Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-20

Outlook for the Future NO occasion
for Alarm.
The New York Herald, in an editorial
on the possibility of the death of Presi-
dent Garfield and the accession of Vice
President Arthur to the Presidency.
says:
Mr.. Arthur comprehends that if he
should be called to the Presidency the
public would hold him to a stern and
Jealous responsibility for any and every
misbap. We have not the least doubt
that he will feel keenly and nervously
the delicacy of his position, and his
whole course since the President was
struck down shows that he has had just
thoughts and right instincts on this mat
ter. He has kept himself at once and
entirely aloOf from politics and politi-
clans. He made haste to place himself IN
Washington on friendly and intimate
relations with all the members OF the
Cabinet. His conduct has been in every
way creditable to HIM.
IF Mr.. Arthur should become Presl-
dent we believe he will make no changes
in the administration will make no re-
movals from office at large except for
cause: will attempt no change in the
policy or in the personnel OF the present
administration; for to do or attempt to
do any of these things would be 20 invite
ruin upon his own head. We believe he
will quietly take up the reins as they fall
from Gen. Garfield's hand. No doubt
the present Cabinet, and probably some of
the other important officers of the gov
eminent. will offer him their resigna-
tions. This would be proper course
for them to pursue. But we are equally
certain that Mr.. Arthur will at once ask
them to continue in office, and it will be
their highest duty to the country to do
so. If Mr.. Garfield should unhappily
die there will be no extra session OF Con-
gress: there will be no Cabinet changes;
there will be no new policies attempted,
but the country will 60 on and the pub
lie business will go on just as before.
There is no occasion for alarm.
The New York Times, in an article on
the same subject, says:
''No man may be able to discharge SO
fully and cOnscientiOusly the nations
trust as would James A. Garfield,
SIIEUUlUEIEl
line of suffering and ouot0ined by the
affection OF keenly sympathetic people.
But no man will dare to abuse it, be his
temptations what they may, who has to
deal with such a spirit of indignation
over long tolerated political abuses and
so resOlute a determination to demand
rectitude in return for confidence, as
have been awakened during the last few
weeks. The spirit and the determine
ton have never been wanting, but they
have had to give place TO feelings which
were powerfully excited by the
special necessities of the hour, and there
have been periods when a certain
easy confidence in the future has left
them dormant. The path of duty to
which President Garfield would be lifted
amid the acclaim of a grateful and
trustful people can be none the less
clearly marked out than the responsibility
which would be sternly pressed upon
his successor. The President may die,
but, so far from passing away with him
the work which he was expected to dc
will become the inheritance of the PEG
pie themselves, and will be pressed tC
completion with a vigOr to which indi
vidusl selishness or apathy must yield
and which will create a party for Itself
if no existing party can fifty embody it.
The Times, in a news article, after al
luding to the fact that Vice President
Arthur was visited Tuesday evening by
General Grant. Hon. Roscoe Conkling
Senator Jones, of Nevada, and othel
intimate personal and political friends
says:
sit may be stated on good authority
that in the event of Gen. Arthur's sue.
cessiOn to the Presidency through the
death of Gen. Garfield, Gen. Arthur will
be sworn into office as President in thi!
CITY. That is Of course on the assump
ton that President Garfield s. Md die
while Gen. Arthur is in New Yak. The
oath of office may he admini-t red by
any public officer who is authorized tC
administer Oaths. One of the gentlemen
present at last nights gathering sale
TO a Times reporter that the Oatl
might be administered, if necessary
| by Police Justice Bixby. who
lives only two doors distant from
| Gen. Arthur's house. The question ha
been considered by Gen. Arthur and hi
advisers, and the conclusion reached wa
| that he should assume the Office al
/ promptly as possible, but there was M
need Tor haste about it. As to the mat
| ter of an interregnum in the office Of
| President, about which many person!
ana many journals seems so sOlicitOus
| Gen. Arthur holds that there must be al
| interregnum any way, if only for 6
minute, and that a few hours can or will
make but little difference. An interreg
mum of five minutes is an interregnun
as distinct as if it were for five hours.
The New York papers quote ex Sena
tor COnkling as having said to FRIEND
Tuesday: II cannot tell you what anx
ious hours l have passed since my Wash
ington dispatches of yesterday. A re
lapse at any time is dangerous, but a
present the most of all. The more
think of this fearful tragedy the irmer
am convinced that our country is passin!
through a dangerous crisis, and that Mr.
| Garfeld's death would be one of tn
most unfortunate things that could hap
pen to it. do not intend to leave tn
city should the President grow worse
unless If should be to offer my service
to the bereaved family"