The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-09-24
The New Presidents First Duty.

Among the official responsibilities which
have now devolvei upon President Arthur
there is one OF urgent aud paramount impor.
lance. !, For lhe hrst time in the shistoFyo oil
the Uated States, the life OF a single divid-
usl siands beiwe en- rs md state ufthings in
which there VII exist no officer qualified by
the Coasututioato administer the executive
department OF this Government. There is
but one remedy for this unprecedented situa-
iiou and 1t should be applied By convening
Congress in extra session, in order that
President OF the Senate aud Speaker OF the
House may be promptly chosen.
4 glauce at the hW determining the saeees-
son to the Presidential of5ce and nj the pre-.
ceding circumstances under which 1t became
operative, will show how anomalous Is the
present coujuneiurs. The Constitution Ar
ueie II section o. gives Congress power to
provide Tor the case OF removal. death. Tesig-
nation, or inability OF both President aud
Vice President But that power has been in {
Adequately eSerciscd, Asihe exsting situation
saaclsHtIY attesis. Ihe act ol t192, watch IS
the oaiy-act of Congress bearing on the point,
provides, IN the event OF the disability OF both
President and Wee President, that the Pres
ident OF the Senate. or. if there Is none. then
the Speaker of the House Of Representatives
for the time being, shall act as President an
al the disability be removed or a President
be elcaeif That . an No prseAuhou
vas tasen agaaust. u e 7erisis vshich has nov
actually oecurrca, eheu ihuFs Is no Presiden,
Of the Senate aud no Speaker OF Tbs House.
What would happen, then, Il for any caase
( President Arthur Were rendered incapable Of
disckarzinE the datics OF has Office Some ef
orr esteemed contemporaries, Ia whose eds
fying viess af constitutional las Ne have
referred trom time 20 time, mar imagine
thaA Prcsdeat Arthur Cahmat eOald con-
tsnsrfo sxesrise ths cXecuupe brnclf Of the
Cioycrpast u ua,d 8ea Prcsdcui shoaiJ be
chosen. Boz as mas, ruu,isd taem tha; The
Cabinet Is body uitesiy anku0wn 10 the
Consultation, that iis meBbers are simply
clerks % the Chief Magistrate, aad that, as
mere agcHis Or ministers. they coali not POS
sibiy sasyive their principaL Moreover, all
discassisa uf tbs point l. set AZ rest by the
fast that tksy ara aes ineiatsd IN he iist OF
possible successors 20 the Presidential oiiiee
6xed By the act q l5g3-
Il does appear, hoscycT, that the Seere,a.
~ % state does. 10 the viea Of the Federal
legislation ca this subject. sayyive has Chief
for fhe paFpasc % performing siaglo miHis
sesial functioa. The act Of 1872 provides tia,
whenever the Offices Of President Aad Vice
Frcsiacut both become vAcaas, The Secretary
q STATE shall fggthwish cause notification
Stale. The notice u 10 specify that electors
Of President and Vice President o. the Uni.
ted States shall 6echossu OF appointed within
thirty f0ar days preceding the FIRST WedBes'
day in Decembsr, provided there is an iuser.
sAl 81 t~o months between the Jas, mentioned
date Ana the time Of notihcs'iaa. II such an
interval does no, exist, An1 the trrm OF the
aisshled PpesidrHt 3pps nos expire on she
th5rd do - March next ensGIng. then The
notiesis e. eaft Sc an election pa ths irsi
"Wednesday Of December IN Jhc rear next en-
salng. Ia other woods, Il President Arthur
shsaid from any ca4so BE- rendered inca.
pAble u disgAerglps the duties q bis osiiee
Al asy tiasa Subsequent 70 the hgS seek IN
Ussober. there could be 40 election Of . nee
President ioF apSard q year. Nor uogid
there be say persgn qualified 10 eonve g Goa
gress IN extra session. No PrvsisieHt OF ihe
Senate. therefore, nor Speaker o. tie House,
could be ehnscH aatil C0egrczs eame togetA-
sr in regular ssssscn az the date liked BY law.
NIes gaks Iyler succeeded Harrison, On
April 4. fS4t, there vas President pre- tess.
Of the Senate. Inere was, hoaescr, no
Speaker og iAe House in existence; bai this
defect vas cared hy eoevCking Congress ~
extra sesssos GA the casting May 81, when
lahn White vas chosen Speaker. When
Aillari Fillmore became President. on July
~ AFaHEt Wv AEAs4A " frtANAtFN HAFf Uk 9A
ghe preceding day, the hirty trst ConEress
wAs ia session. AUD. OF COURSE, both of the
legal Successors 10 the Chief Magistrscy were
IN existence.
On the assassination OF lincoln. IN April,
1856, no extra session Of Congress was called
by Andrew Johnson. nor Was there a Speaker
OF the House until Sehayler Colfax was chosen
BY the Thirty niniA Congress. There vas,
hsweSsF, President pro tenn os the Seuase,
Lafayette :. Foster having bcea elected 10
that Office on March :, lssi5 IhRs We SEQ
thai never hereto;ora Las ica. President
assumed ,ks nrssiaeasisl Office without AZ
least 0ns qasi,6ed Successor standing behind
hlm ready to take his place
There j. Just one coarse 10 he taken ia the
present oonjaao,urs, aud ikas Is 10 repeat the
ltep taken BY john Tyler. The sooner
President 81 the Senate and Speaker Of the
Hoase are chosen the better. President Ar
thar should lose 40 time IN calling an extra
session OF Congress. Nsr i0Fk SaR.