1871 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

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1871 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
  1865 January 17, 1871 1873 (special)  

Majority vote of each house needed to win
  Henry Wilson, VP of the United States.jpg John Quincy AdamsII.jpg
Nominee Henry Wilson John Quincy Adams II
Party Republican Democratic
Senate354
Percentage87.5%10.0%
House18832
Percentage84.3%14.35%

Senator before election

Henry Wilson
Republican

Elected Senator

Henry Wilson
Republican

The 1871 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on January 17, 1871. Incumbent Republican Senator Henry Wilson was re-elected easily to a third term as a member of the Republican Party. Wilson would not finish the term, since he was elected Vice President of the United States in 1872.

Contents

At the time, Massachusetts elected United States senators by a majority vote of each separate house of the Massachusetts General Court, the House and the Senate.

Background

At the time, the Massachusetts legislature was dominated the Republican Party, whose members held nearly every seat.

Republican caucus

On January 16, the Republican Party convened in a caucus to renominated Wilson for his third term.

1871 Republican Senate caucus [1] [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Henry Wilson (incumbent) 108 76.60%
Republican Henry L. Dawes 2215.60%
Republican George S. Boutwell 117.80%
Total votes141 100.00%

A caucus opposed to Wilson voted against a motion to nominate Wendell Phillips by 6 votes to 3. [1] [2]

Election in the House

On January 17, the House voted for Wilson's re-election and sent the vote to the Senate for ratification.

1871 U.S. Senate election in the House [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Henry Wilson (incumbent) 188 84.30%
Democratic John Quincy Adams II 3214.35%
Republican Wendell Phillips 104.48%
Republican Henry L. Dawes 104.48%
UnknownJohn Wells Brown [lower-alpha 1] 10.45%
Total votes223 100.00%
  1. There is a possibility this vote was recorded incorrectly, and was actually cast for the abolitionist and writer William Wells Brown, a resident of Boston at the time. If so, Brown would be the first black man to receive a vote for U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

Election in the Senate

On January 20, the State Senate convened and ratified Wilson's re-election by an overwhelming margin.

1871 U.S. Senate election in the Senate [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Henry Wilson (incumbent) 35 87.50%
Democratic John Quincy Adams II 410.00%
Republican Wendell Phillips 12.50%
Total votes40 100.00%

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References

  1. 1 2 "Re-nomination of Senator Wilson by the Republican Caucus". The Hartford Daily Courant. January 17, 1871. p. 3.
  2. 1 2 "Senator Wilson Renominated". The Cincinnati Daily Enquirer. January 17, 1871. p. 1.
  3. 1 2 "Re-election of Senator Wilson". The Hartford Daily Courant. January 18, 1871. p. 3.