1873 United States Senate election in New York explained

Election Name:1873 United States Senate election in New York
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1867 United States Senate election in New York
Previous Year:1867
Next Election:1879 United States Senate election in New York
Next Year:1879
Election Date:January 21, 1873
Votes For Election:Majority vote of each house needed to win
1Blank:Senate
2Blank:Percentage
3Blank:Assembly
4Blank:Percentage
Image1:File:Hon. Roscoe Conkling, N.Y - NARA - 527412 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Roscoe Conkling
Party1:Republican Party (US)
1Data1:20
2Data1:62.5%
3Data1:92
4Data1:71.88%
Nominee2:Charles Wheaton
Party2:Democratic Party (US)
1Data2:5
2Data2:15.6%
3Data2:26
4Data2:20.31%
Senator
Before Election:Roscoe Conkling
Before Party:Republican Party (US)
After Election:Roscoe Conkling
After Party:Republican Party (US)

The 1873 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 21, 1873, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 3) to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.

Background

Republican Roscoe Conkling had been elected in January 1867 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1873.

At the State election in November 1871, 21 Republicans and 11 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1872-1873) in the State Senate. In 1872, a faction of the Republican Party opposed the re-election of President Ulysses S. Grant and the Radical Republicans who supported him, and under the name Liberal Republican Party nominated a joint ticket with the Democratic Party. At the State election in November 1872, 91 Republicans, 35 Democrats and 2 Independents were elected for the session of 1873 to the Assembly. The 96th New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 30, 1873, at Albany, New York.

Candidates

Republican caucus

The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 8, State Senator William B. Woodin, of Auburn (25th D.), presided. 18 state senators and 88 assemblymen were present. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Conkling unanimously.

Democratic caucus

The caucus of the Democratic State legislators nominated Ex-First Judge of Dutchess County Charles Wheaton.

Result

Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1873 United States Senator election result
HouseRepublicanDemocraticRepublicanLiberal Republican
State Senate
(32 members)
Roscoe Conkling20Charles Wheaton[1] 5William M. Evarts1Henry R. Selden1
State Assembly
(128 members)
Roscoe Conkling92Charles Wheaton26    

Notes:

Aftermath

Conkling was re-elected in 1879, and remained in office until May 17, 1881, when he resigned in protest against the distribution of federal patronage in New York by President James A. Garfield without being consulted. The crisis between the Stalwart and the Half-Breed factions of the Republican party arose when the leader of the New Yorker Half-Breeds William H. Robertson was appointed Collector of the Port of New York, a position Conkling wanted to give to one of his Stalwart friends.

See also

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Charles Wheaton (1834-1886), lawyer, of Poughkeepsie, First Judge of the Dutchess County Court 1863-67