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 Results by county Morgan: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Parker: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in New York State |
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The 1858 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1858. Incumbent Governor John A. King did not run for re-election to a second term in office. In the race to succeed him, Edwin D. Morgan defeated Amasa J. Parker and Lorenzo Burrows.
A mass convention to nominate Gerrit Smith for Governor met on August 4 at Syracuse, New York. [1] It was the first nominating convention of the campaign season, bringing together members of the anti-slavery and temperance movement in the state. [1] Frederick Douglass, William Goodell and Max Langenschwartz of Germany were featured speakers, and the convention was open to women. [1]
The convention adopted a platform denouncing slavery as "a crime against God and man of such matchless magnitude that no forms of law can change its infernal character." [1] Despite the stated purpose of the event, Republicans attempted to interrupt the proceedings to oppose Smith's nomination, and Frederick Douglass spoke at length against the nomination of Smith without a vote or debate, but Smith was ultimately nominated without explicit opposition. [1]
The Republican and American Party state conventions both met on September 8 at Syracuse, New York. At the Republican convention, there was some debate about the nomination of a joint ticket with the American Party. A motion to nominate candidates for governor was voted down by 166 to 67, and the convention adjourned. [2] The American convention, after much debate, adjourned too. [2]
The Republican convention re-assembled on September 9, and balloting was taken for governor. Edwin D. Morgan led on the first balllot by a large margin, receiving the first vote ever cast by Thurlow Weed at a state convention. [3] Before the second ballot could be taken, a delegation from the American convention arrived. morgan received a large majority on the second ballot, and the Americans returned to their convention with a delegation of Republicans, who offered to nominate Americans for Canal Commissioner and Prison Inspector, forming a joint ticket. However, the Americans decided against their proposal, nominating Lorenzo Burrows by acclamation. [3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edwin D. Morgan | 116 | 45.85% | |
| Republican | Timothy Jenkins | 51 | 20.16% | |
| Republican | James M. Cook | 35 | 13.83% | |
| Republican | George W. Patterson | 23 | 9.09% | |
| Republican | Alexander S. Diven | 21 | 8.30% | |
| Republican | John A. King (draft effort) | 4 | 1.58% | |
| Republican | Horace Greeley | 3 | 1.19% | |
| Total votes | 253 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edwin D. Morgan | 165 | 64.71% | |
| Republican | Timothy Jenkins | 52 | 20.39% | |
| Republican | George W. Patterson | 20 | 7.84% | |
| Republican | Alexander S. Diven | 18 | 7.06% | |
| Total votes | 255 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edwin D. Morgan | 247,953 | 45.51% |  0.99 | |
| Democratic | Amasa J. Parker | 230,513 | 42.31% | 8.87 | |
| Know Nothing | Lorenzo Burrows | 60,880 | 11.17% |  10.87 | |
| Liberty | Gerrit Smith | 5,470 | 1.00% | 0.97 | |
| Total votes | 544,816 | 100.00% | |||
