That happened once
in the case of Vice-President Gerry, and again, within my
personal knowledge, in the case of Vice-President Arthur.
When he succeeded to the Presidency there was no President
of the Senate who would have taken his place if he too had
happened to be assassinated. So of the Speaker of the House.
For a great many years the first session of a newly-elected
House of Representatives has begun in December. There is
no Speaker from the previous fourth of March until that time.
Beside, the Senate, whose members hold office for six years
and of whom only one-third goes out every two years, is very
apt to have a majority whose political opinions are opposed
to those which have prevailed in the last Presidential election.
So, if the President and Vice-President both die before taking
their seats, the President of the Senate is quite likely to
bring into the Executive Office opinions which the people
have just rejected in the election.
On the other hand, the Secretary of State is always a member
of the party that has prevailed in the last election, and
is usually the member of the party, next to the President
himself, highest in its confidence.
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