1858 New York state election explained

Election Name:1858 New York gubernatorial election
Country:New York
Flag Year:1778
Type:presidential
Previous Election:1856 New York state election
Previous Year:1856
Election Date:November 2, 1858
Next Election:1860 New York state election
Next Year:1860
Image1:EDMorgan.jpg
Image1 Size:x150px
Nominee1:Edwin D. Morgan
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:247,953
Percentage1:45.49%
Image2 Size:x150px
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:230,513
Percentage2:42.29%
Image3:Lorenzo Burroughs.png
Image3 Size:x150px
Party3:Know Nothing
Popular Vote3:61,137
Percentage3:11.22%
Governor
Before Election:John Alsop King
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Edwin D. Morgan
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1858 New York state election was held on November 2, 1858, to elect the governor, the lieutenant governor, a Canal Commissioner, and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and two members[1] of the New York State Senate. Besides, the question was asked if a Constitutional Convention should be held, and answered in the negative: The vote was 135,266 for and 144,526 against.

History

The "Mass State Convention to nominate Gerrit Smith for Governor" met on August 4 at Syracuse, New York, Isaac Parks, of Canastota, presided.[2]

The Republican and the American state conventions met on September 8 at Syracuse, New York. At the Republican convention, Thurlow Weed was a delegate to a state convention for the first time after twenty years. There was some debate about the nomination of a joint ticket with the Americans. Ezra Graves was temporary chairman until the choice of Daniel T. Jones as president. A motion to nominate candidates for governor was voted down by 166 to 67, and the convention adjourned. At the American convention, Daniel Ullmann was chosen President, and after much debate they adjourned too.[3] The Republican convention re-assembled on September 9, and Edwin D. Morgan was nominated for governor on the second ballot (first ballot: Morgan 116,[4] Timothy Jenkins 51, James M. Cook 35, George W. Patterson 23, A. S. Diven 21, John Alsop King 4,[5] Horace Greeley 3; second ballot: Morgan 165, Jenkins 52, Patterson 20, Diven 18). Between the two ballots an American delegation arrived. Robert Campbell was nominated for lieutenant governor by acclamation. Now the American delegation marched back to the American convention with a Republican delegation which announced the Republican nominations and offered the Americans to complete the joint ticket with the nominees for Canal Commissioner and Prison Inspector. The Americans decided against it and nominated Lorenzo Burrows for governor, and Nathaniel S. Benton for lieutenant governor by acclamation. James R. Thompson was nominated for Canal Commissioner on the first ballot (vote: Thompson 84, Jesse C. Dann 64, Benoni Thompson 15, Justus Deming 4, scattering 4). The incumbent William A. Russell was re-nominated for Prison Inspector on the first ballot.[6]

Result

The whole Republican ticket was elected. The incumbent Russell was defeated.

One Republican and one American were elected for the session of 1859 to the New York State Senate, which had then 16 Republicans, 12 Democrats, 3 Americans and one Independent Republican.

99 Republicans and Americans, and 29 Democrats were elected for the session of 1859 to the New York State Assembly.

1858 state election results
OfficeRepublican ticketDemocratic ticketAmerican ticketLiberty[7] ticket
GovernorEdwin D. Morgan247,953Amasa J. Parker230,513Lorenzo Burrows60,880Gerrit Smith5,470
Lieutenant GovernorRobert Campbell250,831John J. Taylor229,796Nathaniel S. Benton62,336Sidney A. Beers2,187
Canal CommissionerHiram Gardner249,933Sherburne B. Piper229,848James R. Thompson59,919J. C. Harrington1,801
Inspector of State PrisonsJosiah T. Everest248,151Edward L. Donnelly226,992William A. Russell60,409Silas T. Tyler1,690

Notes

  1. to fill vacancies in the 11th and 31st Districts
  2. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1858/08/06/78858725.pdf The Friends of Gerrit Smith at Syracuse
  3. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1858/09/09/78861159.pdf NEWS OF THE DAY
  4. among these was Weed's vote, his first ever vote for a candidate in a convention
  5. Governor King had declined to be re-nominated
  6. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1858/09/10/78861212.pdf The American and Republican State Conventions
  7. In the press referred to as "the friends of Gerrit Smith"

Sources

See also

New York gubernatorial elections