Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-27
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES %, 1885,
The Succession.


were TO succeed to the Office Of Presi
dent he would be only an acting Presi
dent. That question was raised il
l841, and it was decided that Mr.. TY
I.ER became President Of the Unite'
States--not acting President. So il
1865 did ANDREW JOHNSON. SO il
1881 did Mr.. ARTHUR. But il th,
President pro TEN. Of the Senate, o.
the Speaker Of the House, or any othel
officer, were TO succeed to the office O
President Of the United States he woulC
" be merely an acting President. The Con
stitution itself draws the line Of dis
tinction. II provides that in case of the
removal Of the President from Office, OIL
of his death, resignation, or inability tc
discharge the powers and duties of said
Office, the same "shall devolve on the
Vice-Presidept. Whether it is the
office itself or the powers and duties Of
the office has been disputed question
but at any rate it has been decided that
the Vice President becomes President
of the United States, and as such signs
all official documents. Not so with
any other officer that succeeds. For
the Constitution provides that in case
of the death, &C., Of both the President
and Vice-President Of the United States
Congress may by law declare what Off.
Ger shall then "dct as President" A
clear distinction.
As the law now stands the success
sion is President, Vice-President, Pre-
sident pro TEN. of the Senate, Speaker
of the House of Representatives. But
n In series Of articles published in the
National Lntelligencer sixteen or sew
Nenteen years ago this was clearly
hown to be q wrong line of succession.
Nose articles were said to have been
yer written or inspired by Chief
zee WAITE. At any rate, it was
s'"at he endorsed their soundness.
=" the President pro TEN. of the
oenA' qcceeds, he must succeed in
s",D' bis Office. Can he then be
both ent Of the United States
"u ~ pt pro tenn. Of the Sem
'0 how can he be the
former 90 that his title to
holding the o depends upon his
the right to presi ,ver the Senate ma u and
still "act as Pre- ,T o..
st.tes"Y Could Rt of the United ed
in the Senate, and Ve against OIL
White House and vee re,'re 70 the
nots lie has not bee, If not why
the United States as Afr9 paas;a.o o,
would have become, BpreSident
"scting as President" d merely
seem can act as such no lon w0uia
holds the Office which givesa" ne
right thus to "act." '"'
In the case of the Speaker,
House Of Representatives all thes,'
other difficulties would arise. Tho
ate is a perpetual body. 1t is alive
in existence. But not so the Hous
Representatives. No House OF Rel
sentstiyes can live longer than
wears; and no Speaker can have a t.
longer than two years. How, Il
could . Speaker " act" as Presider
the United States for three or II
yesrsp He cannot rs such +" act
all unless in virtue Of his office
Speaker. Wherefore it would AZ
to be impossible that he could &C
President Of the United States aftei
term Of Office Is Speaker had expi
All this goes to show the wisdo
requiring the Executive, Legisla'
and Judicial departments Of the
eminent to be kept separate and
pendent one Of another, and argues
gently against the CONSTITUTIONAL
the present law fixing the line Of
cessioa to the office Of President
United States.
For the reasons hereinbefort
forth, or for other reasons, the 5
year or two ago passed q bill m
an entire change in the Law undel
cussion. That bill provided tbs
Secretary Of State should first su
20 the Office Of President, and th'
other Cabinet officers should suoc
the order provided for In the bill.
bill ought to have become a law.
Secretary Of State is ready at moi
notice to take the Office Of Presid
the United States. He is thorc
familiar with al the matters tn
70 come before him Is Presiden,
10 posted upon every question
has ever come up In Cabinet nj
lie is fully equipped. He nee
preparation. He has nothing to
As the high Offices of eli sort
been filled with bis approval, his
sion would not alarm the publ
the ofice-holders. No compile
would or could arise such as tn
- which We have just called alton,
inevitably accompanying the soc
Of member Of tAs national !
turs. Congress ought to pass 4
In question before the lst Of Jal
CossFsss win msst next N
week. Thst 10 only eleven dsysi
yet u ths Senate could b. con