New York special judicial election, 1870
Encyclopedia
A special judicial election was held on May 17, 1870, to fill the seats on the re-organized New York Court of Appeals
.
, re-organized the Court of Appeals. The first judges were to be elected at a special statewide election to take office on July 4, 1870. The new Court had a Chief Judge, elected as such, and six associate judges. Each ticket could have only four candidates for associate judge so that at least two judges were elected by the minority party.
In April 1870, a new city charter for New York City
was enacted by the New York State Legislature under instructions from William M. Tweed. The first municipal election under the new charter was scheduled for the same day, with the intention to swamp the strong upstate Republican vote with a heavy Democratic/Tammany
vote in New York City.
Of the seven original judges elected in 1870, only two completed the 14-year term. Four died (Peckham in 1873, Grover in 1875, Allen in 1878, and Church in 1880) and Folger was first appointed, and then elected, Chief Judge, but resigned in 1881. Andrews was then appointed Chief Judge, but lost the election in 1882, and continued on the bench as an associate judge. Rapallo and Andrews were re-elected in 1884. Rapallo died during his second term in 1887. Andrews was elected Chief Judge in 1892, and retired at the end of 1897 after almost 28 years, the longest tenure of any judge on the New York Court of Appeals.
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
.
Background
An Amendment to the New York Constitution, adopted in November 1869New York state election, 1869
The 1869 New York state election was held on November 2, 1869, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, two Judges of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioners and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all...
, re-organized the Court of Appeals. The first judges were to be elected at a special statewide election to take office on July 4, 1870. The new Court had a Chief Judge, elected as such, and six associate judges. Each ticket could have only four candidates for associate judge so that at least two judges were elected by the minority party.
In April 1870, a new city charter for New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was enacted by the New York State Legislature under instructions from William M. Tweed. The first municipal election under the new charter was scheduled for the same day, with the intention to swamp the strong upstate Republican vote with a heavy Democratic/Tammany
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
vote in New York City.
Results
Boss Tweed's plan worked, and all five Democratic candidates were elected, leaving only two judgeships to the Republican minority.| Office | Democratic ticket | Republican ticket | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals.The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals... |
Sanford E. Church Sanford E. Church Sanford Elias Church was an American lawyer and Democratic politician... |
239,890 | Henry R. Selden Henry R. Selden Henry Rogers Selden was an American lawyer and politician. He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1857 to 1858. He defended Susan B. Anthony in her 1873 trial for unlawfully voting as a woman.-Life:He was the son of Calvin Selden and Phebe Selden... |
151,978 |
| Associate Judges of the Court of Appeals New York Court of Appeals The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms... |
William F. Allen William F. Allen (New York) William Fitch Allen was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:... |
239,173 | Charles J. Folger Charles J. Folger Charles James Folger was an American lawyer and politician. He was U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1881 until his death.-Early life:... |
154,930 |
| Martin Grover Martin Grover Martin Grover was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:... |
238,516 | Charles Andrews Charles Andrews (judge) Charles Andrews was an American Lawyer and politician. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1881 to 1882 and from 1892 to 1897.... |
154,094 | |
| Rufus W. Peckham, Sr. | 236,685 | Charles Mason Charles Mason (judge) Charles Mason was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He lived at Hamilton, New York.He was District Attorney of Madison County, New York from 1845 to 1847... |
152,306 | |
| Charles A. Rapallo Charles A. Rapallo Charles Anthony Rapallo was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Anthony Rapallo and Elizabeth Rapallo... |
235,994 | Robert S. Hale Robert S. Hale Robert Safford Hale was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Chelsea, Vermont, Hale attended South Royalton Academy, and was graduated from the University of Vermont at Burlington in 1842. He studied law.He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Elizabethtown, New York, in 1847... |
150,862 | |
Of the seven original judges elected in 1870, only two completed the 14-year term. Four died (Peckham in 1873, Grover in 1875, Allen in 1878, and Church in 1880) and Folger was first appointed, and then elected, Chief Judge, but resigned in 1881. Andrews was then appointed Chief Judge, but lost the election in 1882, and continued on the bench as an associate judge. Rapallo and Andrews were re-elected in 1884. Rapallo died during his second term in 1887. Andrews was elected Chief Judge in 1892, and retired at the end of 1897 after almost 28 years, the longest tenure of any judge on the New York Court of Appeals.
Sources
- THE ELECTION TODAY in NYT on May 17, 1870
- Result in http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A01E7DD1F3CE13BBC4F52DFB066838B669FDE NYT on June 17, 1870
- Judges of the Court of Appeals at http://www.courts.state.ny.us/history/elecbook/thereshallbe/pg95.htm Court History New York