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1868–69 United States Senate elections

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1868–69 United States Senate elections

← 1866 & 1867 Dates vary by state
(And other dates for special elections)
1870 & 1871 →

25 of the 66 (8 vacant)/74 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
34 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Henry B. Anthony[a]
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since March 4, 1863
Leader's seat Rhode Island
Last election 39 seats 10 seats
Seats before 57 9
Seats won 17 5
Seats after 57 9
Seat change Steady Steady
Seats up 17 5

Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     Unreconstructed states

Majority Party before election


Republican

Elected Majority Party


Republican

The 1868–69 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1868 and 1869, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.

The Republican Party maintained their Senate majority. Six former Confederate states were then readmitted separately from the regular election, each electing two Republicans. This increased the Republicans' already overwhelming majority to the largest proportion of seats ever controlled by the party.

Results summary

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Senate party division, 41st Congress (1869–1871)

  • Majority party: Republican (57)
  • Minority party: Democratic (9)
  • Other parties: (0)
  • Vacant: (8)
  • Total seats: 74

Change in Senate composition

[edit]

Beginning of 1868

[edit]
D3 D2 D1 V4 V3 V2 V1
D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 V5
Readmitted
V6
Readmitted
V7
Readmitted
V8
Readmitted
V9
Readmitted
R44 R45 V17
Readmitted
V16
Readmitted
V15
Readmitted
V14
Readmitted
V13
Readmitted
V12
Readmitted
V11
Special
V10
Readmitted
R43 R42 R41 R40 R39 R38 R37 R36 R35 R34
Majority → R33
R24 R25 R26 R27 R28 R29 R30 R31 R32
R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18 R17 R16 R15 R14
R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13
R3 R2 R1 V18 V19 V20 V21

After the readmission of the Confederate states

[edit]
D3 D2 D1 V4 V3 V2 V1
D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9
Gain
R57
Gain
R56
Gain
R55
Gain
R54
Gain
R44 R45 R46
Gain
R47
Gain
R48
Gain
R49
Gain
R50
Gain
R51
Gain
R52
Gain
R53
Gain
R43 R42 R41 R40 R39 R38 R37 R36 R35 R34
Majority →
R24 R25 R26 R27 R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33
R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18 R17 R16 R15 R14
R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13
R3 R2 R1 V5 V6 V7 V8

Before the elections

[edit]

After July 16, 1868, readmission of South Carolina.

D3 D2 D1 V4
Seceded
V3
Seceded
V2
Seceded
V1
D4 D5
Unknown
D6
Retired
D7
Retired
D8
Retired
D9
Retired
R57
Retired
R56
Retired
R55
Unknown
R54
Unknown
R44
Ran
R45
Ran
R46
Ran
R47
Ran
R48
Ran
R49
Ran
R50
Ran
R51
Ran
R52
Ran
R53
Unknown
R43
Ran
R42
Ran
R41
Ran
R40 R39 R38 R37 R36 R35 R34
Majority →
R24 R25 R26 R27 R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33
R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18 R17 R16 R15 R14
R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13
R3 R2 R1 V5 V6 V7 V8

Result of the elections

[edit]
D3 D2 D1 V4
Seceded
V3
Seceded
V2
Seceded
V1
D4 D5
Hold
D6
Hold
D7
Gain
D8
Gain
D9
Gain
R57
Gain
R56
Gain
R55
Gain
R54
Hold
R44
Re-elected
R45
Re-elected
R46
Re-elected
R47
Re-elected
R48
Hold
R49
Hold
R50
Hold
R51
Hold
R52
Hold
R53
Hold
R43
Re-elected
R42
Re-elected
R41
Re-elected
R40 R39 R38 R37 R36 R35 R34
Majority →
R24 R25 R26 R27 R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33
R23 R22 R21 R20 R19 R18 R17 R16 R15 R14
R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13
R3 R2 R1 V5 V6 V7 V8
Key:
D# Democratic
R# Republican
V# Vacant

Race summaries

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Elections during the 40th Congress

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In these elections, the winners were seated during 1868 or in 1869 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Kentucky
(Class 2)
James Guthrie Democratic 1865 Incumbent resigned due to failing health.
New senator elected February 19, 1868.
Democratic hold.
Maryland
(Class 3)
Vacant since March 3, 1867, when
Senator-elect Philip F. Thomas failed to qualify.
New senator elected March 7, 1868.
Democratic gain.
Florida
(Class 1)
Vacant since January 21, 1861,
when Stephen Mallory (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected June 17, 1868.
Republican gain.
Winner did not run for election to the next term; see below.
Arkansas
(Class 2)
Vacant since July 11, 1861,
when William K. Sebastian (D) was expelled.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected June 22, 1868.
Republican gain.
Arkansas
(Class 3)
Vacant since July 11, 1861,
when Charles B. Mitchel (D) was expelled.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected June 23, 1868.
Republican gain.
Florida
(Class 3)
Vacant since January 21, 1861,
when David Levy Yulee (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected June 25, 1868.
Republican gain.
Louisiana
(Class 2)
Vacant since February 4, 1861,
when Judah P. Benjamin (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 8, 1868.
Republican gain.
Louisiana
(Class 3)
Vacant since February 4, 1861,
when John Slidell (D) resigned.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 9, 1868.
Republican gain.
Alabama
(Class 2)
Vacant since January 21, 1861,
when Clement Claiborne Clay (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 13, 1868.
Republican gain.
Alabama
(Class 3)
Vacant since January 21, 1861,
when Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 13, 1868.
Republican gain.
North Carolina
(Class 2)
Vacant since March 6, 1861,
when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 14, 1868.
Republican gain.
North Carolina
(Class 3)
Vacant since March 11, 1861,
when Thomas Clingman (D) resigned.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 14, 1868.
Republican gain.
South Carolina
(Class 2)
Vacant since November 10, 1860,
when James Chesnut Jr. (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 15, 1868.
Republican gain.
South Carolina
(Class 3)
Vacant since November 11, 1860,
when James Henry Hammond (D) withdrew.
State readmitted to the Union.
New senator elected July 16, 1868.
Republican gain.
Delaware
(Class 1)
James A. Bayard Jr. Democratic 1851
1857
1863
1864 (resigned)
1867 (appointed)
Interim appointee elected January 19, 1869 to finish the term.[2]
Winner did not run for election to the next term; see below.

Races leading to the 41st Congress

[edit]

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1869; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
California John Conness Republican 1862–63 Incumbent lost re-election or retired.
New senator elected in 1868.
Democratic gain.
Green tickY Eugene Casserly (Democratic)
[data missing]
Connecticut James Dixon Republican 1856
1863
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1868 or 1869.
Republican hold.
Green tickY William Buckingham (Republican)
[data missing]
Delaware James A. Bayard Jr. Democratic 1851
1857
1863
1864 (resigned)
1867 (appointed)
1869 (special)
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1869.
Democratic hold.
Green tickY Thomas F. Bayard Sr. (Democratic)
[data missing]
Florida Adonijah Welch Republican 1868 (special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1868 or 1869.
Republican hold.
Green tickY Abijah Gilbert (Republican)
[data missing]
Indiana Thomas A. Hendricks Democratic 1862 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1868.
Republican gain.
Green tickY Daniel D. Pratt (Republican)
[data missing]
Maine Lot M. Morrill Republican 1861 (special)
1863
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1869.
Republican hold.
Green tickY Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)
[data missing]
Maryland William P. Whyte Democratic 1868 (appointed) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1868 or 1869.
Democratic hold.
Green tickY William T. Hamilton (Democratic)
[data missing]
Massachusetts Charles Sumner Republican 1851 (special)
1857
1863
Incumbent re-elected in 1869. Green tickY Charles Sumner (Republican)
[data missing]
Michigan Zachariah Chandler Republican 1857
1863
Incumbent re-elected in 1869. Green tickY Zachariah Chandler (Republican)
[data missing]
Minnesota Alexander Ramsey Republican 1863 Incumbent re-elected in 1869.
Mississippi Vacant since January 21, 1861, when Jefferson Davis (D) resigned. Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1870.
None.
Missouri John B. Henderson Republican 1862 (appointed)
1862
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1868.
Republican hold.
Green tickY Carl Schurz (Republican)
[data missing]
Nebraska Thomas Tipton Republican 1867 Incumbent re-elected in 1869. Green tickY Thomas Tipton (Republican)
[data missing]
Nevada William M. Stewart Republican 1865 Incumbent re-elected in 1869. Green tickY William M. Stewart (Republican)
[data missing]
New Jersey Frederick T. Frelinghuysen Republican 1866 (appointed)
1867 (special)
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1869.
Democratic gain.
New York Edwin D. Morgan Republican 1863 Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected January 19, 1869.
Republican hold.
Ohio Benjamin Wade Republican 1851
1856
1863
Incumbent lost renomination.
New senator elected in 1868.
Democratic gain.
Green tickY Allen G. Thurman (Democratic)
[data missing]
Pennsylvania Charles R. Buckalew Democratic 1863 Incumbent lost re-election or retired.
New senator elected January 19, 1869.
Republican gain.
Rhode Island William Sprague IV Republican 1862 Incumbent re-elected in 1868. Green tickY William Sprague IV (Republican)
[data missing]
Tennessee David T. Patterson Democratic 1866 (readmission) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected early on October 22, 1867, for the term beginning March 4, 1869.
Republican gain.
Texas Vacant since March 23, 1861, when Louis Wigfall (D) withdrew. Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1870.
None.
Vermont George F. Edmunds Republican 1866 (appointed)
1866 (special)
Incumbent re-elected in 1868. Green tickY George F. Edmunds (Republican)
[data missing]
Virginia Vacant since January 2, 1864, when Joseph Segar (U) was not seated.[5] Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1870.
None.
West Virginia Peter G. Van Winkle Republican 1863 Incumbent lost re-election or retired.
New senator elected in 1869.
Republican hold.
Green tickY Arthur I. Boreman (Republican) 43(H), 19(S)
Daniel Lamb (Republican) 10(H), 3(S)
Wisconsin James R. Doolittle Republican 1857
1863
Incumbent lost re-election or retired.
New senator elected in 1868 or 1869.
Republican hold.
Green tickY Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican)
[data missing]

Elections during the 41st Congress

[edit]

There were no elections in 1869 during this Congress after March 4.

Delaware

[edit]

Interim appointed Senator James A. Bayard Jr. was elected January 19, 1869 to finish his term.[2]

Maryland

[edit]

Maryland (special)

[edit]
1868 United States Senate special election in Maryland
← 1863 1868 1868 →

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
Candidate William Pinkney Whyte
Party Democratic
Legislative vote -
Percentage -%

William Pinkney Whyte won election by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 1 seat to fill the vacancy created by Reverdy Johnson.[6]

Maryland (regular)

[edit]
1868 United States Senate election in Maryland
← 1868 1868 1874 →

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
Candidate William Thomas Hamilton Thomas Swann
Party Democratic Democratic
Legislative vote 56 46
Percentage 50.91% 41.82

William Thomas Hamilton won election against Thomas Swann by a margin of 9.09%, or 10 votes for the Class 1 seat.[7]

Maryland (March special)

[edit]
1868 United States Senate special election in Maryland
← 1864 March 6, 1868 1872 →

80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
 
Candidate John Creswell Philip Francis Thomas
Party Democratic Democratic
Legislative vote 59 41
Percentage 57.84% 40.20%

Philip Francis Thomas, a Democrat, was elected in 1867, however, failed to qualify for the seat due to his support for the Confederacy. George Vickers was elected to finish the rest of the term by a margin of 17.65%, or 18 votes, for the Class 3 seat.[8]

Minnesota

[edit]

The Minnesota U.S. Senate election was held by the state legislature on January 19, 1869, with each chamber voting separately. Republican Senator Alexander Ramsey received 16 of 21 votes in the state Senate and 36 of 44 in the state House. The legislature declared Ramsey the duly elected U.S. Senator in a joint convention on January 20, 1869. Democratic nominee Charles W. Nash was an attorney from Hastings, former state Senator for the 7th Senate District (1862–1864), and the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 1865.[3]

1869 Minnesota U.S. Senate election[3]
Republican Alexander Ramsey (inc.) 52 80.00
Democrat Charles W. Nash 13 20.00

New York

[edit]

The election in New York was held on January 19, 1869, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Edwin D. Morgan had been elected in February 1863 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1869. At the State election in November 1867, 17 Republicans and 15 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1868–1869) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1868, Democrat John T. Hoffman was elected Governor, and 75 Republicans and 53 Democrats were elected for the session of 1869 to the Assembly. The 92nd New York State Legislature met from January 5 to May 11, 1869, at Albany, New York.

The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 16, Assemblyman John H. Selkreg presided. All 92 legislators were present. They nominated Ex-Governor Reuben E. Fenton for the U.S. Senate. The incumbent U.S. Senator Edwin D. Morgan was very keen on his re-election, but was voted down. Speaker Truman G. Younglove had held back the appointments to the standing Assembly committees until after the caucus, and subsequent election, of a U.S. Senator, and was accused by the Morgan men to have made a bargain to favor the Fenton men with appointments after the election was accomplished. After the caucus, comparing notes, the assemblymen discovered that some of the most important committee chairmanships had been promised to a dozen different members by Speaker Younglove.

1869 Republican caucus for United States Senator result
Candidate First ballot Second ballot
Reuben E. Fenton (50) 52
Edwin D. Morgan (42) 40
blank (1)

Note: On the first ballot, 93 votes were cast, one too many, and it was annulled without announcing the result. The above stated result transpired unofficially. The blank vote caused some debate if the result was really invalidated by it, but it was finally agreed to take a second ballot.

The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met on January 18. State Senator Henry C. Murphy was again nominated, like in 1867.

In the Assembly, Republicans DeWitt C. Hoyt (Saratoga Co.) and James O. Schoonmaker (Ulster Co.); and Democrats James Irving (NYC), Lawrence D. Kiernan (NYC), Harris B. Howard (Rensselaer Co.), James B. Pearsall (Queens), John Tighe (Albany Co.) and Moses Y. Tilden (Columbia Co.); did not vote.

In the State Senate, Republicans Matthew Hale (16th D.) and Charles Stanford (15th D.); and Democrats Cauldwell, Thomas J. Creamer, Michael Norton (5th D.) and John J. Bradley (7th D.); did not vote.

Reuben E. Fenton was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1869 United States Senator election result
House Republican Democratic Democratic
State Senate
(32 members)
Reuben E. Fenton 15 Henry C. Murphy 10 Henry S. Randall 1
State Assembly
(128 members)
Reuben E. Fenton 73 Henry C. Murphy 46

Notes:

  • The vote for Ex-Secretary of State Randall was cast by Henry C. Murphy.
  • The votes were cast on January 19, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 20 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

Pennsylvania

[edit]

The Pennsylvania election was held January 19, 1869. John Scott was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[9] The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 19, 1869, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1869. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Scott 78 58.65
Democratic William A. Wallace 51 38.35
Democratic Hiester Clymer 1 0.75
N/A Not voting 3 2.26
Totals 133 100.00%

West Virginia

[edit]
1869 United States Senate election in West Virginia

← 1863 February 2, 1869 1875 →

Needed to win: Majority of votes cast in each House of the Legislature
53 votes cast in the House; 27 votes needed
22 votes cast in the Senate; 12 votes needed
 
Candidate Arthur Boreman Daniel Lamb
Party Republican Democratic
House vote 43 votes
81.1%
10 votes
18.9%
Senate vote 19 votes
86.4%
3 votes
13.6%

U.S. senator before election

Peter Van Winkle
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Arthur Boreman
Republican

On February 2, 1869, the West Virginia Legislature held an election for senator to replace Peter Van Winkle. Nominated were Arthur Boreman, the first governor of West Virginia, and Daniel Lamb, a member of West Virginia's constitutional convention and former delegate.[11] Boreman, having received majorities of the vote in both the House and Senate, was declared duly as elected senator on February 3, 1869.[12]

Party Candidate House Senate
Votes % Votes %
Republican Arthur Boreman 43 81.1 19 86.4
Democratic Daniel Lamb 10 18.9 3 13.6
Total 53 100 22 100
Needed to win 27 >50 12 >50

See also

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Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Byrd and Wolff, page 90
  3. ^ a b c University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1869 Minnesota U.S. Senate Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  4. ^ Coulter, E. Merton (1999). William G. Brownlow: Fighting Parson of the Southern Highlands. Univ. of Tennessee Press. p. 347. ISBN 9781572330504.
  5. ^ Segar was not seated on the premise that the Union-friendly legislature was illegitimate despite having seated his predecessor based credentials from the same legislature. In reality, the Senate refused because it did not want to set a precedent for easing reentry of Confederate states. See "Musical Chairs (1861–1869)". United States Senate. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
  6. ^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 00, 1863". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 17, 1868". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  8. ^ "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Feb 00, 1865". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  9. ^ a b "U.S. Senate Election - 19 January 1869" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  10. ^ "PA US Senate - 1869". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  11. ^ Atkinson, George Wesley (1890). Prominent Men of West Virginia. W.L. Callin. p. 257.
  12. ^ Journal of the West Virginia House of Delegates, Volume 7. West Virginia Legislature. 1869. p. 57.

Further reading

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