One of the concerns I remember reading wound up leading to the passing of the Presidential Succession Act of 1886 - placing the Cabinet in line rather than the President Pro Tempore and House Speaker - was this. If the President and VP both died was that if President Cleveland had died at the same time as V.P. hencricks, there would have techincally been no President pro temp or House Speaker since the new Ongress wouldn't have convened and elected one.
Was this actually an issue? let's say that V.P. Arthur dies in about may of 1883. when did the new Congress which was sworn ina ctually choose a President/Speaker? Woud President Pro Tempore Bayard - a seemingly good candidate for President - be able to succeed anyway, or would there not be people to fill those offices? Would the cabinet raise a fuss - I recall reading that State Secretary Blaine, while Garfield lay dying for 3 months, considered pushing for something to declare the President incapacitated so that Arthur could take over.
Of course, it wasn't as bit of a thing in thsoe days when the Presidency was relatively weak and the country not involved in anything big, but it would be interesting.
Was this actually an issue? let's say that V.P. Arthur dies in about may of 1883. when did the new Congress which was sworn ina ctually choose a President/Speaker? Woud President Pro Tempore Bayard - a seemingly good candidate for President - be able to succeed anyway, or would there not be people to fill those offices? Would the cabinet raise a fuss - I recall reading that State Secretary Blaine, while Garfield lay dying for 3 months, considered pushing for something to declare the President incapacitated so that Arthur could take over.
Of course, it wasn't as bit of a thing in thsoe days when the Presidency was relatively weak and the country not involved in anything big, but it would be interesting.