The 84th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to April 16, 1861, during the third year of Edwin D. Morgan'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 (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.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democrats split over the slavery issue and presidential nomination. Two State tickets were nominated, one supporting Stephen A. Douglas for president, the other supporting John C. Breckinridge.
Elections The 1860 New York state election was held on November 6. Gov. Edwin D. Morgan and Lt. Gov. Robert Campbell (both Rep.) were re-elected. The other two statewide elective offices were also carried by the Republicans. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor was: Republican 358,000; Douglas Democratic 294,000; and Breckinridge Democratic 19,000.
Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 1, 1861; and adjourned on April 16.
DeWitt C. Littlejohn (R) was re-elected Speaker with 90 votes against 31 for Francis Kernan (D).
On January 16, the Legislature elected Benjamin F. Bruce (R) as Canal Commissioner, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Commissioner-elect Samuel H. Barnes (R).
On February 5, the Legislature elected Ex-Supreme Court Justice Ira Harris (R) to succeed William H. Seward as U.S. Senator from New York for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1861.
On February 8, Ephraim Goss (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate "for this day."see Senate Journal; pg. 154
On February 19, Jay Gibbons (D) asked the Assembly to appoint a Select Committee to investigate allegations that he had "corruptly solicited a consideration for his official action in regard to a bill now pending before this House, to increase the salary of the assistant district attorney of the County of Albany." Speaker Littlejohn appointed assemblymen Bingham, Tuthill (both R), Hutchings, Kernan and Taber (all three D) to this committee. Mitchell Sanford and Theophilus C. Callicot appeared for Gibbons's defence during the proceedings.
On March 7, Peter P. Murphy (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate "for this day."see Senate Journal; pg. 268 On the same day, a Committee was appointed to "enquire and report whether it be necessary to appoint a President pro tempore, or whether the President pro tempore chosen at the previous session holds his office during the present session."see Senate Journal; pg. 269
On March 12, the Committee reported that it is necessary to appoint a President pro tempore, and that the President pro tempore chosen at the previous session does not continue in office at the next session. Besides, the committee opined that a President pro tempore can only be appointed if the Lieutenant Governor is actually absent, and that the appointment ceases whenever the Lieutenant Governor returns.see Senate Journal; pg. 308
On March 25, Erastus S. Prosser (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate "for this day."see Senate Journal; pg. 400 Later on the same day, William H. Ferry (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate "for the balance of the Session."see Senate Journal; pg. 403
On April 3, the Select Committee's resolution to expel Jay Gibbons was adopted by a vote of 99 to 8.
State Senate Districts
1st District: Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties 2nd District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 13th and 19th wards of the City of Brooklyn 3rd District: 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th wards of the City of Brooklyn; and all towns in Kings County 4th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 14th wards of New York City 5th District: 10th, 11th, 13th and 17th wards of New York City 6th District: 9th, 15th, 16th and 18th wards of New York City 7th District: 12th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd wards of New York City 8th District: Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties 9th District: Orange and Sullivan counties 10th District: Greene and Ulster counties 11th District: Columbia and Dutchess counties 12th District: Rensselaer and Washington counties 13th District: Albany County 14th District: Delaware, Schenectady and Schoharie counties 15th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery and Saratoga counties 16th District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties 17th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties 18th District: Jefferson and Lewis counties 19th District: Oneida County 20th District: Herkimer and Otsego counties 21st District: Oswego County 22nd District: Onondaga County 23rd District: Chenango, Cortland and Madison counties 24th District: Broome, Tompkins and Tioga counties 25th District: Cayuga and Wayne counties 26th District: Ontario, Seneca and Yates counties 27th District: Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties 28th District: Monroe County 29th District: Genesee, Niagara and Orleans counties 30th District: Allegany, Livingston and Wyoming counties 31st District: Erie County 32nd District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties
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.
District Senator Party Notes1stEdward A. Lawrence* Democrat2ndThomas A. Gardiner* Democrat3rdFrancis B. Spinola* Democrat4thJohn McLeod Murphy* Democrat5thBernard Kelly* Democrat6thBenjamin F. Manierre* Republican7thRichard B. Connolly* Democrat8thHezekiah D. Robertson* Republicanalso Supervisor of Bedford9thRobert Y. Grant* Democrat10thJoshua Fiero Jr.* Republican11thJohn H. Ketcham* Republican12thVolney Richmond* Republican13thAndrew J. Colvin* Democrat14thJoseph H. Ramsey* Republican15thIsaiah Blood* Democrat16thNathan Lapham* Republican17thCharles C. Montgomery* Republican18thJames A. Bell* Republican19thWilliam H. Ferry* Republicanon March 25, elected president pro tempore20thFrancis M. Rotch* Republican21stAndrew S. Warner* Republican22ndAllen Munroe* Republican23rdPerrin H. McGraw* Republican24thLyman Truman* Republican25thAlexander B. Williams* Republican26thThomas Hillhouse* Republican27thSamuel H. Hammond* Republican28thEphraim Goss* Republicanon February 8, elected president pro tempore29thPeter P. Murphy* Republicanon March 7, elected president pro tempore30thDavid H. Abell* Republican31stErastus S. Prosser* Republicanon March 25, elected president pro tempore32ndWalter L. Sessions* Republican
Employees Clerk: James Terwilliger Sergeant-at-Arms: James C. Clark Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: George H. Knapp Doorkeeper: Peter Kilmer First Assistant Doorkeeper: Charles Johnson Second Assistant Doorkeeper: John H. France Third Assistant Doorkeeper: Caspar Walter
State Assembly Assemblymen The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
Party affiliations follow the vote for Speaker and U.S. Senator.