69th New York State Legislature


The 69th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to May 13, 1846, during the second year of Silas Wright's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1821, 32 Senators were elected on general tickets in eight senatorial districts for four-year terms. They were divided into four classes, and every year eight Senate seats came up for election. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole Assembly being renewed annually.
On May 13, 1845, an "Act recommending a Convention of the people of this State" was passed, submitting at the next State election to the people the question whether they wanted to call a convention to amend the State Constitution.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Whig Party. The Democratic Party was split into two factions: the "Barnburners" and the "Hunkers." The radical abolitionists appeared as the Liberty Party. The Anti-Rent Party nominated some candidates, but mostly cross-endorsed Whigs or Democrats, according to their opinion on the rent issue. In and near New York City, the originally called American Republican Party became now known as the "Native Americans", "Nativists" or "Know Nothings".

Elections

The State election was held on November 4, 1845. The question whether to hold a Constitutional convention was answered in the affirmative, with 213,084 votes for and 33,283 votes against it.
State Senator Gideon Hard was re-elected.

Sessions

On January 5, the Democratic assemblymen met in caucus and nominated William C. Crain for Speaker with 48 votes against 22 for Benjamin Bailey.
The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1846; and adjourned on May 13.
William C. Crain was elected Speaker with 73 votes against 44 for John Young and 7 for Ira Harris. William W. Dean was elected Clerk of the Assembly with 77 votes against 48 for George W. Weed.
On February 2, the Legislature elected Adjutant General Thomas Farrington to succeed Benjamin Enos as State Treasurer.
On March 7, Andrew G. Chatfield was elected Speaker pro tempore with 50 votes against 45 for Benjamin Bailey and 3 for Alvah Worden, to preside over the Assembly during the absence of Speaker Crain.
On March 30, the Legislature re-apportioned the Assembly districts: Chautauqua, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Madison, Ontario and Wyoming counties lost one seat each; Albany, Erie, Kings and St. Lawrence counties gained one seat each; and New York City gained three seats. The total number of assemblymen remained 128.
On April 22, the Legislature enacted that the number of delegates to the Constitutional convention should be the same as the number of assemblymen, and that they should be elected according to the new Assembly apportionment.
The delegates to the Constitutional convention were elected on April 28.
On April 29, Samuel Young was elected President pro tempore of the Senate.
On May 13, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts: Kings County was transferred from the 1st to the 2nd District; Ulster County from the 2nd to the 3rd District; and Schenectady County from the 3rd to the 4th District.
The Constitutional convention met at Albany on June 1; and adjourned on October 9. Ex-Lt. Gov. John Tracy was elected President of the Convention with 69 votes against a scattered vote of the Whigs. The amended Constitution abolished rotative renewal of the Senate, required all legislators to be elected in single districts, and made the State cabinet offices elective by popular ballot. The new Constitution was submitted to the electorate at the next State election, and was adopted by a large majority.
The Whig state convention met on September 23 at Utica; Philip Hone was Chairman. They nominated Assemblyman John Young for Governor; and Hamilton Fish for Lieutenant Governor.
The Democratic state convention met on October 1 at Syracuse; Chester Loomis was Chairman. They nominated Gov. Silas Wright and Lt. Gov. Addison Gardner for re-election.
The Anti-Rent state convention met in October at Beardsley's Hotel in Albany, and endorsed John Young for Governor; and Lt. Gov. Addison Gardiner for re-election.
The Native American state convention nominated Ogden Edwards for Governor; and State Senator George Folsom for Lieutenant Governor.
The Liberty state convention nominated Henry Bradley for Governor and William L. Chaplin for Lieutenant Governor.

State Senate

Districts

Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.

Members

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. William H. Van Schoonhoven changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftPartyNotes
FirstJohn A. Lott*1 yearDemocrat/Hunker
FirstDavid R. Floyd-Jones*2 yearsDemocrat/Hunkeralso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
FirstGeorge Folsom*3 yearsNative American
FirstEdward Sanford4 yearsDemocrat
SecondAbraham A. Deyo*1 yearDemocrat/Barnburner
SecondJoshua B. Smith*2 yearsDemocrat
SecondRobert Denniston*3 yearsDemocrat
SecondSaxton Smith4 yearsDemocrat
ThirdJohn C. Wright*1 yearDemocrat
ThirdStephen C. Johnson*2 yearsDemocrat/Barnburner
ThirdJohn P. Beekman*3 yearsDemocrat
ThirdWilliam H. Van Schoonhoven*4 yearsWhig/Anti-Rentalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
FourthThomas B. Mitchell*1 yearDemocrat/Hunker
FourthOrville Clark*2 yearsDemocrat/Hunker
FourthAugustus C. Hand*3 yearsDemocrat
FourthSamuel Young4 yearsDemocrat/Barnburneron April 29, 1846, elected President pro tempore
FifthCarlos P. Scovil*1 yearDemocrat
FifthThomas Barlow*2 yearsDemocrat/Barnburneralso First Judge of the Madison County Court
FifthEnoch B. Talcott*3 yearsDemocrat/Barnburner
FifthJoshua A. Spencer4 yearsWhig
SixthCalvin T. Chamberlain*1 yearDemocrat
SixthClark Burnham*2 yearsDemocrat
SixthGeorge D. Beers*3 yearsDemocrat
SixthThomas J. Wheeler4 yearsDemocrat
SeventhJohn Porter*1 yearDemocrat
SeventhAlbert Lester*2 yearsDemocrat
SeventhHenry J. Sedgwick*3 yearsDemocrat/Barnburner
SeventhRichard H. Williams4 yearsDemocrat
EighthHarvey Putnam*1 yearWhig
EighthFrederick F. Backus*2 yearsWhig
EighthCarlos Emmons*3 yearsWhig
EighthGideon Hard*4 yearsWhig

Employees

Districts

Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.

Assemblymen

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
Party affiliations follow the vote on Speaker.
DistrictAssemblymenPartyNotes
AlbanyIra Harris*Whig/Anti-Rentalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
AlbanyThomas L. ShaferDemocrat/Anti-Rent
AlbanyRobert D. WatsonDemocrat/Anti-Rent
AlleganyNathaniel Coe*Whig
AlleganyJohn G. Collins*Whig
BroomeSalphronius H. FrenchWhig
CattaraugusElijah A. RiceWhig
CattaraugusGideon SearlWhig
CayugaSamuel BellWhig
CayugaWilliam J. CornwellWhig
CayugaJohn T. RathbunWhig
ChautauquaMadison BurnellWhig
ChautauquaValorus LakeWhig
ChautauquaElisha WardWhig
ChemungAbraham PrimmerDemocrat
ChenangoSolomon Ensign Jr.Democrat
ChenangoWilliam G. SandsDemocrat
ChenangoHiram E. StorrsWhig
ClintonNoyes P. Gregory*Democrat
ColumbiaWilliam E. HeermanceDemocrat/Anti-Rent
ColumbiaJeremiah HoverDemocrat/Anti-Rent
ColumbiaLevi PittsDemocrat/Anti-Rent
CortlandAmos GravesDemocrat
CortlandJohn MillerWhigalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
DelawareOrrin FooteAnti-Rent
DelawareReuben LewisAnti-Rent
DutchessElnathan HaxtunWhig
DutchessGeorge T. PierceDemocratunsuccessfully contested by Epenetus Crosby
DutchessDaniel SherwoodDemocrat
ErieJohn T. Bush*Whig
ErieNathan K. HallWhigon November 3, 1846, elected to the 30th U.S. Congress
ErieJames WoodWhig
EssexCaleb D. BartonWhig
FranklinSidney LawrenceDemocraton November 3, 1846, elected to the 30th U.S. Congress
Fulton and HamiltonClark S. GrinnellDemocrat
GeneseeHeman BlodgettWhig
GeneseeAaron Long*Whig
GreeneNeely LawrenceDemocrat
GreenePeter W. Van BergenDemocrat
HerkimerWilliam C. Crain*Democrat/Barnburnerelected Speaker
HerkimerHenry EysamanDemocrat
JeffersonHenderson HowkDemocrat
JeffersonElihu M. McNeilDemocrat
JeffersonLevi MillerDemocrat
KingsGamaliel KingDemocrat
KingsJohn A. VoorheesDemocrat
LewisNelson J. BeachWhig
LivingstonWilliam S. FullertonWhig
LivingstonJohn Young*Whigon November 3, 1846, elected Governor of New York
MadisonHorace HawksDemocrat
MadisonThomas T. LoomisDemocrat
MadisonStephen M. PotterDemocrat
MonroeMathias L. AngleWhig
MonroeWilliam C. Bloss*Whig
MonroeJames R. ThompsonWhig
MontgomeryBenjamin BairdDemocrat
MontgomeryTheodore R. LidelleDemocrat
New YorkJoseph C. AlbertsonDemocrat
New YorkGerardus BoyceDemocrat
New YorkJohn E. DevelinDemocrat
New YorkJoshua FleetDemocrat
New YorkRobert H. LudlowDemocrat
New YorkWilson SmallDemocrat
New YorkThomas SpoffordDemocrat
New YorkJonathan D. StevensonDemocrat
New YorkAlexander StewartDemocrat
New YorkSamuel J. TildenDemocratalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
New YorkJames H. TitusDemocrat
New YorkJohn TownsendDemocrat
New YorkAlexander WellsDemocrat
NiagaraLot ClarkWhig
NiagaraMorgan JohnsonWhig
OneidaChauncey C. CookWhig
OneidaBenjamin F. CooperWhig
OneidaDaniel G. DorranceWhig
OneidaRussel FullerWhig
OnondagaJulius C. Kinne*Democrat
OnondagaElihu L. PhillipsWhig
OnondagaLake I. Tefft*Democrat
OnondagaAlonzo WoodDemocrat
OntarioElias CostWhig
OntarioJoseph C. SheltonWhig
OntarioAlvah Worden*Whigalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
OrangeWilliam L. BenedictDemocrat
OrangeWilkins SeacordDemocrat
OrangeRobert R. ThompsonDemocrat
OrleansDexter KingmanWhig
OswegoReuben DrakeDemocrat
OswegoThomas Skelton*Democrat
OtsegoEbenezer BlakelyWhig/Anti-Rent
OtsegoDelos W. DeanDemocrat
OtsegoBenjamin MorehouseDemocrat
PutnamBenjamin Bailey*Democrat/Barnburner
QueensJohn WillisDemocrat
RensselaerHenry Z. HaynerWhig/Anti-Rent
RensselaerSamuel McClellanWhig/Anti-Rent
RensselaerJustus NoltonWhig/Anti-Rent
RichmondGeorge H. ColeDemocrat
RocklandSamson MarksDemocrat
St. LawrenceAsa L. Hazelton*Democrat
St. LawrenceBishop PerkinsDemocratalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
SaratogaChauncey BoughtonWhig
SaratogaJames M. MarvinWhig
SchenectadyDavid M. MooreDemocrat
SchoharieThomas LawyerDemocrat
SchoharieThomas SmithWhig/Anti-Rent
SenecaAlanson WoodworthDemocrat
SteubenAndrew G. ChatfieldDemocrat/Hunkeron March 7, 1846, elected Speaker pro tempore
SteubenOtto F. MarshallDemocrat
SteubenWilliam C. Rogers*Democrat
SuffolkSamuel B. GardinerDemocrat
SuffolkRichard A. UdallDemocrat
SullivanRichard OliverDemocrat
TiogaGideon O. Chase*Democrat
TompkinsJames W. MontgomeryDemocrat
TompkinsHenry S. WalbridgeWhig
UlsterCharles DrakeDemocrat
UlsterJoseph W. LowDemocrat
WarrenWinfield S. SherwoodDemocrat/Hunker
WashingtonJames M. FosterWhig
WashingtonLodewecus S. VieleWhig
WayneElias DurfeeWhig
WayneJames T. WisnerWhig
WestchesterJohn R. HaywardDemocrat
WestchesterEzra MarshallDemocrat
WyomingArden WoodruffWhig
WyomingAndrew W. Young*Whigalso a delegate to the Constitutional convention
YatesGeorge W. WolcottDemocrat

Employees