The first 1798 United States Senate special election in New York was held on January 11, 1798, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 1) to represent the State of 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

Federalist Philip Schuyler

Philip Schuyler

Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...

 had been elected in 1797, but resigned on January 3, 1798, because of ill health.

At the State election in April 1797, Federalist majorities were elected to both houses of the 21st New York State Legislature

21st New York State Legislature

The 21st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 6, 1798, during the third year of John Jay's governorship, in Albany.-Background:...

 which met from January 2 to April 6, 1798, 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

New York Supreme Court

New York Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...

 Justice John Sloss Hobart was the candidate of the Federalist Party.

State Senator John Addison, of Kingston

Kingston, New York

Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...

, was the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party.

John Armstrong, Judge John Tayler, State Senator James Watson, and Congressman James Cochran received "scattering" votes.

Result

Hobart was the choice of both the State Senate and the State Assembly, and was declared elected.

January 1798 United States Senator special election result

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...		Democratic-Republican		Democratic-Republican		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...		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...  (40 members)	John Sloss Hobart John Sloss Hobart John Sloss Hobart was an American jurist and politician. He was a member of the Federalist Party who served as United States Senator from New York, and later as a United States federal judge.-Early life:...	28	John Addison	2	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:...	2	James Cochran James Cochran (New York) James Cochran was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He was born in Albany, New York on February 11, 1769. He graduated from Columbia College in New York City in 1778. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and was commissioned as a...	1
	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...  (108 members)	John Sloss Hobart John Sloss Hobart John Sloss Hobart was an American jurist and politician. He was a member of the Federalist Party who served as United States Senator from New York, and later as a United States federal judge.-Early life:...	72	John Addison	23	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:...	2	James Watson James Watson (politician) James Watson was a United States Senator representing the state of New York.-Life:Watson moved to New York City in 1786 and engaged in business pursuits. He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1791, 1794–1796 and was Speaker in 1794...	2	John Tayler John Tayler John Tayler was a merchant and politician. He served nine years as Lieutenant Governor of New York, four months as Acting Governor of New York, and also in both houses of the New York State Legislature.-Life:...	2

Aftermath

Hobart took his seat on February 2, but resigned on April 16, 1798, after his appointment to the United States District Court for the District of New York. William North

William North

-Life:He was the son of John North, who commanded Fort Frederick in 1751, and Fort St. George in Thomaston, Maine, in 1758. He moved with his mother, Elizabeth North, to Boston, Massachusetts....

 was appointed by Governor John Jay

John Jay

John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....

 to fill the vacancy temporarily, and took his seat on May 21, Congress

5th United States Congress

The Fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives...

 being in session until July 16, 1798. The next State Legislature met in August 1798, and elected James Watson over John Tayler to serve for the remainder of the term.

Sources

• The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 62 for U.S. Senators; pg. 116 for State Senators 1797-98; page 171 for Members of Assembly 1797-98) [gives election date as "January 11"]
• Members of the Fifth United States Congress
• History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by Jabez Delano Hammond (pages 110f) [gives election date as "12th of January"]
• Election result at Tufts University
  Tufts University
  Tufts 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" [quotes Assembly Journal with date "January 11th"]