POTUS (original) (raw)

The March 1st, 1781, enacted_Constitution of 1777_ provided for a unicameral governing body called the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA) to govern the United States of America. The USCA was charged " .. to appoint one of their members to preside, provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year in any term of three years."

On March 2nd, 1781, the Delegates, who were duly elected after each State had ratified the Articles of Confederation, convened in Philadelphia as the United States in Congress Assembled with Samuel Huntington presiding as the first USCA President. Additionally, George Washington continued to serve as General and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Continental Army.

The United States House of Representatives (HR)

and Senate in Congress Assembledwere formed by 11 states with the United States Constitution of 1787

’s enactment on March 4th, 1789. The republic is currently governed under this United States Constitution and its 27 Amendments

. Frederick Muhlenberg served as the first Speaker of the House, Vice President John Adams served as the first President of the Senate, John Jay served as the first Chief Justice, and George Washington served as the first U.S. President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America (POTUS).

This Fourth American Congress was established by the United States Constitution of 1787 and commenced, as resolved by an act of the USCA, on March 4th, 1789. The Constitution of 1787, unlike the Constitution of 1777, only required the ratification of nine states to adopt a new government for the United States of America. By August 1788 all thirteen states had held ratifying conventions and only two, North Carolina and Rhode Island, failed to adopt the Constitution of 1787. On September 13th, 1788 the USCA Delegates agreed on a federal capital location, without a dissentient voice or the least apparent animosity, and this was the last obstacle in finalizing the plan to launch the current federal republic. The USCA, on the same day, enacted this enabling resolution:

… whereas the constitution so reported by the Convention and by Congress transmitted to the several legislatures has been ratified in the manner therein declared to be sufficient for the establishment of the same and such ratifications duly authenticated have been received by Congress and are filed in the Office of the Secretary therefore Resolved That the first Wednesday in January next be the day for appointing Electors in the several states, which before the said day shall have ratified the said constitution; that the first Wednesday in February next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states and vote for a president; and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time and the present seat of Congress the place for commencing proceedings under the said constitution.

Tuesday, March 3rd, 1789, was established as the last day the USCA would govern the United States of America.

On Wednesday, March 4th, 1789, neither the United States House of Representatives or the Senate was able to achieve their constitutionally mandated quorums. The March 4, 1789 Journal of the House of Representatives reports:

NEW HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, and GEORGIA: Being the eleven States have respectively ratified the Constitution of Government of the United States, proposed by the Federal Convention, held in Philadelphia, on the 17th of September, 1787.

Congress of the United States, begun and held at the city of New York, on Wednesday, the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, pursuant to a resolution of the late Congress, made in conformity to the resolutions of the Federal Convention of the 17th September, 1787; being the first session of the Congress held under the Constitution aforesaid. On which day, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared and took their seats, to wit:

From Massachusetts, George Thatcher, Fisher Ames, George Leonard, and Elbridge Gerry. From Connecticut, Benjamin Huntington, Jonathan Trumbull, and Jeremiah Wadsworth. From Pennsylvania, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Thomas Hartley, Peter Muhlenberg, and Daniel Heister. From Virginia, ... Alexander White. From South Carolina, ... Thomas Tudor Tucker.

But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

On April 1st, 1789, the United States House of Representatives achieved its first quorum. On April 6th, 1789, the United States Senate achieved its first quorum and elected its officers. On April 21st, 1789John Adams took the oath of Vice President and presided as United States Senate President.

George Washington's April 30th, 1789, inauguration oil painting, Circa 1899 by Ramon de Elorriaga

On April 30th, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated at Federal Hall as the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America.

Broadside Announcing Ceremonial for Washington's Inauguration, 29 April 1789

THE Committees of both Houses of Congress, appointed to take order for conducting the ceremonial of the formal reception, &c. of the President of the United Stares, on Thursday next, have agreed to the following order thereon, viz.

That General Webb, Colonel Smith, Lieutenant-Colonel Fish, Lieut. Col. Franks, Major L'Enfant, Major Bleecker, and Mr. John R. Livingston, be requested to serve as Assistants on the occasion.

That a chair he placed in the Senate-Chamber for the President of the United States. That a chair be placed in the Senate-Chamber for the Vice-President, to the right of the President’s chair; and that the Senators take their seats on that side of the chamber on which the Vice-President’s chair shall be placed. That a chair be placed in the Senate-Chamber for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the left of the President’s chair—and that the Representatives take their seats on that side of the chamber on which the Speaker’s chair shall be placed.

That seats be provided in the Senate-Chamber sufficient to accommodate the late President of the United States in Congress Assembled [Cyrus Griffin of Virginia], the Governor of the Western territory [Arthur St Clair], the five persons being the heads of the three great departments [Secretary of Foreign Affairs John Jay, Secretary of War Henry Knox, Commissioners of the Treasury Arthur Lee, Walter Livingston, and Samuel Osgood], the Minister Plenipotentiary of France [Eleanor Francois Elie, Cpmte de Moustier], the Encargado de negocios of Spain [Don Diego de Gardoqui], the Chaplains of Congress [Bishop Samuel Provoost. Dr. William Liin], the persons in the suite of the President:42 and also to accommodate the following Public Officers of the State, viz. The Governor [George Clinton], the Lieutenant-Governor [Pierre Van Cortlandt], the Chancellor [Robert R. Livingston], the Chief Justice [Richard Morris], and other Judges of the Supreme Court [Robert Yates, Jon Sloss Hobart], and the Mayor of the city [James Duane]. That one of the Assistants wait on these gentlemen, and inform them that seats are provided for their accommodation, and also to signify to them that no precedence of seats is intended, and that no salutation is expected from them on their entrance into, or their departure from the Senate-Chamber.

That the members of both Houses assemble in their respective Chambers precisely at twelve o’clock, and that the Representatives preceded by the Speaker, and attended by their Clerk, and other Officers proceed to the Senate-Chamber, there to be received by the Vice-President and Senators rising.

That the Committees attend the President from his residence to the Senate-Chamber, and that he be there received by the Vice-President, the Senators and Representatives rising, and be by the Vice-President conducted to his chair.

That after the President shall be seated in his Chair and the Vice-President, Senators and Representatives shall be again seated, the Vice-President shall announce to the President that the members of both Houses will attend him to be present at his taking the Oath of Office required by the Constitution. To the end that the Oath of Office may be administered to the President in the most public manner, and that the greatest number of the people of the United States and without distinction, may be witnesses to the solemnity, that therefore the Oath be administered in the outer Gallery adjoining to the Senate Chamber.

That when the President shall proceed to the gallery to take the Oath, he be attended by the Vice-President, and be followed by the Chancellor of the State, and pass through the door on the right, and the Representatives, preceded by the Speaker, pass through the door on the left, and such of the persons who shall have been admitted into the Senate-Chamber, and may be desirous to go into the gallery, are then also to pass through the door on the right. That when the President shall have taken the Oath, and returned into the Senate-Chamber, attended by the Vice-President, and shall be seated in his chair, that the Senators and the Representatives also return into the Senate-Chamber, and that the Vice-President and they resume their respective seats.

Both Houses having resolved to accompany the President after he shall have taken the Oath, to St. Paul’s Chapel, to hear divine service, to be performed by the Chaplain of Congress, that the following order of procession be observed, viz. The door-keeper [Gifford Dalley] and messenger [‘Ihomas Claxton] of the House of Representatives. The Clerk of the House [John Beckley]. The Representatives. The Speaker. The President, with the Vice-President at his left hand. The Senators. The Secretary of the Senate [Samuel A. Otis]. The door-keeper [James Mathews] and messenger [Cornelius Maxwell] of the Senate.

That a Pew be reserved for the President—Vice-President—Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Committees; and that pews be also reserved sufficient for the reception of the Senators and Representatives.

That after divine service shall be performed, the President be received at the door of the Church, by the Committees, and by them attended in carriages to his residence.

That it be intrusted to the Assistants to take proper precautions for keeping the avenues to the Hall open, and that for that purpose, they wait on his Excellency the Governor of this State, and in the name of the Committees request his aid, by an order or recommendation to the Civil Officers, or militia of the city, to attend and serve on the occasion, as he shall judge most proper.

 

On September 24th, 1789, the United States Congress set the yearly salary of the United States President at 25,000andtheVicePresidentat25,000 and the Vice President at 25,000andtheVicePresidentat5,000. The 1789 Presidential salary of 25,000translatesto25,000 translates to 25,000translatesto672,000 in 2012 dollars. Currently the US Presidential salary is 400,000/year,plusa400,000/year, plus a 400,000/year,plusa50,000 non-taxable expense account. The compensation of the President is controlled by law, Compensation of the President: Title 3, Section 102.

The Supreme Court was first called to assemble on On February 1, 1790, in the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City. The first Supreme Court was made up of Chief Justice, John Jay, from New York and Associate Justices:

John Rutledge, from South Carolina;William Cushing, from Massachusetts;James Wilson, from Pennsylvania;John Blair, from Virginia.