The
1802 United States Senate special election in New York was held on February 9, 1802, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 3) to represent the State of
New YorkNew 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 SenateThe 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
John ArmstrongJohn 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:...
had been re-elected in January 1801 to a full term (1801-1807), but resigned on February 5, 1802. At the last state election,
George ClintonGeorge Clinton was an American soldier and politician, considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was the first Governor of New York, and then the fourth Vice President of the United States , serving under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He and John C...
had been elected Governor again, serving now his seventh term, and his Democratic-Republican Party had managed to win a large majority to the Assembly which could outvote the small Federalist Senate majority in a joint ballot.
Aaron BurrAaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
accused the Clintons later to have hatched a scheme to seat DeWitt Clinton, the governor's nephew, in the U.S. Senate. Burr affirmed that
Thomas TillotsonThomas Tillotson was an American physician and politician.-Life:He received a thorough education, studied medicine, and practiced. During the American Revolutionary War, he was commissioned First lieutenant in the Maryland Militia in 1776...
, a brother-in-law of Chancellor
Robert R. LivingstonRobert R Livingston was an American lawyer, politician, diplomat from New York, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was known as "The Chancellor," after the office he held for 25 years....
like Armstrong, was appointed
Secretary of State of New YorkThe Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York.The current Secretary of State of New York is Cesar A...
in 1801 as part of a deal which required Tillotson to procure Armstrong's resignation.
At the State election in April 1801, the Democratic-Republican Party won a large majority in the Assembly, and half of the 12 State Senate seats up for renewal. The
25th New York State LegislatureThe 25th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 26 to April 5, 1802, during the first year of George Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, in Albany.-Background:...
met from January 26 to April 5, 1802, at
Albany, New YorkAlbany 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
State Senator DeWitt Clinton ran as the candidate of the Democratic-Republican Party.
Ex-State Senator (1794-1795) Matthew Clarkson was the Federalist candidate.
Result
Clarkson was nominated by the Senate, Clinton by the Assembly. The Legislature then proceeded to a joint ballot, and Clinton was elected. This was the first time that a joint ballot was necessary to choose between the nominees of different majorities in the houses of the Legislature.
1802 United States Senator special election result
| Office |
House |
Democratic-Republican |
Federalist |
| U.S. Senator |
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...
(44 members) |
DeWitt ClintonDeWitt 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...
|
16 |
Matthew Clarkson Matthew Clarkson was an American Revolutionary War soldier and a politician in New York State United States. The town of Clarkson in Western New York was named after him. He was a great uncle of Thomas S...
|
19 |
|
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...
(107 members) |
DeWitt ClintonDeWitt 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...
|
68 |
Matthew Clarkson Matthew Clarkson was an American Revolutionary War soldier and a politician in New York State United States. The town of Clarkson in Western New York was named after him. He was a great uncle of Thomas S...
|
28 |
|
Joint ballot (151 members) |
DeWitt ClintonDeWitt 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...
|
82 |
Matthew Clarkson Matthew Clarkson was an American Revolutionary War soldier and a politician in New York State United States. The town of Clarkson in Western New York was named after him. He was a great uncle of Thomas S...
|
45 |
Aftermath
Clinton took his seat on February 23, 1802, but resigned on November 4, 1803, and Armstrong was appointed by Governor Clinton to re-take his former seat. In February 1804, a special election was held by the State Legislature to fill both seats in the U.S. Senate and, either due to a mistake or to give Armstrong two more years to serve, Armstrong was then elected to the Class 1 seat (term 1803-1809), and
John SmithJohn Smith was an American politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Rev. Caleb Smith, a minister at Orange, New Jersey...
to the Class 3 seat (term 1801-1807) on which Clinton and Armstrong had sat. Armstrong set a record that still stands after more than 200 years, presenting four different credentials to take a seat in the U.S. Senate within as many years, being three times elected and once appointed. Armstrong resigned his seat again on June 30, 1804 after his appointment as
U.S. Minister to FranceThis article is about the United States Ambassador to France. There has been a United States Ambassador to France since the American Revolution. The United States sent its first envoys to France in 1776, towards the end of the four-centuries-old Bourbon dynasty...
.
Sources