United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 1897

Last updated April 01, 2019

The 1897 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 19, 1897. Boies Penrose was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.^[1]

Boies Penrose was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1897 until his death in 1921. Penrose was the fourth political boss of the Pennsylvania Republican political machine, following Simon Cameron, Donald Cameron, and Matthew Quay. Penrose was the longest-serving Pennsylvania Senator until Arlen Specter surpassed his record in 2005.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly and was unicameral. Since the Constitution of 1776, the legislature has been known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly became a bicameral legislature in 1791.

The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the legislature of the United States. The Senate chamber is located in the north wing of the Capitol, in Washington, D.C.

Results

Incumbent Republican J. Donald Cameron, who was elected in an 1877 special election and subsequently re-elected in 1879, 1885 and 1891, was not a candidate for re-election to another term. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 19, 1897, to elect a new Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1897. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

James Donald Cameron was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant and in the United States Senate for nearly twenty years. In May, 1876 Cameron was part of a Cabinet realignment by President Grant, having been appointed after a brief tenure by Secretary Alphonso Taft, whom Grant appointed U.S. Attorney General. Former Secretary William W. Belknap had resigned from office, was impeached by the House for taking kickbacks from the Fort Sill tradership, put on trial in the Senate and acquitted. Secretary Cameron was one of two father-son combinations that served as Secretary of War. Secretary Simon Cameron was Cameron's father who served under President Abraham Lincoln. The other father-son combination was Secretary Alphonso Taft and his son Secretary William Howard Taft. During Cameron's tenure the U.S. Military was challenged by the Great Sioux War and by the threat of a second Southern secession after the controversial election of President Rutherford B. Hayes that ended Reconstruction. Cameron proved to be an energetic administrator and his appointment as Secretary of War launched his lengthy political career in the Senate.

State Legislature Results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Boies Penrose	210	83.00
	Democratic	Chauncey F. Black	39	15.42
	Republican	John Wanamaker	1	0.40
	N/A	Not voting	3	1.19
Totals			253	100.00%

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The 1808 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on December 13, 1808. Michael Leib was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1820-1821 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on three separate dates from December 1820 to December 1821. On December 10, 1821, William Findlay was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1845 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 14, 1845. Incumbent Daniel Sturgeon was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1869 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 19, 1869. John Scott was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1893 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 17, 1893. Incumbent Matthew Quay was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1901 United States Senate special election in Pennsylvania was held on January 15, 1901, after the regularly scheduled legislative election in January—April 1899 failed to elect a Senator. Former Senator Matthew Quay, who had left the Senate for nearly two years because of the political stalemate, was again elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1911 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 17, 1911. Incumbent George T. Oliver was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. This was the last Class I U.S. Senate election to be decided by the Pennsylvania General Assembly before the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which mandated direct election of U.S. Senators.

The 1801 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on February 19, 1801. Peter Muhlenberg was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1843 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 10, 1843. Future President of the United States James Buchanan was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1849 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 10, 1849. James Cooper was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1861 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 8, 1861. Edgar Cowan was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1873 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 21, 1873. Simon Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1879 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 20, 1879. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1885 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 20, 1885. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1891 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 20, 1891. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1903 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 20, 1903. Boies Penrose was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.

The 1909 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 19, 1909. Boies Penrose was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. This was the last Class III U.S. Senate election to be decided by the Pennsylvania General Assembly before the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which mandated direct election of U.S. Senators.

References

1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 19 January 1897" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 22 December 2013.

External links

Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 from the Wilkes University Election Statistics Project

The Wilkes University Election Statistics Project is a free online resource documenting Pennsylvania political election results dating back to 1796.

Preceded by 1891	Pennsylvania U.S. Senate election (Class III) 1897	Succeeded by 1903

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[results-1] 1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 19 January 1897" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 22 December 2013.

United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, 1897

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References

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