48th New York State Legislature

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 previous session had been dominated by the controversy about the presidential succession, and the question how to choose presidential electors. Party lines broke down when Martin Van Buren tried to have the "Bucktails" faction of the Democratic-Republican Party[1] support William H. Crawford for U.S. president. A large part of the Bucktails favored John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun as possible presidential candidates, and proposed to have the presidential electors elected by the people in districts, similar to the congressional elections. The Anti-Crawford factions became known as the "People's Party", and they joined forces with the "Clintonians" (supporters of DeWitt Clinton, opposed to the Bucktails). The rump Bucktail faction (which followed Van Buren) was called the "Regency Party" by their opponents, a reference to the Albany Regency.

On April 3, a caucus of Bucktail legislators, consisting of the Regency men and a minority of People's men, nominated Canal Commissioner Samuel Young[2] for Governor; and Lt. Gov. Erastus Root for re-election.

On September 22, a State convention "in favor of a new electoral law", consisting of about 30 People's men and about 90 Clintonians, nominated Ex-Gov. DeWitt Clinton[3] for Governor, and Assemblyman James Tallmadge, Jr. (PP) for Lieutenant Governor.

The State election was held from November 1 to 3, 1824. DeWitt Clinton and James Tallmadge Jr. were elected in a landslide.

Cadwallader D. Colden (1st D.), Wells Lake (2nd D.), Richard McMichael (3rd D.), George Brayton (5th D.), Stukely Ellsworth (6th D.), John C. Spencer (7th D.); and Assemblymen John Crary (4th D.) and Samuel Wilkeson (8th D.) were elected to the Senate. Lake and Ellsworth were Bucktails, the other six were Clintonians.

The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1825, and adjourned on April 21.

Clarkson Crolius (PP) was elected Speaker with 109 votes out of 122.

In his message to the Legislature, Gov. Clinton recommended to enact that presidential electors be chosen by the people, by general ticket and a plurality of votes.

On February 1, the Legislature failed to elect a successor to U.S. Senator Rufus King, and the seat became vacant on March 4, 1825.

On February 16, the Legislature elected Gamaliel H. Barstow (Clint.) to succeed Abraham Keyser, Jr. (Buckt.) as New York State Treasurer.

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) [see pg. 109 for Senate districts; pg. 126 for senators; pg. 148f for Assembly districts; pg. 202f for assemblymen]
• The History of Political Parties in the State of New-York, from the Ratification of the Federal Constitution to 1840 by Jabez D. Hammond (4th ed., Vol. 2, Phinney & Co., Buffalo, 1850; pg. 175 to 205)
• Election result Assembly, Albany Co. at project "A New Nation Votes", compiled by Phil Lampi, hosted by Tufts University Digital Library
• Election result Assembly, Cayuga Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Chautauqua Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Chenango Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Clinton Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Erie Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Greene Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Jefferson Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Kings Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Livingston Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Monroe Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Niagara Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Queens Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Richmond Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Rockland Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Schoharie Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Seneca Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Suffolk Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Ulster Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Wayne Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Election result Assembly, Westchester Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"
• Partial election result Senate, First D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes of Kings, Richmond and Suffolk Co.]
• Partial election result Senate, Second D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes of Rockland, Ulster and Westchester Co.]
• Partial election result Senate, Third D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes of Albany, Greene and Schoharie Co.]
• Partial election result Senate, Fourth D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes from Clinton Co.]
• Partial election result Senate, Sixth D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes of Chenango Co.]
• Partial election result Senate, Seventh D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes of Cayuga, Seneca and Wayne Co.]
• Partial election result Senate, Eighth D. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes from Chautauqua, Erie, Livingston, Monroe and Niagara Co.]