7th New York State Legislature

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, the State Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts, and were then divided into four classes. Six senators each drew lots for a term of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years and, beginning at the election in April 1778, every year six Senate seats came up for election to a four-year term. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.

On May 8, 1777, the Constitutional Convention had appointed the senators from the Southern District, and the assemblymen from Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties—the area which was under British control—and determined that these appointees serve in the Legislature until elections could be held in those areas, presumably after the end of the American Revolutionary War. The war ended when the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783. The British forces left New York City on November 25, 1783, and subsequently a special election was held to fill the seats which had been occupied by appointment.

Elections

The State election was held from April 29 to May 1, 1783. Gov. George Clinton and Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt were re-elected again. Joseph Gasherie, Jacobus Swartwout (both Middle D.) and Assemblyman Andrew Finck (Western D.) were elected to the Senate.

Sessions

The State Legislature met in New York City from January 21 to May 12, 1784. On January 27, the newly elected State senators from the Southern District drew lots to define their term lengths. On April 2, the Legislature changed the name of Charlotte County to Washington County, and Tryon County to Montgomery County.

State Senate

Districts

• The Southern District (9 seats) consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties.
• The Middle District (6 seats) consisted of Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties.
• The Eastern District (3 seats) consisted of Charlotte (renamed Washington), Cumberland and Gloucester counties.
• The Western District (6 seats) consisted of Albany and Tryon (renamed Montgomery 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. Ezra L'Hommedieu, Jacobus Swartwout and Andrew Finck changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Employees

• Clerk: Robert Benson until February 18, 1784
  • Abraham B. Bancker

State Assembly

Districts

• The City and County of Albany (10 seats)
• Charlotte County (renamed Washington County (4 seats)
• Cumberland County (3 seats)
• Dutchess County (7 seats)
• Gloucester County (2 seats)
• Kings County (2 seats)
• The City and County of New York (9 seats)
• Orange County (4 seats)
• Queens County (4 seats)
• Richmond County (2 seats)
• Suffolk County (5 seats)
• Tryon County (renamed Montgomery County) (6 seats)
• Ulster County (6 seats)
• Westchester County (6 seats)

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.

Employees

• Clerk: John McKesson

Notes

Sources

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) [see pg. 108 for Senate districts; pg. 112 for senators; pg. 148f for Assembly districts; pg. 161f for assemblymen]

References

1. Elkanah Day is not listed among the senators in any session in the ''Civil List'' of 1858, which means that he did not attend any session, but it is certain that election returns were filed with the [[Secretary of State of New York]] in 1780, since he was elected to the [[Council of Appointment]] in 1782; the [https://books.google.com/books?id=G3kFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA768 ''History of Eastern Vermont''] by Benjamin Homer Hall (Civil list appendix, page 768) lists him as a New York State Senator and stating "Commencement of Session September 10, 1781"
2. The three members from Cumberland Co. were "Yorkers", a faction who opposed the Vermont government and advocated the seceded counties' remaining in the State of New York. See [https://books.google.com/books?id=G3kFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA768 ''History of Eastern Vermont''] by Benjamin Homer Hall (Civil list appendix; page 768)
3. Cumberland and Gloucester counties seceded from the [[Province of New York]] in January 1777, and became part of the [[Vermont Republic]], while the Constitutional Convention was still debating the new Constitution. The New York Constitution was approved in April 1777, not recognizing the secession. Gloucester county did not file any election returns with the [[Secretary of State of New York]] in 1783.
4. Bedford, Mass.]], 1857; page 297)