The 1862 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1862. Incumbent Governor Edwin D. Morgan did not run for a third consecutive term in office. Democratic former Governor Horatio Seymour was elected over Union candidate James S. Wadsworth.

Constitutional Union nomination The Constitution Union state convention met on September 9 at Association Hall in Troy. Horatio Seymour led informal balloting for governor, but the convention adjourned without a nomination. The next day, its delegates joined the Democratic convention in Albany.

Democratic nomination Candidates Horatio Seymour, former Governor of New York (185354) Declined Fernando Wood, mayor of New York City

Convention The Democratic state convention met at Tweddle Hall in Albany on September 10, one day after the Constitutional Union convention.STATE POLITICS - Meeting of the Democratic State Convention at Albany in NYT on September 11, 1862 For the first time in many years, the party was united in New York City, with mayor Fernando Wood and Tammany Hall sharing portions of the delegation. A committee of ten, including August Belmont, was appointed to confer with the Constitutional Union delegates, who were invited to join the convention to a storm of applause.

Horatio Seymour was nominated for governor by acclamation following an enthusiastic demonstration. Once order was restored, Seymour delivered an acceptance speech criticizing both the United States Congress and the Abraham Lincoln administration for their conduct during the Civil War, citing Republican journalists and Proverbs 20:3 ("It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling."). Though he credited the Republican Congress with honesty, he accused radicals in Congress of insubordination to the Lincoln administration by pursuing the abolition of slavery, which united the South and divided the North. By contrast, he pledged that the Democratic Party would be loyal and obedient to the laws and Constitution, supporting the cause of the Union.

Seymour's acceptance speech was followed by a brief address from Fernando Wood, who endorsed Seymour, pledging a strong majority of the vote from New York, and accused the Lincoln administration of arresting dissenters.

Union nomination Candidates John Adams Dix, United States Army major general and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and U.S. Senator Lyman Tremain, former Democratic Attorney General of New York James S. Wadsworth, United States Army brevet major general and commander of the Military District of Washington, D.C.

Convention The Union state convention met at Wieting Hall in Syracuse on September 24.NEW YORK STATE POLITICS - The Republican Convention at Syracuse in NYT on September 25, 1862 The Union Party included Republicans as well as War Democrats like Lyman Tremain, who was nominated for Lieutenant Governor.

The Albany delegation voted for Tremain, except Tremain himself, who voted for Dickinson. After the result was announced, Tremain applauded both Wadsworth and Dix, withdrew his name from consideration and called for Wadsworth to be nominated unanimously. Tremain was nominated unanimously for Lieutenant Governor with the support of William Curtis Noyes, whom he had defeated for Attorney General in 1857.

General election Candidates Horatio Seymour, former Governor of New York (185354) (Democratic, Constitutional Union) James S. Wadsworth, United States Army brevet major general and commander of the Military District of Washington, D.C. (Union)

Results

New York City results Results by ward (New York County) Ward SeymourDemocratic WadsworthUnion Total Votes % Votes % Votes 1 1,282 85.47% 218 14.53% 1,500 2 249 55.96% 196 44.04% 445 3 434 70.92% 178 29.08% 612 4 1,750 89.06% 215 10.94% 1,965 5 1,569 68.88% 709 31.12% 2,278 6 2,152 91.15% 209 8.85% 2,361 7 2,822 78.06% 793 21.94% 3,615 8 2,464 72.53% 933 27.47% 3,397 9 3,040 59.43% 2,075 40.57% 5,115 10 2,009 70.49% 841 29.51% 2,850 11 4,191 79.86% 1,057 20.14% 5,248 12 2,109 69.97% 905 30.03% 3,014 13 2,151 74.10% 752 25.90% 2,903 14 2,314 85.36% 397 14.64% 2,711 15 1,628 52.31% 1,484 47.69% 3,112 16 2,775 60.00% 1,850 40.00% 4,625 17 5,280 74.07% 1,848 25.93% 7,128 18 3,327 64.85% 1,803 35.15% 5,130 19 2,645 69.92% 1,138 30.08% 3,783 20 3,936 68.75% 1,789 31.25% 5,725 21 2,920 61.89% 1,798 38.11% 4,718 22 3,265 70.78% 1,348 29.22% 4,613 Totals 54,312 70.67% 22,536 29.33% 76,848

See also New York gubernatorial elections 1862 New York state election 1862 United States elections

References