81st New York State Legislature

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JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1858
Members32
81st New York State Legislature
80th 82nd
The Old State Capitol (1879)
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1858
Senate
Members32
PresidentLt. Gov. Henry R. Selden (R)
Temporary PresidentJohn B. Halsted (R), from January 12
Party controlRepublican plurality (15-14-2-1)
Assembly
Members128
SpeakerThomas G. Alvord (D)
Party controlRepublican plurality (61-57-10)
Sessions
1stJanuary 5 – April 19, 1858

The 81st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5 to April 19, 1858, during the second year of John A. King's governorship, in Albany.

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1846, 32 Senators and 128 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (four districts) and Kings County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards, forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.

On April 13, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts, and the Assembly seats per county. Cayuga, Dutchess, Genesee, Greene, Montgomery, Onondaga, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie and Tompkins counties lost one seat each; New York, Oswego, Queens, Ulster and Westchester counties gained one seat each; Kings County gained four seats; and the new Schuyler County was apportioned one seat.[1]

At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Know Nothing movement ran in the election as the "American Party."

Elections

The 1857 New York state election was held on November 3. All eight statewide elective offices were carried by the Democrats. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Secretary of State was: Democratic 195,000; Republican 177,000; and American 67,000.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1858; and adjourned on April 19.

On January 12, John B. Halsted (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate..

On January 26, after three weeks of deadlock, Thomas G. Alvord (D) was elected Speaker on the 53rd ballot.[2]

1858 Speaker election result
Ballot Date Robert
B. Van
Valkenburgh

Rep.
Thomas
G.
Alvord

Dem.
Samuel
A. Law

Amer.
Frost
Horton

Amer.
also ran
1st Jan. 5 60 56 9 Adams
2nd Jan. 5 60 56 9 Russell
3rd Jan. 5 60 56 9 Bacheller
4th Jan. 6 60 56 9
5th Jan. 6 60 56 9
6th Jan. 6 60 56 9
7th Jan. 6 60 56 9
8th Jan. 6 60 56 9
9th Jan. 7 60 55 8
10th Jan. 7 60 55 8 Adams
11th Jan. 7 60 55 8 1
12th Jan. 7 60 53 8 Boughton
13th Jan. 7 60 53 8 Reynolds
14th Jan. 11 58 54 7
15th Jan. 11 58 54 7 Becker
16th Jan. 11 58 54 7 Becker
17th Jan. 11 58 54 7 Becker
18th Jan. 11 58 54 7 Becker
19th Jan. 11 58 54 7 Becker
20th Jan. 11 58 54 7 Becker
21st Jan. 12 58 54 7 Hodge
22nd Jan. 12 59 54 7 Hodge
23rd Jan. 12 58 54 7 Hodge
24th Jan. 12 58 53 7 Hodge
25th Jan. 13 60 55 7 D. Miller
26th Jan. 13 60 55 8 D. Miller
27th Jan. 13 60 55 8 D. Miller
28th Jan. 13 60 55 8 D. Miller
29th Jan. 13 60 55 8 D. Miller
30th Jan. 14 56 52 7 Bacheller
31st Jan. 14 56 52 7 Bacheller
32nd Jan. 14 56 52 7 Bacheller
33rd Jan. 14 56 52 7 Bacheller
34th Jan. 14 56 54 7 Bacheller
35th Jan. 14 55 51 7 Bacheller
36th Jan. 14 55 51 7 Bacheller
37th Jan. 14 55 51 7 Bacheller
38th Jan. 15 54 49 1 6
39th Jan. 15 54 49 1 7
40th Jan. 16 45 40 1 7
41st Jan. 16 45 40 1 7
42nd Jan. 19 54 48 1 7
43rd Jan. 19 54 48 1 7
44th Jan. 21 55 50 1 6
45th Jan. 21 55 50 1 6
46th Jan. 21 55 50 1 7
47th Jan. 21 55 50 1 7
48th Jan. 21 55 50 1 7
49th Jan. 21 55 50 1 7
50th Jan. 22 54 49 1 6
51st Jan. 22 52 47 1 6
52nd Jan. 26 54 49 1 7
53rd Jan. 26 55 57 2

State Senate

Districts

Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.

Members

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. James Noxon, John E. Paterson, John B. Halsted, James Wadsworth and John P. Darling were re-elected. George G. Scott and Ralph A. Loveland changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Party affiliations follow the vote for Senate officers.

District Senator Party Notes
1st Joshua B. Smith Democrat
2nd Samuel Sloan Democrat
3rd Francis B. Spinola Democrat
4th John C. Mather Democrat
5th Smith Ely, Jr. Democrat
6th Richard Schell Democrat
7th John Doherty Democrat
8th Benjamin Brandreth Democrat
9th Osmer B. Wheeler American
10th George W. Pratt Democrat
11th William G. Mandeville Democrat
12th John D. Willard Democrat
13th George Y. Johnson American
14th Edward I. Burhans Democrat
15th George G. Scott* Democrat
16th Ralph A. Loveland* Republican
17th William A. Wheeler Republican
18th Joseph A. Willard Republican
19th Alrick Hubbell Republican
20th Addison H. Laflin Republican
21st Cheney Ames Republican
22nd James Noxon* Republican
23rd John J. Foote Republican
24th Lyman Truman Republican
25th Alexander B. Williams Republican
26th Truman Boardman Republican
27th Alexander S. Diven Republican
28th John E. Paterson* Republican
29th Horatio J. Stow Independent[3]
30th John B. Halsted* Republican on January 12, elected president pro tempore
31st James Wadsworth* Democrat resigned on August 18, 1858
32nd John P. Darling* Republican also Supervisor of New Albion

Employees

  • Clerk: Samuel P. Allen
  • Deputy Clerk: Henry J. Sickles
  • Sergeant-at-Arms: Henry W. Dwight
  • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Simeon Dillingham
  • Doorkeeper: Richard U. Owens
  • First Assistant Doorkeeper: Henry W. Shipman
  • Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Samuel Ten Eyck
  • Third Assistant Doorkeeper: James P. Clark
  • Journal Clerk: James Terwilliger
  • Engrossing Clerks: A. N. Cole, Charles G. Fairman

State Assembly

Notes

Sources

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