Conkling and Platt resigned during an ongoing dispute over federal patronage privileges in the state with President James A. Garfield, particularly the lucrative office of Collector of the Port of New York.

Their resignations were intended to trigger the reelection of each Senator to affirm their support in the New York Legislature as a show of either popularity or political force.

On July 2, Garfield was shot by Guiteau, who declared his support for Conkling's Stalwart faction immediately after the shooting.

Conkling's supporters held out for another week before acquiescing to the unanimous nomination of Lapham on July 22, ending the election.

The Republican boss, and leader of the Stalwart faction, Roscoe Conkling had been elected to a third term (Class 3) in January 1879.

On March 28, Conkling, Platt, Vice President Chester A. Arthur and Postmaster General Thomas L. James sent a letter to Garfield urging him to withdraw the nomination.

On May 31, the legally prescribed day for the election, the Assembly and the State Senate took a ballot, but no candidate received a majority.

After almost three weeks of deadlock, it was believed that Governor Cornell would consider the votes cast for State Senator Jacobs as void,[3] and to accept as elected any Republican candidate who would receive a simple majority of a quorum, meaning that if at least 81 votes were cast for all candidates except Jacobs, the frontrunner would be elected with 42.

After Jacobs's withdrawal during the 23rd ballot, a Democratic caucus was held in the afternoon of June 22, Assemblyman Michael C. Murphy presided.

On the morning of the next day, President Garfield was shot and the news arrived in Albany just before the State Legislature met for the 33rd ballot.

Since the Stalwarts were not attending, it was agreed that nominations were to be made with a minimum vote of 54, a majority of the total 106 Republican legislators.

76 legislators attended, State Senator Dennis McCarthy presided, and this conference issued the call for a caucus to meet at 3 p.m.

Conkling's political career effectively ended after this episode, the longest deadlock in New York State legislative history until 1911.