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JOSEPH HIESTER.

Governor of the Common

wealth.

1820-1823.

(239)

( 240 )

W

Chapter II.

JOSEPH HIESTER.

Governor of the Commonwealth,

1820-1823.

ITH JOSEPH HIESTER, THE REVOLUTION

ary soldier again comes to the front in the administration of public affairs. The son of a German immigrant, born at Reading in 1752, his early years were passed in hardship and toil, interspersed with such educational opportunities as were afforded by the defective country schools of his day. In 1776, he was a member of the State Conference, held in Philadelphia, for the purpose of advocating and assisting the Revolutionary cause.

Late in 1775 or early in 1776 he raised a company of his friends and neighbors of which he was made captain, and commanded his company,-declining the Colonelcy of the regiment-until he was taken prisoner by the British at the battle of Long Island and confined for a year, first in the infamous prison ship Jersey, and later in New York, in both of which places he suffered atrociously. Exchanged, he rejoined the army, to be wounded at Germantown, but nevertheless to continue in the service to the close of the war.

Upon his return to civil life, he was at once called into the service of the people, being, in 1787, a member of the Convention for the ratification of the Constitu( 241 )

16-Vol. V-4th Ser.

tion of the United States, and, in 1789, a member of the State constitutional convention. For several terms, he was a member of the Legislature where he did much valuable work. In 1799, he was elected to represent the Berks district in Congress, serving as representative of that district for fourteen years, from 1799 to 1805 and again from 1815 to 1821.

In 1821, he was elected by the Old School Republican party, with the assistance of the Federalists, Governor of the Commonwealth. His administration was noteworthy for the development of transportation facilities, many canal and turnpike companies being formed. He also paid much attention to the subject of public instruction, and the development of the state free school system. Under the constitution of 1790, with the growth of the State, the enormous official patronage in the hands of the Governor had become an intolerable burden upon the executive. Every state and county office, with few exceptions, was filled by appointment of the Governor, and the amount of annoyance to which he was subjected in distributing them was particularly objectionable to the conscientious Hiester, and he strongly urged its removal. During his administration, in 1822, the new Capitol at Harrisburg was for the first time occupied.

Upon the expiration of his incumbency of the executive, he withdrew to private life and passed the remainder of his days in that dignified retirement to which his long and faithful public career entitled him; he died at Reading, June 10, 1832. His service as governor covered the period from December 19, 1820, to December 16, 1823.

Proclamation Announcing the Election, as Governor, of Joseph Hiester and Continuing All Appointments under the Executive for the term of Ninety Days.

Pennsylvania ss.

[Signed] Jos. Hiester.

N THE NAME AND BY THE AU

IN

[graphic]

thority of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. By JOSEPH HIESTER, Governor of the said Commonwealth.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas the Speaker and Members of the Senate, and the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth have duly certified that the said Speaker of the Senate did, on the eighteenth day of December, instant, in the chamber of the House of Representatives, in the Borough of Harrisburg, open and publish the returns of the late election of a Governor of the said Commonwealth, in the presence of both houses of the Legislature, conformably to the constitution of the said Commonwealth; and that upon counting the votes, by a teller appointed from each house, it appeared that Joseph Hiester had a majority of votes; whereupon the said Joseph Hiester was declared to be duly elected Governor of the said Commonwealth, and having first taken the oaths of office, was accordingly on this nineteenth day of December proclaimed Governor thereof. Now, in pursuance of the power and trust to the Governor of this Commonwealth, by the constitution. and laws granted and confided, and for preventing all failures in the administration of justice; I, the said Joseph Hiester, have deemed it expedient to issue this proclamation, hereby confirming and continuing all appointments made, and all commissions heretofore

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