The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-02
The Presidents Address.

lows;
The Presidents Address.
Gentlemen of the Bar Association of Ten
nossee:
Ardcle XIII Of your cor sitution
provides that the president shall open
each annual meeting OF the assocla-
ton with an address, in which he
shall 'mmunicate the most note.
worthy changes in the statute law on
points Of general interest made ia the
State and by Congrets during the pre-
ceding year.
LEGISLATION.
fortunately for your President, and
perhaps fortunately for the State, there
has been no session of the Legislature
since our last annual meeting.
The Congre OF the United States,
however, has of course been In session !;
but very little OF general interest has
been enacted by that body.
Many question OF much pith and
moment, and OF great public concern,
have been discussed aud cons dered
during this term of Congress; but upon
examination 1t is surpr sing to find
that very little has been enacted into
law.
PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
OF the laws parsed, the first in time,
as also ia importance, is an "Act to
provide for the performance Of the
Office OF President, In case OF the death,
removal, OF inab lily OF both President
and vicePIesident." Approved jan
uary 10, 1886.
BY this act, in such an emergency,
the duties OF the Chief Executive are
devolved upon the Secretary of State,
or II there be none, or in case OF his
removal, death, resignation or ina
biity, then the Secretary OF the
Treasury; and upon like inability,
then the Secretary OF War; and upon
his inability, then the Attorney GEN
eral and upon his inability, then the
Postmaster Genera and upon his in-
ability, then the Secretary Of the
Navy; then on like conditions the
Secretary of the Interior shall act as
President until the inability of the
President and Vice President is re.
moved or a President thall be elected.
1t is provided that whenever the
powers and duties of the Office OF the
President shall devolve upon any OF
the persons named herein, If Congress
be not In session, or il 1t would not
meet in accordance with law within
twenty days thereafter, II shall be the
duty OF the per'on, upon whom said
powers and duties shall devolve, to
issue a proclamation converting Con-
gress In extraordinary 81 ss,ou, giving
twenty days notice Of the time OF
meeting.
Section provides that the pre-
cedipg section shall only DO held 10
describe and apply to such officers as
ehall have been appointed by the adj
vice and consent OF the Senate for the
Offices therein named, and such ~ are
eligible to the office OF President
under the Constitution, and not under
impeachment by the House OF Repre- =
sentatives at the time the powers aud
duties Of the office shall devOlve upO
them respectively,
Sc t'ou rere 3 selti ms 146 l47,
l4S, li9, 100 OF the Revised Statutes.
The passage VI this act has greatly
relieved the public mind in relation
10 a question that recent history has
made quite prominent,
1t is believed that the National
Legislature has reached wise solu-
ton, and 1t isto be hoped that this
new law may never have occasion for
Its enforcement, certainly not by rea-
son OF such trsgic events as gave rise
to its pas age.
AMERICAN SHIPPING.
We are glad to note the passage Of
an act concerning American shipping,
which, while il may not at once give
us a place amongst the nations OF the
world so far as our mercantile marine
is concerned, yet is step, though n
modest one, in that direction.
1t is entitled an "Act 10 provide
for an American register for the
steamship Caroline Miller, of Bslti-
more, Nd" Approved March Is,
1886.
II provides that the Commissioner
Of Navigation is authorized to Gauss
the foreign built steamship Caroline
Miller, owned st the port OF Bal l.
more by +. q. Miller, and rebuilt by
him at Baltimore, Md, TO be regis.
tered by him az a vessel of the United
States.
As showing that the good work goes
on, we fad n similar act, approved
March Is, 1886, entitled an "Act 10
provide for an American register foI
tue steamship 0zsms," Of New York
City, and thus the foreign built steam.
ship owned at the port OF New York
by VIM. p. DIVIDE, is registered as 9
vessel Of the United States.
This is all the legislation concerning
our shipping, and when the charac ,el
of our navy aud marine interest gen.
orally ia considered, il is encouraging
TO know that Congress has done s.
much.
MISCELLANEOUS BILLS.
We also f1d an "Act 10 increase the
pensions Of widows end dependent Re
latives OF dec sd soldiers and GAIL
Ma"
Also an act additional to an ac', en-
sd an "Act to provide national
sncy d by pie lge OF United
Rs bonds aad TO provide for the