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May 19 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels February 23, 2004 Food & History The one-day president Jeff Cheek David Rice Atchison, Senator from Missouri, may have been President of the United States for one day, 4 to 5 March, 1849. Most sources refute this claim but the people of Plattsburg, Mo. honored their hero with a statue in front of the Clinton County Courthouse. The plaque read: David Rice Atchison President of the United States for one day. Lawyer Statesman and Jurist. While researching this column I contacted public officials in Plattsburg. Ms. Mary Blanton, Clerk of Clinton County Commissioners, confirmed that the statue was still there. She did not know when it was unveiled but volunteered additional information. The city and county of Atchison, Kansas were named for the Senator . So was Atchison County, Mo. During his Senatorial career, Atchison was elected President Pro Tempore 16 times. His alleged term came about because Article l, Section 3 of the Constitution says the Vice President will preside over the Senate "but have no vote, unless they be equally divided." The article allows the Senate to "chose a President Pro Tempore in the absence of the Vice President." Atchison was President Pro Tempore on Sunday 4 March 1849. Vice President Dallas had resigned his office on Friday. President James K. Polk's term ended at 12 noon on 4 March. The incoming chief executive, Zachary Taylor, refused to dishonor the Sabbath by taking the oath of office. He would be inaugurated on Monday. Protocol demanded that the president be sworn first, then the vice president, followed by the cabinet. Therefore, for 24 hours the country was without a chief executive. On March 1, 1792, Congress had addressed this issue with the Succession Act: " In case of the removal, death, resignation or disability of both the President and the Vice President of the United States, the Senate Pro Tempore shall act as President." The 25th Amendment was ratified February 10, 1967. It revisited this same issue and includes a provision to replace the vice president if the office becomes vacant between elections. President Ford is the first and only man appointed under this Amendment. He was named vice president when Spiro Agnew resigned, then president when Richard Nixon resigned on 9 August l974 rather than face impeachment. Ford is the only non-elected president we have had. Senator Atchison neither confirmed nor denied his one-day term. However, he did confess that he had slept through most of it. There was a huge backlog of unfinished work so the Senate had long, grueling sessions every night of the previous week. When the Sunday recess came, he went to bed and did not get up until Monday morning! The Ozark Mountains spill over from Arkansas into Missouri. There is a very tasty vegetable dish called Ozark Black Eyed Peas you might enjoy. INGREDIENTS: 2 14 oz. cans snapped Black Eyed peas, 6 slices bacon 1/2 pound ham, diced 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 sweet pepper, diced 2 stalks celery, chopped PREPARATION: Drain peas, set aside. Fry bacon until crisp, crumble and set aside. Brown ham in bacon grease, add onions, pepper, celery and garlic and stir over medium heat for five minutes. Add peas, let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in crumbled bacon and serve. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams