United States Senate special election in New York, 1796
Encyclopedia
The 1796 United States Senate special election in New York was held on November 9, 1796, 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 re-elected in 1795 to a second term in the U.S. Senate (1795-1801). On May 23, 1796, he resigned after having been appointed U.S. Minister to Great Britain, leaving the State Legislature to fill the vacancy.
At the State election in April 1796, Federalist majorities were elected to both houses of the 20th New York State Legislature
which met from November 1 to 11, 1796, at New York City
, and from January 3 to April 3, 1797, at Albany, New York
.
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
Rufus KingRufus 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...
had been re-elected in 1795 to a second term in the U.S. Senate (1795-1801). On May 23, 1796, he resigned after having been appointed U.S. Minister to Great Britain, leaving the State Legislature to fill the vacancy.
At the State election in April 1796, Federalist majorities were elected to both houses of the 20th New York State Legislature
20th New York State Legislature
The 20th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from November 1, 1796, to April 3, 1797, during the second year of John Jay's governorship, first in New York City, then in Albany.-Background:...
which met from November 1 to 11, 1796, at 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 from January 3 to April 3, 1797, 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
United States District Judge for the District of New York John Laurance was the candidate of the Federalist Party.Result
Laurance was the choice of both the State Senate and the State Assembly, and was declared elected.| Office | House | Federalist Federalist The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation... candidate |
Democratic-Republican candidate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... (42 members) |
John Laurance John Laurance John Laurance was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He emigrated to the United States in 1767 and settled in New York City where he read law and entered private practice in 1772. At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, he was a warm adherent of the revolutionaries... |
|||
| 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... (96 members) |
John Laurance John Laurance John Laurance was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He emigrated to the United States in 1767 and settled in New York City where he read law and entered private practice in 1772. At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, he was a warm adherent of the revolutionaries... |
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Aftermath
Laurance took his seat on December 8, 1796, and resigned in August 1800. A special election to fill the vacancy was held in November 1800.Sources
- The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 62 for U.S. Senators; pg. 116 for State Senators 1796-97; page 170f for Members of Assembly 1796-97) [gives name as "Lawrence"]
- Members of the Fourth United States Congress
- Members of the Sixth United States Congress
- History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by Jabez Delano Hammond (pages 103f) [gives name as "Lawrence"]