New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-16
IS THIS LUNlCY OR ,yEPE Rrtcr

~
At last we know what The WoyH meant
by that incomprehensibe series of articles
through which it has been chasing its tail for
the last ten days. Yesterday it came ont and
distinctly announced that Mr.. Arthur is now
President by virtue of the " inability of Mr..
CARRIED, and must remain so until the 4th of
March, 1850. 1t says ;" When the Office of
y PRESIDENT has once 'devOlVed uDon the
Nlce-President does not the Vice President
clearly replace and displace the President. so
ehat jor NE remainder Of The term E1, ,rhjch
" Mey tbco ~ere cfected he must continue tn he
Ill TACT and IN truth President of the
United States Not during the disability
OF The President, but during his entire form
me HorH proposes to leave no doubt ON that
score. 1t continues
Al iS"' ne very convenient TO use unsatisfactory
VcePrcsldent as temporary lieutenant and law agura
during the indefinitely protracted =" inability, nf :.
PRESIDENT But can Vce-President he 80 used When
1t becomes necessary recognize tho "inabtyp or a
rresoet can anything be legally done but to declare
the Presidency legally devolved" upon his LEGAL and
constitutional successor elected Vice prcslep, ~,
the United Statesa "
To show just what it means by "inohnitvn
it quotes the following clause of tho C,,sIi-
tuition:
IN case OF the removal of the President from oec on
VI nS ca'h resignation or inability discharge the
powers ana duties of the said Office The son,e sbaU >,
rofce on NE Vice President and the Concress may h
ID" poNue Tor the case ot removal DEATH resignation
or inability both of The President and yice.presido,t
oeoarhg ~hdt officer shaH Them act as Presidc,t and
sucn "hccr shall act accordingly until the he
removed or IA President shall be elected
Ana follows 1T with this strange and ,,ro-
pOstcrOus argument
Is MOI plain distinction here drawn between tbo oor
ui'os der which the Presidency shall deyo,ve On
inc elected Vce-President and the conditions unaer
whch any other officer tn be designated Nv nros.
Sn'', act us fresident"a The phrase shall act as
PRESIDENT is not used of the Vice President % on
ihere Is no provision for his acting rs President n,
any case. The provision affecting him ia thot o. 80
one Oh iour specified contingencies removal death
resignation or inability OF the Presidentthe o3cs az
PRESIDENT shall devolve upon the Vice prosidort
suppose the President struck down by paralvsis uis
once, under the Constitution then devolves upon tho
YioeIreslneht' VINO becomes and Is President II ths
Ncefresdent 30 become President should in bs turn
be struck down by paralysis the case providad , T.,
the second part OF the clause have arisen and
oHcer named by law OF Congress To act mn pras,
dent" would act. ~
That is to say, if the President becomes an i'll
that he cannot properly attend to the duties
OF his Office, the Presidency devolyes for tho
whole OF his unexpired term, upon the Vice
President; but if the Vice President sbouId
fall Ill, different rule applies In that casa
someone can be named to act IS President
until he gets better. A week of paralysis dis
qualities an elected President forever: lint an
attack OF the same malady does not hurt his
constitutional substitute in the least If he re-
covers from 1T within his term. What mid.
summer madness is this7
dae World may possibly deny that 1t claims