United States Senate elections, 1868 and 1869
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The United States Senate elections of 1868 and 1869 were elections which had the Republican Party maintain their in the United States Senate. However, six former Confederate states were also readmitted separately from the general election, each electing two Republicans. This increased the Republicans' already overwhelming majority to the largest amount of seats ever controlled by the party.
As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures.
Results
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
Beginning of 1868
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
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
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
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: |
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Race summaries
Elections during the 40th Congress
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. Winner elected February 19, 1868. Democratic hold. |
√ Thomas C. McCreery (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Maryland (Class 3) |
Vacant since March 3, 1867 when Senator-elect Philip F. Thomas failed to qualify. | Winner elected March 7, 1868. Democratic gain. |
√ George Vickers (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Florida (Class 1) |
Vacant since January 21, 1861 when Stephen Mallory (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected June 17, 1868. Republican gain. Winner did not run for election to the next term, see below. |
√ Adonijah Welch (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Arkansas (Class 2) |
Vacant since July 11, 1861 when William K. Sebastian (D) was expelled. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected June 22, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Alexander McDonald (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Arkansas (Class 3) |
Vacant since July 11, 1861 when Charles B. Mitchel (D) was expelled. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected elected June 23, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Benjamin F. Rice (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Florida (Class 3) |
Vacant since January 21, 1861 when David Levy Yulee (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected June 25, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Thomas W. Osborn (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Louisiana (Class 2) |
Vacant since February 4, 1861 when Judah P. Benjamin (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 8, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ John S. Harris (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Louisiana (Class 3) |
Vacant since February 4, 1861 when John Slidell (D) resigned. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 9, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ William P. Kellogg (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Alabama (Class 2) |
Vacant since January 21, 1861 when Clement Claiborne Clay (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 13, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Willard Warner (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Alabama (Class 3) |
Vacant since January 21, 1861 when Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 13, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ George E. Spencer (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
North Carolina (Class 2) |
Vacant since March 6, 1861 when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 14, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Joseph Abbott (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
North Carolina (Class 3) |
Vacant since March 11, 1861 when Thomas Clingman (D) resigned. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 14, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ John Pool (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
South Carolina (Class 2) |
Vacant since November 10, 1860 when James Chesnut, Jr. (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 15, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Thomas J. Robertson (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
South Carolina (Class 3) |
Vacant since November 11, 1860 when James Henry Hammond (D) withdrew. | State readmitted to the Union. Winner elected July 16, 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Frederick A. Sawyer (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||
Delaware (Class 1) |
James A. Bayard, Jr. | Democratic | 1851 1857 1863 1864 (Resigned) 1867 (Appointed) |
Incumbent appointee elected January 19, 1869 to finish the term.[1] Winner did not run for election to the next term, see below. |
√ James A. Bayard, Jr. (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Races leading to the 41st Congress
In these general 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 or 1863 | Unknown if incumbent lost re-election or retired. Winner elected in 1868. Democratic gain. |
√ Eugene Casserly (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Connecticut | James Dixon | Republican | 1856 1863 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold. |
√ William Buckingham (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Delaware | James A. Bayard, Jr. | Democratic | 1851 1857 1863 1864 (Resigned) 1867 (Appointed) 1869 (Special) |
Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1869. Democratic hold. |
√ Thomas F. Bayard, Sr. (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Florida | Adonijah Welch | Republican | 1868 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold. |
√ Abijah Gilbert (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Indiana | Thomas A. Hendricks | Democratic | 1862 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1868. Republican gain. |
√ Daniel D. Pratt (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Maine | Lot M. Morrill | Republican | 1861 (Special) 1863 |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1869. Republican hold. |
√ Hannibal Hamlin (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Maryland | William P. Whyte | Democratic | 1868 (Appointed) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1868 or 1869. Democratic hold. |
√ William T. Hamilton (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Massachusetts | Charles Sumner | Republican | 1851 (Special) 1857 1863 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1869. | √ Charles Sumner (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Michigan | Zachariah Chandler | Republican | 1857 1863 |
Incumbent re-elected in 1869. | √ Zachariah Chandler (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Minnesota | Alexander Ramsey | Republican | 1863 | Incumbent re-elected in 1869. | √ Alexander Ramsey (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
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. Winner elected in 1868. Republican hold. |
√ Carl Schurz (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Nebraska | Thomas Tipton | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected in 1869. | √ Thomas Tipton (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Nevada | William M. Stewart | Republican | 1865 | Incumbent re-elected in 1869. | √ William M. Stewart (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New Jersey | Frederick T. Frelinghuysen | Republican | 1866 (Appointed) 1867 (Special) |
Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1869. Democratic gain. |
√ John P. Stockton (Democratic) Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
New York | Edwin D. Morgan | Republican | 1863 | Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected January 19, 1869. Republican hold. |
√ Reuben E. Fenton (Republican) Henry C. Murphy (Democratic) Henry S. Randall (Democratic) |
Ohio | Benjamin Wade | Republican | 1851 1856 1863 |
Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected in 1868. Democratic gain. |
√ Allen G. Thurman (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Pennsylvania | Charles R. Buckalew | Democratic | 1863 | Unknown if incumbent lost re-election or retired. Winner elected January 19, 1869. Republican gain. |
√ John Scott (Republican) 58.65% William A. Wallace (Democratic) 38.35% Hiester Clymer (Democratic) 0.75% |
Rhode Island | William Sprague IV | Republican | 1862 | Incumbent re-elected in 1868. | √ William Sprague IV (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Tennessee | David T. Patterson | Democratic | 1866 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected early in October 22, 1867 for the term beginning March 4, 1869. Republican gain. |
√ William G. Brownlow (Republican) 63 William B. Stokes (Republican) 39[2] |
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. | √ George F. Edmunds (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Virginia | Vacant since January 2, 1864 when Joseph Segar (U) was not seated.[3] | Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1870. |
None. | ||
West Virginia | Peter G. Van Winkle | Republican | 1863 | Unknown if incumbent lost re-election or retired. Winner elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold. |
√ Arthur I. Boreman (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Wisconsin | James R. Doolittle | Republican | 1857 1863 |
Unknown if incumbent lost re-election or retired. Winner elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold. |
√ Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican) [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Elections during the 41st Congress
There were no elections in 1869 during this Congress after March 4.
Complete list of races
- Delaware interim appointed Senator James A. Bayard, Jr. was elected January 19, 1869 to finish his term.[1]
New York
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.
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.
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
The election in Pennsylvania was held on January 19, 1869. John Scott was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[4] 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[4][5] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
See also
References
- 1 2 Byrd and Wolff, page 90
- ↑ Coulter, E. Merton. "William G. Brownlow: Fighting Parson of the Southern Highlands". p. 347.
- ↑ 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.
- 1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 19 January 1869" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
- ↑ "PA US Senate - 1869". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present, via Senate.gov
- Byrd, Robert C.; Wolff, Wendy (October 1, 1993). "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992" (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office.
- Members of the 41st United States Congress
- Result state election 1867 in The Tribune Almanac for 1868 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
- Result state election 1868 in The Tribune Almanac for 1869 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
- ALBANY.; Caucus of the Republican Members of the Legislature; Reuben E. Fenton Nominated United States Senator in NYT on January 17, 1869
- ALBANY.; Election of United States Senator in NYT on January 20, 1869
- Result New York State Senate in Journal of the Senate (92nd Session) (1869; pg. 58f)
- Result New York Assembly in Journal of the Assembly (92nd Session) (1869; Vol. I, pg. 75f)
- Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 from the Wilkes University Election Statistics Project
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