River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-03-10

THE VICE PRESIDENTS.
Facts About the second Officers oil
Our G.aVerumenf

The VIE PkESIDENIS.
Facts About the second Officers of
Our Government.
New York Mail: The vice presi-
dency, once deemed to be stepping
stone to the higher Office, was so for
only sixteen years, the tie between
Jefferson and Burr having impelled
congress to separate the offices. Up to
this time the man having the highest
electoral vote became president, and
the one having the next highest was
vice. As soon as the electors voted
separately, one ballot for president and
one for vice president, the latter office
became of small Importance, the in
cumbent being merely a dummy in
use in case of the death and disability
of the president. Thereafter no man
sought the second office; for the result
showed, it was practically bar to fur
Their elevation. After 1901 Van Buren,
was the only vice who was subsequent
ly chosen president.
Twenty different men have been
elected vice presidents. Three of them,
Tyler, Fillmore and johnson, have
succeeded to the highest Office on the
death of their immediate superiors.
John Adams, Jefferson and Van Buren,
have been elected to the presidency.
The vice presidents who have been I'M
successful competitors for the higher
office are Burr, Clinton, Tompkins,
Fillmore and Breckenridge. Nine presi-
dents pro tempore of the senate have
been acting vice president, and one of
these, Benjamin f. Wade was really
president during the time Andrew
Johnson was on trial, but no
occasion arose for Wade to exercise
the office. Had Johnson been con-
victed Wade would have been his sue
cessor as president under the law.
Three vice presidents, Elbridge Gerry,
VIM. r. King and Henry Wilson died
while in office. John Gaillard, of New
Hampshire, succeeded as acting vice
president on the death of Elbridge
Gerry, November %, 1914. David r.
Atchison, of Missouri, succeeded on
the death of VIM. R. King, April IS,
1858. Thomas w, Ferry, of Michigan,
succeeded on the death of Henry Will
son, Nov. %, 1875. On the elevation
of Tyler to the presidency, Samuel L.
Southland, of New JERSEY, succeeded as
acting vice president, April 6, 1S41, and
| Southland was succeeded by Willie 2.
| Mangum, of North Carolina, May 81,
1912. When Taylor's death made Fill
more the president, William r. King
of Alabama. became acting vice presi-
dent, July II, 1850, and King was after
wards elected to the vice presidency.
When Johnson became president on
the death of Lincoln, Lafayette S. Fos-
ter, of Connecticut, became acting vice
president, April Is, 1865, and he was
succeeded March 2, 1867, by Benjamin
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 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 such officer
shall act accordingly until the disabili-
ty be removed, or president
shall be elected" Under this
authority Congress enacted that the
President pro tempore of the Senate
should succeed the Vice President,
and of course become President in GER
tain emergencies. Should there be no
President pro tempore of the Senate
| Che might die when the Senate was not
convened) then the Speaker of the
House of Representatives Il believe) is
to execute the office. The regular
Vice-President is the legal President of
the Senate; but from the first Congress
it has been the custom of the Senate
to elect President protempore to meet
any emergency that might occur dur
ing Congressional vacation.
As rule our Vice-President have
not PANIED out strong. Passing by
those who became Presidents, it may
be observed that Burr was a great
man-and a great rascal. Clinton was
Il dull old fogy. Gerry was fair
statesman, but the name is remember
ed chiefly in an odious sense in the
verb to Gerrymander," which, as
every politician knows, is to make
electoral distrists to suit party con-
venience rather than to secure justice.
Tompkins was fair Governor of New
York, but narrow and weak politi-
cain. Calhoun was great; so was
Satan; both were ambitious, and both
were unsuccessful. Richard NJ John
son killed Tecumseh, or it was said he
did 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. Viii
liam r. King was a man of some force,
an extreme southerner, who died be-
fore he was fully developed. John G.
Breckenridge made his record as a
rebel officer in the secession war
Good old Hannibal Hamlin has every
body's respect, and is a highly worthy
| citizen who has seen his best DAYS.
Colfax retired from political life under
a shadow which no one believes he
knowingly incurred; he was, however,
careless, and has suffered the conse-
quences. Henry Wilson was. for his
advantages, a great man, and he was
also good man, leaving the best rec
ord of any vice president who have
passed away. Mr.. Wheeler has been
the most quiet man who ever sat in
the most quiet Of official seats. If he
has, or has had, any ambition beyond
trout fishing the world has yet to learn
of it. Gen. Arthur will take Mr..
Wheeler's seat on the 4th of March
and here remark that the blonde gen.
tleman of Lexington avenue is the first
vice president who never served in
either house of congress counting Gin
tons service in the continental congress
only
|
Sir Alexander Calf.
DT-T Marab STt i StotaH -,
| circles likely to be well informed that
4 q. L.