23rd New York State Legislature


The 23rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 28 to April 8, 1800, during the fifth 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.
Congressman Jonathan N. Havens died on October 25, 1799. Assemblyman John Smith was elected in a special election in December 1799 to fill the vacancy.
In 1799, Cayuga County was split from Onondaga County, and was apportioned one seat in the Assembly, taken from Onondaga. Essex County was split from Clinton County, but remained in a double-county Assembly district.
At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.

Elections

The State election was held from April 30 to May 2, 1799. Senators Richard Hatfield, Zina Hitchcock, Ebenezer Russell, Moses Vail and Vincent Mathews were re-elected. John B. Coles, Isaac Bloom, John Hathorn, John Suffern and Moss Kent were also elected to the Senate.

Sessions

The Legislature met on January 28, 1800, at the Old City Hall in Albany; and adjourned on April 8.
Federalist Dirck Ten Broeck was re-elected Speaker without opposition.
The Legislature reduced the salary of the New York State Comptroller from $3,000 to $2,500 whereupon Samuel Jones declined to be re-appointed. On March 12, 1800, the Council of Appointment chose Assemblyman John Vernon Henry to succeed Jones.
On March 12, 1800, a bill was proposed to divide the State into districts to elect presidential electors by popular ballot. This was rejected by the Federalist majority , and the electors continued to be chosen by joint ballot of the State Legislature.
On March 19, 1800, U.S. Senator James Watson resigned after his appointment as Naval Officer of the Port of New York. On April 3, 1800, the Legislature elected Gouverneur Morris to fill the vacancy.

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.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftPartyNotes
SouthernSamuel Haight*1 yearFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
SouthernWilliam Denning*1 yearDem.-Rep.
SouthernSelah Strong*1 yearFederalist
SouthernEzra L'Hommedieu*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernDeWitt Clinton*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernDavid Gelston*3 yearsDem.-Rep.also Surrogate of New York County
SouthernJohn Schenck*3 yearDem.-Rep.
SouthernJohn B. Coles4 yearsFederalist
SouthernRichard Hatfield*4 yearsFederalist
MiddleRobert Sands*1 yearFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
MiddleJames Savage*1 yearFederalist
MiddlePeter Silvester*1 yearFederalist
MiddleWilliam Thompson*1 yearFederalist
MiddleJohn Addison*2 yearsDem.-Rep.died in 1800
MiddlePeter Cantine Jr.*2 yearsFederalist
MiddleJames G. Graham*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleEbenezer Foote*3 yearsFederalistalso Delaware County Clerk
MiddleAmbrose Spencer*3 yearsDem.-Rep.also Assistant Attorney General
MiddleIsaac Bloom4 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJohn Hathorn4 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJohn Suffern4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternLeonard Bronck*1 yearFederalist
EasternJames Gordon*1 yearFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
EasternEbenezer Clark*2 yearsFederalist
EasternAnthony Ten Eyck*2 yearsFederalist
EasternJacobus Van Schoonhoven*2 yearsFederalist
EasternAbraham Van Vechten*2 yearsFederalistalso Recorder of the City of Albany
EasternLeonard Gansevoort*3 yearsFederalist
EasternJohn Sanders*3 yearsFederalist
EasternZina Hitchcock*4 yearsFederalist
EasternEbenezer Russell*4 yearsFederalist
EasternMoses Vail*4 yearsFederalist
WesternJacob Morris*1 yearFederalist
WesternJedediah Sanger*1 yearFederalistalso First Judge of the Oneida County Court
WesternThomas Morris*2 yearsFederalistelected in April 1800 to the 7th United States Congress
WesternMichael Myers*2 yearsFederalist
WesternSeth Phelps*2 yearsFederalist
WesternWilliam Beekman*3 yearsFederalist
WesternJohn Frey*3 yearsFederalist
WesternFrederick Gettman*3 yearsFederalist
WesternThomas R. Gold*3 yearsFederalistalso Assistant Attorney General ;
elected to the Council of Appointment
WesternVincent Mathews*4 yearsFederalist
WesternMoss Kent4 yearsFederalist

Employees

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.
CountyAssemblymenPartyNotes
AlbanyJames Bill*
AlbanyPhilip Conine Jr.
AlbanyJohann Jost Dietz*Federalist
AlbanyPrince Doty*Federalist
AlbanyJohn Vernon HenryFederalistfrom March 12, 1800, also New York State Comptroller
AlbanyFrancis NicollFederalist
AlbanyJoseph Shurtleff*Federalist
AlbanyDirck Ten Broeck*Federalistre-elected Speaker
AlbanyJacob Winne
CayugaSilas HalseyDem.-Rep.previously a member from Onondaga Co.
ChenangoPeter B. Garnsey
ChenangoNathaniel King*
Clinton and
Essex		William Gilliland
ColumbiaEzekiel GilbertFederalist
ColumbiaRobert T. LivingstonFederalist
ColumbiaCharles McKinstry*Federalist
ColumbiaJohn NoyesFederalist
ColumbiaAnson PrattFederalist
ColumbiaJacob R. Van RensselaerFederalist
DelawarePatrick Lamb
DelawareSluman Wattles
DutchessAbraham Adriance*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessWilliam BarkerDem.-Rep.
DutchessWilliam EmottDem.-Rep./Fed.
DutchessJoseph C. FieldDem.-Rep.
DutchessRobert Johnston*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessEbenezer Mott*Dem.-Rep./Fed.
DutchessIsaac SherwoodDem.-Rep.
DutchessWilliam Taber*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessSamuel TownerDem.-Rep.
DutchessJohn Van Benthuysen*Dem.-Rep.
HerkimerThomas ManlyFederalist
HerkimerJohn MillsFederalist
HerkimerJohn MeyerFederalist
KingsJacob Sharpe Jr.
MontgomeryJohn HerkimerDem.-Rep.
MontgomeryCornelius HumfreyDem.-Rep.
MontgomeryArchibald McIntyre*Dem.-Rep.
MontgomeryFrederick Sammons
MontgomeryJacob Snell*Dem.-Rep.
MontgomerySimon Veeder*Dem.-Rep.
New YorkJohn BogertFederalist
New YorkNicholas EvertsonFederalist
New YorkJohn OothoutFederalist
New YorkAnthony PostFederalist
New YorkCaleb S. RiggsFederalist
New YorkRobert RutgersFederalist
New YorkJacob SherredFederalist
New YorkAnthony SteenbackFederalist
New YorkEbenezer StevensFederalist
New YorkSamuel StillwellFederalist
New YorkBernardus Swartwout Jr.Federalist
New YorkWilliam B. WoolseyFederalist
New Yorkvacant
OneidaJohn Hall
OneidaDavid Ostrom*Federalist
OneidaNathan Smith
OnondagaEbenezer Butler Jr.
Ontario and
Steuben		Nathaniel Norton
Ontario and
Steuben		Charles Williamson*
OrangeJohn Blake Jr.*Dem.-Rep.
OrangeRobert R. Burnet
OrangeJames Burt*Dem.-Rep.
OrangeAndrew McCordDem.-Rep.
OrangeSeth Marvin
OtsegoJedediah Peck*Dem.-Rep.
OtsegoRobert RoseboomDem.-Rep.
OtsegoJacob Ten Broeck
OtsegoRensselaer Williams
QueensIsaac DentonDem.-Rep.
QueensJonah HallettDem.-Rep.
QueensAbraham MonfoortDem.-Rep.
QueensJohn I. Skidmore*Dem.-Rep.
RensselaerJacob A. Fort*Federalist
RensselaerDaniel Gray*Federalist
RensselaerJames McKownFederalist
RensselaerJosiah MastersDem.-Rep.
RensselaerJohn W. Schermerhorn*
RensselaerGeorge TibbitsFederalist
RichmondJohn P. Ryerss
RocklandSamuel G. Verbryck
SaratogaDaniel Bull
SaratogaSamuel Clark*
SaratogaAdam Comstock*Dem.-Rep.
SaratogaJames Warren*
SaratogaEdward A. Watrous
SchoharieStorm A. BeckerFederalist
SuffolkNicoll Floyd*Dem.-Rep.
SuffolkJared Landon*Dem.-Rep.
SuffolkJohn Smith*Dem.-Rep.elected in December 1799 to the 6th United States Congress and
took his seat on February 27, 1800, vacating his seat in the Assembly
SuffolkSilas WoodFederalist
TiogaSamuel TinkhamFederalist
UlsterCharles W. Broadhead
UlsterJohannes Bruyn
UlsterMoses Cantine
UlsterJohn C. DeWitt
UlsterMartin G. Schuneman*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonBenjamin Colvin
WashingtonMicajah Pettit
WashingtonIsaac SargentDem.-Rep.
WashingtonEdward Savage*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonDavid ThomasDem.-Rep.elected in April 1800 to the 7th United States Congress
WashingtonJohn ThurmanFederalist
WestchesterGeorge Comb
WestchesterAbijah GilbertDem.-Rep.
WestchesterNathan RockwellFederalist
WestchesterAbel Smith*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterCharles Teed*Federalist

Employees