French Broad hustler and Western Carolina Democrat. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1915-1916, 1916-07-06
PRECEDENT
GOVERNING
INAUGURATION

Because of the fact that March 4.
1917, falls on Sunday, and because it is
not customary to inaugurate the Presi-
dent on the Sabbath day the impress
sion has gone out that Robert Lansing.
as Secretary of State. will be Presi-
dent with all the powers of the Office
during the "a hours that will elapse
between the expiration of President
Wilson's term at noon March 4 and
the Inauguration of his successor at
noon on March s..
1t is possible that this may happen,
but a study of the inaugurations of the
past discloses other possibilities which
may shut Lansing out of this brief
honor.
The law of 1886 provides that when
ever the President and Vice President
are both unable for any reason to per-
form the duties of the executive office
the Secretary of State shall act as
President. The terms of Wilson and
Marshall expire at loon on Sunday,
March 4, 1917. That gives Lansing his
chance. If nothing else is done about
it the Secretary of State will automat-
ically become President, with the right
to occupy the White House, issue par
dons command the army and navy,
and, if he chooses, ride to the inaugur-
al ceremonies at the Capitol as the out
going president.
But there is no need to shout for
President Lansing just yet.
The chances are great that some
thing else will be done about it.
The same thing has happened three
times before, each of these occasions,
however. being before the enactment
of the law of 1886.
James Madison's second term of Of
fee began on Sunday, March 4, 1921,
Zachary Taylor's term began on Sun
day, March 4 1916. In each case the
President took the oath and was in
augurated on the following Monday.
III each of these occasions the Office
was vacant and the nation without a
President for "a hours.
Rutherford B. Hayes term began on
9sBo s!q4 VI -ZL8I y qOIBN GBpunS
there was no interregnUm. Hayes
made dead sure by taking the oath on
Saturday evening, March 8. The cere-
mony was performed in the red room
of the White House, with President
Grant and Secretary Fish as witnesses.
Chief Justice Waite administered the
oath.
Hayes was inaugurated at noon on
Monday, when he repeated the oath,
on5 ~ mos mt than lTy Known
that he had already taken it.
According to the Constitution, only
the taking of the oath is necessary to
turn the President-elect into the
President On the close of his predeces-
sor's term. The rest of the ceremony
of inauguration is unofficial.
Therefore, there is nothing to pre-
vent Wilson's successor from taking
the oath of Office privately on Satur-
day as Hayes did. Perhaps he might
take it at noon Sunday, though law
yers might disagree as to the validity
of an oath on the Sabbath. At any
rate there is nothing in the Consti-
luton to prevent the Inauguration
from taking place On Sunday, though
custom rules against it.
there is even another possibility
against Lansing and MS cndnce OF 0e
ing enrolled among the Presidents. If
the President-elect does not choose
to take the oath of office before Mon
day there is nothing to prevent the
Vice President from doing SO. in which
case he would become President until
the President-elect had qualified.
1t is customary to administer the
oath to the Vice President-elect first.
So, strictly speaking, the Vice Presf-
dent is President for the few minutes
that elapse before the oath is admin
istered to the President-elect; that is.
provided the oaths are administered
after IL noon.
Lansing's chances looks pretty slim.
But, still it is a chance. If neither
the President-elect nor the Vice Pres
ident-elect takes the oath until Mon
day, March 5, 1917, and Lansing lives
and does not resign. he will be the
President of the United States for a,
day.
He will enjoy the honor just about
as long as some Of the recent Mexi-
can presidents.
None of the historians will be likely
to bother much with tracing the infu-
ence of President Lansing upon the
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