The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-21
A GRAVE QUESTION.


papers that President Garfield had signed
Call for An extra session of Congress 10 b.
made in Case he suddenly gtows worse or
change occurred in his condition suggesting
his probable death. Ether this action or
his part or for some other reason discus
sion ~ once began ia some of tho leading
papers of the country, notably the New
York World and the New York Tribune, Of
the constitutional provision relative to The
vice-presidenl's accession to the du les of the
office of president. We have not seen ali,
article on this question but have noticed
several ailu ions to them, considering the
reading OF this constitutional provision,
which says the vlce president shall perform
the duties ofpresident lin case of the removal
OF tho president fiom office, or of his death,
resignation or inability to discharge the
powers and duties of said office" Although
no president has ever been impeached that
Is removed from oilicethere is no question Us
to the vice'presidenl's right under this clause
OF the provision We have had Instances
of his Succession by reason of tho death Of
tina president. SO shat poiht is settled md If u
p esidenl should rcsga the vice president
would take his place, but. what is meant by
tho word 'insblity" in the clause "or
inability to discharged tie powers and duties
of tho said otfic,!" Here grave question Is
involved. Doe3 it refer only TO the pres
dents permanent Inability When the
vice president performs tho duties. of the
Office of president, he does not do it as vice.
president, but Ms pfesideIt-in Other words
he is president The constitution prescsib
explicitly the duties Of the vice-presidenl
and tho vice. president has mono OF
the powers or prerogstives of the
president and having none how
cluid no in case Of the temporary
''nability" of tho president, ,xercise those
powers and prerogslives? Thera cannot DO
Two presidents At one and the Same time
can there? Suppose congress is in session
and passes batch Of bills, important laws
for the approval or disspprova OF the prrsi-
deaf, and that iunclonnry ia PROSTATE with
an attack Of fever, and being delirious,is un-
able TO perform the powers and duties Of his
office, aud the bills must DO approved or die
approved within the ten days of his dds.
ability" can tho vice president approve or
disspprove them! II be does do SO Nv
will he give his ofIic'sl signature, as presi-
dent or as vice-president 2 Ii rs presiden.
would ii DO legal and valid, would the laws
approved or vetoed DO operative or inopers
i've when in point of fact he was not the
president! II, as vice president,
would II be legal and valid
AID would the laws approved or vetoed DO
operative or imperative when the vice. pres
ident has no constitutional authority to ap-
provo or disapprove Of congressional enact
mon,,' II the vice-presidsut 10 case Of the
temporal ~ inability Of the president to per.
form sll the functions Of his ofllce
can legally assume the reins
OF government and perform ali
tho duties Of the chief magis,ra,o.
he Is clothed with every power and prerogs-
tive Discretionary and otherwise Of that
chief Magistrate, 10 no no,f Itso what IL 70
prevent him from organizing q cabinet Of
bis own, appointing foreign ministers Of his
own choice and II stalling his friends in
offices Of the government wi.sin tho presi.
denrs appointment? Tho assumption aud
tho assertion that no vice.president
would do this thing Ia 70 answer to the
question. Six month"; ego no body in this
country would have believed that any vice
president would refuse TO vaca.e his chair a.
the close Of an executive session Of the senate
70 permit The election Of president Of ,hs.
body pro tsmpofe. yst vios.Pfesidsn, Ar
thur did That very thing. but few months
ego. On ths other hand. suppose, u In the