116th New York State Legislature


The 116th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to April 20, 1893, during the second year of Roswell P. Flower's governorship, in Albany.

Background

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 and Kings County. The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards, forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.
On April 26, 1892, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate Districts and the number of assemblymen per county. Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Jefferson, Niagara, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego, Saratoga, Ulster, Washington and Wayne counties lost one seat each; St. Lawrence County lost two seats; Erie and Queens counties gained one seat each; and Kings and New York counties gained six seats each.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Prohibition Party, the Socialist Labor Party and a "People's Party" also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1892 was held on November 8. The only statewide elective offices up for election was carried by Charles Andrews, a Republican who was endorsed by the Democrats. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, was: Republican/Democratic 1,253,000; Prohibition 39,000; Socialist Labor 18,000; and People's Party 17,000.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1893; and adjourned on April 20.
William Sulzer was elected Speaker with 71 votes against 52 for George R. Malby.
On January 17, the Legislature elected Edward Murphy, Jr. to succeed Frank Hiscock as U.S. Senator from New York, for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1893.
On January 27, the Legislature passed "An Act to amend chapter 398, of the Laws of 1892, entitled 'An Act to provide for a convention to revise and amend the Constitution'", calling a Constitutional Convention to meet in 1894.

State Senate

Districts

Note: The Senators in the 116th Legislature had been elected in November 1891 for a two-year term under the apportionment of 1879, as listed below. Although the 115th Legislature had re-apportioned the Senate districts, the only election under the new apportionment was held in November 1893, to elect the senators who sat in the 117th and 118th Legislatures.
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.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stEdward Floyd-Jones*DemocratChairman of Game Laws
2ndJohn McCarty*DemocratChairman of State Prisons; and of Public Buildings
3rdJoseph Aspinall*Republican
4thPatrick H. McCarren*DemocratChairman of Commerce and Navigation; and of Public Expenditures
5thWilliam L. Brown*DemocratChairman of Affairs of Cities; and of Grievances
6thJohn F. Ahearn*DemocratChairman of Banks; and of Public Printing
7thGeorge F. Roesch*DemocratChairman of Judiciary; and of Privileges and Elections
8thMartin T. McMahon*DemocratChairman of General Laws; and of Military Affairs
9thEdward P. HaganDemocratChairman of Claims; died on February 20, 1893
9thThomas F. CunninghamDemocratelected on March 21 to fill vacancy
10thJacob A. Cantor*DemocratPresident pro tempore; Chairman of Finance; and of Rules
11thGeorge W. Plunkitt*DemocratChairman of Miscellaneous Corporations; and of Printed and Engrossed Bills
12thCharles P. McClelland*DemocratChairman of Insurance; and of Joint Library
13thWilliam P. Richardson*Republican
14thClarence E. Bloodgood*DemocratChairman of Roads and Bridges; and of Poor Laws
15thEdward B. Osborne*DemocratChairman of Affairs of Villages; and of Erection and Division
of Towns and Counties; died on July 20, 1893
16thJohn H. Derby*Republican
17thAmasa J. Parker, Jr.*DemocratChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment; and of Public Health
18thHarvey J. Donaldson*Republican
19thLouis W. Emerson*Republican
20thGeorge Z. Erwin*RepublicanMinority Leader
21stJoseph Mullin*Republican
22ndHenry J. Coggeshall*Republican
23rdJohn E. Smith*Republican
24thEdmund O'Connor*Republican
25thJohn A. Nichols*DemocratChairman of Manufacture of Salt; and of Agriculture
26thThomas Hunter*Republican
27thCharles E. WalkerDemocratChairman of Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties;
and of Manufactures; died on June 6, 1893
28thCharles T. Saxton*Republican
29thCornelius R. Parsons*Republican
30thGreenleaf S. Van Gorder*Republican
31stMatthias Endres*DemocratChairman of Canals; and of Indian Affairs
32ndJames T. Edwards*Ind. Rep./Dem.Chairman of Railroads; and of Public Education

Employees

Assemblymen

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."

Employees