New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-16
THE pIcE-PRESIDENCT.
An ARGUMENT TO SHOW THAT IT Is sUPERFLUoUs
OFFICE.

An ARGUMENT 10 SHOW THAT IT Is SUPERFLUoUs
OFFICE.
The Academy Of Political Science met last oven
ing IN it's rooms at Forty -nnth-st and Madison-avc,
to listen 10 an addrc,, on The Yicc-Prc,dcncy," by
Roger Foster. The main points made by the speaker
were rs follows:
The Vice President has called the fth wheel Of
the national coach and when needed has always hitherto
been found out :" gear win tue f,,' 9 inc Maoety OF
government. His powers are put thrr' To count Tue
electoral votea which many MAINTAIN Is mere formal
act 10 pres de- over the senate, which through It's right
n MAX, rule, Tor ,ts proceedings may strp him Of all
S6r President i'm case Of his misfortune or
ni-conduct. The Office was an acrhouEht In the Con
stittonal Convention erected at is crsc after little
debate except upon tue provision making S ucunocn nj
President OF the senate some one rcinarGing that
such an officer Vice President not wanted He
introduced merely for the sake OF valuable mode ~
election. which required two to bc chosen ut the same
tine" ana which IA, since been abolished
Tho Viccrrc,idcnt's hrst power viii disappear with
the Elcc'ora, College, which In doomed. II is only
or The only argument In iaSor Of this Is that 1t
prevents disturbing Influence OF new election. But
whatever may bv IN" huul Judgment OF history upon
Tyler, Fillmore and Johnson one can deny that the
advent the Presidency caused lar more discord
y-tcm. Experience alter repeated warnings has
proved tnat IA impossible {" persuade the people To- e1-
erc-e proper IN the selection Of this officer since
Van Barren one with any reasonable expectation OF
l1ug the trst nas been wiling to accept what Is nom
|nt,.t mr. The House The CONSEQUENCE
has been that sclcction Ia almost invariably made
either FOR the uarmOuILug the pIrty-in the
VcruIcuIr sacrificing the interests ul tho country 10
those u a facttou-or compliment worthy
follower the VIM, without any thought
Of the possibility OF hs beng called upon
10 take the rrlns. In neither case is he likely
to Ia sympathy with the wishes Of hs superior; 9th
erwse IN tc Ian sIsge Of GOuyemcur Norris, he would
be the FIRST Hcrapparcut who ever loved his own
father" IL seems better therefore, alter the death
President Tor the people to elect hs success
hold office for Tour more years Charles sumner
proposed that Congress suuld President Tor
the lnterrcguum. T.c President OF the senate, the
speaker ut the House and me thrt justice nave De'
thought duty None of these, besides special
disadvantage attached 10 each plan (Which the speaker
pointed CUT hkcly to win rympathy Win MS pre-
dccrrAur'. policy, which presumably That
OF the people. IA would be member
OF the Cabinet, either chosen by his
colleague; or tr Secretary the Treasury, the most
influential ncmncr. part 81 the Constitution Is
bc amended, both on account OF inc tEls ol the
Electoral College and the dangerous ambiguity OF the
clause providing Tor the disability OF PRESIDENT,
which, had been the good sense OF NIce-flcsl
dent Arthur, might have already caused the Nauoh
tLlILnLl IrlIlI