Privy Council

Examples of Privy Council in the following topics:

• English Administration of the Colonies

  • Beginning late in the 17th century, the administration of all British colonies was overseen by the Board of Trade, a committee of the Privy Council.
  • The governor's council would advise the governor and sit as an upper house when the assembly was in session.

• Governors and Assemblies

  • In addition to advising the governor, the governor's council would sit as an upper house when the assembly was in session.
  • This representation could come in the form of an Executive Council to help with the colony's administration or, in a further stage of self-government, Legislative Councils and Assemblies in which the governor often played a role.
  • The assemblies usually met for a single, brief session, although the council or governor could and sometimes did call a special session.
  • The Board of Trade (originally known as the Lords of Trade or Lords of Trade and Plantations) was a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th century that evolved gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions.
  • By 1775, the authority of its English governor, Sir Robert Eden, had been effectively usurped by the Annapolis Convention, and Eden was eventually asked by the Maryland Council of Safety to step down as governor.

• The United States and the World

  • After Kalākaua's death, his sister Queen Liliʻuokalani appointed him to her Privy Council on August 31, 1891.

• The Old South

  • (Virginia had also attempted to do so before the Revolution, but the Privy Council had vetoed the act.)

• Civilizing the City

  • Progressivism led to a shift in city governance from a mayor and an ineffective council to a stronger council or commission structure.
  • The system whereby a city was governed by a powerful mayor and council was replaced by the council-manager or the commission system.
  • Under the council-manager system, the council would pass laws while the manager would ensure their execution.

• The Rise of the Assemblies

  • Each colony had a system of governance including a governor, a council of officials appointed by the governor, and an elected assembly.
  • The Governor's Council or the Governor's Court were the senior advisors to the governor.
  • The colonial governor appointed council members who served as the government in the case of an absentee governorship.
  • Council members were ex-officio members who served by virtue of holding another public office.
  • For example, the head of the militia, the chief justice, and the king's attorney were also council members.

• Progressive Government: City and State

  • The system whereby a city was governed by a powerful mayor and council was replaced by the council-manager, or the commission system.
  • Under the council-manager system, the council would pass laws, while the manager would ensure their execution.

• Efficiency

  • One example of progressive reform was the rise of the city manager system, in which paid, professional engineers ran the day-to-day affairs of city governments under guidelines established by elected city councils.
  • City governments were reorganized to reduce the power of local ward bosses, and to increase the powers of the city council.
  • This system is part of the council-manager style of government.
  • Under the council–manager form of government for municipalities, the elected governing body (commonly called a city council, city commission, board of aldermen or board of selectmen) is responsible for the legislative function of the municipality such as establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision.
  • The position of “mayor” present in this type of legislative body is a largely ceremonial title, and may be selected by the council from among its members or elected as an at-large council member with no executive functions.

• AFL and WWI

  • The AFL also encouraged the formation of local labor bodies (known as central labor councils) in major metropolitan areas in which all of the affiliates could participate.
  • These local labor councils acquired a great deal of influence in some cases.
  • Local building trades councils also became powerful in some areas.
  • In San Francisco, the local Building Trades Council, led by Carpenters official P.
  • McCarthy, not only dominated the local labor council, but also helped elect McCarthy mayor of San Francisco in 1909.

• New France and the Native Americans

  • The Sovereign Council of New France was a political body appointed by the King of France in the 1675 reorganization of the colony of New France.
  • The major officers of the Sovereign Council were the Governor-General, who was responsible for military affairs and diplomatic relations, the Intendant of New France, who was responsible for finance, economic development, and the administration of justice (law and order), and the Bishop of New France, who was responsible for all spiritual matters in the colony.
  • The Intendant served as the presiding officer of the Sovereign Council.
  • In his first term, Frontenac supported the expansion of the fur trade, establishing Fort Frontenac (in what is now Kingston, Ontario) and came into conflict with members of the Sovereign Council over its expansion and over the labor required to build the new forts.
  • The conflict with the Sovereign Council led to his recall in 1682.