The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-01
THF PRESIDENT DIEs-THE PREsI-
DENT LIVES!

The kilograms bring us the sad in
telligencc that President Garfield is
slowly, but surely, dying. For
eight weeks he has suffered the tor
lures that lead to this lamentable
end, and the people of this entire
country, regardless of political feel
ing, join in sad expression for his
untimely demise. President Gar
fields career has been commonplace
and of short duration, but he has
administered the government dur
ing period of comparative mac
tivity, and, had it not been
for the differences which grew up
between the two wings of his own
party, over the distribution of Off
ces, there would have been nothing
to signalize his administration, ex-
cepting, probably, these regularly
recurring efforts to provide every
man in the party with place. Had
Guiteau's lnurderous bullet not
plowed its way through the vitals of
Mr.. Garfield, because there was no
place provided fcpof.;r::, = IS more
than probable his administration
would have been noted as the most
stormy one on record. 1t be-
gan with every force at work
to make 1T SO, and, had
he lived through the next win
ter, he and his opponents would
have engaged in a struggle, for po-
litical ascendency, having no par
allel in the history of the Washing
ton government, and his admins
trative acts would then have been
distinctive features in its pages.
With his death the presidential Sue
cession passes to one of his house
hold foes, but the circumstances
attending it will tend to suppress
future warfare, and the Garfield
administration will be forgotten
even while that of Mr.. Arthur lives.
There is some talk about the dis
qualification of Mr.. Arthur, but, af-
ter his inuguration as vice prcsi-
dent, final judgment had been
passed upon his case, and he GER
tainly becomes president by virtue
of his office, as provided in the con-
stitution. The right of the vice
president to assume the title of pres
ident, in case of the death of the
president, is doubly settled by un-
varying custom in three cases, and
also by the overwhelming vote of
both houses in 1841. At the extra
session of congress in 1841, few
days after Tyler's accession to the
presidency, the usual resolution pro-
viding for joint committee to wait
upon the president, was refused
amendment in both branches, pro-
posing to strike out theGord presi-
dent and insert "vice president, now
exercising the office of president of
the United States" The amend
ments failed without a division in
the House, and by a vote of to SS
In the Senate. There may be some
doubt as to the powers and duties of
the vice president in case of the pres
i---l-:i.L= 1s~-~hs.-.o~
the duties of his office, but there |
can be none as to succession upon |
the death of the president. His
tenure of place fixes this point,
whether he be native of New York |
state or of Canada, for the highest
tribunal has already adjudged him
by its official acts native born citi-
zen. If it be true that Mr.. Arthur
is a native of Canada, the constitu-
ton has already been trodden un-
der foot by this defiant party, that
makes a president in defiance even
of law or of popular will, and Mr..
Arthur will be president, while
Blame will no longer dictate the
policies of this government, since,
if Mr.. Arthur retain him in
his place as chief cabinet officer,
he will not dare lay down line of
action for this man, whom he drove
from association with Mr.. Gar
field, and who, though the second
officer in the government, was mer-
cilessly driven with all his forces to
the wall. The Garfield administra-
ton ends; the Arthur administra-
ton begins.