Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-25
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION
The Constitutional Question,


bill provides that the Secretary of State
shall become acting President in case of
the death of the President and Vice presi-
dent, and if there is no secretary the next
cabinet officer in order of rank, and so
on, and that there shall be no election for
a new President and Vice President till
the end of the regular term. Mr. Ed
munds offered an amendment which if it
had been adopted would leave the law to
stand us it now is, with provision for an
early election of President and Nice-Presi-
dent, if both offices are vacant Mr.. Evarts
opposed the amendment, arguing that
the constitution did not intend that Con
gress should designate any acting Presi-
dent, and that when any election of Presi-
dent takes place it was intended that it
should be at the regular period when
members of Congress are elected. He pro.
ceeded:
Now was it not very precise way used
by the trainers of the constitution when
they said that all Congress could do was
to declare what officer should fill the
place Did they not mean an officer of
the United States ? They certainly could
not name an officer of II State, much less
an officer of II foreign state. An officer of
the United States unquestOnably was
meant; and then having in their minds
that Congress should not NEEDLE with the
constitution Oi the presidency they saw
when they limited it to an officer Of the
United States that they excluded "A Seuu-
tor and "A Representative, because i'm the
same constitution, using the same phrase,
not pointed to any particular circumstance
of this kind, there was this provision
touching the question who could by pos
sibilty and who could not by possibility
be an officer of the United States;
And no porson holding any Office under the
United states shall he II mcmbC' of either
House during his continuance in Office.
You have not only shut out the two
Houses from meddling with the Presiden,
cV but Won have shut ont the members of
the two Houses from any possible success
sion because they can not even be Ollie ,rs
of the United States. Can it be supposed
that the trainers of this constitution so
circumspect and so sagacious left this
loop-hOle for the Presidency that Won
could vncate it Yourselves and fiji if v61Ir-
selves
I need not refer to the other cluuses of
the constitution that have been insisted
upon. and u.rflIlly and wisely. in the nr,tIl-
ment think when read this cnnstifu-
tlon i'm these clnusps have a RIGHT ia fool
that the rrrnt men who framed if knew
how To write II as well as | know ia road
if
Mr.. Edmuuds replied:
,,,.,,,,,,.. go. .',.,..,.,..., ,.,,,,,.,.,..
hh'NAi'NH 'r 9rNAl'h E!'N, MIS-.
qllte agree with my distinguished
TREND from New OK IN the admiration
he expresses Tor the wisdom and the sa-
gaclty ana the foresight ana the patriot
ISM OF the trainers OF the constitution ;
but do not agree that they attempted to
withdraw from the States OF tins Union
ana It's people represented IN Congress
any connection that possibly could be
Withdrawn from the election of Presi-
dent and Vice President OF the United
states. On the contrary, the CON
stitution, as it explains itself
TO me III It's plan language, declares that
in the very first contingency, in the very
nrst step IN an election OF President and
Nlce-PreSideht after the states have acted
Congress Is called upon to be an import.
ant actor and factor III the great drama OF
political government.
The President OF the Senate OF the
United states, be he pre-eXisting Vice
President or be ne the daily cholce OF the
members OF TINS body, like our present
President OF the senate Is TO be the sacred
custodian OF the electoral! votes. On a
certain day thereafter he is to open and
display those votes IN the presence OF both
/ i N.g...l