96th New York State Legislature

The 96th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 30, 1873, during the first year of John A. Dix'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 (five 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.

In his annual message to the 95th Legislature, Gov. John T. Hoffman suggested that a bi-partisan Constitutional Commission of 32 members should be formed. The commission had four members from each judicial district, appointed by the Governor, and confirmed by the State Senate, equally divided between Democrats and Republicans. The Constitutional Commission met on December 4, 1872.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. A faction of the Republican Party assumed the name of Liberal Republican Party and nominated a fusion ticket with the Democrats, supporting Horace Greeley for president. The Democratic/Liberal Republican state ticket had Francis Kernan (D) for Governor and Chauncey M. Depew (LR) for Lieutenant Governor.

Elections
The 1872 New York state election was held on November 5. Republicans John A. Dix and John C. Robinson were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The other three statewide elective offices up for election were also carried by the Republicans. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republicans 446,000 and Democrats/Liberal Republicans 392,000.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1873; and adjourned on May 30.

Alonzo B. Cornell (R) was elected Speaker with 91 votes against 35 for John C. Jacobs (D).

William B. Woodin (R) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate.

On January 21, the Legislature re-elected U.S. Senator Roscoe Conkling (R) to a second six-year term, beginning on March 4, 1873.

The Constitutional Commission adjourned sine die on March 15, 1873. The proposed amendments to the Constitution were then debated by the Legislature, and those approved were submitted to the voters for ratification at the next state elections. At the New York state election, 1873, the voters were asked if the Judges of the Court of Appeals, and the County Judges throughout the State, should be appointed instead of being elected, which was answered in the negative.

Districts

 * 1st District: Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties
 * 2nd District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 19th and 20th wards of the City of Brooklyn
 * 3rd District: 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 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, 13th and 14th wards of New York City
 * 5th District: 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th wards of New York City
 * 6th District: 10th, 11th and 17th wards of New York City
 * 7th District: 18th, 20th and 21st wards of New York City
 * 8th District: 12th, 19th and 22nd wards of New York City
 * 9th District: Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties
 * 10th District: Orange and Sullivan counties
 * 11th District: Columbia and Dutchess counties
 * 12th District: Rensselaer and Washington counties
 * 13th District: Albany County
 * 14th District: Greene and Ulster counties
 * 15th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga and Schenectady 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: Madison and Oswego counties
 * 22nd District: Onondaga and Cortland counties
 * 23rd District: Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie 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.

Note: Palmer, Harrower and Allen had been elected as Republicans in 1871, but had joined the Liberal Republicans in 1872, and were barred from the Republican caucus.

Employees

 * Clerk: Charles R. Dayton
 * Assistant Doorkeeper: James Franklyn Jr.
 * Stenographer: H. C. Tanner

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

Employees

 * Clerk: John O'Donnell
 * Assistant Clerk: Samuel P. Allen
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Edward M. Goring
 * Doorkeeper: Eugene L. Demers
 * Journal Clerk: Edward M. Johnson