24th New York State Legislature explained

Number:24th
Imagename:The Old Albany City Hall
Imagedate:undated
Start:July 1, 1800
End:June 30, 1801
Vp:Lt. Gov. Stephen Van Rensselaer (Fed.)
Speaker:Samuel Osgood (Dem.-Rep.)
Senators:43
Reps:108
S-Majority:Federalist (25-18)
H-Majority:Democratic-Republican
Sessionnumber1:1st
Sessionstart1:November 4
Sessionend1:8, 1800
Sessionnumber2:2nd
Sessionstart2:January 27
Sessionend2:April 8, 1801
Previous:23rd
Next:25th

The 24th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from November 4, 1800, to April 8, 1801, during the sixth year of John Jay's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, amended by the re-apportionment of March 4, 1796, Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts for four-year terms. They were divided into four classes, and every year about one fourth of the Senate seats came up for election. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.

In 1797, Albany was declared the State capital, and all subsequent Legislatures have been meeting there ever since. In 1799, the Legislature enacted that future Legislatures meet on the last Tuesday of January of each year unless called earlier by the governor.

Senator John Addison died in 1800, leaving a vacancy in the Middle District.

In 1800, Greene County was created from parts of Albany and Ulster counties, and was apportioned 2 seats in the Assembly, one each taken from Albany and Ulster.

In August 1800, U.S. Senator John Laurance (Fed.) resigned.

At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.[1]

Elections

The State election was held from April 29 to May 1, 1800. Senators William Denning (Southern D.), James Gordon (Eastern D.) and Jedediah Sanger (Western D.) were re-elected. Benjamin Huntting, Ebenezer Purdy (both Southern D.), James W. Wilkin, David Van Ness, Solomon Sutherland, John C. Hogeboom (all four Middle D.), Stephen Lush (Eastern D.) and Assemblyman Robert Roseboom (Western D.) were also elected to full terms in the Senate. Jacobus S. Bruyn (Middle D.) was elected to a one-year term to fill the vacancy. Gordon, Sanger and Lush were Federalists, the other nine were Democratic-Republicans.

Sessions

The Legislature met at the Old City Hall in Albany on November 4, 1800, to elect presidential electors; and the Senate adjourned on November 7, the Assembly on November 8.

Dem.-Rep. Samuel Osgood was elected Speaker with 62 votes against 31 for Federalist Dirck Ten Broeck.

On November 6, 1800, the Legislature elected 12 presidential electors, all Democratic-Republicans: William Floyd, Isaac Ledyard, Anthony Lispenard, Philip Van Cortlandt Jr., James Burt, Gilbert Livingston, Thomas Jenkins, Peter Van Ness, Robert Ellis, John Woodworth, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer and Jacob Eaker. They cast their votes for Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr.

On November 6, 1800, the Legislature elected John Armstrong (Dem.-Rep.) to fill the vacancy in the U.S. Senate.

The Legislature met for the regular session on January 27, 1801; and adjourned on April 8.

On January 27, 1801, John Armstrong was re-elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate.

On February 26, 1801, Gov. John Jay sent a message to the Assembly about the controversy that had arisen in the Council of Appointment concerning the right to nominate appointees. Jay held that only the governor could nominate somebody, and the councillors then could only approve or reject this nomination. The Dem.-Rep. councillors however claimed that they too had the right to nominate appointees, and Jay had adjourned the council and did not make any appointments anymore. Jay asked the Assembly to solve the problem, but they refused, claiming that it was a constitutional issue to be decided by the Governor and Council. Jay asked then the chancellor and the justices of the New York Supreme Court for their opinion, but they refused to give it, claiming that to give opinions was outside the scope of their constitutional duties. To find a way out of the impasse, the Legislature passed on April 6 an "Act Recommending a Convention" which called for the election of delegates to a convention, to consider amending the State Constitution concerning the Council of Appointment and the apportionment of the State Legislature.[2]

State Senate

Districts

Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.

Members

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Robert Roseboom changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

DistrictSenatorsTerm leftPartyNotes
SouthernEzra L'Hommedieu1 yearDem.-Rep.
DeWitt Clinton2 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
David Gelston2 yearsDem.-Rep.also Surrogate of New York County
John Schenck2 yearDem.-Rep.
John B. Coles3 yearsFederalist
Richard Hatfield3 yearsFederalist
William Denning4 yearsDem.-Rep.
Benjamin Huntting4 yearsDem.-Rep.
Ebenezer Purdy4 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJacobus S. Bruyn1 yearDem.-Rep.elected to fill vacancy, in place of John Addison
Peter Cantine Jr.1 yearFederalist
James G. Graham1 yearDem.-Rep.
Ebenezer Foote2 yearsFederalistalso Delaware County Clerk
Ambrose Spencer2 yearsDem.-Rep.also Assistant Attorney General (3rd D.);
elected to the Council of Appointment
Isaac Bloom3 yearsDem.-Rep.
John Hathorn3 yearsDem.-Rep.
John Suffern3 yearsDem.-Rep.
John C. Hogeboom4 yearsDem.-Rep.
Solomon Sutherland4 yearsDem.-Rep.
David Van Ness4 yearsDem.-Rep.
James W. Wilkin4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternEbenezer Clark1 yearFederalist
Anthony Ten Eyck1 yearFederalist
nowrap Jacobus Van Schoonhoven1 yearFederalist
Abraham Van Vechten1 yearFederalistalso Recorder of the City of Albany
Leonard Gansevoort2 yearsFederalist
John Sanders2 yearsFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
Zina Hitchcock3 yearsFederalist
Ebenezer Russell3 yearsFederalist
Moses Vail3 yearsFederalistvacated his seat upon appointment as Sheriff
of Rensselaer County on November 11, 1800
James Gordon4 yearsFederalist
Stephen Lush4 yearsFederalist
WesternThomas Morris1 yearFederalistelected in April 1800 to the 7th United States Congress[3]
Michael Myers1 yearFederalist
Seth Phelps1 yearFederalist
William Beekman2 yearsFederalist
John Frey2 yearsFederalist
Frederick Gettman2 yearsFederalist
Thomas R. Gold2 yearsFederalistalso Assistant Attorney General (7th D.)
Vincent Mathews3 yearsFederalist
Moss Kent3 yearsFederalist
Robert Roseboom4 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
Jedediah Sanger4 yearsFederalistalso First Judge of the Oneida County Court

Employees

State Assembly

Districts

Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.

Assemblymen

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.

DistrictAssemblymenPartyNotes
AlbanyJohann Jost DietzFederalistf
Prince DotyFederalist
John Vernon HenryFederalistalso New York State Comptroller
Joseph ShurtleffFederalist
Dirck Ten BroeckFederalist
Jacob Ten EyckFederalist
Peter WestFederalist
Jacob WinneFederalist
CayugaSilas HalseyDem.-Rep.
ChenangoJonathan Forman
James Glover
Clinton and
Essex		vacantBenjamin Mooers and Daniel Ross were tied in first place
with 229 votes each, so there was "no choice"
ColumbiaWilliam CantineFederalist
Asa DouglassFederalist
Dirck GardenierFederalist
Ezekiel GilbertFederalist
John LivingstonFederalist
Elisha WilliamsFederalist
DelawareGabriel NorthDem.-Rep.
Erastus RootDem.-Rep.
DutchessAbraham AdrianceDem.-Rep.
Benjamin AkinsDem.-Rep.
Elisha BarlowDem.-Rep.
Nicholas H. EmighDem.-Rep.
Robert JohnstonDem.-Rep.
Ebenezer MottFederalist
Zalman Sanford
Isaac SherwoodDem.-Rep.
Smith ThompsonDem.-Rep.
John M. ThurstonDem.-Rep.
GreeneThomas E. BarkerFederalistpreviously a member from Albany Co.
Caleb Bentonpreviously a member from Columbia Co.
HerkimerNathan SmithDem.-Rep.
Evans WharryDem.-Rep.
George WidrigDem.-Rep.
KingsJacob Sharpe Jr.Dem.-Rep.
Cornelius HumfreyDem.-Rep.
Archibald McIntyreDem.-Rep.
Alexander SheldonDem.-Rep.
Jacob SnellDem.-Rep.
Simon VeederDem.-Rep.
Christopher P. YatesDem.-Rep.
New YorkPhilip I. ArculariusDem.-Rep.
John BroomeDem.-Rep.
George ClintonDem.-Rep.in April 1801 elected again Governor of New York
Horatio GatesDem.-Rep.
James HuntDem.-Rep.
Henry Brockholst LivingstonDem.-Rep.
Elias NexsenDem.-Rep.
Samuel OsgoodDem.-Rep.elected Speaker
Ezekiel RobinsDem.-Rep.
Henry RutgersDem.-Rep.
Thomas StormDem.-Rep.
John SwartwoutDem.-Rep.
George WarnerDem.-Rep.
OneidaJesse Curtiss
Abel FrenchFederalist
David OstromFederalist
Asa DanforthDem.-Rep.
Ontario and
Steuben		Lemuel ChipmanFederalist
Nathaniel NortonFederalist
Aaron BurrDem.-Rep.previously a member from New York City;
elected U.S. Vice President on February 17, 1801, and took
office on March 4, thus vacating his seat in the Assembly
James ClintonDem.-Rep.previously a member from Ulster Co.
Andrew McCordDem.-Rep.
Peter TownsendDem.-Rep.
Henry TuckerDem.-Rep.
OtsegoBenjamin HicksFederalistpreviously a member from Rensselaer Co.
Solomon MartinFederalist
Jedediah PeckDem.-Rep.
Jacob Ten BroeckDem.-Rep.
QueensJonah HallettDem.-Rep.
Abraham MonfoortDem.-Rep.
Joseph PettitDem.-Rep.
John I. SkidmoreDem.-Rep.
RensselaerJonathan BrownDem.-Rep.
John LovettFederalist
James McKownFederalist
Josiah MastersDem.-Rep.
Hosea MoffittFederalist
John E. Van AlenFederalist
RichmondPaul I. MicheauFederalist
RocklandSamuel G. Verbryck
SaratogaDaniel Bull
Adam ComstockDem.-Rep.
Henry Corl Jr.Federalist
James Merrill
James Warren
SchoharieJoseph Borst Jr.
SuffolkNicoll FloydDem.-Rep.
Jared LandonDem.-Rep.
Abraham MillerDem.-Rep.
Mills PhillipsDem.-Rep.
TiogaEdward EdwardsFederalist
UlsterBenjamin Bevier Jr.Dem.-Rep.
Conrad E. ElmendorfFederalistalso Assistant Attorney General (2nd D.)
Philip EltingeFederalist
Joseph Hasbrouck Jr.Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonSeth AldenFederalist
David HopkinsFederalist
Gerrit G. LansingFederalist
Timothy LeonardFederalist
William McAuleyFederalist
Edward SavageDem.-Rep.
WestchesterAbijah GilbertDem.-Rep.
Robert GrahamFederalist
Abraham OdellDem.-Rep.
Abel SmithDem.-Rep.
Thomas ThomasDem.-Rep.

Employees

Notes

  1. The Anti-Federalists called themselves "Republicans." However, at the same time, the Federalists called them "Democrats" which was meant to be pejorative. After some time both terms got more and more confused, and sometimes used together as "Democratic Republicans" which later historians have adopted (with a hyphen) to describe the party from the beginning, to avoid confusion with both the later established and still existing Democratic and Republican parties.
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=bu8SPTyhrF8C&pg=PA156 The History of Political Parties in the State of New-York, from the Ratification of the Federal Constitution to 1840
  3. Morris continued to sit in the State Senate until the end of this session, because Congress met only on December 7, 1801.

Sources

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "24th New York State Legislature".

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