Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-23
PRESIDENTIAL SlHCESSlON.
The President PRO Tenn No Longer Eiigi-
ble-Men who Hnvo Held the Latter
Position.

Tie President FRO Tenn No Longer Eligi-
bic who Hnvo ucid the Latter
Position.
The onforccr absence of the vice presi-
dc mt from his post Of duty at tho coming
session will devolvc upon Senator frye
the duty of supervising the business Of
the Scratc as its president pro temrorc,
says Washington Corrtsp pendent, VINO
continues as follows:
with the exception Of this function. Mr..
Frye will not he subrogated to the vice
Ircsid,nts place, as the succession law
OF 1856 takes from the temporary preS-
dency of the Senate it's former Importance
as the second dignity in the government.
The office will nevertheless always carry
with II an cnviable honor, especially as its
occupant is not only Il presiding officer,
but Il senator as well. and competent TO
vote I'm cases in which the vice president
is denied that privilege. It has generally
been the aim of the Senate to put into "A
place of such power a man who. although
senator and partisan, would perform
his duties with impartialitY. John Lang
don of New Hampshire was the first prcsi-
dcnt pro tCmpore Of tn" senate. being
chosen on April 6, 1852 the day the Senate
of the First Congress procured a quorum.
Langdon was rich man befocn the war
Of the revolution began. He was a mem
hor Of the Continental Congress, and
when the State of New Hampshire wan. ed
to raise a regiment for the patriotic army
he camc forward with all his money and
plate, and subscribed i'm addition the pro-
coeds of seventy hogshcads of tobacco
thus raising enough to 1T out the brigade
with which General Stark fought the Hes
slams at Bennington. He was later gov
crnor Of New Hampshire, and in 1872 was
offered the ico-presidenCy on the same
ticket with Maids IN. but declined on ac-
count Of age and niirnity Tho most
in
tion to the presidency pro tcmpore is the
construction given to that clause in the
third section of the first article Of the
constitution which provides for the office,
The Senate is therein empowered to
choose "A president pro tcmpore "in the
absence of the vicc-pros dont, or when he
shall exercise the office Of President of
the United States" AS no Vicc-p president
existed at that time. the Senate did a
trifle more than the framers of the con-
stitution had in mind and elected
banEdon to preside over it and help count
the ballots for the first President and
vice-presidant. his situation is unique
in the history of Congress
Richard Henry Lee Of Virginia was the
president pro tempOrc OF the Senate in
the Second Congress II is noted for hav-
Ing presented the Declaration Of In1epyn-
doncc to the Continental Congress in 1776.
Ralph lizard of South Carolina succeeded
him IN the Third Congress; his fame rest
I'd in part on his refusal, while i'm Eng
land before the Revolution, to be present.
ed at court, becaUSe he would have to
bend his knee to the king. His immedia g
successor was Henrv 'r,zrweu or Viroino
n Great friend of Jrffnrson. Taz.w,.lI's
sovice was in the Third Congress- also.
The Fouc.th CONGRESS- like fbc Third saw
two presidents nro to,nrora of the senate.
Samuel Livermore of New Hampshire a d
William Bingham of Pennsylvania. the
Fifth saw i've. DIR Viui,m Yr,dforI Of
Rbodo Island Jacob Pond Of south car
Ira. Theodore Scdrewi,l of Connection.
John Lawrence Of Nov York--thn only
nnu of roreie,,, hirtb who b.s ,,vnr nro-
sided ovcr the S,rate-and lanes Ross of
pcnnsvlvania Inwronce NV IN, way. as
Judge advocate general in the Revolution.
presided at the trial of Major Andr.
Passing over sevoraI Conpresses ia save
space we come tn tho twelfth when
was The first tn SEQ i'm tho chair of the
senate a man who ortorvar1 ,oc,n,a -,
candidate for President This 1yos Nil
liam II Crawford of Goo,rin In the
'rhirteonth Congress served John Gaillard.
who with brief irtnrmtssions hold the urc-
eidinr onica,.'. chair in si> successive CON
e,esses He was asnociallv noted for his
combination Of aniahilitv and ,n,n4rtial-
itv ava absolute G,.,r.uoss Of ,,,,.oosa pass
ING oves, IN, interval ia tho Twantv-ninth
congress we find David r Atchison Of
Missouri filling The pr,sidinp officer :;
chair in tho senate and according 10 the
claims of some exnoundars Of the consti-
tution corstructivelv in Tho ooicn of the
President Of the I-nited stats for one
dnv tho Ar Of NI.rrb tSlQ poIL's torn,
nc president was ihen ovpirinp and. as
the dav for inaunuration fnll on Sunday.
Tho economy was nostnonod tiu March :
whom .vavIor was Installed There being
roithar prseidart ror yi,.-nrrstdent dur