Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-02
RE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.

The following is the bill yesting the
Presidential succession in the Cabinet,
which was introduced in the Senate by Mr..
HoAR, passed by that body last session
and fsyorably reported in the House with
amendments. The main provisions of the
bill ss it passed the Senate are embodied
in the frst section. The subsequent sec
ton, providing for special elections, were
added in the House;
Be it enacted, &c, That in case Of re.
moval, death, resignation, or inability Of
both the President and Vice President OF
the United States, the Secretary OF State,
or if there be none, or in case of his remoy'
al, death, resignation or inability, then the
Secretary of the Treasury, or If there be
none, or in case of his removal, death,
resignation or inability, then the Secretary
Of War or if there be none, or in case OF
his removal, death, resignation or
inability, then the Attorney General,
or If there bs none, or in
case of his removal, death, resignation or
inability, then the Postmaster General, or
if there be none, or in case of his removal,
death, resignation or inability, then the
Secretary Of the Navy, or if there be none,
or in case of his removal death, resigna-
ton or inability, then the Secretary of the
Interior shall act as President until the
disability of the President or Vice Presi-
dent is removed or President shall be
elected, such officer being eligible to the
office of President under the Constitution,
and not under articles Of Impeachment by
the House of Representatives Of the United
Stated at the time the powers and duties OF
the Office shall deyolve upon him.
SIC. THAT the preceding section
shall only be held to describe and apply to
those officers who shall have been sp-
pointed by the advice and consent of sthe
Senate to the Offices therein named.
SEC 3.-Thst said acting President Of
the United States shall continus in
the performance of the duties thus
devolyed upon him until the expirs-
ton of his term for which the President
aud Vice President last in office were elect
ed; provided, that the duration of said un.
expired term shall not exceed the space OF
twelve calendar months; but If said unex-
PRED term shall exceed the space oftwelye
calendar months, then and in that case the
acting President shall forthwith cause no
LITIGATION of vacancy in the Offices of
President and Vice President of the United
States to be made to the executive Of every
State and shall also cause the same to be
published in at least four of the newspapers
printed in each State. The notification
shall specify that electors Of President
and Vice President shall be appoint
ed or chosen in the several States to
ELL the said unexpired term; and the time
for the appointment or choosing of such
electors shall De day not more than sixty
days after the date of said notification;
and if there shall be the space OF more than
sixty DAYS yet to ensue between the ap
pointment or choosing Of electors and the
first Wednesday Of December next ensuing,
then and in that case it shall be the duty
of the acting President to issu9 a procls-
nation converting Congress to meet in ex-
traordinsry session, giving twenty days
notice of the time Of the meeting, and the
Congress shall proceed, according to Law,
to ascertain the persons elected President
aud Yice-President to fill the said uDex-
pred term.
SEC. 4-That electors appointed or cho
sen upon the notification prescribed by the
preceding section shall meet and give their
votes upon the first Wednesday OF the
month next after such appointment.
SEC. 5.-Thst sections l46, l41, l48
and l49 Of the Revised Statutes are hereby
repealed.
One of the frat duties OF Congress upon
assembling next Monday should be to take
action on this question. Senator HoAR's bill
seems to be a very acceptable solution.
Placing the Cabinet officers in the line OF
succession will be an almost certain pre-
ventive of two grave difnculties-an inter
regum in the line Of succession and the
transfer Of the departments Of Government
to the opposite political party. With such
a law as that proposed by Ne. HOAR, should
the Secretary of State or any other Of the
Cabinet officers assume the duties of the
Chief Executive, the Government would
in all probability move on without any
break or change of policy.
But the amendment proposed by the
House in regard to special elections may
not be so advisable. We have too many
elections already and it would be be better
no doubt, if our Presidents we're chosen
every six years instead Of tour. With
special elections, it would be possible for the
Administration to change hands one or
moretimes during the four years between the
regular elections. And should change
not occur the holding of elections, slore,
would submit the people to unnecessary
unessiuess and trouble. All this would be
avoided by allowing some officer of the
Cabinet to fill the Presidential Office dur
ing the remainder OF the uuexplred term.