Slike strani
PDF
ePub

to expire, or electing others in anticipation of vacancies, the Senate may preserve a continued existence in full force.

4. The fourth table, page 385, contains the names and the commencement and termination of service of the secretaries of the Senate of the United States, there having been only four individuals in the occupancy of that responsible office from the commencement of the Government under the Constitution to the present time, a circumstance which has preserved to this Honorable Body the advantages of accumulated experience in the Officers in their service.

5. The table commencing with page 386, exhibits the names and terms of service of the Representatives in Congress who have been elected to, and have occupied, the distinguished station of Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, from the 4th March, 1789, to the 3d March, 1851, and the names of the States of which they were Representatives.

6. The sixth table, page 388, contains the names, and the commencement and termination of service of the Clerks of the House of Representatives of the United States, from which it appears that thirteen changes have taken place in the occupancy of this office since the 4th March, 1789; making an average of less than five years' service to each individual, a circumstance which has sometimes. deprived that Honorable House of much of the advan

tage of accumulated experience, which the business of legislation and the public interest so constantly require in the service of Legislative Bodies.

The second and fourth tables embrace the names of all those individuals who have occupied the stations of Vice President, President pro tempore, and Speaker of the House of Representatives; the occupants of which offices have been constituted a reserve corps by the provisions of the Constitution, and of the act of Congress of the 1st March, 1792, in the order in which they are here mentioned, to fill the office of President of the United States, in the event of its becoming vacant by any of the casualties enumerated in the Constitution. Hence has arisen the practice of the Vice President's retiring from the Chair of the Senate a short time previous to the adjournment of each session, with the view of affording the Senate an opportunity of choosing a President pro tempore, who, according to the prevailing practice, would hold that office until the reappearance of the Vice President in the Senate; and, should any casualty deprive the country of the services of the President and Vice President acting as President, during the recess of Congress, the President pro tempore so chosen, according to the prevailing understanding, would be prepared to occupy that office until a President could be elected; which office would otherwise, however, devolve on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, should the vacancy happen

during the existence of a Congress; but should there be no President pro tempore, and the vacancy occur during a recess, after the expiration of one Congress and previous to the assembling of another, while there was no Speaker, there would then be no officer to fill that high and responsible station.

These tables may afford a useful suggestion of the importance of preserving the biography of distinguished citizens who may have been, or may be called to important public stations, with a view of extending the practical political history of the country, which, perhaps, could not be more effectually developed than by a faithful delineation of the characters, principles, and acts of the American statesmen, whose wisdom and patriotism have elevated the character of the Republic, and will continue to guide its destinies, as it is fervently hoped, through the long vista of ages to the consummation of time.

30*

ELECTORAL VOTES FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Election for the First term, commencing 4th March, 1789, and terminating with 3d March, 1793.

No. of electors

appointed by

each State.

STATES.

G. Washington, of Virginia.

John Adams, of Massachusetts.

Sam'l Huntingdon, of Conn't.

John Jay, of N. York.

John Hancock, of Mass.

R. H. Harrison,

of Maryland. George Clinton, of New York.

John Rutledge, of S. Carolina.

John Milton, of Georgia.

Jas. Armstrong, of Georgia.

Edward Telfair, of Georgia.

Benj'n Lincoln, of Mass.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

George Washington, elected President, took the oath of office and entered upon its duties on 30th April, 1789. John Adams, elected Vice President, entered upon his duties in Senate 21st April, 1789, and took the oath of office on 3d June, 1789.

« PrejšnjaNaprej »