79th New York State Legislature


The 79th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to April 9, 1856, during the second year of Myron H. Clark's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1846, 32 Senators were elected in single-seat senatorial districts for a two-year term, the whole Senate being renewed biennially. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties. 128 Assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts to a one-year term, the whole Assembly being renewed annually. The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards, forming a contiguous area, all in the same county. The City and County of New York was divided into four senatorial districts, and 16 Assembly districts.
At this time there the Democratic Party was split into two factions: the Hard-Shells and the Soft-Shells. In 1848, the Democratic Party had been split into Barnburners and Hunkers. The Barnburners left the party, and ran as the Free Soil Party, with presidential candidate Martin Van Buren. Afterwards the larger part of the Free Soilers re-joined the Democratic Party. During the following years, the Hunkers split over the question of reconciliation with the Barnburners. The Hards were against it, denying the Barnburners to gain influence in the Party. The Softs favored reconciliation with the intention of maintaining enough strength to win the elections. Both Hards and Softs favored a compromise on the slavery question: to maintain the status quo and to leave the decision to the local population in new Territories or States if they want slavery or not, as expressed in the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
The anti-slavery faction of the Whig Party, the "Free Democrats", and the short-lived Anti-Nebraska Party merged into the Republican Party.
Most of the Whigs which favored a compromise, or preferred to sidestep the issue, joined with parts of the Democratic factions the Know Nothing movement which ran in the election as the "American Party."

Elections

The New York state election, 1855 was held on November 6. Due to the re-alignment of political parties, the whole American Party ticket of State officers was elected. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote on Secretary of State was: American 148,000; Republican 137,000; Soft 91,000; and Hard 59,000.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 1, 1856; and adjourned on April 9.
On January 16, after two weeks of deadlock, Orville Robinson was elected Speaker on the 49th ballot.
BallotDateLyman Odell
Amer.		Henry A. Prendergast
Rep.		Benjamin Bailey
Dem.		Timothy Hoyle
Dem.		Orville Robinson
Dem.		also ran
1stJan. 141352773Scott 3, Fowler 2, J. B. Clark, Lafever
2ndJan. 140352865Scott 3, Fowler 2, J. B. Clark, Lafever, Spraker
3rdJan. 140353063Scott 3, Fowler 2, J. B. Clark, Lafever, Spraker
4thJan. 240352794Scott 3, Fowler 2, Gray, Lafever
5thJan. 241342894Scott 3, Fowler, Gray, Lafever
6thJan. 241342794Scott 3, Fowler 2, Lafever, Van Santvoord
7thJan. 241342794Fowler 2, Scott 2, Gray, Lafever, Van Santvoord
8thJan. 241352794Scott 3, Fowler 2, Gray, Lafever, Van Santvoord
9thJan. 339352785Scott 4, Fowler 3, Gray, Lafever
10thJan. 340352895Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever
11thJan. 341352895Scott 4, Fowler 3, Lafever
12thJan. 3413426105Scott 4, Fowler 3, Lafever
13thJan. 4413525105Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever
14thJan. 4403425105Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever
15thJan. 4403525105Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever
16thJan. 4393525105Scott 5, Fowler 2, Lafever
17thJan. 4393525105Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever, Wakeman
18thJan. 4393525105Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever
19thJan. 4403425105Scott 4, Fowler 2, Lafever
20thJan. 836342685Fowler 2, Lafever, Scott
21stJan. 838342785Fowler 2, Lafever, Scott
22ndJan. 838342785Fowler 2, Scott 2, Lafever
23rdJan. 838342785Fowler 2, Scott 2, Lafever
24thJan. 838342685Fowler 2, Scott 2, Lafever
25thJan. 940352775Fowler 2, Scott 2, Lafever
26thJan. 943352785Lafever, Fowler, Scott
27thJan. 943342765Lafever, Fowler, Scott
28thJan. 943352676Fowler 2, Lafever, Scott
29thJan. 943312676Fowler 2, Lafever, Scott
30thJan. 943352875Fowler, Lafever, Scott
31stJan. 943342875Fowler, Lafever, Scott
32ndJan. 943352675Fowler, Lafever, Scott
33rdJan. 1043352875Lafever, Scott
34thJan. 1044352975Scott
35thJan. 1045352966Lafever, Scott
36thJan. 1044352965Scott 2, Lafever
37thJan. 1044342865Lafever, Scott
38thJan. 1142352665Fowler, Lafever, Scott
39thJan. 1144342665Scott 3, Fowler, Lafever, Van Santvoord
40thJan. 1143352243Scott 3, Fowler, Lafever, Van Santvoord
41stJan. 1143352565Scott 2, Fowler, Lafever, Van Santvoord
42ndJan. 1144352574Scott 3, Fowler, Lafever, Van Santvoord
43rdJan. 1144352564Scott 3, Fowler, Lafever, Van Santvoord
44thJan. 1145342564Scott 3, Fowler, Lafever, Van Santvoord
45thJan. 1245342755Scott 3, Lafever, Van Santvoord
46thJan. 164435124Glover 11, Bradner 4, Anthon, Fowler, Lafever, Hayes, Van Santvoord
47thJan. 164535130Glover 8, Bradner, Fowler, Hayes, Lafever
48thJan. 16461159Glover 10, Foot 3, Fowler, Hayes, Lafever, Squire
49thJan. 1645163Glover 9, Foot 4, Deshler 2, Squire

On January 29, Alonzo S. Upham was elected President pro tempore of the State Senate.

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. Mark Spencer, Erastus Brooks, Zenas Clark and George W. Bradford were re-elected. James Rider, Joseph H. Petty, John W. Ferdon, Justin A. Smith and Joseph H. Ramsey changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Party affiliations follow the vote on Senate and State officers.
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stJames Rider*Republican
2ndCyrus P. SmithAmerican
3rdDaniel E. SicklesDem.-Softcontested by Thomas J. Barr ;
on November 4, 1856, elected to the 35th U.S. Congress
4thJoseph H. Petty*American
5thMark Spencer*Dem.-Soft
6thErastus Brooks*American
7thJohn W. Ferdon*Americanunsuccessfully contested by Benjamin Brandreth
8thWilliam KellyDemocrat
9thEdward M. MaddenRepublican
10thGeorge S. NicholsAmerican
11thJohn W. HarcourtAmerican
12thAmos BriggsAmerican
13thJustin A. Smith*American
14thWilliam HotchkissAmerican
15thZenas Clark*Republican
16thFrederick P. BellingerRepublican
17thJoseph H. Ramsey*Republican
18thAddison M. SmithAmerican
19thEaton J. RichardsonRepublican
20thM. Lindley LeeRepublican
21stGardner TowneRepublican
22ndJames NoxonRepublican
23rdGeorge W. Bradford*Republican
24thSamuel C. CuylerRepublican
25thJames HuntingtonRepublican
26thJohn K. HaleAmerican
27thJohn E. PatersonRepublican
28thAlonzo S. UphamRepublicanon January 29, elected President pro tempore
29thSidney SweetAmerican
30thJohn B. HalstedRepublican
31stJames WadsworthDemocrat
32ndRoderick WhiteRepublicandied on May 26, 1856

Employees

Assemblymen

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
Party affiliations follow the vote on Speaker.

Employees