William Kelly was the candidate of the majority faction of the Democratic Party which supported Stephen A. Douglas for President.[1]
The "Breckinridge and Lane Democratic" state convention met on August 8 at Syracuse, New York, Henry S. Randall presided. James T. Brady (a Tammany man from New York City who had run for Attorney General on the Hard ticket in 1853) was nominated for Governor on the first ballot (vote:Brady 99, O'Connor 8, Greene C. Bronson 3, Brown 2, Lawrence 1, Kemble 1, Gideon J. Tucker 1). Henry K. Viele was nominated on the first ballot (vote: Viele 57, Edward Tompkins 56). The incumbent John M. Jaycox was re-nominated for Canal Commissioner by acclamation. Robert W. Allen was nominated for Prison Inspector on the first ballot. After the nominations, Daniel S. Dickinson made a speech.[2] Brady accepted the nomination in a letter dated on August 14.[3]
The Constitution Union state convention met on July 13 at Utica. They resolved that "a State Committee be appointed to consist of four persons from each Judicial District, to be appointed by the delegates thereof, where duty it shall be to form an electoral ticket, and to present the same to the people of this State, at a suitable time, precious to the coming election, and that they be authorized to form said ticket in such manner as they deem best calculated to unite National Union men of every name and designation."[4] The committee ultimately resolved to fuse their ticket with the Democratic Party ticket.
Result
The whole Republican ticket was elected, an average of about 50,000 votes ahead of the combined Democratic vote. The incumbents Morgan and Campbell were re-elected. The incumbents Jaycox and Rhodes were defeated.
93 Republicans and 35 Democrats were elected for the session of 1861 to the New York State Assembly.