American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-09-24
The President OF the Senate.

There is some confusion in the pub
lie mind relative to the election of
President pro ten1pore of the Senate.
The idea prevails generally that in case
Arthur should succeed to the Presi
dency, the President pro tenn. of the
Senate, elected by the Senate, would
be Vice President of the United States.
This is not the case at all. The Senate
has no authority under the Constitution
to elect Vice President of the United
States under any circumstances, ex-
cept where the Electors fail to make
choice. In that case, the Senate elects
the Vice President. not necessarily one
of their own number, but one of the
candidates who have been voted for by
the Electors. The Senate elects Pres
ident pro tenn. out of its own body, but
this official is not Vice President of the
United States and never becomes so
under any circumstances, except by
vote of the people in the regular way.
If the President should die the Vice
President would become President, and
the President pro tenn. of the Senate
would preside over the Senate, but
he would not be Vice President
of the United States, because he would
be a Senator, voting and acting as
Senator, and it is not possible for the.
same man to be both Senator and Vice
President of the United States at the
same time. The ia It is that when the
Vice President succeeds to the Presi-
dency, the office of Vice President be-
comes vacant and remains vacant until
it is tilled by vote of the people in the
usual way. Should the President and
Vice President both die or be in any
way removed from office, then the
President pro tenn. of the Senate acts as
President of the United States merely
until a new election is held and a Pres
ident elected. He does not succeed as
Vice President, for if he did so he
would serve the term out as the Vice
President would do; but he acts, as the
officer designated by law to act. as pro-
U:si0nat President until the vacancy
can be filled by special election. AS to
what the Democrats will do in respect
to the election of II President pro tenn.
that need not now be discussed. We
presume their action will be governed
in some measure by circum-
stances. AS they will have clear ma
jority in the Senate when that body
assemblies, they can elect President
pro tenn. if they see fit to do so. If they
do not elect, but waive their right in
favor of the Republicans. it will be
cause there is any obligation whatever.
If the President should die, there might
be good reason for SO acting, but if ne
should not, it is difficult to see why the
Democrats should be SO considerable. 1t
is all very nice to talk about .'rising
above party" and the Republicans talk
sweetly in that strain now, but the Re-
publicans never ''rise above party"
Whenever they have an opportunity to
get an Office they grab it. If they had
it in their power to organize the Senate
and elect the President pro tenn, they
would laugh to scorn all suggestions to
allow the Democrats the organization,
let the circumstances be what they
might. There is such a thing as being
entirely too soft with the Republican
party. CIeUeIa,sd PLaindedLer.
-" Smith, said Jones the other day,
Ibid you ever consider the detlerentia-
ton of absoluteness us compared with
the indissolubc absolute?" "No-o-o,"
said Smith, don't think l ever did.
But did you ever consider why a pigs
tail kinks to the left?' And that is the
reason why Jones calls Smith a diapha-
nous ignoramus.- OIL ctr Derrick.