The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-18
The Succession, Again.

VIC suggest 10 Senator GARLAND that
,naer Tho law As Il now stands It Ia hardly
ross,hle for the Speaker OF the House OF
Representativcs TO succeed to the presi-
dcnc, Of the United States. We mean 'ia'
the contingency is so remote that his
chances 10 succeed may be set down us next
10 nought. Look at the law: 1t provides
that in case Of the death, resignation, re-
moyal. or inability, OF both the President
and yice-Presidcnto Of the United States The
President Of the Senate, or eli there be
none . the Speaker Of the House OF Repre-
scntatIycs for the time being shall act a.
President "until the disability is removed
or President elected"
tBy the way, this language shows tha' ,ne
trainers Of the law did not speak OF the
"ofticer, "acting as President " as II ne
soas President They say such officer snali
aet as President until President is elected.
In other words, such officer is not President
and need no, have the qualifications OF
President. But this Is not the question
now before u.s.
when can the Speaker OF the House OF
Representatives act rs President OF inc
United States under the language quoled
above from the law OF Congress on the
subject Only when there Is no PRESIDENT
OF the scnatcY when could that body be
destitute OF Presidents 1t has happened
but once in the experience OF our "oVerh-
ment up 10 the present time. Iilat was
last GUNNER. And it is not likely 10 nap
pen again soon, il ever. We may there
fore assume that it is practically settled
tfi?t hereafter there viii always be IN eX-
islepce President Of the Senate ready 10
act as President Of the United states Ill case
his services are needed.
We'll. let the President OF the Senate be-
gin 20 act as the President OF the Unlted
States. Surely ii cannot be commended that
he would be allowed TO preside over the
senate and take part in framing bills Which
As acting President of the United States he
would have the power to veto, or to SIT I'D
secret session in a Senate passing upon MS
own nominations Of persons to Nil all the
snost important Offices in the country. TO
state this proposition is to give a sufficient
reason why the person acting as President
OF the United States could not also be Pre-
sident OF the Senate.
What then: Why, the Senate would be
pompelled TO elect new President pro
tenn. TO preside oyerits deliberations. What
followsy That this new President OF the
Senate would succeed to the acting presi- /
,dency should the acting President OF the
United States die or resign. Why not!
The law i, express that the Speaker OF the
House Of Representatives shall act as Presi- I
dent of the United States il there be no
President OF the Senate. But there would
necessarily be a President of the Senate,
and 30 the Speaker of the House OF Repre- |
sontatives would never be permitted to act
rs President OF the United States.
These considerations immensely strength |
co the position Of those senators who con-
tend that the President of the Senate and
tho Speaker Of the House of Representa-
tives are not such officers" rs the trainers !
of the Constitution intended should act as
President Of the United States. II seems /
10 US that there is every reason for devoly- I
ing the duties i'm question upon an eXecu- /
tive or judicial officer, and no good reason I
for devolving them upon legislative OIL /
Ger. One little difficulty might possibly be /
removed by taking hint from the language /
OF the Constitution and electng a person /
"to act as President Of the Senate" so I
long as the regular President Of that body.
was acting as President Of the United |
States. But this suggestion reminds us at /
once that il there were an acting President /
OF the United States, and the Senate should /
elect new President pro tenl., and the /
President Of the United States should be- |
come able to perform the duties OF his /
Office, then the acting President would be I
thrown ont OF Office entirely. He would 1
be neither acting President OF the United |
States, nor President pro tenn. OF the
Senate.
In word, there is no line Of argument
which can be taken up which will not lead
20 the conclusion that the acting President
of the United States ought to be an eXecu- /
tive or judicial officer.