Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-01
THE VACANCY IN THE TREASURY.
President Harrison's Message to Both
Houses of Congress on the Subject.
IBy telegraph 70 the Dlspatch.l

WASHINGTON, ID. c., January 91.-The
President TO-DAY sent to the Senate ana
House the following message IN regard 10
the vacancy in the Treasury:
The sudden death of Hon. william MN
dom. Secretary of the Treasury, IN New
York ON the evening of the 29th instant,
has directed nv attention TO the present
state of the law as 10 the filling or
vacancy occasioned by the death OF the
head of n department. / transmit herewith
an opinion of the AttOrney-General, from
which it will BE seen that under the statutes
in force no officer in the Treasury Depart
ment or other person designated Dy me
can exercise the duties of Secretary OF the
Treasury for q longer period than ten
davs. This limitation Is, am sure, IN
wise and necessarily involves IN such case
aq that now presented undue haste and
even indelicacy. The President should
NOT be required TO take mp the question OF
the selection Of the successor before the
last offices of affection and respect have
been paid to the dead.
THE DYCENCIEs OF LIFE.
If the prophecies of an occasion as sad
As that which now overshadows us are oD-
served. possibly one half of the brief time
allowed is gone before with due regard to
~ Gocencies of life the President and
those with whom he should advise can take
mn the consideration Of the grave duty OF
selecting head for one of the greatest de-
nartmeuts of the Government. Hasty &C
ron bv the Senate is also necessarily In
volved and geographical limitations are
practically imposed by the necessity OF Sc
Letting some one who can reach the capl-
tal and take the necessary oath or once De-
fore the expiration OF the ten Gays. IL may
be a very proper restriction OF the power
Of the President in his CONVICTION tnaV
he shall not designate for any great Length
az time a person to discharge the impor-
tant duties who has not been confirmed by
the Senate. but there would seem 10 DC no
reason why one of the assistant secretaries
of the department wherein the vacancy ex-
lists might not discharge the duties OF a
gecretary until a successor Is selected, con-
frmed. and qualified. The Inconvenience
of this limitation was made apparent al
the time OF the death OF Secretary tolger.
President Arthur in that case allowed one
of the assistant secretaries, who had been
des1onated TO acs IN the absence OF the Sec
Rotary. 10 continue in discharge OF sucn
duties for the further term OF ten Gays ana
then made temporary appointment as
secretary in order to secure the considera-
lion that he needed in filling this impor-
tant place.
A MODIFICATION RECOMMENDED.
recommend such modification OF
the existing laws as viii permit the first or
sole assistant, or in the case OF the Irea-
snrv DeDartment, where assistants are not
Graded that the one who may DO de-
siSnatod by the President to discharge the
duties of the head of the department I'M
| iii n successor is appointed ald qualified.
The Attorney-G General, in his opinion
transmitted with the Presidents message,
ouotes the statutes regarding the vacancies
| caused by the death. absence, &C., OF the
| head of the department, ana says that ~
sse,oa IN him impossible 10 escape the
ssSect cf section $50 of the Revised Statutes
IN hmiting TO period Of ten days the
| s;ms durirg which the vacancy IN the
Office NAV be filed, either BY the statutory
snceessor Of designation of the President,
nroyided for in other sections, which he
also quotes. This construction, he says
is borne out by the opinions OF his prede-
| coasOrg