United States Senate election in New York, 1807
Encyclopedia
The 1807 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 3, 1807, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 3) to represent the State of New York
in the United States Senate
.
had been elected to this seat in February 1804, after the resignation of DeWitt Clinton
, replacing the temporarily appointed John Armstrong
. Smith took his seat on February 23, 1804, and his term would expire on March 3, 1807.
At the State election in April 1806, the Democratic-Republican Party (D-R) won a large majority to the Assembly (82 D-R and 18 Federalist
), and all 9 State Senate seats up for election. The 30th New York State Legislature
met from January 27 to April 7, 1807, at Albany, New York
.
, and the "Clintonians" (allies of Mayor of New ork DeWitt Clinton
. The Federalist Party which had only small minorities in both houses of the State Legislature was allied in State politics with the Lewisites, the smaller faction, thus forming a bloc large enough to outvote the Clintonians. Nevertheless, for the election of a U.S. Senator both Democratic-Republican factions united supporting Smith.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
Background
John SmithJohn Smith (New York)
John Smith was an American politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Rev. Caleb Smith, a minister at Orange, New Jersey...
had been elected to this seat in February 1804, after the resignation of DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
, replacing the temporarily appointed John Armstrong
John Armstrong, Jr.
John Armstrong, Jr. was an American soldier and statesman who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. Senator from New York, and Secretary of War.-Early life and Revolutionary War:...
. Smith took his seat on February 23, 1804, and his term would expire on March 3, 1807.
At the State election in April 1806, the Democratic-Republican Party (D-R) won a large majority to the Assembly (82 D-R and 18 Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
), and all 9 State Senate seats up for election. The 30th New York State Legislature
30th New York State Legislature
The 30th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 27 to April 7, 1807, during the third year of Morgan Lewis's governorship, in Albany.-Background:...
met from January 27 to April 7, 1807, at Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
Candidates
The incumbent U.S. Senator John Smith ran for re-election as the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party. At this time the Democratic-Republican Party was split in two factions: the "Lewisites" (allies of Governor Morgan LewisMorgan Lewis (governor)
Morgan Lewis was an American lawyer, politician and military commander.Of Welsh descent, he was the son of Francis Lewis, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He graduated from Princeton in 1773 and began to study law on the advice of his father...
, and the "Clintonians" (allies of Mayor of New ork DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
. The Federalist Party which had only small minorities in both houses of the State Legislature was allied in State politics with the Lewisites, the smaller faction, thus forming a bloc large enough to outvote the Clintonians. Nevertheless, for the election of a U.S. Senator both Democratic-Republican factions united supporting Smith.
Result
The incumbent John Smith was re-elected.| Office | House | Democratic-Republican | Federalist | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senator | State Senate New York State Senate The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve... (32 members) |
John Smith John Smith (New York) John Smith was an American politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Rev. Caleb Smith, a minister at Orange, New Jersey... |
|||
| State Assembly New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652... (100 members) |
John Smith John Smith (New York) John Smith was an American politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Rev. Caleb Smith, a minister at Orange, New Jersey... |
||||
Sources
- The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 63 for U.S. Senators; pg. 119f for State Senators 1806-07; pg. 180 for Members of Assembly 1806-07) [gives date of election "February 3"]
- Members of the 10th United States Congress
- History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by Jabez Delano Hammond (page 237) [gives date of election "first day of February"]