The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was the collective directorial executive branch of the Pennsylvanian state government between 1777 and 1790. It was headed by a president and a vice president (analogous to a governor and lieutenant governor, respectively). The best-known member of the Council was
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
on July 15, 1776—less than two weeks following adoption of the
Declaration of Independence
A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...
. 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.Text of 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution from th from th Yale Law School /ref> fro Jim MeansCalifornia University of Pennsylvania /ref>
Section 3: "The supreme
executive
Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to:
Role or title
* Executive, a senior management role in an organization
** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators
** Executive dir ...
power shall be vested in a
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
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
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
and the eleven counties existing at that time each elected a representative to sit on the Council. These eleven counties were
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
(at that time a governmental entity distinct from the City of Philadelphia), Chester, Bucks, Lancaster,
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
,
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land ...
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...
, 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 do today.)
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'', ''councellors'', 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
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presb ...
(the state legislature), usually held in November.
Section 20: The Council and its president were given power to
* appoint judges,
attorneys general
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exe ...
,
naval officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent contex ...
s, 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
A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...
and remit fines (except in cases of impeachment)
* grant reprieves in cases of
treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
and murder
* ensure that the laws and other acts of the General Assembly were carried out
* lay
embargo
Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted self-governing state, group, or individual. Economic sanctions are not necessarily imposed because of economic circumstances—they m ...
es 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
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
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
The 110th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the Presidency of George W. Bush. It was composed of ...
) 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
Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted by America's Founding Fathers. The structure forms the centerpi ...
. 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
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' 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
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
His Excellency
Excellency is an honorific style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the righ ...
.''
Legacy
The neighborhood of
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south and the Schuylkill River to the west.Franklin Square, these being two of the numerous memorials to Franklin already in Philadelphia. 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 border 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
Penn State Dickinson Law, formerly Dickinson School of Law, is a public law school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is one of two separately accredited law schools of The Pennsylvania State University. According to Penn State Dickinson Law's 2019 ...
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.
"Acting" presidents
At least one source credits four vice-presidents with having served as ''acting presidents'':
:*George Bryan (acting president May 23, 1778 – December 1, 1778)
:*James Potter (acting president October 8 – November 7, 1782)
:*Charles Biddle (acting president October 10–18, 1785)
:*David Redick (acting president October 14 – November 5, 1788) listing o Pennsylvania Governors accessed May 1, 2007.
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. (presidents of Pennsylvania are sometimes included in the listing of former governors). None of these men (including Bryan) was given the title of acting president during his time in office—each continued to be addressed as ''Vice-President'' and was titled ''Acting President'' only after the fact. (And, regarding all but Bryan, the honor is strictly unofficial.)
During George Bryan's "term" as acting president, the office of president was, in fact, vacant—Thomas Wharton died May 23, 1778, and an election to choose his successor was not held until December 1—due perhaps to the Council's evacuation to Lancaster during that time. At over seven months, Bryan's tenure was such that today he ''is'' considered a full-fledged governor by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The situations of the three other "acting presidents" is less clear, although there are some similarities. In each instance the president was replaced—or due to be replaced—as his county's ''Counsellor'' before the completion of his term as ''President''. For example, Redick's supposed acting presidency spanned the final three weeks of Dr. Franklin's presidential term. Franklin's three-year term as counsellor from the City of Philadelphia was to expire on or around October 17, 1788—two weeks before the conclusion of his final one-year presidential term on October 31. The 1776 Constitution is not specific on the matter, but as the president and vice-president were chosen from among the members of the Council, it appears that most presidents chose to leave that office, or were replaced, prior to the expiration of their term as counsellor, rather than have an executive preside over a body of which he was no longer a member. Thus, these "acting presidencies" may have spanned the period between the ''de facto'' end of one presidency (due to term limits) and the formal election of a successor. Franklin, for instance, was succeeded as counsellor for the City of Philadelphia by Samuel Miles on October 20, but his presidency officially did not end until November 5. If Franklin did indeed continue to exercise the office during those final weeks not only would he have been presiding beyond the end of his term as counsellor but also beyond the three-year term limit established by the 1776 Constitution. The official minutes of the Council contain no indication that the president in any of these situations (Moore, Dickinson and Franklin, respectively) had formally left, relinquished or been removed from office; nonetheless during these periods the president ''was'' absent from council meetings, which were thus overseen by the vice-president. This suggests that any "interim administration" was established quietly and " off the record".
A similar situation occurred at the end of Joseph Reed's presidency. Reed was succeeded as counsellor from Philadelphia County by John Bayard on October 16, 1781 but ostensibly remained president until William Moore took office on November 15. Yet no claims of an "acting presidency" have been made for Moore, who held the ''Vice''-Presidency during this interim period, immediately prior to his election as president.
Similarly, Charles Biddle appears to have retained the ''Vice''-Presidency—at least officially—even after leaving his seat on the Council. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reports that Biddle's vice-presidential term extended to October 31, 1787, at which time Peter Muhlenberg succeeded him in that office. However, Biddle's term as counsellor from Berks County ended eighteen days earlier, on October 13, when he was succeeded in ''that'' office by James Read. Furthermore, Biddle was elected secretary of the Council on October 23, a clerical position that likely would not have been assumed by one who was also an officer of the Council and a high state official.''Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, from its organization to the termination of the Revolution. ar. 4, 1777 – Dec. 20, 1790'. Harrisburg, Pub. by the State, 1852-53. Vol XI, pp 173-175; Vol XIII, pp 111-114.
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 ''re''elections 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
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
(October 17, 1785)
#
Samuel Miles
Samuel Miles (March 11, 1740 – December 29, 1805) was an American military officer and politician, as well as an influential businessman and politician, active in Pennsylvania before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War.
Milita ...
(October 20, 1788 – December 21, 1790)
Philadelphia County
#
Joseph Wharton
Joseph Wharton (March 3, 1826 – January 11, 1909) was an American industrialist. He was involved in mining, manufacturing and education. He founded the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founded the Bethlehem Steel comp ...
(March 4, 1777; died in office May 23, 1778)
# Joseph Reed (November 24, 1778)
#
John Bayard
John Bubenheim Bayard (11 August 1738 – 7 January 1807) was a merchant, soldier, and statesman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He achieved the rank of colonel while serving with the Continental Army, and was a delegate for Pennsylvania t ...
(October 16, 1781)
#
John Dickinson
John Dickinson (November 13 Julian_calendar">/nowiki>Julian_calendar_November_2.html" ;"title="Julian_calendar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julian calendar">/nowiki>Julian calendar November 2">Julian_calendar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julian calendar" ...
(November 4, 1782)
# Henry Hill (October 17, 1785)
#
Thomas Mifflin
Thomas Mifflin (January 10, 1744January 20, 1800) was an American merchant, soldier, and politician from Pennsylvania, who is regarded as a Founding Father of the United States for his roles during and after the American Revolution. Mifflin wa ...
(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
Samuel John Atlee (1739 – November 25, 1786) was an American soldier and statesman from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress for Pennsylvania from 1778 to 1782.
Early life
Samuel was born in Trenton, New Jer ...
(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
Daniel Hiester (June 25, 1747 – March 7, 1804) was an American political and military leader from the Revolutionary War period to the early 19th Century. Born in Berks County in the Province of Pennsylvania, he was a member of the Hiester ...
(October 15, 1784)
#
Peter Muhlenberg
John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (October 1, 1746October 1, 1807) was an American clergyman, Continental Army soldier during the American Revolutionary War, and political figure in the newly independent United States. A Lutheran minister, he serve ...
(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
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...
or the
Proprietor
Ownership is the state or fact of legal possession and control over property, which may be any asset, tangible or intangible. Ownership can involve multiple rights, collectively referred to as title, which may be separated and held by different ...
, 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
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...
. (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.