The daily gazette., 1881-08-19
FaID.Y. AUGUST 10. 1851.

ALARMIsTs AND CRoAKERs would
make the people believe there was
great cause for apprehension that
chaos or something else as damaging
would result to the government in case
The President should die that the
Vice President would not be able to
conduct the affairs of State, or that
the Senate being left without Presi-
dent would be in danger of going to
pieces, because of its disorganized
condition. Such alarmists aud croak-
ers seem to have very little faith in
the representatives of the people, or
in the ability of the men who compose
the Executive the Judicial and Legis-
lative branches of the Government,
each department of which is 30 con :
stituted and directed as to 60 forward
in their separate spheres should the
President die, with the same precise
ness as though no such event had
taken place. The sympathy which
the people have for President Garfield
is just such as all peoples have for
their appointed or chosen Chief Exc
cutiye. 1t is right that they should
thus express their sympathy-but that
sympathy is evidence of something
else than regard for the man whose
misfortune has drawn it forth-it is
evidence of the attachment and value
which the people hold for their gov
ernment and the honor that it shed
upon those called to fill the great trust
reposed in the Chief Magistracy. We
feel deep and sincere sympathy for
the President. But it is no. to be
forgotten that wise provision was
made by the Fathers of the govern-
ment to meet the contingency and
that this contingency has been met no
less than three times in the history of
the Union. We have no disposition
to shield the Vice President from the
attacks Of the "Half-breed" journals,
and shall undertake no defence of Mr..
Arthur. We only desire to point to
the fact that the Government has
in the past sig months been shown tc
be In Trustworthy hands and tha'
each department seems to have beer
properly and safely conducted, a
least up to the time the President wal
shot. And since that time all thing,
have Appeared to proceed smoothly
along, and no complaint is uttered il
we except the expressions of unmanl,
fears and tho seemingly unwarrantet
censure that is hurled at the Vic,
President. And yet we can see n,
act of improperly on the part of Mr.
Arthur. He las manifested dlgni
hed reserve and willingness 10 yiel
to the directions OF Mr.. Garfield
Cabinet that as an officer should com
mand the respect of the people. A
no time heretofore In the dread +,
such Contingency has The govern
ment been SO fsvored. We are
peace at home aud have no disput;
tions with foreign nations we ha'
an oyerfiowiDg treasury and are in IL
midst of unprecedented prosperity
and as If to give all the official hea,
of the government timely warning Il
life Of the President has been pr
loDged until all may have had tin
to examine the laws and to
prepared for whatever duty throul
the death of Mr.. Garfield may
yolve upon those in high and respon
BILE positions. This was not the ca
in either Of the preceding like even
We have now but to reflect that t
government is not like some gr,
machine that may be stopped beca,
of the failure of a single part to
operate but rather like the plar
tory system, the removal of SIM
star from which, though it be
bright ss the sun, it does. not destr
the harmony Of the great univer
30 the death of the President m
cause a shock and a pause, as
were but nothing beyond should
apprehended. For the Vice Pre-
dent immediately takes the oath
Office and is invested with all that
wolves upon The President, while
Cabinet proceeds with its work u
1t sees proper to express desir'
the new President to be released Fl
duty if it 40 pleases him to Sc
others with whom 1t would be m
agreeable to confer In reference to
affairs of State.
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