United States Senate election in New York, 1813
Encyclopedia
The 1813 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 2, 1813, 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
.
At the State election in April 1812, a Federalist majority was elected to the Assembly, but five of the eight State Senators up for renewal were Democratic-Republicans. Due to the public indignation after the prorogation of the State Legislature by Governor Daniel D. Tompkins
, the Federalists managed to overturn the Democratic-Republican majority of the sitting legislature. The 36th New York State Legislature
met from November 3 to 11, 1812; and from January 12 to April 13, 1813, at Albany, New York
. The party strength in the Assembly as shown by the vote for Speaker
was: 58 for Jacob R. Van Rensselaer
and 46 for William Ross
. The Democratic-Republican Party was split in two factions: the "Clintonians" (allies of Lieutenant Governor DeWitt Clinton
), and the "Madisonians" (adversaries of Clinton who preferred the re-election of President James Madison
). The November meeting of the State Legislature was held to choose presidential electors, and showed in the Senate 19 Clintonians, 9 Federalists and 4 Madisonians; and in the Assembly 58 Federalists, 29 Clintonians and 22 Madisonians, a Democratic-Republican majority of 7 votes on joint ballot. The Federalists nominated their ticket of electors in the Assembly, the Clintonians nominated their ticket in the Senate. On joint ballot, the Clintonian electors were chosen by a vote of 74 to 45, with 28 blank votes. Thus DeWitt Clinton received the electoral vote of New York supported by the Clintonians and roughly one third of the Federalists, with the Madisonians abstaining
. However, for the election of a U.S. Senator at the regular meeting in February, 1813, both factions united to support Wilkin, but were surprisingly outvoted by the Federalists on joint ballot.
State Senator James W. Wilkin, a Clintonian, was the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party.
The incumbent U.S. Senator John Smith received three scattering votes.
Obs.: Three blank votes were cast in the joint ballot, and four Senators were absent. Besides, the numbers of the cast votes indicate that 10 assemblymen did not vote in the Assembly, and 5 in the joint ballot.
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 Smith had been re-elected in 1807 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1813.At the State election in April 1812, a Federalist majority was elected to the Assembly, but five of the eight State Senators up for renewal were Democratic-Republicans. Due to the public indignation after the prorogation of the State Legislature by Governor Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
, the Federalists managed to overturn the Democratic-Republican majority of the sitting legislature. The 36th New York State Legislature
36th New York State Legislature
The 36th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from November 3, 1812, to April 13, 1813, during the sixth year of Daniel D...
met from November 3 to 11, 1812; and from January 12 to April 13, 1813, 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...
. The party strength in the Assembly as shown by the vote for Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
was: 58 for Jacob R. Van Rensselaer
Jacob R. Van Rensselaer
Jacob Rutsen Van Rensselaer was an American lawyer and Federalist politician.-Life:...
and 46 for William Ross
William Ross (speaker)
-Life:He was the son of Robert Ross, a Scottish tanner who settled at Rossville, a hamlet in Newburgh, New York. William Ross studied law, and practiced at Newburgh, New York. He married first Mary S. McLean , and then Caroline Middlebrook....
. The Democratic-Republican Party was split in two factions: the "Clintonians" (allies of Lieutenant Governor 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...
), and the "Madisonians" (adversaries of Clinton who preferred the re-election of President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
). The November meeting of the State Legislature was held to choose presidential electors, and showed in the Senate 19 Clintonians, 9 Federalists and 4 Madisonians; and in the Assembly 58 Federalists, 29 Clintonians and 22 Madisonians, a Democratic-Republican majority of 7 votes on joint ballot. The Federalists nominated their ticket of electors in the Assembly, the Clintonians nominated their ticket in the Senate. On joint ballot, the Clintonian electors were chosen by a vote of 74 to 45, with 28 blank votes. Thus DeWitt Clinton received the electoral vote of New York supported by the Clintonians and roughly one third of the Federalists, with the Madisonians abstaining
Abstention
Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote, but does not cast a ballot. Abstention must be contrasted with "blank vote", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by...
. However, for the election of a U.S. Senator at the regular meeting in February, 1813, both factions united to support Wilkin, but were surprisingly outvoted by the Federalists on joint ballot.
Candidates
Ex-U.S. Senator Rufus King (in office 1789-1796) was the candidate of the Federalist Party.State Senator James W. Wilkin, a Clintonian, was the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party.
The incumbent U.S. Senator John Smith received three scattering votes.
Result
Rufus King was nominated by the Assembly, James W. Wilkin by the Senate. The houses of the State Legislature then proceeded to a joint ballot and King was elected with a small majority. In theory, the Democratic-Republicans had a majority of 7 votes on joint ballot, but the absence of 4 senators and 8 assemblymen became significant. In 1817, Wilkin stated, in a letter to DeWitt Clinton, his belief that his defeat in 1813 was due to a bargain which connected the Federalists vote for the incorporation of the Bank of America in June 1812 to the help by some interested Democratic-Republicans to elect the next U.S. Senator. (see Hammond, pg. 344)| Office | House | Federalist | Democratic-Republican | Democratic-Republican | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
Rufus King Rufus King Rufus King was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
8 | James W. Wilkin James W. Wilkin James Whitney Wilkin was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:Wilkin served in the Revolutionary War.... |
17 | 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... |
3 |
| 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... (109 members) |
Rufus King Rufus King Rufus King was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
55 | James W. Wilkin James W. Wilkin James Whitney Wilkin was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:Wilkin served in the Revolutionary War.... |
44 | |||
| Joint ballot (141 members) | Rufus King Rufus King Rufus King was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... |
68 | James W. Wilkin James W. Wilkin James Whitney Wilkin was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:Wilkin served in the Revolutionary War.... |
61 | |||
Obs.: Three blank votes were cast in the joint ballot, and four Senators were absent. Besides, the numbers of the cast votes indicate that 10 assemblymen did not vote in the Assembly, and 5 in the joint ballot.
Sources
- The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 63 for U.S. Senators; pg. 121 for State Senators 1812-13; pg. 186f for Members of Assembly 1812-13)
- Members of the 13th United States Congress
- History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by Jabez Delano Hammond (pages 343f)
- Election result at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes"