Less Reasonable than John Dickinson: A Very Different Pennsylvania

(This is my first effort at putting together a scenario for this board, though I've read many that you all have written, and appreciate all feedback and genuinely wonder what the outcome of these two changes will be for the development of the U.S.)


1782: Philadelphia

On November 7, 1782, Pennsylvania held an election to select the President of their Commonwealth, an office akin to governor in other states. Although already serving as President of Delaware, an office bestowed upon him by that state's General Assembly in October 1781, he managed to present himself as a candidate for the same office in the much larger Pennsylvania. Running against opponent James Potter, who served as Brigadier General for the Pennsylvania Militia who was recognized his contributions to the Revolutionary War effort, he won this election with 41 votes to 32 for Potter.

Dickinson received much of his support from moderates who were looking to return to Pennsylvania politics after the intervening years had seen a great reduction in their authority, especially once the colonies had been severed from Britain, as the Radical Constitution of 1776 in the Commonwealth had stripped those who did not support revolting from power. Dickinson was a careful and cautious man, who worked to reintegrate the state.

But he was also President of another state, and if a different election occurred where Potter wins...

1783: Philadelphia

The Congress of the Confederation were meeting in Philadelphia at the State House as was their regular habit. Not yet known as Independence Hall, the familiar red brick building served for both Pennsylvania affairs and for the Continental Congress as it had in their contemplation of the Declaration of Independence.

And yet, some were not happy. Frustrated by a lack of pay and difficult conditions, there was unrest amongst some who had served in the Continental Army. It wouldn't take much for their anger to become much more pronounced, and on June 17th, an ultimatum was delivered. 400 soldiers stationed in Philadelphia demanded payment from the Congress in an affair known as the Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783.

Where a moderate like John Dickinson refused to engage the soldiers with force as the Congress requested, instead working to amicably settle grievances, President Potter might have behaved differently.

Accepting the need to defend the Congress, Potter might have deployed the Pennsylvania militia, enjoying authority with them from his previous and ongoing service in defense of the Congress. While likely sympathetic to the men who had fought, his willingness and authority to use force as a first action would have soothed the Congress and demonstrated the willingness of Pennsylvania to utilize it's authority in defense of the new regime instead of suffering it.

Where the Congress moved to Princeton, NJ and later New York in concern for their safety, a thwarted Pennsylvania Mutiny has large repercussions.

Potential Changes

1783/4 - The Congress never leaves Philadelphia to settle in New York as their safety is guaranteed.

1790 - The Residence Act passed by the first United States Congress is never considered nor implemented. Prompted by Hamilton but supported by the Southern delegation, the initial impulse to move the national capital from Philadelphia never materializes, with the side effect of leaving the question of how the war debt, mostly amassed by the North, would be divided in need of new resolution.

1791 - Robert Morris' argument for the temporary capital of Philadelphia is much expanded as it becomes recognized as the permanent residence of Congress, perhaps prompting an earlier move of the Pennsylvania State Capital (Harrisburg was chosen in 1812).

What I find myself wondering is how having a northern capital changes future events, especially with regards to how the south views the north. It's obviously more speculative as one moves forward, but having DC as a swamp and Baltimore not between the Federal HQ and the cities of the north might have large ramifications. Your thoughts?
 
Well the South certainly isn't going to be happy about it, especially as the issure of slavery begins to heat up. I suspect that there's going to be a lot of grumbling about the North holding the federal government hostage every time there's some anti-slavery decision. The largest change might be Maryland in the Civil War. Without DC to anchor them to the Union will Maryland defect to the Confederates?

The biggest improvement is that traffic between Richmond and Baltimore will be light.
 
I think you might be right about Maryland. And that makes a war against the South that much harder, really, since the logistics of having to go into Virginia, assuming that ended up being part of the South in a future conflagration, would be much more difficult.

Do you think it likely that Southern defection might happen sooner in this scenario? It certainly changes the whole outlook on the War of 1812, assuming that happens.
 

katchen

Banned
Delaware as well, since if Maryland secedes, Delaware is bounded by secesh states on most of it's borders. I could easily see the Pennsylvania militia being sent into Delaware to hold Wilmington, with the strategic DuPont works and the approaches to Delaware Bay in a secession situation. And initial battles being fought on and over the Delmarva Peninsula, perhaps establishing a breakaway state of East Maryland east of the Susquehannah. The Army of the Potomac becomes the Army of the Chesapeake.
Independence Hall becomes the Capitol--which is built on as the government expands. The Liberty Bell is recast when it cracks and continues to be tolled.
 
I don't see Maryland seceding - they almost did OTL and voted agaisnt it. Baltimore it a huge city for freedmen in thsi time period, and I would suspect that was important to the economy. Would they not identify more with the North, in a way? I know it was later that someone said "Baltimore is the most southern Northern city and Philadelphia the most northern Southern city," or words to that effect, but it seems like the Baltimore part was already true.

However, the Union will try harder to keep Maryland in; plenty of appointments just like entucky got, and I can see Augustus Bradford, who OTL paid a heavy price as Governor for his devotion to the Union, being rewarded with the VP spot opposite LIncoln in '64, as here he'd have been even more vital to the Union. (I'm a very minimalist butterfly-er, so I'm saying the people would be born, but if nto, I can see the analogues in TTL being similar.) I think Bradford may have been considered,and I would think he'd do better than Johnson.

The whole area around Philadelphia gets built up a lot more, and a college like Temple may become an unofficial national university becasue it's located in the Capital. or, maybe it'l just be like it is OTL; after all, Georgetown isn't, to my knowledge, thought of that way.

As the nation develops, Philadelphia remains a large city, big enough probably to keep 2 baseball teams. It likely remains 4th largest or so, and the size of the Metro area may mean the history of New Jersey, which is just across from it, is changed, too.
 

katchen

Banned
Maybe Pennsylvania gives up Philadelphia as a federal district ( the better for the coal companies to dominate the rest of the state) and New Jersey does the same with Camden.:)
 
Maybe Pennsylvania gives up Philadelphia as a federal district ( the better for the coal companies to dominate the rest of the state) and New Jersey does the same with Camden.:)

Interestign thought - it says here there was an Act of Consolidation in 1854 which expanded it. Only problem is all thsoe citizens would not want to give up representation or voting rights. It's large enough it could be a state easily but that probably would have to wait till after the civil War. OTl, voting wasn't an issue becuase originally a vast majority of thsoewho lived in the District was with the Federal government anyway.

And, when it became a major Republican stronghold, that would be a logical step for them to consolidate power by adding 2 more Senators.

Edit: or it's admitted as a free state in 1820 and Maine remains part of Massachusetts.
 
I think the Act of Consolidation was how all Philadelphia County was merged into one city with one government. But what you say makes a lot of sense potentially. Although, I could also see maybe Westsylvania, encompassing SWPA, WV, and part of KY becoming a bit more viable earlier in this scenario.

What prompted me to ask about this was my feeling that DC is such an alien and unnatural city to the US, and wondering if how things developed if the national capital had an identity apart from simply being the center of government.

As relates to the Confederacy emerging, however, I wonder if they wouldn't have just been more likely to let the Cotton 7 secede recognizing the need to keep states like MD and VA content as more relevant. Hard to say, of course.
 
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