16th New York State Legislature

16th New York State Legislature
← 15th 17th →
The Old New York City Hall, where the Legislature met in 1784. From January 1785 to August 1790, the Congress of the Confederation and the 1st United States Congress met here, and the building was renamed Federal Hall. From 1791 to 1793, the State Legislature met again here, and the building was demolished in 1812. (1798)
Overview
Jurisdiction	New York, United States
Term	July 1, 1792 – June 30, 1793
Senate
Members	24
President	Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt
Party control	Democratic-Republican (13-11)
Assembly
Members	70
Speaker	John Watts (Fed.)
Party control	Democratic-Republican
Sessions
1st November 6, 1792 – March 12, 1793

The 16th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from November 6, 1792, to March 12, 1793, during the sixteenth year of George Clinton's governorship, in New York City.

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.

In March 1786, the Legislature enacted that future Legislatures meet on the first Tuesday of January of each year unless called earlier by the governor. No general meeting place was determined, leaving it to each Legislature to name the place where to reconvene, and if no place could be agreed upon, the Legislature should meet again where it adjourned.

On February 7, 1791, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate and Assembly districts, according to the figures of the 1790 United States Census.

State Senator Peter Schuyler died on January 4, 1792, leaving a vacancy in the Western District.

At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Since the first appearance of the political parties, many politicians changed sides for a variety of reasons, but the highly controversial gubernatorial election of 1792 re-aligned the politicians more clearly.

The State election was held from April 24 to 26, 1792. Gov. George Clinton and Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt were re-elected to a sixth term after the Canvass Committee rejected the votes of Otsego, Clinton and Tioga counties on technicalities.