103rd New York State Legislature

103rd New York State Legislature
← 102nd 104th →
New York State Capitol (2009)
Overview
Legislative body	New York State Legislature
Jurisdiction	New York, United States
Term	January 1 – December 31, 1880
Senate
Members	32
President	Lt. Gov. George G. Hoskins (R)
Temporary President	William H. Robertson (R)
Party control	Republican (25-7)
Assembly
Members	128
Speaker	George H. Sharpe (R)
Party control	Republican (93-35)
Sessions
1st January 6 – May 27, 1880

The 103rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to May 27, 1880, during the first year of Alonzo B. Cornell'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 (seven districts) and Kings County (three districts). The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards,^[1] forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.

On April 23, 1879, 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.^[2]

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Tammany Hall Boss John Kelly engaged in a fierce struggle against the Democratic majority led by Samuel J. Tilden and Lucius Robinson, and ran as a "spoiler candidate" to defeat Gov. Robinson who ran for re-election.

The Prohibition Party, the Greenback Party, the Socialist Labor Party of America, the "Working Men" and the "Jeffersonian Democrats" also nominated tickets.

Elections[]

The New York state election, 1879 was held on November 4. Republicans Alonzo B. Cornell and George G. Hoskins were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Of the other five statewide elective office up for election, four were carried by the Republicans, and one by a Democrat. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republican 419,000; Democratic 376,000; Tammany Hall 78,000; Greenback 20,000; and Prohibition 4,500.

Sessions[]

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1880; and adjourned on May 27.

George H. Sharpe (R) was elected Speaker with 90 votes against 33 for (D).

William H. Robertson was re-elected President pro tempore of the State Senate.

On April 6, the Legislature re-elected Superintendent of Public Instruction to a third term of three years.^[3]

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. Jacob Seebacher, Ferdinand Eidman, Robert H. Strahan and Waters W. Braman changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Employees[]

• Clerk: John W. Vrooman
• Sergeant-at-Arms: John W. Corning
• 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.

Party affiliations follow the vote for Speaker.

Employees[]

• Clerk:
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Sidney M. Robinson
• Doorkeeper: Henry Wheeler
• First Assistant Doorkeeper: Michael Maher
• Second Assistant Doorkeeper: John W. Wheeler
• 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. 379 for assemblymen)
• Journal of the Assembly (103rd Session) (1880)