Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-03-03

eSUn, of Missouri succeeded on the death
of VIM. r. King. April IS. 1858. Thorn
as W. Ferry, of Michigan, succeeded on
the death of Henry Wilson, November
-, 1915. On the elevation of Tyler to
the Presidency, Samuel l.. Southland, of
New Jersey. succeeded us acting Vice
President, April 8, 1871, and Southland
was succeeded by Willie p Mangum, of
North Carolina, May 81, 1912. When
TaylOr's death made Fillmore the Presi-
dent, VIM. r. King, of Alabama, became
acting Vice President, July II, 1S5O.and
King was afterward elected to the Vice
Presidency. When johnson became
President on the death of Lincoln, La
| fayette S. Foster, of Connecticut, became
acting Vice President, April 10, IS65.and
and was succeeded March 2, 1867, by
Benz. f. Wade, of Ohio.
The first Constitution provided that
''In case of the removal of the President
from office, or of his death, resignation
or inability to discharge the powers and
duties of the said Office, the same shall
devolve ON the Vice President, and the
Congress may by law provide for the
case of removal, death, resignation or
inability both of the President and Vice
President, declaring what officer shall
then act as President, and snch officer
shall act accordingly until the disability
be removed, OF President shall be elect
ed." Under this authority Congress en-
acted that the President pro tempore of
the Senate should succeed the Vice Pres
idert, and of course become President in
certain emergencies. Should there be
no President pro tempore of the Senate
Che might die when the Senate is not in
SESSION. then the Speaker of the House
of Representatives II believe) is to exc
cute the Office. The regular Vice Pres
ident is the legal President of the Sen
ate, but from the first Congress it has
been the custom of the Senate to
elect President pro tempOre to meet
any emergency that might occur during
Congressional vacation.
AS rule our Vice Presidents have
not panned out strong. Passing by those
who became Presidents, it may be OBJ
served that Burr was a great man-and
great rascal. Clinton was dull old TO-
gy. Gerry was fair statesman, but the
name is remembered chiefly in an Odious
sense in the verb to "Gerrymander,"
which, as every politician knows, is to
make electoral districts to suit party
convenience rather than to secure JUS
tice. Tompkins was fair Governor of
New York. but a narrow and weak poll
tician. Calhoun was great; so was Sa-
tan; both were ambitious, and both
were unsuccessful. Richard N. John
son killed Tecumseh, or it was said he
tdid George NJ. Dallas was "some" in
Philadelphia, but like Frank Pierce,
when spread over the whole country he
was so thin as to be invisible. William
r. King was man of some force, al
extreme Southerner, who died before he
was fully developed. John C. Breckin-
ridge made his record as Rebel officer
in the secession war. Good old Hanni-
bal Hamlin has everybody's respect, and
is highly worthy citizen who has seen
his best days. Colfax retired from po-
litical life under shadow which no one
believes he knowingly incurred; he was,
however, careless, and has suffered the
consequences. Henry Wilson was, for
his advantages, a great man, and he was
also a good man, leaving the best record
of any Vice President who has passed
away. Mr.. Wheeler has been the most
quiet man who ever sat in the most quiz
ct of official seats. If he has, or has had,
any ambition beyond trout fishing the
world has yet to learn of it. Gen. Ar
thur will take Mr.. Wheeler's seat ON the
4th of March; and here 1 remtrk that
the blonde gentleman of Lexington ave-
nue. is the first Vice President who neV-
er served in either House of Congress
Counting Clinton's service in the Con-
tinental Congress only.