85th New York State Legislature

The 85th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to April 23, 1862, during the fourth year of Edwin D. Morgan'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.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democrats split over the civil war issue. The War Democrats nominated an "Independent People's" ticket which was almost completely endorsed by the Republicans, and became known as the Union ticket; the rump Democratic Party, favoring a compromise with the South and later known as Copperheads, nominated an opposing ticket. In New York City the Democrats were split into two factions: Tammany Hall and Mozart Hall.

Elections
The New York state election, 1861 was held on November 5. Of the nine statewide elective offices up for election, eight were carried by Union men, and one by a Democrat. The approximate party strength at this election, as gathered from the vote for Secretary of State and the short-term Canal Commissioner was: Democrats 190,000; Republicans 180,000; and War Democrats 117,000.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1862; and adjourned on April 23.

Henry J. Raymond (U) was elected again Speaker with 88 votes against 36 for Horatio Seymour (D).

On January 30, the Legislature elected Victor M. Rice to succeed Henry H. Van Dyck as Superintendent of Public Instruction.

On February 11, James A. Bell was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate.

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 Brooklyn; 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. Richard B. Connolly, Hezekiah D. Robertson, Joseph H. Ramsey, Charles C. Montgomery, James A. Bell, Allen Munroe and Lyman Truman were re-elected. Christian B. Woodruff, Richard K. Sanford and Wilkes Angel changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Party affiliations as published by the New York Tribune; those marked "Republican" were elected in opposition to "Union" candidates. Senate officers and a Regent of USNY were elected without opposition.

Employees

 * Clerk: James Terwilliger
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Richard U. Owens
 * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Caleb S. Babcock
 * Doorkeeper: Orville Griffin
 * First Assistant Doorkeeper: Charles Johnson
 * Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Sanders Wilson
 * Third Assistant Doorkeeper: Giles H. Holden

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: Joseph B. Cushman
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Levi M. Gano
 * Doorkeeper: Norman B. Sprague
 * First Assistant Doorkeeper: William H. Creed
 * Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Thomas Miller