1850 New York state election
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The 1850 New York state election was held on Tuesday November 5, 1850, to elect the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a Canal Commissioner, an Inspector of State Prisons and the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly.
Nominations
Whig Party
The Whig state convention met on September 27 in Utica; Francis Granger presided. After the nominations of Hunt, Cornell, Blakely, Baker, and Smith, the majority passed a resolution thanking the state's junior U.S. senator William H. Seward for "the signal ability with which he has sustained ... those beloved principles of public policy so long cherished by the Whigs of the Empire State,"—a clear reference to Seward's opposition to the Compromise of 1850. In protest, Granger and other pro-Compromise allies of president Millard Fillmore withdrew from the convention. The conservative faction became known as the Silver Grays after Granger's white hair.Template:Sfn
The Silver Grays reconvened at Utica on October 17; Granger again presided=. In the interim, Hunt had issued a statement accepting the Compromise while calling for "essential modifications" of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Satisfied, the convention reaffirmed the Utica nominations.Template:Sfn
Some conservative Whigs still refused to support Hunt, however. These individuals threw their support behind the Democratic candidate for governor, Horatio Seymour, in hopes of initiating a political realignment in which pro-Compromise Whigs and Democrats would unite in a new Union Party. The New York Journal of Commerce printed a Union ticket headed by Seymour in advance of a Union Safety meeting held at Castle Garden in late October. The meeting adopted resolutions approving of the Compromise and vowing never to vote for any candidate known to be hostile to any of the Compromise measures, including the Fugitive Slave Act—a pledge that targeted Hunt specifically. Antislavery Whigs denounced the meeting as a transparent attempt to divide the Whig Party and elect Seymour under the guise of Unionism.Template:Sfn
Democratic Party
The Democratic state convention met on September 11 in Syracuse and nominated Hunker Seymour and Barnburners Church, Mather, Angel and Benton.
Others
The Liberty convention met on September 12, and nominated Chaplin and Plumb.
The Anti-Rent state convention met in Albany and nominated a cross-endorsed ticket with Whigs Hunt and Blakely, and Democrats Church, Angel and Benton.
Results
Hunt won the election with one of the smallest majorities in New York history, only 262 votes. Four out of five candidates on the cross-endorsed Anti-Rent ticket were elected, demonstrating their continued influence. The incumbent Benton was re-elected.
Eight-two Whigs, 44 Democrats, one Free Soiler, and one Independent were elected to the State Assembly.
See also
Notes
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Bibliography
Primary sources
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Secondary sources
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