Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1881-12-30

TIE Presidential Succession.
Senator lIeck's speech on his reso.
luton for an inquiry into the condi.
ton Of the law regulating the presi.
dental succession reveals even more
plainly than last summers discussion
did, the defects Of the law on the sub
jet and the risks we incur by leaving
It in It's present uncertainty. In case
Of the death. removal or disability Of
the president, the vice.president sue
ceeds to the office, aud continues pres.
ident TO the end Of the term; after the
vice.president, the succession is, first,
TO the president OF the senate, and
next 10 the speaker Of the house. All
this is plain enough, but it is not
enough; many uncertainties remain.
Suppose in the death, or removal, or
disability Of the president, there be no
vicepresideni; or suppose the vice.
president, after succeeding 10 the
Office, dies too; the president of the
senate comes into the office. But
suppose there be no president Of the
senate aud no speaker Of the house--a
condition Of things which accually ex.
listed last fall--what them Congress
might assemble and choose these Off.
GERS. But who is to call congress To.
gether in advance Of its regular day
of meeiingY Even admitting that the
cabinet might properly issue the call,
or that the two houses might assemble
by common agreement, there would
still be a period of several days or
weeks in which the government would
be without an executive head. Again,
suppose the president of the senate he
not native. born citizen. or be under
30 yesrs of age, Is he b succeed to the
office, notwithstanding his lack Of
these presidential qualifications! Or
in the event Of either the president of
the senate, or the speaker Of the
house succeeding t, the office, would
he continue to be senator or repre-
sentative, rs well as acting PRESIDENT
Senator Beck takes the view that
when the vics-president succeeds TO
the Office in case Of the disability Of
the president, he is to continue in it
till the end Of the term, even though the
disabled president should recover from
his disability before the end Of the
term; but he admits that cases might
occur in which the people would sub
init reluctantly, or not submit at all,
to such an arrangement. He thinks
il, during the war, Mr.. Lincoln had
been disabled by sickness and recov-
cred, or been captured by the con'ed.
crates aud released, the people of the
North would have revolted against
Vice President Hamlin's refusal to
restore the executive office 10 their
beloved chief. aud the same might be |
said IL, after the admitted disability
of President Garfield, he had recover
ell and been refused the office by Vice |
President Arthur.
These are some, though not all Of
fine difficulties and uncertainties that
surround the question, and when we .
reflect that few months ago, only a
single life stood between them and |
the country, the urgent need tor leg |
islation that shall put the whole ques
ton at rest must be admitted. Now .
is the time TO settle il on a fair and
sure basis, while there is truce to |
party warfare and the convictions OF |
the necessity OF settlement are
strong in the public mind, and it is
hoped the present session will not .
come to an end without bringing with
it the performance Of this important
duty Isl. Louis Republican.