Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-12-03

with the news Leaving tho table ne went
az stairs two steps ut a time and went to the
telephone room and asked how the report
came, and whether there was any coniirma-
lion of t. Being tod that the message was
from the manager OF the Baltimore q Ohio
Office in Indianapolis, and that its
accuracy was indisputable, he asked
that any further details might be
given him promptly, and returned
TO his sister. who remained in the dining
( room,i in a fiutter Of excitement swallow
Ing a few morsels, the president Went up
stairs. wrote a message OF coincidence TO
Mrs Hendricks and dispatched messengers
10 the residence of cabinet oaicS.s, asking
them TO come to the White House nj once.
III PRESIDENTS ~CoSDoLENCB.
The president sent the following telegram
to Mrs Hendricks:
Executive Mansion. Washington, u. C., Nov.
25.-To Mrs. 4. A. Hendricks, indianapolis: The
sudden and lamentabi6 death OF your M sbaud
sxcites my profound sympathy for you in this
hour OF Your great bereavement, and ! stnae.oly
mourn the decease OF enc so lately associated
with me in the execution Of the peoples highest
trust, while the nation mOurns the loss Of an
honored citizen and faithful public servant
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Senator Edmunds was appraised OF the
Heath Of the vice president by a reporter.
md was greatly affected He sald that he
had known Mr. Hendricks u great many
years, and they were intimate friends in old
times In the senate, and he added:
I have always had a personal regard for him. I
egret exceedingly his death. / shall call a
meeting to-morrow OF all the senators In the
city TO make such arrangements to have the
senate represented at the funeral as are proper.
Secretary Bayard said:
The news OF Mr.. Hendncks' death IL painful 70
us all, but the condition in which the American
people are placed by his death, through the
failure OF congress to pass proper laws regarding
the presidential succession, the fact that there
Ia now hut one man between the American peO-
pie and no president, Is more painful 10 con-
template.
Secretary Lamar said:
My acquaintance with Mr.. Hendricks was not
Intimate. lie has been for many years q great
fayortte In the South, and | think was regarded
all over the country as q very safe, conservative
statesman, g man Of great dignity and force OF
character. He had the faculty OF att aching
friends TO him. very warmly. Although his
death is very sudden and a great shock 20 Us, l
have often heard his friends express apprehen-
sion a. TO the condition Of his health ever since
his attack some years ago.
TIE PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION.
When the cabinet adjourned the president
Issued the following:
Executive Mansion, Washington, d. G., Nov.
25, lSs5.-To the people OF the United States:
Thomas A. Hendricks. vice president Of tho
United States, died to-day at 5 o'clock p. m. Mt
indianapolis, and IL becomes my mourntul duty
20 announce the distressing fact to his fellow
citizens. In respect TO the memory OF this Off
cial and patriotic public servant, whose long
career was SO full OF usefulness and honor TO his
state and TO the United States, it ia
ordered that the national dag be dis
public buildings Of the United States; that the
executive mansion and the several executive de-
partments In the city OF Washington be closed
on the day OF the funeral, and be draped in
mourning for the period Of thirty days; THAI
the usual and appropriate military and naval
honors be rendered, and that on all the legation
and consulars OF the United States in foreign
countries the national flag shall be dispiaycd N
half-mast on the reception Of this order, and the
usual emblems of mourning be adopted for
thirty days. LStgnedl
GROVER CLEVELAND, President
I. Il, BAYARD, Secretary Of State.
A NEEDED LAW MAY BE PASSED.
The death of Mr.. Hendricks leaving, az ID
does, but one life between the presidency
and a vacancy in the office, to which no one
under the law can succeed. will undoubtedly
impel congress TO pass the bill which has
been pending 40 long TO provide tor a regular
successor. Several times has such n bill been
reported from committees Of both houses
and once a measure for the purpose wa
passed By both; but they were unlike Ia the
most essential features, and the senators an
representatives were not able to adjIst Their
differences This event will renew the
discussion, and IL IL 10 be hoped that some
plan of succession will be decided upon. AT
the cabinet meeting tonight, the subject was
introduced by MIR. Bayard, who gave the
history of congressional action upon 10, and
quite q long discussion ensucd. The presi.
dent had no intention Of referring to this mat.
ter In his message, but the painful reminder
OF the uncertainty OF human life, coming a.
IL does with direct force to him personally,
will cause an addition TO that document IN
which he Will urge congress To act at onca
New YORK, Nov. 20. -Ssnator John Sner.
man was seen &C tho Fifth Avenue hotel, aad
said:
The death OF the vice president would not
AFFECT the organization OF tho senate In any way
way, as the case was extremely simple Gus Uf
elected In the presence Of the vice president,
who, when a party opposite I'm politics was in
power, could not exercise much influence. lie
did not appoint the sena-e committees. which
we're named In cauGuses by the Dominant rarity.
IT present the senate was without a presIdiug
officer. H. must be remembered that the senate,
unlike the house, was a prominent body and
there was no customs about eleCting permanent
officers. have not the slightcst idea
who wiz be elected. The matter Il alto
g1ther Of friendly consultation. Twas q personal
Friend o. Mr.. Hendricks aud knew him very
we'll. He was a man Of marked character, and 4
regular attendant OF the Episcopal church The
death OF Mr.. Hendricks will not probably have
any effect on Indiana politics, aud this loss or ~
one man nowadays makes makes much differ
ence To the country. Bat he was certainly one
OF the most prominent OF men In the Democratic
party, and l remember him we'll when he first
came into congress In 1868 aud took a leading
part in tine reconstruction policy. | think that
Hendricks, Thurman, Morton and Mcdonald
were all Ohio men living In Indiana. The con-
tingenoy has never arisen when the president Of
the senate became president Of the United
States, and | only remember one instance where
the vice president has died, and that was King.
who was electe with Pierce. | don't want 10
discuss the probabilities, and we on our side
certainly want 20 soc Cleveland serve his term
Z out.
THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
wAsHrsGFos, Nov. 25.-Justice Miller of
the United States supreme court, in speak
ing of the presidential succession tonight,
said.
IF Nj. Edmunds had been elected president
9rotempore Of the senate at the recent extra scs-
Of that body, he would now be the constitutional
successor to the presidencs in Case OF the death
q Mr.. Cleveland during his term Of office,
though the tenure OF office OF the present pro-
tempsre can he terminated at will by vote Of the
senate"
DO you think that the sudden death of the
vice president viii give rise to a constitutional
amendment defining more clearly the status OF
the president pro tempOre Of the senator"
mo. IL il not needed, The president pro
temuore holds office until the return OF the vice
president or until the senate elects his sue
cessor. nor IA his tenure OF office limited 10 a
single session, Tor tho senate Is a BODY IL per-
petHo, not expiring by Limitation as does tho
house Of representatives
Ex-JusTIcE STRONG,
pf the supreme court, said:
I II Mr.. Cleveland should also die before the
meeting OF congress, the cCuHtTy would be
Without a head, aud a most difficult problem
woald be offered for solution. A constitutions
amendment Is not necessary, but a con-
gressIonal enactment t. certainly II eedcd
md under the circumstances will rrob
Ihly be adopted bv the inc Cmfu
congress, vesting the presidential succession, IL
case of the death of the president vic,
president and speaker Of the house, In the sscre.
tary OF state until an election could be held. Ia
that contingency the secretary OF state would bs
legally the only acting president, although b,
cou Lesy he would be called president. The 1.mt