New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-09
4 sIXTEENTH 1YEYDMgyT.


Since THE TRIBUNE, In connection with the
announcement that the certificate OF the Texas
electors was defective and that the messenger
had started post haste for Austin TO procure
another, called attention TO the possible pre-
dicaments involved in the electoral system,
other contingencies have been pointed out and
copiously discussed by our contemporaries.
The Boston Advertiser has lately considered
the dilemma In which the country would bG
placed should the Presidentelect or Vice-Pres-
ident-elect, or both die or be incapaotated
after the meeting Of the Electoral Colleges and
before the 4 tn Of March. Mr.. A. w. Paine, Of
Bangor, has expressed through The Adver-
tiseI'' the conviction that "a state Of anarchy
is the only possible outcome Of such a catas-
trophe" no constitutional provision meeting
the case Senator Hoar, an undoubted au-
thority, practically confirms this view. He
intmates that the country might aequ!esce in
applying the Presidential succession law to
such an emergency, but he admits that II the
President-eleot should die within the period
referred 10, the Vice-Presidentelect could sue
coed him only by strained construction Of
the law and Of the Constitution" and that IL
both should die Congress has no authority,
under a literal construction Of the Constitu-
ton, TO Gil the vacancy. When the time
seems opportune,n writes Senator Hoar, there
should be an amendment to the Constitution
putting that and some other kin dred matters
beyond question"
| We agree WITH "The Boston Advertiser
that now is the opportune time. 1t is an
extraordinary fact that during q century Of
1 ba trv chottld
have recognized the necessity for only five
amendments of the Fundamental law-only five,
for the first ten amendments were practically
almost part Of the original instrument, hav-
ing been contemplated by many Of the State
conventions which ratified il, duly proposed
at the first session Of the Ist Congress, and
made part of the Constitution within three
years. Moreover, the eleventh amendment
was adopted before the close OF the last CEN
fury, and the twelfth in 1904, and thereafter
for sixty-one years-a period during which
our only wars were fought and the country
gained its place in the first rank Of nations
no further amendment was found imperative.
II cannot be denied, however, that we have
been saved from disaster more than once by
popular acquiescence in debatable construc-
tons Of tho Constitution, and that good luck
or providential interference has constantly
ayerted such threatening contingencies as that
which we are now considering. But fortune
should not be tempted too far. There are
some possibilities 50 remote that they can be
prudently dehed, but the death Of President
elect before his Inauguration is not one Of
them. OF course such an event always seems
most unlikely in anticipation, but it is equally
certain that the strongest feeling produced by
its actual occurrence could not reasonably be
amazement. There is nothing really surpns-
ing in the most unexpected and deplorable
death.
Moreover, the worst consequences of such q
calamity can be so easily forestalled That it Is
sheer folly to live longer exposed 10 them. The
subject makes stronger appeal now, while we
arc passing through the period OF liability, than
IL can possibly make during the four years OF
safety following March 4, and now is the time
to take the first step toward providing against
the recurrence Of danger. Congress, even in
the few remaining weeks Of the session, ought
to find time TO submit All amendment Il. the
prescribed manner for ratification by the States.
We do not agree with THE Boston Adver-
tiser, that the ratification could be accom-