The Presidential Term.—Shall the President hold office for a term of three years, of seven years, or during good behavior? These were questions of great interest in the Constitutional Convention. A term of seven years with no re-election was agreed upon, but toward the end of the convention the clause as given was adopted.
Re-election of a President.—The Constitution does not limit the number of terms for which a President may be chosen, but the "third-term tradition" has now made it practically impossible for the same man to be elected for more than two terms. This custom was inaugurated by the refusal of President Washington to accept a third term. President Jefferson was also urged to stand for a third term, but he, too, preferred to retire to private life as Washington had done. The adherents of General Grant strove to break down this precedent in 1880 but were defeated. Although President Roosevelt had served a part of a term and one full term the argument of a third term was brought against him.
A Longer Term.—It is frequently urged that the Constitution should be amended in such a manner as to provide for a term of six or seven years for the President, with no re-election. Among the reasons for this change are the following: (1) a new President has most of his time, for months, at the beginning of his term, consumed in hearing the claims of applicants for office, and in making appointments; (2) there is danger that he may be influenced in his official actions through desire to secure a second term; (3) the commercial depression that usually exists during a campaign would thus come less frequently. These arguments may be used in opposition to such a change: (1) in the case of an inefficient President, the short term is to be preferred; (2) the Presidential campaign is of value, in that the attention of Americans generally is for a time fixed on the problems connected with the conduct of our government. It furnishes the opportunity for imparting to our citizens many lessons in their political education.
Qualifications for President and Vice-President.—The qualifications for President and Vice-President are naturally the same, and are as follows:—
Section 1, Clause 4. No person, except a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.
Vacancies.—The chief reason for creating the office of Vice-President seems to have been to provide for the emergency of a vacancy in the Presidency.
Section 1, Clause 5. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President, and the Congress may, by law, provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.
Presidential Succession.—In 1886 Congress provided that in case of the death, resignation, or disability[[41]] of both President and Vice-President, the succession should be in the following order: Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War, Attorney-General, Postmaster-General, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of Agriculture was added in 1889.
Salary of the President.—Section I, Clause 6. The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he may have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States or any of them.
In 1909 the salary of the President was changed from $50,000 to $75,000 a year. The custom has been established that no President shall receive a gift from any civil body, such as a city council, a State legislature, or a foreign state. In addition to his salary, the President is provided with an "executive mansion," the "White House," which is furnished at the expense of the government. The Vice-President receives $12,000 annually.