27th New York State Legislature

The 27th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 31 to April 11, 1804, during the third year of George Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, in Albany.

27th New York State Legislature
←26th 28th→
The Old Albany City Hall (undated)
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJuly 1, 1803 – June 30, 1804
Senate
Members32
PresidentLt. Gov. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer (Dem.-Rep.)
Party controlDemocratic-Republican (26-6)
Assembly
Members100
SpeakerAlexander Sheldon (Dem.-Rep.)
Party controlDemocratic-Republican (83-17)
Sessions
1stJanuary 31 – April 11, 1804

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, amended by the Constitutional Convention of 1801, 32 Senators were elected on general tickets in the four 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.

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.

State Senator Solomon Sutherland died on September 10, 1802, leaving a vacancy in the Middle District.

In 1803, Montgomery County, and two seats were transferred from the Western to the Eastern District.

U.S. Senator DeWitt Clinton resigned on November 4, 1803, after his appointment as Mayor of New York City, and Governor George Clinton appointed John Armstrong to fill the vacancy temporarily.

U.S. Senator Theodorus Bailey resigned on January 16, 1804, after his appointment as Postmaster of New York City.

At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.[1] The Democratic-Republican Party split into two opposing factions at the gubernatorial election of 1804: the "Regulars" who supported Morgan Lewis, and the "Burrites" who supported Vice President Aaron Burr. Lewis had been nominated for Governor by his party, but Burr, after being dropped from the presidential ticket in favor of Gov. George Clinton, ran against Lewis. Burr also received the support of the majority of the Federalists although his enemy Alexander Hamilton, the leader of the Federalists, advocated against it and supported Lewis.

Elections

The State election was held from April 26 to 28, 1803. Senator Edward Savage (Eastern D.) was re-elected. John Broome (Southern D.), Joshua H. Brett, Robert Johnston (both Middle D.), John Tayler and Thomas Tredwell (both Eastern D.); and Assemblymen John Woodworth (Eastern D.) and Caleb Hyde (Western D.) were also elected to full terms in the Senate. Simon Veeder (Eastern D.) and Assemblyman James Burt were elected to fill the vacancies. All ten were Democratic-Republicans.

Sessions

The Legislature met at the Old City Hall in Albany on January 31, 1804; and the Assembly adjourned on April 10, the Senate on April 11.

Dem.-Rep. Alexander Sheldon was elected Speaker.

On February 3, 1804, the Legislature elected two U.S. senators (both Dem.-Rep.): John Armstrong to succeed himself, and John Smith to succeed Theodorus Bailey.

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. James Burt, John Woodworth and Caleb Hyde changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

District Senators Term left Party Notes
Southern William Denning* 1 year Dem.-Rep.
Benjamin Huntting* 1 year Dem.-Rep.
Ebenezer Purdy* 1 year Dem.-Rep.
Ezra L'Hommedieu* 2 years Dem.-Rep.
John Schenck* 3 years Dem.-Rep.
John Broome 4 years Dem.-Rep. elected to the Council of Appointment;
in April 1804 elected Lieutenant Governor of New York
Middle John C. Hogeboom* 1 year Dem.-Rep.
James W. Wilkin* 1 year Dem.-Rep.
Jacobus S. Bruyn* 2 years Dem.-Rep.
Peter A. Van Bergen* 2 years Dem.-Rep.
James Burt* 3 years Dem.-Rep./Burrite elected to fill the vacancy, in place of Solomon Sutherland
Abraham Adriance* 3 years Dem.-Rep. elected to the Council of Appointment
Joshua H. Brett 4 years Dem.-Rep.
Robert Johnston 4 years Dem.-Rep.
Eastern James Gordon* 1 year Federalist
Jacobus Van Schoonhoven* 2 years Federalist
Abraham Van Vechten* 2 years Federalist also Recorder of the City of Albany
Simon Veeder 2 years Dem.-Rep. elected to fill the vacancy, in place of Christopher Hutton
Jacob Snell* 3 years Dem.-Rep. Snell lived in Montgomery Co. and had
been elected in the Western District in 1802
Edward Savage* 4 years Dem.-Rep.
John Tayler 4 years Dem.-Rep.
Thomas Tredwell 4 years Dem.-Rep. elected to the Council of Appointment
John Woodworth* 4 years Dem.-Rep. from February 3, 1804, also New York Attorney General
Western Robert Roseboom* 1 year Dem.-Rep.
Jedediah Sanger* 1 year Federalist also the First Judge of the Oneida County Court
Lemuel Chipman* 2 years Federalist
Isaac Foote* 2 years Federalist
Joseph Annin* 3 years Dem.-Rep./Burrite
Asa Danforth* 3 years Dem.-Rep.
Matthias B. Tallmadge* 3 years Dem.-Rep.
George Tiffany* 3 years Dem.-Rep.
Caleb Hyde* 4 years Dem.-Rep. elected to the Council of Appointment

Employees
  • Clerk: Henry I. Bleecker

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.

County Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany John Beekman Jr.
Johann Jost Dietz* Federalist
James Emott Federalist
Peter S. Schuyler* Federalist
Moses Smith
vacant
Cayuga Silas Halsey Dem.-Rep. in April 1804, elected to the 9th United States Congress
Thomas Hewitt*
Amos Rathbun Dem.-Rep.
Chenango Obadiah German Dem.-Rep.
Stephen Hoxie*
James Moore
Joel Thompson* Federalist
Clinton Benjamin Mooers Dem.-Rep.
Columbia Benjamin Birdsall Dem.-Rep.
Stephen Miller Dem.-Rep.
Samuel Ten Broeck Dem.-Rep.
James I. Van Alen Dem.-Rep.
Delaware Gabriel North Dem.-Rep.
Elias Osborn* Dem.-Rep.
Dutchess Joseph E. Haff Dem.-Rep.
John Martin* Dem.-Rep.
Thomas Mitchell* Dem.-Rep.
Zalmon Sanford Dem.-Rep.
William Taber Dem.-Rep./Burrite
Benajah Thompson Dem.-Rep.
Theodorus R. Van Wyck* Dem.-Rep.
Essex Theodorus Ross Dem.-Rep.
Genesee
and Ontario		 Amos Hall
Nathaniel W. Howell Federalist
Polydore B. Wisner*
Greene Stephen Simmons Federalist
Stoddard Smith Federalist
Herkimer Evans Wharry Dem.-Rep.
George Widrig* Dem.-Rep.
Samuel Wright* Dem.-Rep.
Kings John Hicks* Dem.-Rep.
Montgomery John Herkimer Dem.-Rep.
Henry Kennedy*
Archibald McIntyre Dem.-Rep. also Deputy Secretary of State of New York
Alexander Sheldon* Dem.-Rep. elected Speaker
David J. Zeilly
New York Samuel Bradhurst
George Clinton, Jr. Dem.-Rep.
Peter Curtenius
William Few* Dem.-Rep.
Henry Rutgers Dem.-Rep.
Peter A. Schenck
Solomon Townsend
James Warner Dem.-Rep.
Peter H. Wendover Dem.-Rep.
Oneida David Coffeen
Joseph Kirkland Federalist
David Ostrom Federalist
Abraham Van Eps Federalist
Onondaga James Geddes Federalist
John McWhorter* Dem.-Rep.
Orange Joshua Brown
Robert R. Burnet
Samuel S. Seward Federalist
Henry Tucker
Otsego Peter P. Dumont
Jedediah Peck* Dem.-Rep.
Solomon Pier
Henry Scott Dem.-Rep.
Queens Stephen Carman* Federalist
John D. Ditmis Dem.-Rep.
William Mott Dem.-Rep.
Rensselaer Asa Mann Dem.-Rep.
Jonathan Rouse* Dem.-Rep.
Charles Selden Dem.-Rep.
William Steward Dem.-Rep.
Samuel Vary Jr. Dem.-Rep.
Richmond John Houseman Dem.-Rep.
Rockland Samuel G. Verbryck Dem.-Rep.
Saratoga Adam Comstock* Dem.-Rep.
John Hunter Dem.-Rep.
Samuel Lewis Dem.-Rep.
Othniel Looker* Dem.-Rep.
Schoharie Henry Becker* Dem.-Rep.
Freegift Patchin Dem.-Rep.
Steuben James Faulkner* Dem.-Rep.
Suffolk Israel Carll* Dem.-Rep.
Sylvester Dering Dem.-Rep.
David Hedges Dem.-Rep.
Tioga Ashbel Wells
Ulster Benjamin Bevier Dem.-Rep.
Lucas Elmendorf Dem.-Rep.
Joseph Hasbrouck Jr. Dem.-Rep.
James Ross Dem.-Rep.
Washington David Austin* Dem.-Rep.
Kitchel Bishop* Dem.-Rep.
William Livingston
John McKinney
John McLean* Dem.-Rep.
Stephen Thorn
Westchester Abijah Gilbert* Dem.-Rep.
Abraham Odell* Dem.-Rep.
Thomas Thomas* Dem.-Rep.
Joseph Travis* Dem.-Rep.

Employees
  • Clerk: Solomon Southwick
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Benjamin Haight
  • Doorkeeper: Benjamin Whipple

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.

Sources
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