1862 New York gubernatorial election


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

Declined

Convention

The Democratic state convention met at Tweddle Hall in Albany on September 10, one day after the Constitutional Union convention. 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. 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

Convention

The Union state convention met at Wieting Hall in Syracuse on September 24. 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