87th New York State Legislature
← 86th 88th →
The Old State Capitol (1879)
Overview
Legislative body	New York State Legislature
Jurisdiction	New York,United States
Term	January 1 – December 31, 1864
Senate
Members	32
President	Lt. Gov.David R. Floyd-Jones (D)
Temporary President	James M. Cook (R), on February 3; James A. Bell (R), from February 4
Party control	Republican (20-12)
Assembly
Members	128
Speaker	Thomas G. Alvord (R)
Party control	Republican (82-46)
Sessions
1st January 5 – April 23, 1864

The87th New York State Legislature, consisting of theNew York State Senate and theNew York State Assembly, met from January 5 to April 23, 1864, during the second year ofHoratio Seymour's second tenure as Governor of New York, inAlbany.

Under the provisions of theNew 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: theRepublican Party and theDemocratic Party. The Democrats split over the civil war issue. The "War Democrats" and the Republicans formed a coalition known as the "Republican Union," and supportedPresidentAbraham Lincoln and the Union Army's war effort; the rump Democratic Party opposed the war, favoring a compromise with the South, and became known as "Peace Democrats" or "Copperheads."

The1863 New York state election was held on November 3. All eight statewide elective offices up for election were carried by the Republican Union. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Secretary of State, was: Republican Union 314,000 and Democrats 285,000.

The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol inAlbany on January 5, 1864; and adjourned on April 23.

Thomas G. Alvord (R) was elected againSpeaker with 77 votes against 42 forJacob L. Smith (D).Joseph B. Cushman (R) was re-elected Clerk of the Assembly with 78 votes against 44 forJohn C. Jacobs (D).

On February 3,James M. Cook (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate "for this day."

On February 4,James A. Bell (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate "for the present session."

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Thomas C. Fields, Saxton Smith, Palmer E. Havens and Ezra Cornell changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Party affiliations follow the vote for Regents of USNY.

• Clerk:James Terwilliger
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Azel B. Hull
• Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Sanders Wilson
• Doorkeeper: Lawrence Van Duzen
• First Assistant Doorkeeper: Casper Walter
• Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Edmund Traver
• Third Assistant Doorkeeper: Anson W. Johnson

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

Party affiliations follow the vote for Speaker, and Regents of USNY.

• Clerk:Joseph B. Cushman
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles E. Young
• Doorkeeper: Henry A. Rogers
• First Assistant Doorkeeper: Alexander Frier
• Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Daniel F. Payne

• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough, Stephen C. Hutchins and Edgar Albert Werner (1870; see pg. 439 for Senate districts; pg. 443 for senators; pg. 450–463 for Assembly districts; and pg. 499ff for assemblymen)
• Journal of the Senate (87th Session) (1864)
• Journal of the Assembly (87th Session) (1864)

• New York (state) legislative sessions
• 1864 in New York (state)
• 1864 U.S. legislative sessions

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