9th New York State Legislature explained

Number:9th
Imagename:The Old Royal Exchange, in New York City, where the Legislature met from 1785 to 1787.
Imagedate:undated
Start:July 1, 1785
End:June 30, 1786
Vp:Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt
Speaker:John Lansing Jr.
Senators:24
Reps:70 (de facto 65)
Sessionnumber1:1st
Sessionstart1:January 12, 1786
Sessionend1:May 5, 1786
Previous:8th
Next:10th

The 9th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 12 to May 5, 1786, during the ninth year of George Clinton's governorship, at the Old Royal Exchange in New York City.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, the State Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts, and were then divided into four classes. Six senators each drew lots for a term of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years and, beginning at the election in April 1778, every year six Senate seats came up for election to a four-year term. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.

The 8th New York State Legislature adjourned on April 27, 1785. At this time, the Senate voted that the next Legislature meet at Kingston, New York on a day set by the governor. The Assembly voted to meet at a time and place to be determined by the governor, to which the Senate then agreed. On November 16, 1785, Governor Clinton called the Legislature to meet on January 6, 1786, at the Exchange in New York City.[1]

Elections

The State election was held from April 26 to 28, 1785. Senator John Haring (Middle D.) was re-elected; and Thomas Tredwell (Southern D.), Volkert P. Douw, Philip Schuyler (both Western D.), and Assemblymen David Hopkins (Eastern D.) and Cornelius Humfrey (Middle D.), were elected to the Senate.

Sessions

The State Legislature met at the Old Royal Exchange in New York City, the Assembly on January 12, the Senate on January 16, 1786; and both Houses adjourned on May 5.

When the Legislature eventually had assembled a quorum, Governor Clinton told them that, following the principle of Separation of Powers, the Governor could call the Legislature only for special sessions, but the Legislature should henceforth decide for themselves where and when to meet for the next ordinary session, and suggested to pass a law for this purpose. On March 13, 1786, the Legislature enacted that future Legislatures meet on the first Tuesday of January of each year unless called earlier by the governor. However, no general meeting place was determined, leaving it for the time being to each Legislature to name the place where to reconvene, and if no place could be agreed upon, the Legislature should meet again where it adjourned.[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. Cornelius Humfrey and David Hopkins changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

DistrictSenatorsTerm leftNotes
SouthernLewis Morris1 yearelected to the Council of Appointment
Isaac Roosevelt1 year
Isaac Stoutenburgh2 years
Samuel Townsend2 years
Stephen Ward2 years
William Floyd3 years
Ezra L'Hommedieu3 years
Alexander McDougall3 yearsdied on June 9, 1786
Thomas Tredwell4 years
MiddleWilliam Allison1 year
Joseph Gasherie2 years
Jacobus Swartwout2 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
Arthur Parks3 years
John Haring4 years
(Cornelius Humfrey)*4 yearsdid not attend
EasternJohn Williams1 year
Ebenezer Russell3 years
David Hopkins4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
Western(Jacob G. Klock)*1 yeardid not attend
Abraham Yates Jr.1 year
Andrew Finck2 years
Peter Van Ness3 years
Volkert P. Douw4 years
Philip Schuyler4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment

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.

CountyAssemblymenNotes
AlbanyLeonard Bronck
Henry Glen
James Gordon
Lawrence Hogeboom
John Lansing Jr.elected Speaker
John Livingston
Jacobus Van Schoonhoven
John Tayler
Abraham J. Van Alstyne
Peter Vrooman
CumberlandnoneNo election returns from these counties[3]
Gloucester
Dirck Brinckerhoff
John DeWitt
Lewis DuBois
Jacob Griffin
Henry Ludington
Brinton Paine
Matthew Patterson
KingsCharles Doughty
John Vanderbilt
Abraham Arndt
John Frey
William Harper
James Livingston
Abraham Van Horne
Volkert Veeder
New YorkEvert Bancker
Robert Boyd
William Denning
William Duer
William Goforth
William Malcom
Isaac Sears
John Stagg
Robert Troup
John Bradner
Gilbert Cooper
Nathaniel Satterly
Henry Wisner III
QueensDaniel Duryee
Samuel Jones
Daniel Whitehead Kissam
James Townsend
RichmondJohn C. Dongan
Joshua Mersereau
SuffolkNathaniel Gardiner
John Nicoll Havens
David Hedges
Jeffrey Smith
Thomas Youngs
David Galatian
Joseph Hasbrouck
Thomas Jansen
Cornelius C. Schoonmaker
Nathan Smith
Johannis Snyder
WashingtonAlbert Baker
Joseph McCracken
Ichabod Parker
Peter B. Tierce
WestchesterSamuel Drake
Abijah Gilbert
Ebenezer Lockwood
Philip Pell Jr.
Thomas Thomas
Jonathan G. Tompkins

Employees

Notes

  1. https://books.google.com/books?id=IhGflokDzmAC&pg=PA305 George Clinton: Yeoman Politician of the New Republic
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=9Hs4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA208 Laws of the State of New York
  3. Cumberland and Gloucester counties seceded from the Province of New York in January 1777, and became part of the Vermont Republic, while the Constitutional Convention was still debating the new Constitution. The New York Constitution was approved in April 1777, not recognizing the secession. Neither county did file any election returns with the Secretary of State of New York in 1785.

Sources