte disappointment at the defeat of lie
iavorite candidate for president and solve the
problem how to more surely win SUCCESS in
the approaching election. II is plain to be
seen now that IL some other man had becn
put upon the ticket a successful issue of tho
campaign would have been greatly endan.
gcred, for while General Arthur antagonized
no one. his nomination for many reasons
aroused the enthusiasm of an element in tile
party to whose tireless zeal, organizing power,
vast ability, skillfu handling of resources,
and indomitablo will much of the credit OF
victory must be ascribcd. General Arthur
himself was 10 inconsderable factor In the con.
test, for TO his individual exertons, more
than to those ofany other man do we owe
the triumph that was won in New York, and
without New York all would have becn lost.
The demonstration of the truth of this is seen
in the results accomplished in the cities of
New York and Brooklyn, where the work was
largely planned and executed under General
Arthur's personal direction. What he accom-.
plshed in those cities will long be remcm.
bered as marvels of wise, judicious, and skill.
ful political management. He disrunted and
practically beat the opposition in tho very
home of its strength aud power, aud not only
that, but the work he performed is so well
grounded that in the most distant future we
hope to see an odifce erected upon it dedi.
Gated TO republican victory In those very cities
The republican party owes n debt of gratitude
to hester A. Arthur twill long remember
and be glad to requito as the future shall pre-.
sent the opportunity.