United States Senate election in New York, 1827
Encyclopedia
The 1827 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 6, 1827, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 1) to represent the State of New York
in the United States Senate
.
Although nominally in the same party, the Democratic-Republicans were split into two fiercely opposing factions: the "Clintonians" (allies of Governor DeWitt Clinton
), and "Bucktails
" (a combine of the Tammany
members from New York City
and Clinton's upstate adversaries led by Martin Van Buren
). Both factions were divided into supporters of John Quincy Adams
and Andrew Jackson
, the Clintonian majority for Adams, the Bucktail majority for Jackson.
At the State election in November 1826, although Clinton was re-elected Governor, a Bucktails majority was elected to the Assembly, and eight of the ten State Senators elected were Bucktails. The 50th New York State Legislature
met from January 2 to April 17, from June 27 to July 24 (Senate only), and from September 11 to December 4, 1827, at Albany, New York
. The party strength in the Assembly as shown by the vote for Speaker
was: 74 for Bucktail Erastus Root
and 33 for Clintonian Francis Granger
.
Stephen van Rensselaer, the man who was said to have cast the deciding vote for Adams in the presidential election of 1824
which had been referred to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The incumbent U.S. Senator Martin Van Buren ran for re-election as the Bucktails
candidate.
. The State Legislature held a special election to fill the vacancy in January 1829, and elected Charles E. Dudley
.
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
Martin Van Buren had been elected in 1821 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1827.Although nominally in the same party, the Democratic-Republicans were split into two fiercely opposing factions: the "Clintonians" (allies of 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 "Bucktails
Bucktails
The Bucktails may refer to one of two organizations that were particularly characterized and identified by the wearing of a bucktail in their headgear....
" (a combine of the 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...
members from 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...
and Clinton's upstate adversaries led by Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
). Both factions were divided into supporters of John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
and Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, the Clintonian majority for Adams, the Bucktail majority for Jackson.
At the State election in November 1826, although Clinton was re-elected Governor, a Bucktails majority was elected to the Assembly, and eight of the ten State Senators elected were Bucktails. The 50th New York State Legislature
50th New York State Legislature
The 50th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to December 4, 1827, during the third year of DeWitt Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, in Albany.-Background:...
met from January 2 to April 17, from June 27 to July 24 (Senate only), and from September 11 to December 4, 1827, 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: 74 for Bucktail Erastus Root
Erastus Root
Erastus Root was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1793 and became a teacher...
and 33 for Clintonian Francis Granger
Francis Granger
Francis Granger was a Representative from New York. He was the son of Gideon Granger, another Postmaster General, and the first cousin of Amos P. Granger.-Biography:...
.
Candidates
The Adams-Clintonians called a caucus of all Adams supporting State legislators which was held on January 26, 1827, but was attended by only two Adams-Bucktails. Since the U.S. Senator would be active in federal politics, the Adams-Clintonians thought it possible to form an Adams majority in the State Legislature across Clintonian-Bucktail party lines, to outvote the Bucktail majority. However, the Bucktails were unwilling to cross the line, and the incumbent U.S. Senator Van Buren, although behind the scenes maneuvering on behalf of Jackson, had not made public his choice, contending that he was neither for nor against the Adams administration. The caucus nominated Congressman and Canal CommissionerErie Canal Commission
The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...
Stephen van Rensselaer, the man who was said to have cast the deciding vote for Adams in the presidential election of 1824
United States presidential election, 1824
In the United States presidential election of 1824, John Quincy Adams was elected President on February 9, 1825, after the election was decided by the House of Representatives. The previous years had seen a one-party government in the United States, as the Federalist Party had dissolved, leaving...
which had been referred to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The incumbent U.S. Senator Martin Van Buren ran for re-election as the Bucktails
Bucktails
The Bucktails may refer to one of two organizations that were particularly characterized and identified by the wearing of a bucktail in their headgear....
candidate.
Result
Martin Van Buren received large majorities, including votes from the Jackson-Clintonians, in both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.| Office | House | Dem.-Rep./Bucktails Bucktails The Bucktails may refer to one of two organizations that were particularly characterized and identified by the wearing of a bucktail in their headgear.... |
Dem.-Rep./Clintonian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson .... |
Stephen Van Rensselaer | ||
| 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... (128 members) |
Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson .... |
Stephen Van Rensselaer | |||
Aftermath
Martin Van Buren resigned his seat on December 20, 1828, after his election as Governor of New YorkGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
. The State Legislature held a special election to fill the vacancy in January 1829, and elected Charles E. Dudley
Charles E. Dudley
Charles Edward Dudley was an American politician.-Life:Dudley was born in England during the American Revolution, the son of Loyalist parents. His father, Charles Dudley, an Englishman, was Collector of the King's Customs at Newport, Rhode Island, where he married Catherine Cooke, of a Rhode...
.
Sources
- The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 63 for U.S. Senators; pg. 126f for State Senators 1827; pg. 204ff for Members of Assembly 1827)
- Members of the 20th United States Congress
- History of Political Parties in the State of New-York, Vol. II by Jabez Delano Hammond (State election, 1826: pg. 235f; possible U.S. Senate candidatures: pg. 240f; Speaker election, 1827: pg. 242; U.S. Senate election, 1827: pg. 245ff)