Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-12-02
THE SUCCESSION.
Probable Political Eject of Mr.. Hendricks
Death.
Washington special.

washington special.
There is no constitutional or statutory prOyiS-
ion for the succession to the Presidency should
tho disability Of President Cleveland occur.
There IL no President pro tenn. of the Senate, md
there is no Speaker Of the House of Representa-
tives. and neither branch Of Congress is in
session. Several efforts have been made OF
late years to make some provision for such an
exiSeHcy as now exists, and always with
out success, because the exigency seemed
remote, and therefore Senators and Con-
sressinen would give no attention to the
matter, or the situation was such hat any
provision that could be made would give an nd
vantage to one political party that the other
wonld not consent to. The House is not a con-
tinuing body, so that for nine months in every
alternate year there Is no Speaker. But the
Senate is u continuing body, and it might always
have u substitute presiding officer ON hand. In
former years Il good deal of care was taken to
have a President pro tenn. in existence, but this
provision for the future is wholly in the hands
Of the Vice President, and the last two Vice
Presidents have neglected or refused to al-
low the Senate the opportunity of electing o
substitute. IL WINS formerly regarded rs obliga-
tory on n new Vice President to absent himself
from the Senate one day, so that the Senate
could have n chance to elect, but 1t was very
generally remarked on that in the special ses-
sion OF the Senate in the spring of 1881 Vice
President Arthur occupied his seat every day
ana gave the Senate no chance to elect. At the
special session OF the senate last spring tho
same thing occurred. The Vice President oceu-
pied the chair every day. and when the
Senate adjourned there was no President
pro tenn. The propriety of allowing the
Senate to elect Il President pro tenn,
was suggested to Mr.. Hendricks, but he
referred to the precedent established by Mr..
Arthur, and followed it. When the Senate
meets, 1t will be called to order by Gen. Me
Cook, the Secretary, and the first question
will be whether u President pro tenn. shall be
elected first, or whether the senior Senator pres
cnt shall administer the oath of office to the two
Senators-eleet. Gen. Logan, OF Illinois, and Mr..
Mitchell, OF Oregon. 1t is entirely inmaterial
which Is done first, for tho Republicans will have
forty Senators aud the Democrats only thirty
four. Atth special session of the Senate after
the death OF President Garfield the Democrats
insisted on first e~lecting the presiding officer.
and they carried their point and elected Mr..
Bayard, who immediately administered the
oath OF Office to the Senators-elect. Tl,ereupon
the Republicans acquired n majority. and the
next day elacted Senator David Davis President
pro tenn. Tbs presiding officer so chosen will
have the right of succession to the Presidency
in case OF Mr.. Clevclands death until a special
election can be had, Who will he elected Pres
ident pro tenn. is already n subject OF gossip.
Mr.. Edmunds Will expect it because he has had
the office last, and to elect some one else would
be considered as n slight TO him.