15th New York State Legislature


The 15th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5 to April 12, 1792, during the fifteenth year of George Clinton's governorship, in New York City.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, the State Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts, and were then divided into four classes. Six senators each drew lots for a term of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years and, beginning at the election in April 1778, every year six Senate seats came up for election to a four-year term. 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. No general meeting place was determined, leaving it to each Legislature to name the place where to reconvene, and if no place could be agreed upon, the Legislature should meet again where it adjourned.
On February 7, 1791, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate and Assembly districts, according to the figures of the United States Census of 1790. The area of Columbia and Rensselaer counties were transferred from the Western to the Eastern District; and the Southern and the Western districts lost one senator each, which were added to the Eastern District. The total number of assemblymen was again set at 70; but several new counties were established: Herkimer, Ontario, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Tioga ; Kings, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester lost 1 seat, and Montgomery and New York lost 2; and Columbia won 3 seats.
At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Party lines were not as distinctly drawn then as they became during the 19th century. Some politicians changed sides, for example the Livingston faction of the Federalist Party who felt betrayed after the election of Rufus King over their candidate James Duane in the United States Senate election in New York, 1789 and later voted down Schuyler for re-election in 1791.

Elections

The State election was held from April 26 to 28, 1791. Senators Samuel Jones, Thomas Tillotson and Jacobus Swartwout were re-elected; and Joshua Sands, William Powers and Ex-U.S. Senator Philip Schuyler were also elected to the Senate.

Sessions

The Legislature was to meet for the regular session on January 3, 1792, at Federal Hall in New York City; both Houses assembled a quorum two days later; and adjourned on April 12.
On April 12, 1792, they enacted that the Legislature should meet on the first Tuesday of November every four years, beginning in 1792, to choose presidential electors. The electors should then meet as electoral college at Poughkeepsie.

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
SouthernEzra L'Hommedieu*1 yearFed./Dem.-Rep.
SouthernPaul Micheau*1 yearFederalist
SouthernIsaac Roosevelt*1 yearFederalist
SouthernPhilip Livingston*2 yearsFederalist
SouthernDavid Gelston*3 yearsDem.-Rep.also Surrogate of New York County
SouthernPhilip Van Cortlandt*3 yearsFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
SouthernSamuel Jones*4 yearsDem.-Rep.also Recorder of New York City
SouthernJoshua Sands4 yearsFederalist
MiddleJames Clinton*1 yearDem.-Rep.
MiddleJohn Cantine*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJames Carpenter*2 years
MiddleDavid Pye*3 yearsFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
MiddleThomas Tillotson*4 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJacobus Swartwout*4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternEdward Savage*1 yearDem.-Rep.
EasternPeter Van Ness*1 yearDem.-Rep.Van Ness lived in Columbia Co., and
was elected in the old Western D. in 1788
EasternAlexander Webster*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternJohn Williams*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternWilliam Powers4 yearsFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
WesternVolkert P. Douw*2 years
WesternLeonard Gansevoort2 yearsFederalist
Western*3 yearsFederalistdied January 4, 1792, before the Legislature convened
WesternStephen Van Rensselaer*3 yearsFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
WesternPhilip Schuyler4 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
AlbanyJellis A. FondaFederalist
AlbanyStephen Lush
AlbanyDavid McCartyDem.-Rep.
AlbanyFrancis NicollFederalist
AlbanyWilliam NorthFederalist
AlbanyJohn Ten Broeck
AlbanyHenry Ten Eyck
ColumbiaBenjamin Birdsall
ColumbiaJared Coffin
ColumbiaJacob FordFederalistpreviously a member from Albany Co.
ColumbiaLawrence Hogeboom
ColumbiaHenry LivingstonFederalist
ColumbiaJames Savage*Federalist
DutchessJonathan Akins*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessSamuel A. Barker*
DutchessIsaac Bloom*
DutchessDaniel GrahamDem.-Rep.
DutchessMorgan Lewis
DutchessMatthew Patterson
DutchessJames Tallmadge*
HerkimerMichael Myers*previously a member from Montgomery Co.;
unsuccessfully contested
KingsCharles Doughty
MontgomeryDouw Fonda
MontgomeryJohn Frey*Dem.-Rep.
MontgomeryDavid McMasters
MontgomerySilas TalbotFederalist
New YorkJosiah Ogden Hoffman*Federalist
New YorkWilliam S. Livingston
New YorkMelancton SmithDem.-Rep.
New YorkWilliam Pitt Smith
New YorkJohn Watts*Federalistre-elected Speaker
New YorkHenry Will*
New YorkJohn Wylly
OntarioEleazer Lindsley
OrangeJohn D. Coe*Federalist
OrangeSeth Marvin*Federalist
OrangeJohn Smith*
OtsegoJames Cannonpreviously a member from Montgomery Co.
QueensSamuel Clowes*
QueensWhitehead CornwellDem.-Rep.
QueensNathaniel Lawrence*Dem.-Rep.
RensselaerJonathan Brown*previously a member from Albany Co.
RensselaerJohn Knickerbacker Jr.Federalist
RensselaerJohn W. Schermerhorn*Federalistpreviously a member from Albany Co.
RensselaerThomas SicklesFederalistpreviously a member from Albany Co.
RensselaerMoses Vail
RichmondGozen Ryerss*Federalist
SaratogaSidney Berry*previously a member from Albany Co.;
seat vacated on January 20, 1792
SaratogaAndrew Mitchellseat vacated on January 20, 1792
SaratogaElias Palmer
SaratogaBenjamin Rosekrans
SuffolkJohn Gelston*
SuffolkJonathan N. Havens*Dem.-Rep.
SuffolkHenry ScudderDem.-Rep.
SuffolkJohn Smith*Dem.-Rep.
TiogaJonathan Fitchseat in doubt, but retained
UlsterEbenezer ClarkDem.-Rep.
UlsterJacob De Lametter*
UlsterEbenezer FooteFederalist
UlsterJoseph Hasbrouck*
Ulstervacant
Washington
and Clinton		John Conger
Washington
and Clinton		Thomas Converse*
Washington
and Clinton		Zina Hitchcock*
Washington
and Clinton		David HopkinsDem.-Rep.
WestchesterSamuel Haight*
WestchesterElias Newman
WestchesterEbenezer Purdy*
WestchesterJonathan G. Tompkins*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterPierre Van Cortlandt Jr.Dem.-Rep.

Employees