The 56th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to April 30, 1833, during the first year of William L. Marcy'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.
At this time, there were three political parties: the Jacksonian Democrats, the Anti-Masonic Party, and the National Republican Party.
The Anti-Masonic state convention met on June 21, and nominated again Assemblyman Francis Granger for governor and Samuel Stevens, of New York City, for lieutenant governor. They also nominated a full ticket of presidential electors, apparently composed of some supporters of William Wirt, and some of Henry Clay, but not pledged to any candidate.
The National Republican state convention met on July 26, Ambrose Spencer was chairman. They endorsed The Anti-Masonic nominees Granger and Stevens. They also endorsed the ticket of presidential electors nominated by the Anti-Masons, who—if they won the election—should vote for Henry Clay if this would help to defeat Jackson, otherwise for Wirt. In effect, both parties were in the process of merging, forming an Anti-Jacksonian bloc which eventually became the Whig Party.
The Jacksonian state convention met on September 19 at Herkimer, Samuel Young was chairman. They nominated U.S. Senator William L. Marcy for governor, and Judge John Tracy for lieutenant governor.
Elections The state election was held from November 5 to 7, 1832. William L. Marcy and John Tracy were elected governor and lieutenant governor; and the Andrew Jackson/Martin Van Buren electoral ticket won.
State Senator John F. Hubbard (6th D.) was re-elected. John Sudam (2nd D.), Peter Gansevoort (3rd D.), Louis Hasbrouck (4th D.), John G. Stower (5th D.), Samuel L. Edwards (7th D.), John Griffin (8th D.) and Assemblyman Myndert Van Schaick (1st D.) were also elected to the Senate. Griffin and Hasbrouck were Anti-Jacksonians, the other six were Jacksonians.
Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 1, 1833; and adjourned on April 30.
Charles L. Livingston (D) was re-elected Speaker with 99 votes against 22 for John C. Spencer (A-M).
On January 4, the Legislature elected State Comptroller Silas Wright, Jr. to the U.S. Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Gov. Marcy. Wright resigned the office of Comptroller on January 7.
On January 11, the Legislature elected Secretary of State Azariah C. Flagg to succeed Wright as State Comptroller. Flagg resigned the office of Secretary of State on January 12.
On January 15, the Legislature elected Adjutant General John Adams Dix to succeed Flagg as Secretary of State.
On February 4, the Legislature re-elected State Treasurer Abraham Keyser, Jr.
On February 5, the Legislature elected State Senator Nathaniel P. Tallmadge to succeed Charles E. Dudley as U.S. Senator for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1833.
On February 21, the Legislature passed "An act for the construction of the Chenango Canal".
On March 23, the Legislature passed "An act authorising the appointment of an additional Canal Commissioner", and on April 4, the Legislature elected Michael Hoffman as such.
State Senate Districts The First District (4 seats) consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties. The Second District (4 seats) consisted of Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. The Third District (4 seats) consisted of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Schoharie counties. The Fourth District (4 seats) consisted of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties. The Fifth District (4 seats) consisted of Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida and Oswego counties. The Sixth District (4 seats) consisted of Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Otsego, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties. The Seventh District (4 seats) consisted of Cayuga, Onondaga, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties. The Eighth District (4 seats) consisted of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans counties.
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. Myndert Van Schaick changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
District Senators Term left Party Notes FirstAlpheus Sherman*1 year JacksonianJonathan S. Conklin*2 years JacksonianHarman B. Cropsey*3 years JacksonianMyndert Van Schaick*4 years Jacksonian SecondNathaniel P. Tallmadge*1 year Jacksonianon February 5, 1833, elected to the U.S. Senate, and resigned his seat on February 20Tallmadge sent a letter of "acceptance", dated February 20, to the Senate, which was read on February 23. On March, 2 the vacancies on the standing committees, caused by his "resignation", are filled; see Journal of the Senate (56th Session) (1833; pg. 133, 178 and 193)David M. Westcott*2 years JacksonianAllan Macdonald*3 years Jacksonianalso Postmaster of White PlainsJohn Sudam4 years Jacksonian ThirdWilliam Dietz*1 year JacksonianHerman I. Quackenboss*2 years JacksonianJohn W. Edmonds*3 years Jacksonianuntil February 1833, also Recorder of the City of HudsonPeter Gansevoort4 years Jacksonian FourthIsaac Gere*1 year JacksonianWilliam I. Dodge*2 years JacksonianJosiah Fisk*3 years JacksonianLouis Hasbrouck4 years Anti-Jacksonian FifthAlvin Bronson*1 year JacksonianHenry A. Foster*2 years JacksonianRobert Lansing*3 years JacksonianJohn G. Stower4 years Jacksonian SixthLevi Beardsley*1 year JacksonianCharles W. Lynde*2 years Anti-JacksonianJohn G. McDowell*3 years Jacksonianalso Postmaster of ChemungJohn F. Hubbard*4 years Jacksonian SeventhThomas Armstrong*1 year Jacksonianalso Supervisor of Butler, and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Wayne Co.William H. Seward*2 years Anti-JacksonianJehiel H. Halsey*3 years JacksonianSamuel L. Edwards4 years Jacksonianuntil February 1, 1833, also First Judge of Onondaga Co. EighthAlbert H. Tracy*1 year Anti-JacksonianTrumbull Cary*2 years Anti-JacksonianJohn Birdsall*3 years Anti-JacksonianJohn Griffin4 years Anti-Jacksonianuntil April 26, 1833, also First Judge of Allegany Co.
Employees Clerk: John F. Bacon
State Assembly Districts
Albany County (3 seats) Allegany County (1 seat) Broome County (1 seat) Cattaraugus County (1 seat) Cayuga County (4 seats) Chautauqua County (2 seats) Chenango County (3 seats) Clinton County (1 seat) Columbia County (3 seats) Cortland County (2 seats) Delaware County (2 seats) Dutchess County (4 seats) Erie County (2 seats) Essex County (1 seat) Franklin County (1 seat) Genesee County (3 seats) Greene County (2 seats) Hamilton and Montgomery counties (3 seats) Herkimer County (3 seats) Jefferson County (3 seats) Kings County (1 seat) Lewis County (1 seat) Livingston County (2 seats) Madison County (3 seats) Monroe County (3 seats) The City and County of New York (11 seats) Niagara County (1 seat) Oneida County (5 seats) Onondaga County (4 seats) Ontario County (3 seats) Orange County (3 seats) Orleans County (1 seat) Oswego County (1 seat) Otsego County (4 seats) Putnam County (1 seat) Queens County (1 seat) Rensselaer County (4 seats) Richmond County (1 seat) Rockland County (1 seat) St. Lawrence County (2 seats) Saratoga County (3 seats) Schenectady County (1 seat) Schoharie County (2 seats) Seneca County (2 seats) Steuben County (2 seats) Suffolk County (2 seats) Sullivan County (1 seat) Tioga County (2 seats) Tompkins County (3 seats) Ulster County (2 seats) Warren County (1 seat) Washington (3 seats) Wayne County (2 seats) Westchester County (3 seats) Yates County (1 seat)
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.
The party affiliations follow the vote on U.S. senators and other State officers on January 4, 11 and 15; February 4 and 5; and April 4.see Journal of the Assembly (56th Session) (1833, pg. 93f, 122f, 139, 239ff, 249ff and 646ff)