The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-10-14
THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.

There seem TO be great fears that If a
Democratic Senator is chosen President of
the Senate some crazy Democrat may be ill.,
cited thereby to the murder Of President
Arthur In order to give the Presidency into
the hands of Democrat, which event, 1t is
assumed, would be followed by change in
all the Offices in the country. But if it were
fully known that the President Of the Senate
would, on the death of the President and
Vice-President, become only All acting Pres
ident, and that for a comparatively short
period, these fears might be somewhat
abated. The statutes Of the United States
provide In such case for the election of a
President within year. II All acting Piesi-
dent made any changes In the offices his
action would have to 60 before the Senate
for approval, and as the Senate stands at
present and as IL may stand for the next four
years, that approval would not be granted
except In necessary cases. The following Is
the law for The election Of President in
certain contingency:
SECTION l47. Whenever the Offices Of
President and Vice President both become
vacant, the Secretary Of State shall forthwith
cause notification thereof to he made 10 the
executive of every 81 ate, and shall also cause
the same TO be published In at least one Of
the newspapers printed In each State.
SEC. l4S. The notification shall specify
that electors of President and Vice-Presi-
dent Of the United States shall be appointed
or chosen In the several States, as follows:
First. Ii there shall be the space If two
months vet 10 ensue between the daie of
such notification and the first "Wednesday In
December the next ensuing. such notification
shall specify that the electors shall be APP
pointed or chosen within thrty-fo days
preceding such first Wednesday i'm Decem-
Der.
Second Ii there shall not be the space OF
two months between the date Of such Motif.
cation and such hrst "Wednesday In Decem.
Der, and II the term for which the President
and Vice President last III Office were elected
will not expire on the third of March next
ensuing, the notification shall specify that
the electors shall be appointed or chosen
within thirty-four days preceding the first
Wednesday In December In the year next ell
suing. But " there shall not be the space Of
two months between the date Of such noti-
cation and the first "Wednesday In December
then next ensuing, and II the term for which
the President and Vice. President last in
Office were elected will expire ON the third
day Of March next ensuing, the notification
shall not specify that electors are to be ap-
pointed or chosen.
SEC. l49. Electors appointed or chosen
upon the notification prescribed by the pre-
ceding section shall meet and give their votes
upon the first Wednesday i'm December spec
flied in the notification.
The next Congress will probably enact
some law indicating who shall assume the
duties of the Presidency in case the success
sion, as at present provided for, should fail,
as might have been the case had Arthur, as
we'll as Garfield, been the victim Of an assas-
sin. That further enactments ON The subject
are necessary Is clear. 1t might be well to
provide that in case of a failure of succession
the Chief Justice of the United States should
assume the duties OF President until q new
President could be elected, and should there
be no Chief Justice then the senior Justice
Of the Supreme Bench should assume the
duties. This would create a line of success
sion that could not be broken and would
guarantee also that the executive Office would
fall into the hands Of men of ability and
good standing In the nation.