 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 County Results
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The1854 New York state election was held on November 7, 1854, to elect thegovernor, thelieutenant governor, aCanal Commissioner and anInspector of State Prisons, as well as all members of theNew York State Assembly.
The National Democratic (in the press referred to as Hards) state convention met in July and nominatedGreene Bronson for governor as well as candidates for the other down-ballot offices. They informed the nominees by letter on July 12 of their nominations. Their letters of acceptance were published on September 11 in theNew-York Daily Times.[1]
The Democratic (in the press referred to as Softs) state convention met on September 6 atWieting Hall inSyracuse.Lorenzo B. Shepard was Temporary Chairman until the choice of William H. Ludlow as President. The convention appointed a Democratic State Central Committee which includedJohn Cochrane andHoratio Ballard, and then adjourned. On September 7, the convention passed a resolution approving theKansas–Nebraska Act, which led to the eventual withdrawal of delegatesPreston King,Charles G. Myers,Abijah Mann,Philip Dorsheimer and few more Barnburners, all of whom would be the next year among the founders of theRepublican Party. Governor Horatio Seymour was re-nominated "by acclamation" with a few contrary votes. William H. Ludlow was nominated for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot (vote: Ludlow 234, Philip H. Crook 28, Oakley 14,Albert Lester 7,Isaiah Rynders 2, Preston King 2). Jason Clark was nominated for Canal Commissioner by acclamation. W. R. Andrews was nominated for Inspector of State Prisons on the first ballot (vote: Andrews 92, Amos Pilsbury 56,Henry Storms [incumbent] 27).[2]
The Free-Soil Democratic state convention met on September 25 inAuburn.[3]
The Anti-Nebraska state convention met on September 26 in Auburn. Myron H. Clark was nominated for Governor by acclamation. Henry J. Raymond was nominated for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot (Raymond 127, Bradford R. Wood 84). After this vote, a minority of about 20 seceded from the convention and re-assembled at the Court House and nominated their own ticket.[4]
The Temperance state convention met on September 27 in Auburn. Myron H. Clark was nominated for Governor by acclamation. Henry J. Raymond was nominated for Lieutenant Governor on the first ballot (Raymond 163, Bradford R. Wood 112).[5]
The Liberty state convention met on September 28 at the Market Hall in Syracuse.[6]
The Anti-Rent state convention met on October 26 at Beardsley's Hall inAlbany.[7]
Due to the split of the Democratic Party, the whole Whig ticket was elected. The American Party (ridiculed and referred to as the Know Nothings in the press) showed surprising strength. Myron H. Clark won this election with the lowest percentage in any New York gubernatorial election. The incumbent Governor Seymour was defeated, the incumbent Fitzhugh was re-elected.
82 Whigs, 26 Softs, 16 Hards and 3 Temperance man were elected for the session of 1855 to theNew York State Assembly. "Know Nothings are sprinkled miscellaneously among Whigs, Hards and Softs; and exactly how many there are of these gentry in the Assembly Nobody Knows."[8]
| Office | Whig ticket | Dem./Soft ticket | American Party ticket | Dem./Hard ticket | Anti-Nebraska ticket | Anti-Nebraska (secession) ticket | Free Democratic ticket | Anti-Rent ticket | Temperance ticket | Liberty ticket | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Myron H. Clark[9] | 156,804 | Horatio Seymour | 156,495 | Daniel Ullmann | 122,282 | Greene C. Bronson | 33,850 | Myron H. Clark | Myron H. Clark | Myron H. Clark | Myron H. Clark | Myron H. Clark | William Goodell | 289 | |||||
| Lieutenant Governor | Henry J. Raymond | 157,166 | William H. Ludlow | 128,833 | Gustavus Adolphus Scroggs | 121,037 | Elijah Ford | 52,074 | Henry J. Raymond | Bradford R. Wood | 8,378 | Bradford R. Wood | Bradford R. Wood | Henry J. Raymond | Austin Ward | 326 | ||||
| Canal Commissioner | Henry Fitzhugh | 161,006 | Jason Clark | 125,210 | Josiah B. Williams[10] | 58,244 | Clark Burnham | 113,968 | Henry Fitzhugh | Charles A. Wheaton | 7,435 | Henry Fitzhugh | John C. Harrington | 261 | ||||||
| Inspector of State Prisons | Norwood Bowne | 153,947 | William R. Andrews | 124,735 | James P. Sanders | 120,747 | Abram Vernam | 41,978 | Norwood Bowne | Philip H. Macomber | 7,567 | Norwood Bowne | William Shapcott | 242 | ||||||
.png)
.jpg)
