1792 New York gubernatorial election
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 County results Clinton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80-90% >90% Jay: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Returns rejected | |||||||||||||||||
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The 1792 New York gubernatorial election was held in April 1792 to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York. Incumbent governor George Clinton was narrowly re-elected to a sixth term in office over John Jay, after the votes of Clinton, Ostego, and Tioga counties were disqualified on technicalities.
Background
From the establishment of an independent government of New York in 1777, George Clinton had continuously served in the office of Governor; he had no opponent in 1780 or 1786. During the Clinton administration, New York politics had been divided into two factions, reflecting growing divisions at the national level: a Federalist faction led by Alexander Hamilton and John Jay and a Republican faction led by Governor Clinton.
In January 1791, Aaron Burr, a moderate Republican, was elected to the United States Senate over Federalist incumbent Philip Schuyler. Burr's victory was a sign of growing opposition to the Hamilton faction; Schuyler was Hamilton's father-in-law and at the time, Hamilton's controversial proposals for a national bank and federal assumption of state debts was before Congress. At the April 1791 elections, Republicans made gains in the legislature, including in the Federalist stronghold of New York City.[1]
One political controversy arising during Clinton's fifth term was the sale of approximately 5.5 million acres of public lands, which Clinton referred to as "waste and unappropriated," for a return of $1,030,433. An acrimonious debate in the legislature included accusations that Clinton and his allies personally benefited from the sales, in particular the sale of the majority of the land (3,635,200 acres) to Alexander MacComb Sr., a land speculator from New York City. MacComb purchased the land for eight pence per acre, payable in five installments without interest. Ultimately, the land sale met the legislature's approval.[2]
Qualifications
Under Article VII of the New York Constitution of 1777, only certain male freeholders and certain freemen of Albany or New York City could vote:[3]
- VII. That every male inhabitant of full age, who shall have personally resided within one of the counties of this State for six months immediately preceding the day of election, shall, at such election, be entitled to vote for representatives of the said county in assembly; if, during the time aforesaid, he shall have been a freeholder, possessing a freehold of the value of twenty pounds, within the said county, or have rented a tenement therein of the yearly value of forty shillings, and been rated and actually paid taxes to this State: Provided always, That every person who now is a freeman of the city of Albany, or who was made a freeman of the city of New York on or before the fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, and shall be actually and usually resident in the said cities, respectively, shall be entitled to vote for representatives in assembly within his said place of residence.
Federalist nomination
Candidates
- John Jay, Chief Justice of the United States and former United States Secretary of State
Declined
- Robert R. Livingston, Chancellor of New York and former United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs[4]
- Stephen van Rensselaer, State Senator from Albany[4]
- Robert Yates, Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court and nominee for Governor in 1789[4]
Nomination
After leading candidates declined to be considered, the Federalist Party nominated John Jay at a meeting in New York City on February 13. Chief Justice Robert Yates, an anti-federalist who had received cross-faction support to run against Clinton in 1789, attended and expressed his support for the Federalist ticket.[4]
Republican nomination
Candidates
- George Clinton, incumbent Governor of New York since 1777
Nomination
A Republican meeting was held in New York City on February 15, at which Governor Clinton was re-nominated for a sixth term.[4]
General election
Candidates
- George Clinton, incumbent Governor of New York since 1777
- John Jay, Chief Justice of the United States and former United States Secretary of State
Declined
- Aaron Burr, United States Senator since 1791
Aaron Burr, who had been elected to the United States Senate the prior year, declined to stage a third-party bid despite urging from independents on the ground that he "did not belong to either party." He publicly announced that he would not be a candidate on March 15.[4]
Results
John Jay received more votes than George Clinton, but on technicalities the votes of Otsego, Tioga and Clinton counties were disqualified and not canvassed, giving George Clinton a slight majority in the official result.
Under the Constitution of 1777, the votes were canvassed by a joint committee of the New York State Legislature, six members each from the Assembly and the Senate. The members were David Gelston, Thomas Tillotson, Melancton Smith, Daniel Graham, Pierre Van Cortlandt, Jr., David McCarty, Jonathan N. Havens, Samuel Jones, Isaac Roosevelt, Leonard Gansevoort and Joshua Sands. The state constitution said that the cast ballots shall be delivered to the Secretary of State "by the sheriff or his deputy". The ballots from Otsego County were forwarded to the secretary of state by Sheriff Smith who was holding over in office until the appointment of a successor after his term had expired. The ballot box from Clinton County was delivered to the secretary of state's office by a person without a written deputation who had received the box from the sheriff. The ballot box from Tioga County was delivered to the secretary of state by the clerk of the special deputy appointed by the sheriff.
The canvass committee disagreed on whether to allow these ballots to be counted or not. The question was referred to the United States senators from New York, Federalist Rufus King and Democratic-Republican Aaron Burr, for arbitration. King said all votes ought to be canvassed, Burr said that the ballots from Clinton County ought to be allowed, the ones from Otsego and Tioga counties should be rejected. Thereupon, a majority of the canvass committee (Gelston, Tillotson, Smith, Graham, Van Cortlandt, McCarty, Havens) rejected the ballots from all three counties and declared George Clinton duly elected governor by a majority of 108 votes. Van Cortlandt was elected lieutenant governor.
The minority (Jones, Roosevelt, Gansevoort, Sands) protested in writing. In Otsego County, John Jay had a majority of about 400, and discounting the small majorities for Clinton in Tioga and Clinton counties, would have won the election. Clinton was accused by the Federalists of usurpation and the canvass committee of having made a partisan decision against the wishes of the electorate.[5]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic-Republican | George Clinton (incumbent) | 8,440 | 50.32% | |
| Federalist | John Jay | 8,332 | 49.68% | |
| Total votes | 16,772 | 100% | ||
References
- ^ Jenkins 1846, pp. 39–41.
- ^ Jenkins 1846, p. 42.
- ^ Jenkins 1846, p. 36.
- ^ a b c d e f Jenkins 1846, p. 43.
- ^ History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by John S. Jenkins (pages 43ff; Alden & Markham, Auburn NY, 1846)
- ^ The Tribune Almanac 1841
Bibliography
- Jenkins, John Stilwell (1846). History of Political Parties in the State of New-York. Auburn, N.Y.: Alden & Markham.