Congress passed a law last session providing, as it is
empowered to do by the Constitution, for the case of a vacancy in the Presi- dency. By this law it appears that on the death or removal of a President who was originally elected as a Vice-President, the fact is to be notified to the Governors of the several States, and a new election to be appointed to take place thirty-four days before the first Wednesday of the following December. In the meantime, however, as we understand the law, the President elected by the Senate to conduct its own deliberations (now Mr. Foster) would become President of the Union, and in case of his death or removal the Speaker of the House of Representatives (now Mr. Colfax) would succeed. If, therefore, Mr. Johnson should be removed, Mr. Foster would succeed till next autumn, and then a new Presi- dent be chosen.
