Daily stories of Pennsylvania

by Frederic Antes Godcharles

The transfer of the present State of Pennsylvania from a feudal province to a sovereign State was effected by the promulgation on September 28, 1776, of the first Constitution. This was so thoroughly revolutionary that it was never fully approved of by the people of the State.

The Council of Censors, to which was delegated important duties, met for its only meeting, November 10, 1783. This body discussed various amendments and strong differences of opinion were manifested. They sat eight months and then recommended a continuance of the present form of government.

They said: “Give it a fair and honest trial, and if after all, at the end of another seven years (the time when this Council of Censors would again meet), it shall be found necessary or proper to cause any changes they may then be brought in and established upon a full conviction of their usefulness, with harmony and good temper, without noise, tumult or violence.”

Nevertheless the Constitution of 1776 proved inadequate for the requirements of a useful and an effective government, and its revision was imperatively demanded. The newspapers, from the close of the Revolution for a period of six years are filled with elaborate communications in favor of, and opposed to, any change. The adoption of the Federal Constitution in 1787, however, and its successful working, impressed the people that some revisions should be made in the Constitution of the State.

The resolutions of the Assembly were adopted by the electorate and the convention called, and organized with General Thomas Mifflin as president. After a long session, the new instrument was adopted September 2, 1790, and then by the people.

The personnel of the Constitutional Convention of 1790 was one of unusual ability. Thomas Mifflin, soon to be elected the first Governor under its provisions; James Wilson and William Lewis, two of the most noted lawyers of that time; Thomas McKean, the second; Simon Snyder, of Northumberland County; William Findlay, of Westmoreland County, and Joseph Heister, of Berks County, each of whom filled in their turn the gubernatorial office, were members of this body. General William Irvine, of Carlisle; General John Gibson, of Allegheny County, and Colonel Jacob Cook, of Lancaster, all of Revolutionary fame, and Robert Whitehill, of Dauphin County. Charles Smith, author of “Smith’s Laws,” was Simon Snyder’s colleague from Northumberland County.

Of the seventy-one persons who composed this illustrious body there was not one who had not taken a prominent part in public affairs during the struggle for liberty. It was a body of intellectual men, such as any Commonwealth could be justly proud.

At the election in October, 1790, General Thomas Mifflin and General Arthur St. Clair were the opposing candidates for Governor. The vote in the State for Mifflin was 27,118, and for St. Clair 2819. Under the Constitution the General Assembly met on the first Tuesday in December, when the Senate and House promptly organized and a committee of conference was appointed by both houses to consider and report a time, place and manner in which the election of Governor should be published, notified and proclaimed, and the oath prescribed by the Constitution administered to the Governor.

On Friday, December 17, the House of Representatives attended in the Senate chamber, where Richard Peters, Speaker of the House, was seated on the right of William Bingham, Speaker of the Senate. The returns of the election for Governor were opened, when Thomas Mifflin was declared duly chosen Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

On the morning of December 21, 1790, after the members of the Senate and House had assembled in the Senate chamber, the Speaker of the Senate informed both houses that according to their order the certificate of the election of the Governor was recorded in the rolls office of this Commonwealth, whereupon the committee of both houses of the Legislature, three representing the Senate and three representing the House of Representatives, waited upon the Governor-elect and at the hour of 12:30 introduced Thomas Mifflin into the Senate chamber and he was seated in front of the Speakers.