United States Senate elections, 1800 and 1801

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United States Senate elections, 1800 and 1801
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  1798/99 Dates vary by state 1802/03  

10 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
17 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Federalist Democratic-Republican
Seats before21 (65.6%)11 (34.4%)
Seats after17 (54.8%)14 (45.2%)
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 4Increase2.svg 3
Seats up73
Races won36

Majority party before election

Federalist

Elected Majority party

Federalist

The United States Senate elections of 1800 and 1801 were elections for the United States Senate that, coinciding with their takeover of the White House, led to the Democratic-Republican Party taking control of the United States Senate. Although the Federalists began the next (7th) Congress with a slim majority, they lost their majority shortly thereafter due to mid-year special elections.

United States Senate Upper house of the United States Congress

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.

Democratic-Republican Party Historical American political party

The Democratic-Republican Party was an American political party formed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison around 1792 to oppose the centralizing policies of the new Federalist Party run by Alexander Hamilton, who was Secretary of the Treasury and chief architect of George Washington's administration. From 1801 to 1825, the new party controlled the presidency and Congress as well as most states during the First Party System. It began in 1791 as one faction in Congress and included many politicians who had been opposed to the new constitution. They called themselves Republicans after their political philosophy, republicanism. They distrusted the Federalist tendency to centralize and loosely interpret the Constitution, believing these policies were signs of monarchism and anti-republican values. The party splintered in 1824, with the faction loyal to Andrew Jackson coalescing into the Jacksonian movement, the faction led by John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay forming the National Republican Party and some other groups going on to form the Anti-Masonic Party. The National Republicans, Anti-Masons, and other opponents of Andrew Jackson later formed themselves into the Whig Party.

Contents

As these elections were prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by State legislatures.

Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Part of the United States Constitution

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.

State legislature (United States) legislature of a U.S. state

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.

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

After the November 6, 1800 special election in New York.

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9
Ran
DR10
Ran
DR11
Retired
F21
Retired
F20
Retired
F19
Unknown
F18
Ran
F17
Ran
Majority →
F16
Ran
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
Ran
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Result of the elections

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9
Re-elected
DR10
Hold
DR11
Gain
DR12
Gain
DR13
Gain
DR14
Gain
V1
F loss
F17
Gain
Majority →
F16
Re-elected
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
Re-elected
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Beginning of the 7th Congress

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14DR15F17
Majority →
F16
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Later in the 7th Congress (end of 1801)

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14
Hold
DR15
Hold
DR16
Gain
Majority →
DR17
Gain
F7F8F9F10F11F12F13F14
Hold
DR18
Gain
F6F5F4F3F2F1
Key:
DR# Democratic-Republican
F# Federalist
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
New York
(Class 1)
James Watson Federalist 1798 (Special) Incumbent resigned March 19, 1800, to become Naval Officer of the Port of New York.
New senator elected April 3, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Gouverneur Morris (Federalist) 79 (56.8%)
Peter Gansevoort (Democratic-Republican) 59 (42.4%)
Thomas Morris 1 (0.7%) [1]
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
Samuel Dexter Federalist 1799
1796
Incumbent resigned May 30, 1800 to become U.S. Secretary of War.
New senator elected June 6, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Dwight Foster (Federalist) 158 (100%) [2]
New York
(Class 3)
John Laurance Federalist 1796 (Special) Incumbent resigned August 1800.
New senator elected November 6, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
John Armstrong (Democratic-Republican) 141 (98.7%)
Peter Gansevoort (Democratic-Republican) 2 (1.3%) [3]
Massachusetts
(Class 1)
Benjamin Goodhue Federalist 1796 (Special)
1796
Incumbent resigned November 8, 1800.
New senator elected November 14, 1800.
Federalist hold.
Jonathan Mason (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maryland
(Class 3)
James Lloyd Federalist 1797 (Special) Incumbent resigned December 1, 1800.
New senator elected December 12, 1800.
Federalist hold.
William Hindman (Federalist) 49 (55.1%)
Richard T. Earle (Democratic-Republican) 40 (44.9%) [4]
New Jersey
(Class 1)
James Schureman Federalist 1799 (Special) Incumbent resigned February 16, 1801.
New senator elected February 28, 1801.
Federalist hold.
Aaron Ogden (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Races leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1801; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Connecticut Uriah Tracy Federalist 1796 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in May 1801.Uriah Tracy (Federalist) 131
Asher Miller (Democratic-Republican) 30
Roger Griswold (Federalist) 10
Ephraim Kirby (Democratic-Republican) 6
Chauncey Goodrich 3
Stephen T. Hosmer 1 [5]
Georgia James Gunn Federalist 1789
1794
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 19, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
James Jackson (Democratic-Republican) 58
Thomas P. Carnes (Federalist) 9 [6]
Kentucky Humphrey Marshall Federalist 1794 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected November 20, 1800.
Democratic-Republican gain.
John Breckinridge (Democratic-Republican) 68
John Adair (Federalist) 13 [7]
Maryland William Hindman Federalist 1797 (Special) Legislature failed to elect.
Incumbent was later appointed to begin the next term.
None.
New Hampshire John Langdon Democratic-
Republican
1788
1794 or 1795
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected June 21, 1800.
Federalist gain.
James Sheafe (Federalist) 83
John Langdon (Democratic-Republican) 12
Other 38 [8]
New York John Armstrong Democratic-
Republican
1800 (Special) Incumbent re-elected January 27, 1801.John Armstrong (Democratic-Republican) 76
Unanimous [9]
North Carolina Timothy Bloodworth Democratic-
Republican
1795 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected November 27, 1800.
Democratic-Republican hold.
David Stone (Democratic-Republican) 94
William R. Davie (Federalist) 72
Richard D. Spaight 8
Matthew Locke (Democratic-Republican) 1 [10]
Pennsylvania William Bingham Federalist 1795 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected February 18, 1801. [11]
Democratic-Republican gain.
Peter Muhlenberg (Democratic-Republican) 50.0%
George Logan (Democratic-Republican) 48.9%
William Jones (Democratic-Republican) 1.0%
South Carolina Jacob Read Federalist 1794 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1800 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
John E. Colhoun (Democratic-Republican) 75
John Ward (Federalist) 73 [12]
Vermont Elijah Paine Federalist 1794 Incumbent re-elected October 21, 1800.Elijah Paine (Federalist) 108
S. R. Bradley (Democratic-Republican) 68
N. Niles 3
Chamberlain 2
Hall 1 [13]

Special elections during the next Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated after March 4, 1801; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Rhode Island
(Class 2)
Ray Greene Federalist 1797 (Special)
1798
Incumbent resigned March 5, 1801.
New senator elected May 6, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Christopher Ellery (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New Hampshire
(Class 2)
Samuel Livermore Federalist 1798 (Special) Incumbent resigned June 12, 1801.
New senator elected June 17, 1801.
Federalist hold.
Simeon Olcott (Federalist) 97
John Langdon 56
Others 4 [14]
Vermont
(Class 3)
Elijah Paine Federalist 1794
1800
Incumbent resigned September 1, 1801.
New senator elected October 14, 1801.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Stephen R. Bradley (Democratic-Republican) 102
William Chamberlain (Federalist) 85
Nathaniel Niles (Democratic-Republican) 1 [15]
Maryland
(Class 3)
William Hindman Federalist1800 (Appointed)Incumbent appointee did not run to finish the term
New senator elected November 12, 1801 on the second ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Robert Wright (Democratic-Republican) 60
William Winder (Federalist) 26 [16]
South Carolina
(Class 2)
Charles Pinckney Democratic-
Republican
1798 (Special)
1798
Incumbent resigned June 6, 1801.
New senator elected December 3, 1801.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Thomas Sumter (Democratic-Republican) 90
John Rutledge (Federalist) 47
Thomas Evans 1 [17]
Pennsylvania
(Class 3)
Peter Muhlenberg Democratic-
Republican
1801 Incumbent resigned June 30, 1801.
New senator elected December 17, 1801. [18]
Democratic-Republican hold.
George Logan (Democratic-Republican) 63.6%
Joseph Hiester (Federalist) 28.0%
Other 8.4%

See also

6th United States Congress

The Sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1799, to March 4, 1801, during the last two years of John Adams's presidency. It was the last Congress of the 18th century and the first to convene in the 19th. The apportionment of seats in House of Representatives was based on the First Census of the United States in 1790. Both chambers had a Federalist majority. This was the last Congress in which the Federalist Party controlled the presidency or either chamber of Congress.

7th United States Congress 1803–1805 U.S. Congress

The Seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1801, to March 4, 1803, during the first two years of Thomas Jefferson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the First Census of the United States in 1790. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority, except during the Special session of the Senate, when there was a Federalist majority in the Senate.

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The United States Senate elections of 1808 and 1809 were elections that had the Federalist Party gain one seat in the United States Senate, and which coincided with the 1808 presidential election. The Federalists had gone into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that even if they had won every election, they would have still remained a minority caucus.

The United States Senate elections of 1810 and 1811 were elections that had the Democratic-Republican Party maintain their majority the United States Senate. The minority Federalists had gone into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that they had won all of the elections, they would still not have controlled a majority.

The United States Senate elections of 1812 and 1813 were elections that, coinciding with President James Madison's re-election, had the Democratic-Republican Party lose two seats but still retain an overwhelming majority in the United States Senate. As in recent elections, the minority Federalists had gone into the elections with such a small share of Senate seats that if they had won every one of the elections, they would still not have controlled a majority.

The United States Senate elections of 1814 and 1815 were elections that had the Democratic-Republican Party lose a seat but still retain an overwhelming majority in the United States Senate. Unlike in recent elections, the minority Federalists had gone into the elections with a chance of regaining their long-lost majority had they swept almost all the seats. However, only one seat switched parties. Two seats held by Democratic-Republicans were left unfilled until long after the next Congress began.

The United States Senate elections of 1816 and 1817 were elections for the United States Senate that had the Democratic-Republican Party gain a net of two seats from the admission of a new state, and which coincided with the presidential election.

The United States Senate elections of 1818 and 1819 were elections for the United States Senate that had the Democratic-Republican Party gain two seats. The Federalists had only three seats being contested, of which they lost two and the third was left vacant due to a failure to elect.

The United States Senate elections of 1802 and 1803 were elections for the United States Senate which had the Democratic-Republican Party assume an overwhelming control thereof.

The United States Senate elections of 1798 and 1799 were held at the middle of President John Adams's administration and had no net change in political control of the Senate.

The United States Senate elections of 1796 and 1797 were elections for the United States Senate which, coinciding with John Adams's election as President, had the ruling Federalist Party gain one seat.

The United States Senate elections of 1794 and 1795 were elections that had the formation of organized political parties in the United States, with the Federalist Party emerging from the Pro Administration coalition, and the Democratic-Republican Party emerging from the Anti-Administration coalition.

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References

  1. "New York 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1800. 265. The Albany Centinel (Albany, NY). April 4, 1800. Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). April 10, 1800. The Centinel of Liberty, or George-town and Washington Advertiser (Georgetown, DC). April 15, 1800.
  2. "Massachusetts 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Hampshire Gazette (Northhampton). June 11, 1800. The Kentucky Gazette (Lexington, KY). July 3, 1800.
  3. "New York 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1800. 10, 11. Journal of the New York State Senate, 1800. 8. American Citizen and General Advertiser (New York, NY). November 10, 1800. The Centinel of Freedom (Newark, NJ). November 11, 1800. Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser (Savannah, GA). November 19, 1800. Universal Gazette (Washington, DC). November 20, 1800.
  4. "Maryland 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Votes and Proceedings of the Maryland State Senate, 1800. 26. Connecticut Gazette, and the Commercial Intelligencer (New London, CT). December 24, 1800. Mattern, David B., J. C. A. Stagg, Jeanne K. Cross and Susan Holbrook Perdue, ed. The Papers of James Madison, Congressional Series. Vol. 17. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press, 1991. 435-436.
  5. "Connecticut 1801 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Connecticut Gazette, and the Commercial Intelligencer (New London, CT). May 17, 1801. Impartial Journal (Stonington, CT). June 2, 1801. The Bee (New London, CT). June 3, 1801. The Bee (Hudson, NY). November 16, 1802.
  6. "Georgia 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser (Savannah, GA). November 25, 1800.
  7. "Kentucky 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Palladium: A Literary and Political Weekly Repository (Frankfort, KY). November 25, 1800.
  8. "New Hampshire 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Ninth State: New Hampshire's Formative Years. 182.
  9. "New York 1801 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Albany Centinel (Albany, NY). January 30, 1801.
  10. "New York 1801 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Legislative Papers for 1800. Box 176. State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh. Raleigh Register, and North-Carolina Weekly Advertiser (Raleigh, NC). December 2, 1800.
  11. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=345434
  12. "South Carolina 1800 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser (Washington, DC). December 15, 1800.
  13. "Vermont 1800 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 4, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1800. 265. The Albany Centinel (Albany, NY). April 4, 1800. Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). April 10, 1800. The Centinel of Liberty, or George-town and Washington Advertiser (Georgetown, DC). April 15, 1800.
  14. "New Hampshire 1801 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Courier of New Hampshire (Concord, NH). June 18, 1801.
  15. "New Hampshire 1801 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Spooner's Vermont Journal (Windsor, VT). October 20, 1801.
  16. "Maryland 1801 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 4, 2018., citing The Albany Gazette (Albany, NY). November 21, 1796.
  17. "South Carolina 1801 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State (Augusta, GA). December 12, 1801.
  18. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=345554