22nd New York State Legislature

22nd New York State Legislature
← 21st 23rd →
The Old Albany City Hall (undated)
Overview
Legislative body	New York State Legislature
Jurisdiction	New York, United States
Term	July 1, 1798 – June 30, 1799
Senate
Members	43
President	Lt. Gov. Stephen Van Rensselaer (Fed.)
Party control	Federalist (32-11)
Assembly
Members	108
Speaker	Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.)
Party control	Federalist[1]
Sessions
1st August 9 – 27, 1798 2nd January 2 – April 3, 1799

The 22nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from August 9, 1798, to April 3, 1799, during the fourth 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 March 1786, the Legislature enacted that future Legislatures meet on the first Tuesday of January of each year unless called earlier by the governor. In 1797, Albany was declared the State capital, and all subsequent Legislatures have been meeting there ever since.

On April 26, 1797, State Senator Joshua Sands was appointed as Collector of the Port of New York; and on September 24, 1797, State Senator died; leaving two vacancies in the Southern District.

U.S. Senator John Sloss Hobart (Fed.) vacated his seat on April 16, 1798, when he was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of New York, and on May 5, Gov. John Jay appointed William North (Fed.) to fill the vacancy temporarily.

In 1798, Chenango County was created from parts of Herkimer and Tioga counties, and was apportioned two seats in the Assembly, one each taken from Herkimer and Tioga. Oneida County was created from Herkimer, and was apportioned three seats in the Assembly, taken from Herkimer. Rockland County was created from Orange County, and was apportioned one seat in the Assembly, taken from Orange. Besides, two seats from Ulster Co. and one seat from Albany Co. were transferred to Orange Co.

At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.^[2]

Elections[]

The State election was held from April 24 to 26, 1798. Gov. John Jay and Lt. Gov. Stephen Van Rensselaer (both Fed.) were re-elected.

Senators Ambrose Spencer (Middle D.), Leonard Gansevoort (Eastern D.), and Thomas R. Gold (both Western D.) were re-elected. David Gelston, (both Southern D.), (Middle D.), (Eastern D.); and Assemblymen DeWitt Clinton (Southern D.) and (Western D.) were also elected to full terms in the Senate. Senator (Southern D.) was re-elected, but only to a one-year term to fill a vacancy. Assemblyman William Denning (Southern D.) was elected to the Senate to a two-year term, to fill the other vacancy.

Sessions[]

Gov. Jay called a special session of the Legislature when it seemed that a war with France was likely to break out, and he deemed it necessary to prepare the State for defence.^[3] The Legislature met on August 9, 1798, at the Old City Hall in Albany, New York; and adjourned on August 27.

Federalist Dirck Ten Broeck was re-elected Speaker with 58 votes against 37 for Dem.-Rep. .

On August 17, 1798, the Legislature elected James Watson (Fed.) to fill the vacancy in the U.S. Senate.

The Legislature met for the regular session on January 2, 1799; and both Houses adjourned on April 3.

Near the end of the session, an "Act for Supplying the City of New-York with Pure and Wholesome Water" was passed, which contained hidden in its text the charter to set up the Bank of the Manhattan Company.

State Senate[]

Districts[]

• The Southern District (9 seats) consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties.
• The Middle District (12 seats) consisted of Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Columbia, Delaware and Rockland counties.
• The Eastern District (11 seats) consisted of Washington, Clinton, Rensselaer, Albany and Saratoga counties.
• The Western District (11 seats) consisted of Montgomery, Herkimer, Ontario, Otsego, Tioga, Onondaga, Schoharie, Steuben, Chenango and Oneida counties.

Members[]

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. William Denning, DeWitt Clinton and Frederick Gettman changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Employees[]

• Clerk:

State Assembly[]

Districts[]

Assemblymen[]

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

Employees[]

• Clerk:
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Robert Hunter
• Doorkeeper: Peter Hansen

Notes[]

Sources[]

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) [see pg. 108f for Senate districts; pg. 117 for senators; pg. 148f for Assembly districts; pg. 172 for assemblymen]
• Election result Assembly, Dutchess Co. at project "A New Nation Votes", compiled by Phil Lampi, hosted by Tufts University Digital Library
• Election result Assembly, Montgomery Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Saratoga Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Washington Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly Speaker at project "A New Nation Votes"