The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-07-16

contemplated by the Constitution. On tins
point the World, with Characteristic nicely
raises the question, Who or what tribunal
shall decide whether the President is "un-
able?" This is not an intricate question
The duties of the Presidential Office III
volvc, among other things the atiXing OF
the Presidents signature to q great num-
her and variety of documents. Ihere Is no
provision for dclcgatiag this duty. lt must,
undor existing law, be done by the fresi-
dent with his own hand. Suppose that
through paralysis the President should DC
utterly incapactated from using pen.
That would be Inability and no tribunal
would be reouircd to ascertain and certify
II Under such circumstances would not
tho Vice. President be called upon to act,
and would it not be the duty of the Cabinet
to concert with him?
Again in case of extreme physical pros
tration for considerable period of time,
would not the President be unable within
the meaning of the Constitution? Is he not
in that sense "unabc" at this time? For
tunately the state of the public business is
|
is pressing upon the Presidential Office But
suppose the President should not recover
Immediately and circumstances should arise
rcouiring tho active and constant discharge
of Presidential functions, would it not be the
duty of the Vice President to act in such
contingency?
Then again, upon the disappearance of
the Inability" if il CHANGED be only tenn
porary. would not the President resume his
functions and the Vicc-Presidcnt return to
his? We ask for information. While we
hone that the President may recover fully or
sufficiently to attend to such business rs
impcmtively requires his personal act we
realize that his recovery may possibly be
slow enough to cause more or less suspension
of public business In such case we have
no doubt that the President himself would
issue, through the Secretary of State a
proclamation declaring his Inability and
directing the Vicc-President to act as Prcsi-
dent. Under the laws of common sense this
: would seem to be the natural and logical
, Interpretations of the inability" clause, so
q far as the existing situation is concerned.
? we do not observe any complications. The
President would still be President, but "un-
able" to act. The Vicc-Prcsdent would
still be vice-Presidcnt, but Acting Presi-
: dent, pending the disappearance of the in
I ability. Does not this seem to be the COM
: mor-5ense view of it
Ii THERE Is ANYTHING in politics we
can truly admire without any particular
c effort, it is an independent man. This
i creature is of some consequence about once
II in his life, namely when Providence has
constituted him the balance of power. I'm
C der any other circumstances, he is utterly
Z. worthless. The latest gentleman who ha
If tried to penetrate the recesscs of fame oil
10 this independent basis is Emory Speer, o
+. Georgia. He says:
n. 81 am no partisan in politics, and / shall
r. vote as think best Oh every question o
10 legislation. shall discharge every public
), duty according to my best Judgment of it
proper method. Whenever the people VIII
lc have honored me and trusted me differ wit
ut me in my public opinions of public polio
is and public duty will return to them th
y commission ! bear free and unstained 4
is when they conferred ii on me- / shall a!
I'd tempt no reply to the severe and bite
I'd criticisms of unreasoning partisans, and
am content that the people shall judge IN
by the record-that cannot mislcad them.
-, Well, now, we just propose to take M
=. Speer up on this proposition. He resemble
;. all other independents who have come undo
- -, the notice of the public for the past fiy
hundred years A very large waist-band
~ joined to a small hat. He appears to
" anxious for the Record to speak, and h
curiosity can easily be gratificd.
in The Commissioner of Internal Revenue
a in February, 1890, permitted himself
lis think that certain parties in the distri'
n represented by the Hon. Spcer were NJ
n, making whisky according to the terms pre-
A scribed in the statutes, and he was ras
On enough to throw out the above outline
er suspicion. Mr.. Speer was cnraged. He ha
or great country to defend. He did 1t as fo
lows, his grand oratorical gift shining OF
in most conspicuous shape:
~ ''sir, in natural scenery, to the lovers {
ly the beautiful, the picturesque and tn
at grand, the mountains of Georgia afford ric
,;s and varied pleasures which ,h are sd nnsn y
lso picturesque and the beautiful: There II
''o mountains of "Tray" and "YOnah" an
lid " Currahee " lift their towering SUBMITS +
,he ward the heavens. There the falls OF Ta
lulah, of wondrous yet terrible beauty, II
ed tract thousands to gaze with admiratio
re- aud awe upon the fearful force with whiC
:, the shivering river Is hurled into the ably
ne of the grand chasm. There the Tocoa I'll
Cherokee for beautiful-in its PERCEPTION
leap down the side of the mount ,in, dash
, a its translucent wave to spray; and Il
Re- legendhaunted falls of Amicalola. all nc
ro TO the inexhaustible natural charms"
zee We have allowed Mr., Speer's record
az ~ speak for inself. If Georgia can stand
The we can. Give the Independents chan'
)ut %-
ons SOME OF THE GAMES prepared for t
,Sc amusement of the crowd in Paris at the
cent festival seem very pucrilc as an attr;
an tion for adults. These entertainments We
~; numerous, and managed according to
'ii- same system as those which we inelegani
to but cXpressively style side-shows. In o
% of them, on payment of ten cents, the visit
was blindfolded in a grotesque mask a
edi- then aimed to dislodge piece of wood b
aw- anced on a peg in the wall, receiving apr
, in for success. In a similar show, express
intended to please the ladies' cotton thrcs