Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1885 — THE LAW OF SUCCESSION. [ARTICLE]

THE LAW OF SUCCESSION.

The Course to Be Pursued in the Event of the Death of Both the President and Vice President. A few quotations from legal lore will be of interest on this subject at this time. The Constitution of the United States, Article 11. Section 1, says : “In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation or inability to discharge the powers and duties of said office, the same shall devolve upon the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide for" the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both as to the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly until the disability be removed or a President shall be elected.” Sections 146 to 160, ihclusive, of the Revised Statutes say: Sec. 146. In case of the removal, death, resignation or inability of both the President and Vice President of the United States, the President of the Senate, er, if there is none, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the time being shall act as President until the disability is removed or a President elected. Sec. 147. Whenever the office of President and Vice President both beoome vacant, the Secretary of State shall forthwith cause a notification thereof to be made to the executive, of every State, and shall also cause the same to be published in at least one of the newspapers printed in each State. She. 148. The notification shall specify that electors of a President and Vice President of the United States shall be appointed or chosen in the several States, as follows: First. If there shall be tho space of two months yet to ensue between the date of such notification and the first Wednesday in December then next ensuing, such notification shall specify that the electors shall be appointed or chosen within thirty-four days preceding such first Wednesday in December.

Second. If there shall not be the space of two months between the date of such notification and such first Wednesday in December, and if the term for which the President and Vice President last in office were elected will not expire on the third day of March next ensuing, the notification shall specify that the electors shall be appointed or chosen within thirty-four days preceding the first Wednesday in December in the next year ensuing. But if there shall not be the space of two months between the date of such notification and the first Wednesday in December then next ensuing, and if the term for which the President and Vioe President last in office were elected will expire on the third day of March next ensuing, the notification shall not specify that electors are to be appointed.or chosen. Sec. 149. Electors appointed or chosen upon the notification prescribed bj T the preceding sections shall meet and give their votes upon the first Wednesday in December specified in the notification. Sec. 150. The provisions of this title relating to the quadrennial election of President and Vice President shall apply w'ith respect to any election to fill vacancies in the offices of President and Vioe President held upon a notification given when both offices become vacant. The electors for President and Vice President to fill vacancy shall be appointed or chosen as in regular elections as the Legislatures of the States may direct. Article I. sec. 3, of the Constitution provides that tho Vice President of the ynited. States shall be President of the Senate and shall act as President of the United States in case of the death or removal of the incumbent. A President pro tern, shall be elected by the Senate to act as presiding officer of that body in case of the absenceor promotion of the Vice President.