The Washington critic., 1886-01-15
WASHINGTON. JAN. 10, 1886.
1ur PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.

IuE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
In the good old days when the Con
stitulion of the United States was in
course Of construction the Fathers of
the Republic evidently thought that
the easiest and simplest thing they had
TO do was to provide for the election of
President So little pains did they
bes,ow upon this part of our organic
law, which in most respects Is a model,
that they forgot to make It clearly
understood how the vote was to be
counted, TO say nothing of the other
important fact that the subject of the
Presidential succession was left at such
loose ends rs to open the way to
anarchy were not the people of this
country constitutionally opposed to
anything bearing that name or shape,
The time has come, however, for
correction of these defects; or rather
events have shown the possibility of
contingencies in the executive admin
istration of the Government that might
prove serious to the public welfare
without some ilrmer anchorage in the
law than we now have. That which
is obscure must be elaborated and made
plain. That which is left out must be
inserted. II is for Congress to put the
country on the safe side so that no
question may under any circumstances
arise as to the order of succession or
the exercise of executive functions in
ease of the death or disability or resigna-
lion of the Chief Magistrate.
The bill which passed the Senate is
in most respects good one and will
answer every purpose. The objection
is interposed that the succession to II
President elected by the people should
not devolvc upon any person not so
elected, as would be the case were the
Secretary of State to succeed; and the
question is capable of being compli-
Gated with many other technical diff
culties. The Secretary of State be-
coming President, would he thereby
vacate his own office? Or through an
other casualty, the Secretary of the
Treasury becoming President, and as
such appointing new Secretary Of
State, which of the two would then be
entitled to hold the Presidential office?
and so on.
Or the whole Cabinet, in attending
the Presidents funeral, might be
smashed up in Il railroad collision.
What them
What particularly commonds the
IIoar bill, however, is its adherence TO
the very just and conservative idea that
every administration should be per
mittcd to fill out its full political
period, without party change or recon
struction. Better for the party in
power-better for the country at large
the principle of succession through
the Cabinet, than the turmoil of new
election, the general revolution in Of
flee il might entail and the abrupt re-
versals Of policy that might follow.
Were the Presidency TO become va
cant tomorrow, the Democratic party
is certainly in no condition to crave the
hazard of another trial of strength at
the polls with still formidable antag-
onist, Neither should the people at
large desire to be upset with the com
motion of another national canvass fol-
lowing so soon upon the last. 1t is
well then TO keep the leading idea of
The Senate bill prominently at the front,
with such amendments as may seem
technically expedient, or else relegate
the entire responsibility to the Flee
toral College, first clothing that body
with continuous existence from term
to term.