West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-06-30
rRnSIpENrIAh SnccrxsroN.

" nc w tHo leclueutlal succession, ,
says the Baltimore Amcrican. will
admit that the bill TO settle the sue
cession ia the most important legis-
lation now before Congress. Should
President Arthur die at any time al
ter the fourth of March next. and
before the first of the following De
cember, there would be no Vice
President, no President Of the Sen
ate, aud no Speaker of the House TO
succeed him. There would be a va
cancy In the Executive Office, and
no power lodged anywhere to fll it
no authority even to convoke Com
grsss.
To provide against such contiu-
gencies Senator noars bill proposes
that the successor to the President
shall be, not through the President
of the Senate aud the Speaker Of
the House, but through the Secreta-
ry of State, Secretary of the Treas
ury, Secretary of War, Attorney
General, Secretary OF the Navy, and
Secretary OF the Interior, in the or
der OF precedence named. This plan
has its advantages, Tor the Depart
ment OF State has been filled by men
OF eminence from the beginning Of
our Government until now. Sccre-
tarys of State and of the Treasury
and Attorneys General, have, as A
rule, compared favorabIy in point of
intellect, character, and political
experience, with their cotomporary
Vice Presidents. Blaine, of Gar
fields Cabinet, Evsrts, OF hayess
Fish, OF Grants, and Seward, OF
Llnco!n's, were men we'll fitted for
the Presidency, and there would
have been no abrupt change of poll
cy II anyone OF these had succeeded
to that Office.
Nevertheless, the old law has this
advantage-ths Presidency of the
Senate and tho Speakership Of the
House are both elective onicee. while
the Cabinet omoes are appointed. 1t
seems accordant with the spirit of
our institutions that the President
should be in some way the choice Of
the people, and not the appoiutee Of
anybody. 1t is true that the Senate
may reject an appointment to the
Cabinet, but in point Of fact, this is
very rarely done. The object OF the
preeent bill is, or ought TO be, to
prevent a lapse Of the Executive
Office, or an interregnun. 1t ought
to aim TO supplement rather than to
alter the law, under which we have
lived since 1892. 1t ought TO pro-
vide merely that where there is no
President OF The Senate and no
Speaker Of the House, then the mem
bera of the Cabinet shdll stand in the
line OF sacceasion, graded rs above.
This would require a very slight
amendment Of the present law.
The law OF 1892, now oodiGed as
Section l46 oil the Revised Statutes.
is 90 follows;
In caso Of removal, death or rosigna-
ton or inability Of both tho President
and Vice President OF the United States.
the President Of the Senate, or, If there
Is none, thon tho Speaker of tho House
Of Representatives, for tho time being.
shall act As President until the disability
IS removed, or President oloded.
If to this be added after the words
time being" the words, "or, if
there be none, then the Secretary Of
State, Secretary Of the Treasury, &c.,
&c. the law will be complete and
very little changed.
1t i9, however, exceedingly i'm oor-
tant to define what the inability OF
President is, and who shall decide,
and how, when such inability exists,
and what shall be done when such
inability ceases. All Of these ques-
tions arose during the sickness Of
Garfield and caused deep anxiety.
Tney ought to bo settled now.