The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-17
8rllmund 1ispatth.
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY II, 1883
The Succession.


In order that Congress may provide heirs
TO the presidential Office to be taken from
the legislative department Of the Govern
lnent, the New York Sun seriously pro-
poses that the present Congress shall pro-
vide by law that each new Congress shall
assemble and complete Its organization
when the preceding Congress expires.
The SIN makes this suggestion, too, in a
serious manner, and quotes the constitli-
tional provision bearing upon the proposed
change. The tone and contents OF its
article show that the Sun has not read the
debates on this subject which took place
at the last session Of Congress, nor the abe
speeches which were made upon 1t whilst
the bill which lately passed the Senate was
under consideration. Mr.. BECK was year
ago opposed TO that bill, and made aspeech
against ,t-at least. that feature OF il which
finds the heirs TO the presidential Office in
the executive rather than in the legislative
department; but be very frankly confessed
a week or two ago that his mind had I'M
dergone change. The vote by which the
bin passed the Senate was forty TO thirteen.
Amongst those who voted for it were the
best lawyers in that body-men who know
all about constitutional law.
To propose TO put the country to the ex-
pensc and trouble OF an extra session OF Con-
gress once in every two years in order that
the President pro icmpore OF the Senate and
the Speaker OF the House Of Representa-
tiyes may continue TO be in the line OF sue
cession to the presidency, when the con-
tention OF the advocates Of the new bill is
that there is not only no propriety. but
manifest improperly, in going to the Legis-
laturc at all fox Chief Executive, will
prove TO be rather amusing than in
sluctive 10 the members OF Congress
who are familiar with the merits OF
the case. Chiei-JuStice CHASE, 1t Is
said, held in 1865 that the existing law
OF succession was very Objectionable. We
are under the impression that he held it 10
be unconstitutional, but we are not sure
rs TO this latter point. Mr.. MADISON and
r.
king The Secretary OF State succeed the
Vice-President in the Office Of President OF
the United States.
Everybody admits that the members OF
the Cabinet are such men as are likely to
be proper successors to the President so
far as their qualifications are concerned;
but it is insisted that they have no
heritable blood. That would perhaps be
a good objection ii the bin were in
tended TO provide for anything but an
unexpected contingency. But surely it is
not an objection worthy OF much consider
alton i'm view of that fact and OF the further
fact that the fathers OF the republic and the
trainers OF the Constitution thought they
had provided in this very instrument itself
that neither the President nor the Vice
President of the United States should have
a drop Of popular blood in his official veins.
The Constitution itself provides that the
people shall choose electors as they choose
members OF State Legislature, and that
those electors shall choose the President
and Vice-Presidcnt Of the United States as
the State Legislatures choose United States
senators. Ii Is true we have perverted that
constitutional provision and turned from
the way OF our fathers, but it is none the less
true that the President of the United States
provided for by our fathers was TO have
not drop Of popular blood in his official
veins. In fact, the Convention that framed
the Constitution more than once endorsed
by formal vote the plan OF giving to Con-
gress the power to elect the President OF
the United States. Further: Electors Of
President may now be chosen by the LegiS-
lature OF any State which prefers TO have
its electors thus chosen. In 1889 Of the
Virginia electors ten voted for GEORGE
WASHINGTON, five Tor JOHN ADAMS, and one
for JOIN JAY. If there is anything GER
tam, it is that the President was not in
tended to be elected by the people.
So much for the objection that Cabinet
officers are not near enough the people.
For the rest, an extra session CT Congress
next March, for eXample-wouid not
only cost q large sum Of money which
there is no excuse whatever for spend
ing on the succession to the presidency,
seeing that the bin now pending in the
House Of Representatives will ii it become
4 law, destroy every pretence Of excuse for
such waste Of the public funds, but
would perpetuate the unsettled feeling Of
the country in regard to changes in the
tariff and internal-revenue laws. Such a
session would therefore be nuisance.
We hope, therefore, that the Hosee OF
Representatives will pass the succession
bin substantially as il went from the Senate.
Some O. the lawyers in the House may find
a few defects in ii, but none, we think,
that will prevent it from being vast inn
provement upon the existing law on the
same subject.
Why should more hotels be burned ut
this particular season of the year than ut