Presidential Bee.-When a man has presidential aspirations and allows his public acts to be influenced by his desire to draw votes, his action is frequently ascribed to his having the presidential bee in his bonnet. The reference is probably to a certain uneasiness in the deportment of an individual under both circumstances.

Presidential Fever.-When a man is thought to be very anxious to become President, his acts are frequently explained on the theory that he has the presidential fever, as it is called, meaning thereby that his aspirations and his consequent desire to become popular have rendered his public acts abnormal, just as fever does the physical system.

Presidential Flag. (See Flag, Presidential.)

Presidential Succession.-The Constitution, Article 2, section 1, provides that "in case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation. or inability to discharge the duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President," the power to provide for further contingencies being left with Congress. This Congress did by means of the Act of March 1, -1792. In cases of death, of removal by impeachment, or of resignation no difficulties are met with, but the power to declare the "inability" of the President in cases where the same is not on the surface, as in insanity, is lodged nowhere. In such a case the Vice-President would probably take it upon himself to act as President, and the Supreme Court would be the final judge of the validity of his acts. The law of 1792 declares that in case of inability of the Vice-President the office devolves on the president pro tempore of the Senate, and after him on the Speaker of the House, until a new election can be ordered. It also provided that the Secretary of State should notify the Executives of the States of any vacancy in the Executive office by reason of failure on the part of the Vice-President, and if at that date there be still two months intervening before the first Wednesday in December (the day on which the electors vote), then an election for President shall be ordered to be held within thirty-four days preceding the

latter day. If the intervening time be less than two months, and the current presidential term expire on the 4th of March following, then no election for the unexpired term takes place; but if the time be less than two months, and the term does not so expire, then a new election shall be ordered for the following year. The Twelfth Amendment provides that in cases in which the House has not exercised its right of choosing a President (when the choice falls to it) by March 4th following, the Vice-President shall act as President; but fails to provide for a contingency where neither President nor Vice-President is selected, and where no President pro tempore of the Senate has been chosen. The assassination of Garfield at a time when the House was not organized and while there was no President pro tempore of the Senate, led to agitation of the subject, and in 1883 a bill was introduced into the Senate to regulate this matter, but it was not considered by the House. In December, 1685, substantially the same bill was again introduced and this time passed. It was approved January 19, 1886. Its provisions are as follows: In case of inability on the part of both President and Vice-President, the Executive office falls to the Cabinet officers in the following order, provided the officer on whom it devolves has been confirmed by the Senate, and is by birth and otherwise qualified to hold the office: The Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of War, the Attorney-General, the Postmaster-General, the Secretaries of the Navy, of the Interior. The officer thus selected serves out the unexpired term.

President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Vice-President of the United States.)

(See

Presidents, Coincidence in the Ages of.-John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and John Quincy Adams, each of them, except John Adams, was in his fifty-eighth year when inaugurated, as was also Washington. Each, except John Quincy Adams, closed his term in his sixty-sixth year. Each was, therefore, eight years older than his suc

eessor.

President of the United States.-For the powers of the President, see Executive. Below is a list of the Presidents of the United States:

Presidents de Facto and de Jure.-The presidential election of 1876 was practically decided by the Electoral Commission. Many of the adherents of Samuel J. Tilden, the defeated nominee, asserted that his defeat was the result of fraud, and to emphasize this belief they persisted in speaking of him as President de jure (by right) and of Rutherford B. Hayes, the successful candidate, as President de facto (actual President as distinguished from rightful President).

President's Message.-Article 2, section 3 of the Constitution declares that the President "shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." This section has led to the annual messages

which it is the custom of the President to lay before Congress immediately on its assembling. Washington and Adams read these to Congress in person. Jefferson inaugurated the custom since followed of sending it to the House. This message deals, in more or less detail, with the internal and foreign affairs of the nation, stating what steps have been taken in any direction, and recommending such as the President deems necessary. The message of President Cleveland to the Fiftieth Congress at its first session was an exception in this respect, dealing only with the subject of the reduction of the tariff, his object being to emphasize the importance of that subject, in view of the rapidly increasing surplus. This course had been adopted by but one President before him. President Madison's messages in 1813 and 1814, during the War of 1812, related exclusively to that struggle.

Primary Convention. (See Nominating Conven tions.)

Privateer.-A privateer is an armed vessel owned, equipped and manned by private parties, which bears a commission (called letters of marque or letters of marque and reprisal) from a government to attack and seize the property of enemies at sea. The inducement to individuals to engage in privateering is a share in the prizes captured. The practice has been recognized by international law. The advantage to a belligerent State is an increase of its effective naval forces, which is especially desirable when the regular navy is small. The drawbacks to the system are that privateers, actuated by the hope of gain and not being under any naval discipline, are liable to infringe the rights of neutrals and to disregard the limits of legitimate war. During the last hundred years various steps have been taken to abolish privateering. The most important step was taken in 1856, just after the Crimean War, when by the Declarations of Paris many of the nations of Europe agreed not to employ privateers against each other. All the chief states of Europe and America have since given their adherence to this declaration except Spain, the United States and

Mexico. The United States was willing to become a party to the agreement only on condition that all private property at sea, not contraband, should be exempt from capture. But this "Marcy" or "American "`amendment, as it was called, was not accepted. During the Civil War the Confederate States offered letters of marque to persons of all countries, but no admittedly foreign vessels were so commissioned. During the same period the Congress of the United States empowered the President to grant commissions to privateers, but none such were granted. In 1861 the United States offered to assent to the Declarations of Paris, but England and France declined our adherence unless on condition (which was, of course, not accepted) that our action should have no bearing on the "internal differences prevailing in the United States." This government is far from favoring the system of privateering, although Congress is permitted by Article 1, section 8, of the Constitution, to "grant letters of marque and reprisal," and among civilized nations the commissioning of privateers is practically at an end.

Private Legislation is the passage by Congress, or a State Legislature, of an act which affects only individuals or particular classes of men or things. "Private act" is a term used in opposition to a "general law" which affects the whole community.

Proclamation of Amnesty.-In the history of this country there have been five such proclamations: all had relation to the Civil War. The first was issued by President Lincoln December 8, 1863. The Act of Congress of July 17, 1862, had authorized it, notwithstanding the fact that a general pardoning power, in cases of offense against the United States, is granted to the President by the Constitution. This proclamation offered pardon and restoration of all property, except slaves or in cases where rights of third parties would be interfered with, to all persons then in rebellion against the government, on condition of their taking a prescribed oath. This oath declares adherence to and support of the Constitution and the Union and of all laws and proclamations