81st New York State Legislature

The 81st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5 to April 19, 1858, during the second year of John A. King'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.

On April 13, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts, and the Assembly seats per county. Cayuga, Dutchess, Genesee, Greene, Montgomery, Onondaga, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie and Tompkins counties lost one seat each; New York, Oswego, Queens, Ulster and Westchester counties gained one seat each; Kings County gained four seats; and the new Schuyler County was apportioned one seat.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Know Nothing movement ran in the election as the "American Party."

Elections
The New York state election, 1857 was held on November 3. All eight statewide elective offices were carried by the Democrats. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Secretary of State was: Democratic 195,000; Republican 177,000; and American 67,000.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1858; and adjourned on April 19.

On January 12, John B. Halsted (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate..

On January 26, after three weeks of deadlock, Thomas G. Alvord (D) was elected Speaker on the 53rd ballot.

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 Brookland; 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. James Noxon, John E. Paterson, John B. Halsted, James Wadsworth and John P. Darling were re-elected. George G. Scott and Ralph A. Loveland changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Party affiliations follow the vote for Senate officers.

Employees

 * Clerk: Samuel P. Allen
 * Deputy Clerk: Henry J. Sickles
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Henry W. Dwight
 * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Simeon Dillingham
 * Doorkeeper: Richard U. Owens
 * First Assistant Doorkeeper: Henry W. Shipman
 * Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Samuel Ten Eyck
 * Third Assistant Doorkeeper: James P. Clark
 * Journal Clerk: James Terwilliger
 * Engrossing Clerks: A. N. Cole, Charles G. Fairman

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

Party affiliations follow the original vote for Speaker.

Employees

 * Clerk: David Wilson
 * Assistant Clerk: Edwin O. Perrin
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Philip H. Lasher
 * Doorkeeper: Peter J. Cook
 * First Assistant Doorkeeper: John Davis
 * Second Assistant Doorkeeper: James Swarthout
 * Journal Clerk: Joseph B. Cushman