<P> Governor's council members were appointed, and they served at the governor's pleasure, who in turn served at the monarch's pleasure . Often the councilors' terms of service lasted longer than the governor's . The usual first act of a new royal governor was to re-appoint or continue the council members in their offices . </P> <P> When there was an absentee governor or an interval between governors, the council acted as the government . </P> <P> Members of the council included ex-officio members, who served by virtue of their position . Others were appointed in order to have a representative cross-section of the diverse interests in the colony . Council members were theoretically subject to approval by the London government, either the Secretary of State for the Southern Department, or after 1768 the Secretary of State for the Colonies . In practice, the distance and delay in communications meant that a veto occurred only in rare cases . </P> <P> The council as a whole would sit as the supreme court for the colony, as was needed . On the local level, justices of the peace periodically convened a county court session . </P>

Who controlled the elected assemblies in the southern colonies and why