102nd New York State Legislature

102nd New York State Legislature
← 101st 103rd →
New York State Capitol (1879)
Overview
Legislative body	New York State Legislature
Jurisdiction	New York, United States
Term	January 1 – December 31, 1879
Senate
Members	32
President	Lt. Gov. William Dorsheimer (D)
Temporary President	William H. Robertson (R)
Party control	Republican (20-12)
Assembly
Members	128
Speaker	Thomas G. Alvord (R)
Party control	Republican (98-27-3)
Sessions
1st January 7 – May 22, 1879

The 102nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 22, 1879, during the third year of Lucius Robinson'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 (five districts) and Kings County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards,^[1] 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 Prohibition Party and the Greenback Party also nominated tickets.

Elections[]

The New York state election, 1878 was held on November 5. The only statewide elective office up for election was carried by a Republican. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Judge of the Court of Appeals, was: Republican 391,000; Democratic 356,000; Greenback 75,000;^[2] and Prohibition 4,000.

Sessions[]

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1879; and adjourned on May 22.

On January 7, senators and assemblymen met at the Old Capitol and then marched together to the New Capitol, taking officially possession of the new accommodations. The New Capitol was then still under construction, being finished only in 1899; and the Senate met for the time being in the Court of Appeals chamber. Due to heavy snowfall, many members had not arrived yet from the Western parts of the State, and the Legislature adjourned.

On January 9, Thomas G. Alvord (R) was again elected Speaker, with 94 votes against 24 for Erastus Brooks (D).

On January 21, the Legislature re-elected U.S. Senator Roscoe Conkling (R) to a third six-year term, beginning on March 4, 1879.^[3]

On April 23, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts; and the Assembly seats per county. Columbia, Delaware, Madison, Oneida, Ontario and Oswego counties lost one seat each; Kings and New York counties gained three seats each.^[4]

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.

Employees[]

• Clerk: John W. Vrooman
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Weidman Dominick
• Doorkeeper: James G. Caw
• Stenographer: Hudson C. Tanner

State Assembly[]

Assemblymen[]

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.

Employees[]

• Clerk:
• Sergeant-at-Arms:
• Doorkeeper: Henry Wheeler
• First Assistant Doorkeeper: Harrison Clark
• Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Michael Maher
• Assistant Doorkeeper: John Christie
• Stenographer: Worden E. Payne

Notes[]

Sources[]

• Civil List and Constitutional History of the Colony and State of New York compiled by Edgar Albert Werner (1884; see pg. 276 for Senate districts; pg. 291 for senators; pg. 298–304 for Assembly districts; and pg. 378 for assemblymen)
• The State Government for 1879 by Charles G. Shanks (Weed, Parsons & Co, Albany, 1879)
• THE CANVASS FOR SPEAKER in NYT on January 6, 1879
• THE STRUGGLE AT ALBANY in NYT on January 7, 1879
• THE CONTEST FOR SPEAKER in NYT on January 8, 1879
• ALVORD CHOSEN SPEAKER in NYT on January 9, 1879
• WORK BEGUN AT ALBANY in NYT on January 10, 1879