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Council of Appointment

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1190:, and lost his seat in the State Senate on January 27 when the State Legislature declared the incompatibility of holding both seats concurrently. Nevertheless, Schuyler retained his seat in the Council of Appointment, claiming that it was not required to hold the seat in the State Senate once elected to the Council. Any mention of the Paine/Parks precedent of 1781 was carefully avoided, but Schuyler was quite right, considering that every time a state senator was elected to the Council during the last year of his term, and was not re-elected, the senatorial term expired on June 30, but the ex-senator continued a member of the Council until January next. See also 1246:. They met again on February 18, and appointed a Democratic-Republican as Sheriff of Dutchess Co. The Council met again on February 24. At this meeting, Gov. Jay refused to put the question on the Council members' nominees, and the members refused to vote on the Governor's nominees. Thus deadlocked, the Council adjourned and were not convened again by Gov. Jay. who instead submitted the question of the right of nomination to the State Legislature which called a 1164:
Parks was elected in place of Paine. When he took his seat on March 29, all members of the Council, including Parks, protested against his "by-election" for which there seems to have been no legal basis. Nevertheless, the amended Council, with Parks, made the appointments for the remainder of the
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of 1821 and ceased to exist at the end of the year 1822, at which time more than 15,000 offices had been under its control. Under the Constitution of 1821, the State cabinet officers and Supreme Court justices were elected by the State Legislature, and most of the county and local officers were
1320:
Williams had been elected as a Democratic-Republican, but changed sides right after his election to the Council of Appointment. At this time, there was a Federalist majority in the Assembly, but all State senators from the Southern and the Middle Districts were Democratic-Republicans. Thus the
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appeared, and began to alternate as majority in the Assembly. Because of the lack of clarity in the 1777 New York Constitution, the parties struggled over who, exactly, held the power to make nominations and appointments. The constitution stated that the governor would have the
138:, who had drafted the Constitution, asserted that the Council could not propose appointees, only vote for or against the governor's nominees. So when the Council voted down all of his nominees, in his opinion, nobody could be appointed. The question was settled at the 104:
The Council of Appointment had its origins in the fear of too much popular influence in the government. The first New York Constitution was aristocratic and elitist in spirit. As long as the governor alone nominated appointees, he had as much power over the state's
1254:, and for the remainder of their term, proceeded to make a clean sweep, removing almost all Federalists from office. The constitutional convention met in October, and gave the right to nominate appointees to the Governor and the members of the Council concurrently. 133:
of the said council..." The custom arose that the governor made the nominations, and the Council approved, or rejected, them. But when the legislature had a majority of the opposition, they would elect three or four senators and outvote the governor. Governor
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These members were elected during the special session of the Legislature, but they did not take their seats before the full year of tenure of the previous members had expired. They met for the first time on February 11, 1801, and rejected most of Governor
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of 1801, which amended the Constitution, giving the right of nomination to the governor and each one of the Council members concurrently. This led to an annual scramble for office, especially if the majority in the Assembly changed.
1325:, could not have had a majority in the Council but, aided by Williams, the Council removed most of the Democratic-Republican incumbents. Among others, the Surrogate of 1191: 113:, very rarely an office holder was removed, and the Council only filled vacancies as they occurred by resignation, death, declination of re-appointment, or term limit. 1429: 1434: 161:
elected in local popular or legislative elections. The governor continued to appoint only a very small number of officers and had the right to make
1424: 69:
for which no other means of appointment or election was provided for in the State Constitution. The offices filled by the Council included the
1175: 1419: 157: 139: 1293:) and Clintonians (led by of DeWitt Clinton). This Council had a Clintonian majority, and removed most of the Lewisite incumbents. 504: 349: 305: 251: 203: 1247: 82: 58:, one each from the state's senatorial electoral districts. These state senators were elected for a one-year term by the 1383:
The History of Political Parties in the State of New-York, from the Ratification of the Federal Constitution to 1840
1251: 78: 74: 25: 546: 94: 1084: 1044: 494: 364: 243: 1289:
At this time the Democratic-Republican Party was split in two factions, the Lewisites (supporters of Gov.
823: 121: 1267:, state senator 1801–06, resigned March 16, 1806, before his expulsion because of bribery was voted upon 1187: 86: 70: 1326: 1321:
Federalist assemblymen had to choose two of their opponents and, because of the casting vote of Gov.
1277: 1243: 1216: 595: 850: 755: 629: 65:
The Council had the power to appoint all state, county and municipal officials within the state of
1290: 948: 683: 110: 59: 1057: 990: 967: 528: 98: 90: 1373: 1391: 460: 55: 37: 1381: 1109: 1036: 517: 41: 8: 1404: 1330: 1031: 1018: 1000: 639: 341: 233: 1322: 1203: 624: 295: 277: 162: 146: 130: 1122: 975: 390: 354: 320: 218: 208: 150: 1387: 1334: 1302:
This Council had a Lewisite majority and removed most of the Clintonian incumbents.
603: 499: 418: 372: 272: 228: 193: 117: 66: 1311:
This Council had a Clintonian majority, and removed again the Lewisite incumbents.
1347: 1264: 1132: 1127: 927: 889: 763: 722: 703: 658: 619: 568: 484: 442: 434: 398: 300: 223: 1359: 897: 795: 698: 688: 310: 198: 1242:'s nominations, among them eight different Federalist nominees for Sheriff of 1413: 1250:
to clear up the point. The Council met again on August 8, called by Governor
1104: 985: 785: 538: 408: 267: 1378:
compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 99f; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
1099: 1094: 1010: 995: 476: 455: 413: 385: 126: 51: 935: 325: 1079: 46: 1192:
United States Senate election in New York, 1789#Election and aftermath
106: 1239: 135: 109:
as a medieval king. On the other side, during the long tenure of
1280:
was re-apportioned from the Western to the Eastern District.
1155:
Paine was expelled from the State Senate in March 1781
40:
of 1777, the Council of Appointment consisted of the
62:
and could not be re-elected for the following term.
1202:Jacobus Van Schoonhoven (1744–1814), merchant, of 1411: 97:, city and county clerks, mayors (including the 1430:1822 disestablishments in the United States 1435:Defunct state agencies of New York (state) 101:), all military officers and many others. 1333:, was removed, and Williams's son-in-law 50:president of this council but had only a 158:New York State Constitutional Convention 140:New York State Constitutional Convention 93:, sheriffs, district attorneys, judges, 1425:1777 establishments in New York (state) 1390:(4th ed., Vol. 1, H. & E. Phinney, 1412: 116:Troubles, however, arose after the 13: 168: 129:, but no other vote; and with the 14: 1446: 1420:Legal history of New York (state) 156:The council was abolished by the 1215:Ebenezer Foote, County Clerk of 28:that existed from 1777 to 1822. 1352: 1340: 1314: 1305: 1296: 1283: 1270: 1358:Peter W. Radcliff, brother of 1257: 1231: 1222: 1209: 1196: 1180: 1168: 1158: 1149: 149:criticized the Council in his 1: 1228:Spencer changed sides in 1798 1346:Henry Yates Jr., brother of 1186:Schuyler was at this time a 7: 1398: 122:Democratic-Republican Party 10: 1451: 1367: 1188:U.S. Senator from New York 54:, and four members of the 31: 1248:constitutional convention 1206:, state senator 1794–1805 1174:Edward Savage, father of 276: 271: 263: 187: 184: 181: 178: 175: 1143: 744:Jacobus Van Schoonhoven 587:Jacobus Van Schoonhoven 1375:The New York Civil List 234:Dirck Wessel Ten Broeck 111:Governor George Clinton 60:New York State Assembly 22:Council of Appointments 529:Stephen Van Rensselaer 99:Mayor of New York City 91:New York Supreme Court 89:, the justices of the 26:Government of New York 18:Council of Appointment 916:Francis A. Bloodgood 56:New York State Senate 38:New York Constitution 518:Philip Van Cortlandt 42:Governor of New York 24:) was a body of the 1405:Council of Revision 1331:James Tallmadge Jr. 1263:Ebenezer Purdy, of 1032:Peter R. Livingston 1019:John J. Prendergast 1001:Archibald S. Clarke 907:William W. Gilbert 377:William B. Whiting 333:William B. Whiting 282:September 11, 1780 259:September 11, 1779 213:September 16, 1777 163:recess appointments 1337:appointed instead. 1323:Daniel D. Tompkins 1062:George Rosecrantz 956:Henry A. Townsend 924:Peter W. Radcliff 719:Benjamin Huntting 625:Leonard Gansevoort 473:Philip Livingston 346:Jacobus Swartwout 296:Isaac Stoutenburgh 278:Abraham Ten Broeck 147:Alexander Hamilton 131:advice and consent 75:Secretary of State 1141: 1140: 1137:January 10, 1822 1123:Charles E. Dudley 1114:November 8, 1820 1089:January 11, 1820 1068:February 3, 1819 1049:January 31, 1818 1026:February 2, 1817 1005:February 5, 1816 980:February 1, 1815 976:Farrand Stranahan 959:January 25, 1814 940:January 12, 1813 919:February 1, 1812 902:January 30, 1811 881:January 31, 1810 864:January 27, 1809 845:January 29, 1808 828:January 29, 1807 809:January 31, 1806 806:Henry Huntington 790:January 29, 1805 771:February 7, 1804 760:Abraham Adriance 750:February 8, 1803 741:John C. Hogeboom 733:January 30, 1802 714:November 7, 1800 693:January 28, 1800 644:William Thompson 616:Andrew Onderdonk 581:Joseph Hasbrouck 578:Richard Hatfield 554:January 14, 1793 543:Joseph Hasbrouck 533:January 14, 1792 512:January 14, 1791 505:Alexander Webster 489:January 15, 1790 447:January 18, 1788 426:January 18, 1787 403:January 19, 1786 391:Jacobus Swartwout 380:October 19, 1784 359:January 21, 1784 355:Abraham Yates Jr. 350:Alexander Webster 321:Jonathan Lawrence 315:October 25, 1781 306:Alexander Webster 252:Alexander Webster 238:October 17, 1778 219:Jonathan Lawrence 209:Abraham Yates Jr. 204:Alexander Webster 151:Federalist No. 77 71:State Comptroller 1442: 1388:Jabez D. Hammond 1362: 1356: 1350: 1344: 1338: 1335:Thomas J. Oakley 1318: 1312: 1309: 1303: 1300: 1294: 1287: 1281: 1274: 1268: 1261: 1255: 1235: 1229: 1226: 1220: 1213: 1207: 1200: 1194: 1184: 1178: 1172: 1166: 1162: 1156: 1153: 1041:Henry Yates Jr. 1037:Jabez D. Hammond 972:Ruggles Hubbard 964:Jonathan Dayton 945:Elbert H. Jones 913:Henry Yates Jr. 872:Robert Williams 855:James G. Graham 779:Joshua H. Brett 711:Robert Roseboom 672:January 4, 1799 653:January 8, 1798 640:Ezra L'Hommedieu 634:January 9, 1797 611:January 7, 1796 604:Ebenezer Russell 600:Abraham Schenck 590:January 6, 1795 573:January 7, 1794 547:Robert Woodworth 500:Thomas Tillotson 468:January 2, 1789 452:Samuel Townsend 431:John Vanderbilt 419:Ebenezer Russell 373:Ebenezer Russell 369:Joseph Gasherie 342:Ezra L'Hommedieu 273:Ebenezer Russell 256:Rinier Mynderse 229:Ebenezer Russell 194:John Morin Scott 173: 172: 118:Federalist Party 83:Surveyor General 79:Attorney General 20:(sometimes also 1450: 1449: 1445: 1444: 1443: 1441: 1440: 1439: 1410: 1409: 1401: 1370: 1365: 1357: 1353: 1348:Joseph C. Yates 1345: 1341: 1319: 1315: 1310: 1306: 1301: 1297: 1288: 1284: 1275: 1271: 1262: 1258: 1244:Dutchess County 1236: 1232: 1227: 1223: 1214: 1210: 1201: 1197: 1185: 1181: 1173: 1169: 1163: 1159: 1154: 1150: 1146: 1133:Perry G. Childs 1128:Benjamin Mooers 1076:John Lounsbery 1073:John D. Ditmis 1054:Stephen Barnum 968:Lucas Elmendorf 953:Samuel Stewart 928:James W. Wilkin 910:Johannes Bruyn 890:James W. Wilkin 836:Peter C. Adams 800:Robert Johnson 764:Thomas Tredwell 738:Ebenezer Purdy 730:Lemuel Chipman 723:James W. Wilkin 704:Ambrose Spencer 666:Ebenezer Clark 663:Ebenezer Foote 659:William Denning 620:Ambrose Spencer 584:William Powers 569:Philip Schuyler 565:Zina Hitchcock 562:Reuben Hopkins 525:William Powers 509:Peter Schuyler 495:Isaac Roosevelt 485:Philip Schuyler 465:Peter Van Ness 443:Philip Schuyler 435:Anthony Hoffman 423:Peter Schuyler 399:Philip Schuyler 365:Isaac Roosevelt 301:Zephaniah Platt 290:March 23, 1781 244:Isaac Roosevelt 224:Zephaniah Platt 171: 169:List of members 34: 12: 11: 5: 1448: 1438: 1437: 1432: 1427: 1422: 1408: 1407: 1400: 1397: 1396: 1395: 1379: 1369: 1366: 1364: 1363: 1360:Jacob Radcliff 1351: 1339: 1313: 1304: 1295: 1282: 1269: 1256: 1252:George Clinton 1230: 1221: 1208: 1195: 1179: 1167: 1157: 1147: 1145: 1142: 1139: 1138: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1119:John Townsend 1116: 1115: 1112: 1110:David E. Evans 1107: 1102: 1097: 1091: 1090: 1087: 1082: 1077: 1074: 1070: 1069: 1066: 1065:Stephen Bates 1063: 1060: 1055: 1051: 1050: 1047: 1042: 1039: 1034: 1028: 1027: 1024: 1021: 1016: 1013: 1007: 1006: 1003: 998: 993: 988: 982: 981: 978: 973: 970: 965: 961: 960: 957: 954: 951: 946: 942: 941: 938: 933: 930: 925: 921: 920: 917: 914: 911: 908: 904: 903: 900: 898:Philetus Swift 895: 892: 887: 883: 882: 879: 876: 873: 870: 866: 865: 862: 861:Alexander Rea 859: 858:Isaac Kellogg 856: 853: 847: 846: 843: 840: 837: 834: 830: 829: 826: 821: 820:Edward Savage 818: 815: 814:Thomas Thomas 811: 810: 807: 804: 803:Adam Comstock 801: 798: 796:DeWitt Clinton 792: 791: 788: 783: 782:Stephen Thorn 780: 777: 773: 772: 769: 766: 761: 758: 752: 751: 748: 745: 742: 739: 735: 734: 731: 728: 727:Edward Savage 725: 720: 716: 715: 712: 709: 706: 701: 699:DeWitt Clinton 695: 694: 691: 689:Thomas R. Gold 686: 681: 678: 677:Samuel Haight 674: 673: 670: 667: 664: 661: 655: 654: 651: 648: 645: 642: 636: 635: 632: 627: 622: 617: 613: 612: 609: 608:Michael Myers 606: 601: 598: 592: 591: 588: 585: 582: 579: 575: 574: 571: 566: 563: 560: 556: 555: 552: 549: 544: 541: 535: 534: 531: 526: 523: 520: 514: 513: 510: 507: 502: 497: 491: 490: 487: 482: 481:Edward Savage 479: 474: 470: 469: 466: 463: 458: 453: 449: 448: 445: 440: 439:David Hopkins 437: 432: 428: 427: 424: 421: 416: 411: 405: 404: 401: 396: 395:David Hopkins 393: 388: 382: 381: 378: 375: 370: 367: 361: 360: 357: 352: 347: 344: 338: 337: 336:July 22, 1782 334: 331: 328: 323: 317: 316: 313: 311:Henry Oothoudt 308: 303: 298: 292: 291: 288: 284: 283: 280: 275: 270: 265: 261: 260: 257: 254: 249: 246: 240: 239: 236: 231: 226: 221: 215: 214: 211: 206: 201: 199:Jesse Woodhull 196: 190: 189: 186: 183: 180: 177: 170: 167: 33: 30: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1447: 1436: 1433: 1431: 1428: 1426: 1423: 1421: 1418: 1417: 1415: 1406: 1403: 1402: 1393: 1389: 1385: 1384: 1380: 1377: 1376: 1372: 1371: 1361: 1355: 1349: 1343: 1336: 1332: 1328: 1324: 1317: 1308: 1299: 1292: 1286: 1279: 1273: 1266: 1260: 1253: 1249: 1245: 1241: 1234: 1225: 1218: 1212: 1205: 1199: 1193: 1189: 1183: 1177: 1171: 1161: 1152: 1148: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1118: 1117: 1113: 1111: 1108: 1106: 1105:Roger Skinner 1103: 1101: 1098: 1096: 1093: 1092: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1081: 1078: 1075: 1072: 1071: 1067: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1053: 1052: 1048: 1046: 1045:Henry Seymour 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1029: 1025: 1022: 1020: 1017: 1014: 1012: 1009: 1008: 1004: 1002: 999: 997: 994: 992: 989: 987: 986:Darius Crosby 984: 983: 979: 977: 974: 971: 969: 966: 963: 962: 958: 955: 952: 950: 947: 944: 943: 939: 937: 934: 932:John Stearns 931: 929: 926: 923: 922: 918: 915: 912: 909: 906: 905: 901: 899: 896: 893: 891: 888: 886:Benjamin Coe 885: 884: 880: 877: 875:Daniel Paris 874: 871: 869:Israel Carll 868: 867: 863: 860: 857: 854: 852: 851:Jonathan Ward 849: 848: 844: 842:Nathan Smith 841: 838: 835: 833:Benjamin Coe 832: 831: 827: 825: 824:John Nicholas 822: 819: 816: 813: 812: 808: 805: 802: 799: 797: 794: 793: 789: 787: 786:Jedediah Peck 784: 781: 778: 776:John Schenck 775: 774: 770: 767: 765: 762: 759: 757: 754: 753: 749: 746: 743: 740: 737: 736: 732: 729: 726: 724: 721: 718: 717: 713: 710: 708:John Sanders 707: 705: 702: 700: 697: 696: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680:Robert Sands 679: 676: 675: 671: 668: 665: 662: 660: 657: 656: 652: 650:Joseph White 649: 646: 643: 641: 638: 637: 633: 631: 630:Thomas Morris 628: 626: 623: 621: 618: 615: 614: 610: 607: 605: 602: 599: 597: 594: 593: 589: 586: 583: 580: 577: 576: 572: 570: 567: 564: 561: 559:Selah Strong 558: 557: 553: 550: 548: 545: 542: 540: 539:David Gelston 537: 536: 532: 530: 527: 524: 521: 519: 516: 515: 511: 508: 506: 503: 501: 498: 496: 493: 492: 488: 486: 483: 480: 478: 475: 472: 471: 467: 464: 462: 461:John Williams 459: 457: 454: 451: 450: 446: 444: 441: 438: 436: 433: 430: 429: 425: 422: 420: 417: 415: 412: 410: 409:William Floyd 407: 406: 402: 400: 397: 394: 392: 389: 387: 384: 383: 379: 376: 374: 371: 368: 366: 363: 362: 358: 356: 353: 351: 348: 345: 343: 340: 339: 335: 332: 329: 327: 324: 322: 319: 318: 314: 312: 309: 307: 304: 302: 299: 297: 294: 293: 289: 287:Arthur Parks 286: 285: 281: 279: 274: 269: 268:Ephraim Paine 266: 264:Stephen Ward 262: 258: 255: 253: 250: 248:Levi Pawling 247: 245: 242: 241: 237: 235: 232: 230: 227: 225: 222: 220: 217: 216: 212: 210: 207: 205: 202: 200: 197: 195: 192: 191: 174: 166: 164: 159: 154: 152: 148: 144: 141: 137: 132: 128: 127:casting voice 123: 119: 114: 112: 108: 102: 100: 96: 92: 88: 84: 80: 76: 72: 68: 63: 61: 57: 53: 49: 48: 43: 39: 29: 27: 23: 19: 1382: 1374: 1354: 1342: 1327:Dutchess Co. 1316: 1307: 1298: 1291:Morgan Lewis 1285: 1278:Saratoga Co. 1272: 1259: 1233: 1224: 1217:Delaware Co. 1211: 1198: 1182: 1170: 1160: 1151: 1100:John T. More 1095:Walter Bowne 1085:Ephraim Hart 1058:William Ross 1023:Henry Bloom 1011:Walter Bowne 996:Perley Keyes 991:William Ross 949:Morgan Lewis 894:John McLean 839:John Veeder 747:Jacob Snell 684:James Gordon 596:Joshua Sands 477:John Cantine 456:John Hathorn 414:John Hathorn 386:Lewis Morris 330:Elkanah Day 176:Southern D. 155: 145: 115: 103: 64: 52:casting vote 45: 35: 21: 17: 15: 1392:Cooperstown 1176:John Savage 1015:John Noyes 936:Jonas Platt 817:James Burt 768:Caleb Hyde 756:John Broome 647:Moses Vail 326:John Haring 188:Elected on 185:Western D. 182:Eastern D. 1414:Categories 1080:Levi Adams 878:Amos Hall 669:John Frey 551:John Frey 522:David Pye 179:Middle D. 95:surrogates 87:Chancellor 47:ex officio 44:, who was 36:Under the 1276:In 1796, 1219:1797–1801 1204:Half Moon 107:patronage 1399:See also 1240:John Jay 136:John Jay 120:and the 67:New York 1394:, 1846) 1368:Sources 32:History 85:, the 81:, the 77:, the 73:, the 1265:Salem 1165:term. 1144:Notes 16:The 1386:by 1416:: 1329:, 165:. 153:. 125:"

Index

Government of New York
New York Constitution
Governor of New York
ex officio
casting vote
New York State Senate
New York State Assembly
New York
State Comptroller
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Surveyor General
Chancellor
New York Supreme Court
surrogates
Mayor of New York City
patronage
Governor George Clinton
Federalist Party
Democratic-Republican Party
casting voice
advice and consent
John Jay
New York State Constitutional Convention
Alexander Hamilton
Federalist No. 77
New York State Constitutional Convention
recess appointments
John Morin Scott
Jesse Woodhull

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