Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania

The 1776 Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was framed by a constitutional convention called at the urging of the Continental Congress. The convention began work in Philadelphia on July 15, 1776, less than two weeks following adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution was adopted September 28 of the same year. The document included both A Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the Commonwealth and a Plan or Frame of Government. The latter includes 47 sections, several of which deal with the formation and function of the Supreme Executive Council. Section 3: "The supreme executive power shall be vested in a president and council." Section 19: "For the present the supreme executive council of this state shall consist of twelve persons chosen in the following manner..." The city of Philadelphia and the eleven counties existing at that time each elected a representative to sit on the Council. These eleven counties were Philadelphia (at that time a governmental entity distinct from the City of Philadelphia), Chester, Bucks, Lancaster, York, Cumberland, Berks, Northampton, Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland. Seats were added for Washington, Fayette, Franklin, Montgomery, Dauphin, Luzerne, Huntingdon, and Allegheny as those counties were established. Many of these counties occupied considerably different and often much larger territories in the late 18th century than they presently do. Counsellors were elected to three-year terms; the terms were staggered so that one third would be contested each year. (Counsellors is the spelling used in the Constitution itself, although the word is also rendered councillors, counsellors, and councilors in other documents.) The president and vice-president of the Council were chosen from those twelve counsellors, elected to one-year terms by an annual joint ballot of the Council and the General Assembly (the state legislature), usually held in November. Section 20: The Council and its president were given power to • appoint judges, attorneys general, naval officers, and other officers • fill offices vacant due to death, resignation, removal, or disqualification • correspond with other states • prepare business to present to the General Assembly • serve as judges on cases of impeachment • grant pardons and remit fines (except in cases of impeachment) • grant reprieves in cases of treason and murder • ensure that the laws and other acts of the General Assembly were carried out • lay embargoes and prohibit the export of any commodity (in certain circumstances) Additionally: • the president of council was to serve as commander in chief of the military forces of the state • the Council was ordered to keep an accurate record of its proceedings Meeting place and time The 1776 Constitution stipulated that the Council meet at the same time and location as the General Assembly. In practice, the Council sat year-round: there was no formal cycle of sessions (e.g. 110th United States Congress) and no specific date for the start of term of councilors or council officers. The Supreme Executive Council formally convened March 4, 1777. The first president and vice-president were elected the following day. The Council sat in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, now known as Independence Hall. It met in what had been the Governor's Council Chamber during British rule. The Executive Council, along with the General Assembly, moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, ahead of the British occupation of Philadelphia in the fall of 1777—the last meeting in Philadelphia took place on September 23 and the first in Lancaster on October 1. The Council returned to Philadelphia June 26, 1778. The Council was replaced by a single governor on December 21, 1790. ==Presidents of Council==

Seven men served as president of the Supreme Executive Council. (One, George Bryan, was never elected to the position, but today is considered by the Commonwealth to have been a full-fledged governor of Pennsylvania, perhaps due to the length of his term as acting president.) Several figure prominently in the history of Pennsylvania, but none more so than Dr. Benjamin Franklin. His presidency was one of his last acts of public service, and he died less than two years after leaving office. Franklin was also the longest-serving president, having held the office for slightly over three years. There is some question about the de facto end of his term, suggesting that the aging Franklin was not actively involved in affairs of state toward the end of his presidency. (This is certainly not a consensus view, as other sources report that all actions of the Council during his term had Franklin's approval, even if that meant convening the Council at Franklin's home.) The shortest term was that of George Bryan, who served as acting president for just over six months. Although these men may be referred to properly as Presidents of Pennsylvania their office is analogous to the modern office of governor, and they are often included in lists of those who have held the latter title. Presidents and vice-presidents were styled His Excellency. Legacy The neighborhood of South Philadelphia contains a series of east-west streets named in honor of Pennsylvania's presidents and early governors. Moving south on South 25th Street are Wharton, Reed and Dickinson Streets. (Bryan, never officially elected to the office, is omitted.) The next street south of Dickinson appears as Franklin Street on Barnes' New Map of the Consolidated City of Philadelphia, 1855. A city ordinance of 1858 changed the name of Franklin Street to its current name, Tasker Street. Moore Street, out of sequence, follows after one intervening street (Morris). Moore is followed by Mifflin Street, McKean Street, and Snyder Street (the latter being Pennsylvania's second and third governors under the 1790 Constitution). Wharton Street borders Wharton Square Park, although it is not clear if the park is named after Thomas Wharton or another member of his prominent family. Dickinson College and the Dickinson School of Law, both in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were named after John Dickinson. ==Vice-presidents of Council== Similarly, the office of Vice-President of Pennsylvania is analogous to the modern office of Lieutenant Governor. Of the ten men who held the office, two succeeded to the presidency (the first—Bryan—de facto, the second—Moore—de jure). The longest vice-presidential term was that of George Bryan; he served over two and a half years, although he also served as de facto acting president for six months concurrent with his vice-presidential term. The shortest term was that of Matthew Smith, who served for twelve days in October 1779. With the exception of Bryan, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania makes no such distinction, and its listing of the state's early governors includes neither Potter, Biddle, nor Redick. ==Leadership elections==

The first election of a president and vice-president of Pennsylvania took place March 5, 1777, the day after the Council first convened. Thereafter, leadership elections took place in the fall, generally in November, following the popular election (held the second Tuesday in October) in which counsellors and Assemblymen were elected by eligible citizens. Routine elections involved a joint ballot of the Council and the General Assembly. Several other elections were held to fill vacancies resulting from resignation; these involved only a vote by the Council rather than a joint ballot with the Assembly. More often than not, records do not list contenders (other than the winners) or vote tallies, saying simply that a particular gentleman was duly elected president and another vice-president. Presidents and vice-presidents were elected to one-year terms. They could be reelected, but their term as president or vice-president could not (in theory) extend beyond the end of their three-year term as counsellor. Discrepant dates and the oath of office Throughout the history of the Council it was standard practice for newly elected presidents and vice-presidents to take office immediately upon election. However, there were a few instances in which an individual did not take the oath of office until the day following his election. Section 40 of the 1776 Constitution stipulates: "Every officer, whether judicial, executive or military, in authority under this commonwealth, shall take the following…oath of office before he enters on the execution of his office," meaning that an individual could not assume the duties of his office before taking the necessary oath. Cross referencing the election dates above with the preceding listings of terms in office will thus reveal several slight discrepancies, all resulting from a delayed administration of the oath: • George Bryan, elected vice-president March 5, 1777, took office March 6. • William Moore, elected president November 14, 1781, took office November 15. • James Potter, elected vice-president November 14, 1781, took office November 15. No reasons for the delays are noted in the minutes of the Council. Neither set of dates involved a conflict with the sabbath. There were other instances that involved reelections of men who had already been sworn into office at the start of their previous term and which thus caused no delay. These are not noted here. ==Counsellors==

Counsellors were elected to represent each county in Pennsylvania as well as the city of Philadelphia. They were elected to three-year terms. Many served less than a full three, while others appear to have served slightly more. The Council sat year-round and there was no specific date set for the start of a session or of any counsellor's term. Rather, new counsellors appear to have begun their terms whenever they were able to reach Philadelphia following their elections. The general election at that time was held on the second Tuesday in October and most counsellors took office in late October or in November. In most instances it is easy to fix the date on which a particular counsellor's term began, as the Minutes of the Council will note that on a particular date a particular gentleman was administered the oath and admitted to his seat. Many counsellors had sporadic attendance, and several were absent for a year or more at a time. This was particularly true of representatives from the distant western counties, although the phenomenon was certainly not limited to those gentlemen. Some counsellors simply sat out the last several months of their terms, their names disappearing from the Minutes by late summer or early autumn. Thus, the following list of counsellors generally notes only the day on which each began his term; unless indicated otherwise it is assumed that each term extended to the beginning of the next, regardless of the incumbent's actual attendance. Counsellors were accorded the title of Esquire. Term limits With the Council set to be dissolved in December 1790, a provision of the new state constitution allowed counsellors and council officers whose terms would have expired that autumn to remain in office until December 21, rather than hold elections for new counsellors who would sit for only one or two months. Also, a review of the dates on which a particular county's counsellors began their terms will reveal several instances in which more than three years elapsed between the start of successive terms. It is uncertain whether the seat technically became vacant after exactly three years or if the incumbent's term extended to the start of his successor's, even if this meant exceeding the three-year term limit imposed by the 1776 Constitution. List of counsellors • The home counties of two early counsellors, John Evans and John Lowdan, has not yet been determined. Both were sitting when the Council first convened on March 4, 1777. It appears that one likely represented Chester County and the other York. City of Philadelphia • George Bryan (March 4, 1777) • William Moore (October 18, 1779) • James Irvine (October 14, 1782) • Benjamin Franklin (October 17, 1785) • Samuel Miles (October 20, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Philadelphia County • Joseph Wharton (March 4, 1777; died in office May 23, 1778) • Joseph Reed (November 24, 1778) • John Bayard (October 16, 1781) • John Dickinson (November 4, 1782) • Henry Hill (October 17, 1785) • Thomas Mifflin (October 20, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Chester County • John Mackey (McKay, MacKay, Macky) (November 21, 1777) • Dr. Joseph Gardner (October 23, 1779) • John McDowell (November 2, 1782) • Evan Evans (October 28, 1785) • Richard Willing (October 16, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Bucks County • Joseph Hart (July 23, 1777) • Gen. John Lacey Jr. (October 28, 1779) • George Wall Jr. (October 29, 1782) • Samuel Dean (November 1, 1785) • Amos Gregg (October 21, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Lancaster County • John Hubley (March 10, 1777) • John Bailey (June 2, 1777) • Col. Matthew Smith (May 28, 1778) • James Cunningham (January 5, 1781) • Samuel John Atlee (October 21, 1783) • John Whitehill (December 22, 1784) • George Ross (October 16, 1787 – December 21, 1790) York County • Jason Edgar (November 4, 1777) • James Ewing (February 9, 1779; withdrew a few days later due to questions regarding his election) • Mr. Thompson (March 8, 1779) • James Ewing (October 26, 1781) • Richard McCallister (McAlister) (October 26, 1784) • Andrew Bellmeyer (Billmeyer) (January 19, 1787) • Samuel Edie (October 25, 1787 – December 21, 1790) Cumberland County • Jonathan Hoge ( March 4, 1777) • James McLene (McClean, M'Lean, McLean) (November 9, 1778) • Robert Whitehill (December 28, 1779) • John Buyers (Byers) (November 20, 1781) • Jonathan Hoge (November 3, 1784) • Frederick Watt (October 26, 1787 – December 21, 1790) Berks County • Jacob Morgan (September 3, 1777) • James Read (July 1, 1778) • Sebastian Levan (October 31, 1781) • Charles Biddle (October 30, 1784) • James Read (October 13, 1787 – December 21, 1790) Northampton County • George Taylor (March 4, 1777) • Jacob Arndt (Orndt) (November 8, 1777) • John VanCampen (November 4, 1780) • Stephen Balliot(Balliet) (November 3, 1783) • Robert Trail (October 23, 1786) • Jonas Hartzell (October 20, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Bedford County • Thomas Urie (November 14, 1777) • John Piper (November 17, 1780) • Isaac Meason (Mason) (November 12, 1783) • seat vacant approximately one year due to election irregularities • George Woods (November 1, 1787) • James Martin (November 12, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Northumberland County • Capt. John Hambright (Hambidght) (November 4, 1777) • Brig. Gen. James Potter (November 16, 1780) • John Boyd (November 25, 1783) • William McClay (October 23, 1786) • William Wilson (October 23, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Westmoreland County • John Proctor (March 4, 1777) • Thomas Scott (November 29, 1777) • Christopher Hayes (February 17, 1781) • Bernard Dougherty (November 11, 1783) • John Baird (Beard) (November 17, 1786) • William Findley (November 25, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Washington County (erected 1781) • Dorsey (Dorset) Pentecost (November 19, 1781) • Gen. John Neville (November 11, 1783) • David Redick (November 20, 1786) • Henry Taylor (December 3, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Fayette County (erected 1783) • John Woods (November 6, 1784) • John Smilie (November 2, 1786) • Nathaniel Breading (November 19, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Franklin County (erected 1784) • James McLene (February 2, 1785) • Abraham Smith (October 24, 1787 – December 21, 1790) Montgomery County (erected 1784) • Daniel Hiester (October 15, 1784) • Peter Muhlenberg (October 24, 1785) • Zebulon Potts (October 16, 1788 – December 21, 1790) Dauphin County (erected 1785) • William Brown (November 14, 1785) • Christopher Kucher (November 1, 1787 – December 21, 1790) Luzerne County (erected 1786) • Col. Nathan Denison, Jr. (March 2, 1787) • Lord Butler (October 30, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Huntingdon County (erected 1787) • John Cannon (November 21, 1787) • Benjamin Elliott (December 30, 1789 – December 21, 1790) Allegheny County (erected 1788) • Dr. John Wilkins Jr. (November 20, 1789 – December 21, 1790) ==1790 Constitution==

A constitutional convention was called in 1789 and a new state constitution was adopted the following year. The 1790 Constitution did away with the Supreme Executive Council and vested supreme executive power in the office of governor. On December 21, 1790 Thomas Mifflin, the last President of Pennsylvania, took office as the state's first governor. (The title of governor had been used during the Colonial era, although it referred to the appointed representative of the monarch or the Proprietor, rather than to an elected official.) The executive branch of the state government has been headed by a governor since that time. The 1790 Constitution made no provision for a lieutenant governor. Upon the death or resignation of the governor the office would be assumed by the Speaker of the State Senate. (This position no longer exists.) The office of lieutenant governor was created by the 1873 State Constitution and first occupied (by John Latta) in 1875. ==See also==