PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The title of the chief execu tive officer of the United States.
The constitution directs that the executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America. Art. 2, s.. 1.
No person except a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of the constitution shall be eligible to the office of president; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained the age of thirty-five years and been fourteen years resident within the United States. Art. 2, s. 1, par. 5.
He is chosen by presidential electors (q. v.). See 1 Kent 276 ; Story, Const. 5th ed. § 1453. The votes of the electors are transmit ted to the vice-president and by him opened in the presence of both houses of congress and counted by tellers previously selected by the two houses separately. If there is no election, a president is chosen by the house of representatives, the members voting by states, from the candidates not exceeding three, having the highest number of electoral votes.
In case of a vacancy the vice-president succeeds, and if there be none then certain members of the cabinet succeed in a pre scribed order ; see CABINET.
The president shall, at stated times, re ceive for his services a compensation which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected; and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them. Art. 2, s. 1, par. 7.
In addition to certain specified powers, the president is vested by the constitution with the executive power of the federal gov ernment and the duty of seeing that the laws are faithfully executed. As to his pow ers, generally, and the historical development of the executive office, see EXECUTIVE POWER.
The president and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and Qonviction of, trea son, bribery, or other high crimes and mis demeanors. Art. 2, sec. 4.
The acts of the head of a department are presumed to have been by his direction ; Northern Pac. R. Co. v. Mitchell, 208 Fed. 469.