The 46th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to April 24, 1823, during the first year of Joseph C. Yates's governorship, in Albany.
Background A Constitutional Convention met from August 28 to November 10, 1821, and the new Constitution was adopted by the voters in January 1822. Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1821, 32 Senators were elected on general tickets in eight senatorial districts for four-year terms. They were divided into four classes, and every year eight Senate seats came up for election. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole Assembly being renewed annually.
The new Constitution legislated Gov. DeWitt Clinton and Lt. Gov. John Tayler out of office at the end of 1822. Besides, the Council of Appointment was abolished, and the State officers were to be elected by the State Legislature.
On April 12, 1822, the Legislature re-apportioned the Assembly districts. All previously existing multiple-county districts (except Hamilton and Montgomery)Hamilton Co. had been created in 1816, but was not properly organized until 1838. were dismembered, and every county became a district. The total number of assemblymen was increased from 126 to 128.Laws of the State of New York (1822, pg. 203f)
On April 17, 1822, the Legislature enacted that future State elections be held on the first Monday in November and the two succeeding days.Laws of the State of New York (1822, pg. 267)
At this time New York politics were dominated by the Bucktails faction of the Democratic-Republican Party.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. The opposing Democratic-Republican faction, the "Clintonians" disappeared after DeWitt Clinton decided not to run in the New York gubernatorial election, 1822; and the Federalist Party had virtually disbanded. Nevertheless, in some districts Clintonian or Federalist Senate and Assembly tickets were put up in opposition to the Bucktails (which were considered the "regular" Democratic-Republican nominees), but without much success.
The Bucktails nominated Supreme Court Justice Joseph C. Yates for Governor, and Erastus Root for Lieutenant Governor. The Clintonians made no nomination for Governor, but nominated Henry Huntington for Lieutenant Governor. Solomon Southwick nominated himself for Governor.
Elections The State election was held from November 4 to 6, 1822. Joseph C. Yates and Erastus Root were elected. All 32 State senators were elected on the regular Democratic-Republican tickets.
Sessions The Legislature met at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1823, and adjourned on April 24.
Peter R. Livingston (Buckt.) was elected Speaker with 117 votes out of 123.
On January 27, the Senate rejected the re-appointment of Chief Justice Ambrose Spencer and Associate Supreme Court Justices Jonas Platt and John Woodworth; and confirmed the appointment of Nathan Sanford as Chancellor to succeed James Kent.
On January 28, Gov. Yates nominated State Comptroller John Savage as Chief Justice; and Jacob Sutherland and Samuel Betts as associate justices.
On January 29, Savage and Sutherland were confirmed, but the appointment of Betts was rejected. Thereupon Gov. Yates re-nominated Woodworth who was confirmed after some debate by a slim margin.
On February 13, the Legislature elected Secretary of State John Van Ness Yates, Attorney General Samuel A. Talcott and Surveyor General Simeon De Witt to succeed themselves; and William L. Marcy to succeed Savage as State Comptroller.
On March 31, the Legislature appointed Edwin Croswell and Isaac Q. Leake as State Printers.
On April 17, the Legislature enacted that there shall be eight New York State Circuit Courts, one in each senatorial district. Gov. Yates nominated as judges: Ogden Edwards (1st D.); Samuel Betts (2nd D.); William A. Duer (3rd D.); Reuben H. Walworth (4th D.); Nathan Williams (5th D.); Samuel Nelson (6th D.); Enos T. Throop (7th D.) and William B. Rochester (8th D.). They were confirmed on April 21.
State Senate Districts The First District (4 seats) consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties. The Second District (4 seats) consisted of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. The Third District (4 seats) consisted of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Schoharie counties. The Fourth District (4 seats) consisted of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties. The Fifth District (4 seats) consisted of Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida and Oswego counties. The Sixth District (4 seats) consisted of Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins counties. The Seventh District (4 seats) consisted of Cayuga, Onondaga, Ontario and Seneca counties. The Eighth District (4 seats) consisted of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara and Steuben counties.
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. James Burt and Byram Green changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Under the provisions of the new Constitution, upon taking office the senators were classified by drawing lots to terms of one, two, three or four years, as shown in the table below.
District Senators Term left Party Notes FirstJohn A. King1 year Dem.-Rep.Walter Bowne*2 years Dem.-Rep.John Lefferts*3 years Dem.-Rep.Jasper Ward4 years Dem.-Rep. SecondJohn Hunter1 year Dem.-Rep.John Sudam2 years Dem.-Rep.Stephen Thorn3 years Dem.-Rep.James Burt*4 year Dem.-Rep. ThirdEdward P. Livingston1 year Dem.-Rep.vacant2 yearsJacob Sutherland did not take his seatUnder the new Constitution, it was forbidden for State legislators to receive any appointment to a State office during the time of the legislative term for which he was elected, meaning that it was not only incompatible to hold legislative and executive offices at the same time, as was usual until 1822, but it was also useless to resign a seat to be then appointed. Sutherland claimed that he was elected to the Senate without his consent, did not take the seat, and was appointed to the New York Supreme Court.Charles E. Dudley*3 years Dem.-Rep.also Mayor of AlbanyJames Mallory4 years Dem.-Rep. FourthDavid Erwin1 year Dem.-Rep.Melancton Wheeler2 years Dem.-Rep.John Cramer3 years Dem.-Rep.Archibald McIntyre*4 years Dem.-Rep. FifthSamuel Beardsley1 year Dem.-Rep.in March 1823, appointed U.S. Atty. for the Northern D. of NY, and resigned his seat at the end of the session in AprilBeardsley did not appear at the session of the Court of for the Correction of Errors in September; see Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court and in the Court for the Trial of Impeachments and the Correction of Errors in the State of New York compiled by Esek Cowen (1845; Vol. II; pg. 13)Alvin Bronson2 years Dem.-Rep.Thomas Greenly3 years Dem.-Rep.Sherman Wooster4 years Dem.-Rep. SixthSamuel G. Hathaway1 year Dem.-Rep.Farrand Stranahan2 years Dem.-Rep.Tilly Lynde*3 years Dem.-Rep.Isaac Ogden4 years Dem.-Rep. SeventhSilas Bowker1 year Dem.-Rep.Byram Green*2 years Dem.-Rep.Jesse Clark3 years Dem.-Rep.Jonas Earll, Jr.4 years Dem.-Rep. EighthTimothy H. Porter1 year Dem.-Rep.David Eason2 years Dem.-Rep.Heman J. Redfield3 years Dem.-Rep.also D.A. of Genesee Co.Joseph Spencer4 years Dem.-Rep.died May 2, 1823
Employees Clerk: John F. Bacon
State Assembly Districts
Albany County (3 seats) Allegany County (1 seat) Broome County (1 seat) Cattaraugus County (1 seat) Cayuga County (4 seats) Chautauqua County (1 seat) Chenango County (3 seats) Clinton County (1 seat) Columbia County (3 seats) Cortland County (2 seats) Delaware County (2 seats) Dutchess County (4 seats) Erie County (1 seat) Essex County (1 seat) Franklin County (1 seat) Genesee County (4 seats) Greene County (2 seats) Hamilton and Montgomery co. (4 seats) Herkimer County (3 seats) Jefferson County (3 seats) Kings County (1 seat) Lewis County (1 seat) Livingston County (2 seats) Madison County (3 seats) Monroe County (3 seats) The City and County of New York (10 seats) Niagara County (1 seat) Oneida County (5 seats) Onondaga County (4 seats) Ontario County (6 seats) Orange County (4 seats) Oswego County (1 seat) Otsego County (4 seats) Putnam County (1 seat) Queens County (2 seats) Rensselaer County (4 seats) Richmond County (1 seat) Rockland County (1 seat) St. Lawrence County (1 seat) Saratoga County (3 seats) Schenectady County (1 seat) Schoharie County (2 seats) Seneca County (2 seats) Steuben County (2 seats) Suffolk County (2 seats) Sullivan County (1 seat) Tioga County (2 seats) Tompkins County (2 seats) Ulster County (3 seats) Warren County (1 seat) Washington (4 seats) Westchester County (3 seats)
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. Peter R. Livingston changed from the Senate to the Assembly.