ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɪks, bˈɪɹdsli wʌz ᵻlˈɛktᵻd baɪ ðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk stˈeɪt lˈɛdʒɪslətʃɚ tə ðɪ ˈɑːfɪs ʌv nˈuː jˈɔːɹk stˈeɪt ɐtˈɜːni dʒˈɛnɚɹəl ˈæftɚ hɪz pɹˈɛdᵻsˌɛsɚ ɡɹˈiːn sˈiː. bɹˈɑːnsən bɪkˌeɪm ɐ dʒˈʌstɪs ʌvðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk suːpɹˈiːm kˈoːɹt, ænd hiː sˈɜːvd ʌntˈɪl wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi ˈeɪt.
In 1836, Beardsley was elected by the New York State Legislature to the office of New York State Attorney General after his predecessor Greene C. Bronson became a justice of the New York Supreme Court, and he served until 1838.