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Rh for mutual accusations of injustice. On March 18 the votes of twelve counties were counted by the Governor and his Council, and the four men having the most votes were declared elected. The remaining county, Essex, continued to hold open the polls—the New Jersey law being silent as to the length of the election—until they were closed on April 27 by a proclamation of the Governor. Both the Governor and the people of Essex county had acted irregularly; the one in determining the result of the election before all the votes were in, and the other in not closing the polls at a proper time. Petitions for and against the validity of the election were sent to the House of Representatives, which body referred them, April and May, 1789, to the committee on elections. After full consideration of the matter the House, on September 2, found the four congressmen "duly elected." Most talented of the four was Elias Boudinot, of Huguenot descent, and a former president of the Continental Congress. All were Federalists. The first senators were Jonathan Elmer, and William Paterson, the latter a most influential member of the Federal Convention; both were Federalists. For Vice-President New Jersey gave John Jay five votes, and Adams, one. The defection from Adams has been attributed to the influence of Hamilton.

In New York, Governor Clinton issued a proclamation on October 13 assembling the legislature at an earlier date than usual—December 8. In his annual address he said nothing