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24 of the 74 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 38 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The United States Senate elections of 1872 and 1873 were elections which had the Republican Party, while still retaining a commanding majority, lose two seats in the United States Senate. By the beginning of the Congress, however, they'd lost three more: two as defections to the Liberal Republican Party, and one a resignation of Henry Wilson to become U.S. Vice President. These elections also coincided with President Ulysses S. Grant's easy re-election.
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.
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.
The Liberal Republican Party of the United States was an American political party that was organized in May 1872 to oppose the reelection of President Ulysses S. Grant and his Radical Republican supporters in the presidential election of 1872. The party emerged in Missouri under the leadership of Senator Carl Schurz and soon attracted other opponents of Grant. The party opposed Grant's Reconstruction policies and sought civil service reform. It lost in a landslide and disappeared after the 1872 election.
As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.
The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established the popular election of United States Senators by the people of the states. The amendment supersedes Article I, §3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures. It also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, allowing for state legislatures to permit their governors to make temporary appointments until a special election can be held.
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 25 states, the legislature is simply called the Legislature, or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the Legislative Assembly.
Senate Party Division, 43rd Congress (1873–1875)
After the January 30, 1872 special election in North Carolina.
D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 | D1 | |||
D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 Ran | D16 Unknown | D17 Unknown |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R48 Unknown | R49 Unknown | R50 Unknown | R51 Retired | R52 Retired | R53 Retired | R54 Retired | R55 Retired | R56 Resigned | LR1 Retired |
R47 Ran | R46 Ran | R45 Ran | R44 Ran | R43 Ran | R42 Ran | R41 Ran | R40 Ran | R39 Ran | R38 Ran |
Majority → | |||||||||
R28 | R29 | R30 | R31 | R32 | R33 | R34 | R35 | R36 | R37 Ran |
R27 | R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 | R22 | R21 | R20 | R19 | R18 |
R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 |
R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 | R2 | R1 |
D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 | D1 | |||
D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 Hold | D16 Hold | D17 Hold |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R48 Hold | R49 Hold | R50 Hold | R51 Hold | R52 Hold | R53 Gain | LR1 Re-elected, new party | V1 R Loss | D19 Gain | D18 Gain |
R47 Hold | R46 Hold | R45 Hold | R44 Hold | R43 Re-elected | R42 Re-elected | R41 Re-elected | R40 Re-elected | R39 Re-elected | R38 Re-elected |
Majority → | R37 Re-elected | ||||||||
R28 | R29 | R30 | R31 | R32 | R33 | R34 | R35 | R36 | |
R27 | R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 | R22 | R21 | R20 | R19 | R18 |
R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 |
R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 | R2 | R1 |
D7 | D6 | D5 | D4 | D3 | D2 | D1 | |||
D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | D13 | D14 | D15 | D16 | D17 |
R48 | R49 | R50 | LR1 | LR2 Changed | LR3 Changed | V1 | V2 Resigned | D19 | D18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R47 | R46 | R45 | R44 | R43 | R42 | R41 | R40 | R39 | R38 |
Majority → | R37 | ||||||||
R28 | R29 | R30 | R31 | R32 | R33 | R34 | R35 | R36 | |
R27 | R26 | R25 | R24 | R23 | R22 | R21 | R20 | R19 | R18 |
R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 |
R7 | R6 | R5 | R4 | R3 | R2 | R1 |
Key: |
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In these elections, the winners were seated during 1872 or in 1873 before March 4; ordered by election date.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
North Carolina (Class 2) | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. Winner elected January 30, 1872. Democratic gain. | √ Matt W. Ransom (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] | ||
Kentucky (Class 3) | Willis B. Machen | Democratic | 1872 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 21, 1873 to finish the term. | √ Willis B. Machen (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Louisiana | William P. Kellogg | Republican | 1868 | Incumbent resigned November 1, 1872 to become Governor of Louisiana. The seat remained vacant for the remainder of the term. The seat also remained vacant until January 12, 1876, due to a Senate dispute, see below. [1] Republican loss. | Pinckney B. S. Pinchback (Republican) William L. McMillen (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1873; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Alabama | George E. Spencer | Republican | 1868 (Special) | Incumbent re-elected in 1872. | √ George E. Spencer (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Arkansas | Benjamin F. Rice | Republican | 1868 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1872 or 1873. Republican hold. | √ Stephen W. Dorsey (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
California | Cornelius Cole | Republican | 1866 or 1867 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1872 or 1873. Republican hold. | √ Aaron A. Sargent (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Connecticut | Orris S. Ferry | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected in 1872 in a new party. Liberal Republican gain. | √ Orris S. Ferry (Liberal Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Florida | Thomas W. Osborn | Republican | 1868 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1872 or 1873. Republican hold. | √ Simon B. Conover (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Georgia | Joshua Hill | Republican | 1867 (Won, but not seated) 1871 (Admitted) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1873. Democratic gain. | √ John Brown Gordon (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Illinois | Lyman Trumbull | Liberal Republican | 1854 or 1855 1861 1867 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1872 or 1873. Republican gain. | √ Richard J. Oglesby (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Iowa | James Harlan | Republican | 1855 1857 (Election invalidated) 1857 (Special) 1860 1865 (Resigned) 1866 | Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected January 17, 1872. [2] Republican hold. | √ William B. Allison (Republican) Joseph C. Knapp (Democratic) |
Indiana | Oliver P. Morton | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected in 1873. | √ Oliver P. Morton (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Kansas | Samuel C. Pomeroy | Republican | 1861 1867 | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1873. Republican hold. | √ John Ingalls (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Kentucky | Willis B. Machen | Democratic | 1872 (Appointed) 1873 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1872. Democratic hold. | √ Thomas C. McCreery (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Louisiana | Vacant | Predecessor had resigned November 1, 1872 to become Governor of Louisiana. The seat remained vacant for the remainder of the term, see above. The seat also remained vacant until January 12, 1876, due to a Senate dispute. [1] | Pinckney B. S. Pinchback (Republican) William L. McMillen (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] | ||
Maryland | George Vickers | Democratic | 1868 (Special) | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1872 or in 1873. Democratic hold. | √ George R. Dennis (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Missouri | Francis Blair | Democratic | 1871 (Special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Winner elected in 1872 or 1873. Democratic hold. | √ Lewis V. Bogy (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Nevada | James W. Nye | Republican | 1865 1867 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1873. Republican hold. | √ John P. Jones (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
New Hampshire | James W. Patterson | Republican | 1866 or 1867 | Incumbent lost renomination. Winner elected in 1872. Republican hold. | √ Bainbridge Wadleigh (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
New York | Roscoe Conkling | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected January 21, 1873. | √ Roscoe Conkling (Republican) Charles A. Wheaton (Democratic) William M. Evarts (Republican) Henry R. Selden (Liberal Republican) |
North Carolina | John Pool | Republican | 1868 (Special) | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1872. Democratic gain. | √ Augustus Merrimon (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Ohio | John Sherman | Republican | 1861 (Special) 1866 | Incumbent re-elected in 1872. | √ John Sherman (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Oregon | Henry W. Corbett | Republican | 1866 or 1867 | Incumbent retired. Winner elected in 1872. Republican hold. | √ John H. Mitchell (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Pennsylvania | Simon Cameron | Republican | 1867 | Incumbent re-elected January 21, 1873. | √ Simon Cameron (Republican) 57.14% William A. Wallace (Democratic) 37.59% Thomas Marshall (Liberal Republican) 0.75% Hendrick Wright (Democratic) 0.75% |
South Carolina | Frederick A. Sawyer | Republican | 1868 | Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election. Winner elected in 1872 or 1873. Republican hold. | √ John J. Patterson (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Vermont | Justin S. Morrill | Republican | 1866 | Incumbent re-elected in 1872. | √ Justin S. Morrill (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
Wisconsin | Timothy O. Howe | Republican | 1861 1866 | Incumbent re-elected in 1872. | √ Timothy O. Howe (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
In this election, the winner was elected in 1873 after March 4.
State | Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
Massachusetts (Class 2) | Henry Wilson | Republican | 1855 (Special) 1859 1865 1871 | Incumbent resigned. Winner elected March 17, 1873. Republican hold. | √ George S. Boutwell (Republican) [Data unknown/missing.] |
California (Class 1) | Eugene Casserly | Democratic | 1868 | Incumbent resigned. Winner elected December 23, 1873. Democratic hold. | √ John S. Hager (Democratic) [Data unknown/missing.] |
The New York election was held January 21, 1873. [3] Republican Roscoe Conkling had been elected in January 1867 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1873.
Roscoe Conkling was a politician from New York who served both as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He was the leader of the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party, the first Republican senator from New York to be elected for three terms, and the last person to turn down a U.S. Supreme Court appointment after he had already been confirmed to the post. While in the House, Conkling served as bodyguard for Representative Thaddeus Stevens, a sharp-tongued anti-slavery representative, and fully supported the Republican War effort. Conkling, who was temperate and detested tobacco, was known for his physical condition, maintained through regular exercise and boxing, an unusual devotion for his time. Conkling was elected to the Senate in 1867 as a leading Radical, who supported the rights of African Americans during Reconstruction.
At the State election in November 1871, 21 Republicans and 11 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1872-1873) in the State Senate. In 1872, a faction of the Republican Party opposed the re-election of President Ulysses S. Grant and the Radical Republicans who supported him, and under the name Liberal Republican Party nominated a joint ticket with the Democratic Party. At the State election in November 1872, 91 Republicans, 35 Democrats and 2 Independents were elected for the session of 1873 to the Assembly. The 96th New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 30, 1873, at Albany, New York.
Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier, politician, and international statesman, who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. During the American Civil War Grant led the Union Army as its commanding general to victory over the Confederacy with the supervision of President Abraham Lincoln. During the Reconstruction Era, President Grant led the Republicans in their efforts to remove the vestiges of Confederate nationalism, racism, and slavery.
The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 8, State Senator William B. Woodin, of Auburn (25th D.), presided. 18 state senators and 88 assemblymen were present. They re-nominated Conkling unanimously. The caucus of the Democratic State legislators nominated Ex-First Judge of Dutchess County Charles Wheaton.
William B. Woodin was an American lawyer and politician from New York.
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States, located at the north end of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, in Central New York. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687. It is the county seat of Cayuga County, and the site of the maximum-security Auburn Correctional Facility, as well as the William H. Seward House Museum and the house of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 297,488. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later organized in 1713. It is located in the Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley, north of New York City.
Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.
House | Republican | Democratic | Republican | Liberal Republican | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State Senate (32 members) | Roscoe Conkling | 20 | Charles A. Wheaton [4] | 5 | William M. Evarts | 1 | Henry R. Selden | 1 |
State Assembly (128 members) | Roscoe Conkling | 92 | Charles A. Wheaton | 26 |
Note: The vote for Ex-U.S. Attorney General William M. Evarts was cast by Norman M. Allen (32nd D.), the vote for Ex-Judge of the New York Court of Appeals Henry R. Selden by Gabriel T. Harrower (27th D.). Allen, Harrower and Abiah W. Palmer (11th D.) were the three Liberal Republicans in the State Senate.
William Maxwell Evarts was an American lawyer and statesman from New York who served as U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator from New York. He was renowned for his skills as a litigator and was involved in three of the most important causes of American political jurisprudence in his day: the impeachment of a president, the Geneva arbitration and the contests before the electoral commission to settle the presidential election of 1876.
Norman Milton Allen was an American politician from New York.
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six Associate Judges who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate to 14-year terms. The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals also heads administration of the state's court system, and thus is also known as the Chief Judge of the State of New York.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania State Senate, voted on January 21, 1873. Incumbent Republican Simon Cameron, who was elected in 1867, won re-election. [5]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Simon Cameron (Inc.) | 76 | 57.14 | |
Democratic | William A. Wallace | 50 | 37.59 | |
Liberal Republican | Thomas Marshall | 1 | 0.75 | |
Democratic | Hendrick Wright | 1 | 0.75 | |
N/A | Not voting | 5 | 3.76 | |
Totals | 133 | 100.00% |
Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1872 and 1873 for representatives to the 43rd Congress, coinciding with the re-election of President Ulysses S. Grant.
The 1867 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 15, 1867, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1873 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 21, 1873, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1875 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 19 and 20, 1875, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1879 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 21, 1879, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
The 1881 United States Senate election in New York was held on January 18, 1881, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.
In the United States Senate elections of 1870 and 1871, the Republican Party lost five seats in the United States Senate, though it still retained an overwhelming majority. In advance of these elections, the last four seceded states were readmitted to the Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1868 and 1869 were elections which had the Republican Party maintain their majority 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 number of seats ever controlled by the party.
The United States Senate elections of 1874 and 1875 had the Democratic Party gain nine seats in the United States Senate from the Republican Party. Republicans remained in the majority, however.
The United States Senate elections of 1876 and 1877 had the Democratic Party gain five seats in the United States Senate, and coincided with Rutherford B. Hayes's narrow election as President. Republicans remained in the majority, however.
The United States Senate elections of 1902 and 1903 were elections which had the Democratic Party gain three seats in the United States Senate, but the Republicans kept their strong majority.
The United States Senate elections of 1878 and 1879 were elections which had the Democratic Party retake control of the United States Senate for the first time since before the Civil War.
The United States Senate elections of 1880 and 1881 were elections that coincided with the presidential election of 1880, and had the Democratic Party lose five seats in the United States Senate. The newly elected Readjuster senator caucused with the Republicans, and the Republican Vice President's tie-breaking vote gave the Republicans the slightest majority. All of that changed September 19, 1881 when the Vice President ascended to the Presidency and the Senate became evenly-divided.
The United States Senate elections of 1884 and 1885 were elections that coincided with the presidential election of 1884. Both Republicans and Democrats lost seats in the United States Senate due to the failure of three state legislatures to finish elections in time. Republicans, nevertheless, retained majority control and the Readjusters joined their caucus. By the beginning of the first session, in December 1885, Republicans had won all three vacant seats, increasing their majority.
The United States Senate elections of 1886 and 1887 were elections that had the Republican Party lose two seats in the United States Senate. At the beginning of the 50th Congress, therefore, Republicans had the slimmest possible majority due to a vacant Democratic seat: 38 out of 75 seats. Once that vacancy was filled, Republicans maintained control as the single Readjuster Senator caucused with them.
The United States Senate elections of 1890 and 1891 were elections in which the Republican Party lost four seats in the United States Senate, though still retaining a slim majority. That majority was increased, however, upon the admission of two more states with Republican senators.
The United States Senate elections of 1866 and 1867 were elections that saw the Republican Party gain two seats in the United States Senate as several of the Southern States were readmitted during Reconstruction, enlarging their majority.
The United States Senate elections of 1862 and 1863 were elections during the American Civil War in which Republicans increased their control of the U.S. Senate. The Republican Party gained three seats, bringing their majority to 66% of the body. Also caucusing with them were Unionists and Unconditional Unionists. As many Southern states seceded in 1860 and 1861, and members left the Senate to join the Confederacy, or were expelled for supporting the rebellion, seats were declared vacant. To establish a quorum with fewer members, a lower total seat number was taken into account.
The 96th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 30, 1873, during the first year of John A. Dix's governorship, in Albany.
The 104th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to July 23, 1881, during the second year of Alonzo B. Cornell's governorship, in Albany.