United States Senate elections, 1802 and 1803

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United States Senate elections, 1802 and 1803
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←  1800/01 Dates vary by state 1804/05  →
11 of the 32 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
17 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Seats before1715
Seats after229
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 6
Seats up29
Races won73
Majority party before election

Democratic-Republican

Elected Majority party

Democratic-Republican

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.

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 election 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

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14DR15DR16
Ran
Majority →DR17
Ran
F7
Ran		F8
Ran		F9
Ran		F10
Ran		F11
Ran		F12
Ran		F13
Unknown		F14
Unknown		F15
Retired
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Result of the elections

DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR7DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14DR15DR16
Re-elected
Majority →DR17
Re-elected
F7
Re-elected		F8
Re-elected		F9
Hold		V1
Fed loss		DR22
Gain		DR21
Gain		DR20
Gain		DR19
Gain		DR18
Gain
F6F5F4F3F2F1

Beginning of the 1st session, October 17, 1803

DR7DR6DR5DR4DR3DR2DR1
DR8DR9DR10DR11DR12DR13DR14DR15DR16DR17
Majority →DR18
F8F9DR25
Gain		DR24
Gain		DR23
Gain		DR22
Hold		DR21DR20DR19
F7F6F5F4F3F2F1
Key:
DR# Democratic-Republican
F# Federalist
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Unless noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the 7th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1803; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
New York
(Class 3)		 John Armstrong, Jr. Democratic-Republican 1801 (Special) Incumbent resigned February 5, 1802.
Winner elected February 11, 1802.
Democratic-Republican hold.		√ DeWitt Clinton (Democratic-Republican) 82
Matthew Clarkson 45 [1]
New Hampshire
(Class 3)		 James Sheafe Federalist 1800 Incumbent resigned June 14, 1802.
Winner elected June 17, 1802.
Federalist hold.		√ William Plumer (Federalist) 86
Nicholas Gilman 70
Nahum Parker 2 [2]
South Carolina
(Class 3)		 John E. Colhoun Democratic-Republican 1800 Incumbent died October 26, 1802.
Winner elected November 4, 1802.
Democratic-Republican hold.		√ Pierce Butler (Democratic-Republican) 103
Thomas Edwards 3
R. Anderson 1
John Douglass 1
E. More 1
Pickens 1
A. B. Stark 1
Tucker 1
B. Waring 1
Nothing 1
blank 11 [3]

Races leading to the 8th Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1803; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Connecticut James Hillhouse Federalist 1796 Incumbent re-elected October 27, 1802.√ James Hillhouse (Federalist) 117
Ephraim Kirby 53
Oliver Ellsworth (Federalist) 2
Nathaniel Smith 1 [4]
Delaware Samuel White Federalist1801 (Appointed)Incumbent re-elected January 11, 1803.√ Samuel White (Federalist) 20
George Read (Democratic-Republican) 9 [5]
Maryland John E. Howard Federalist 1796 (Special)
1796 		Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected November 17, 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Samuel Smith (Democratic-Republican) 46
John Eager Howard (Federalist) 30 [6]
Massachusetts Jonathan Mason Federalist 1800 (Special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected February 7, 1803 on the fourth ballot.
Federalist hold.		√ John Quincy Adams (Federalist) 105
Thompson J. Skinner (Democratic-Republican) 70
Nicholas Tillinghast (Federalist) 9
Timothy Pickering (Federalist) 6 [7]
New Jersey Aaron Ogden Federalist 1801 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Federalist loss.		 Joseph Bloomfield (Democratic-Republican) 26
Aaron Ogden (Federalist) 26 [8]
New York Gouverneur Morris Federalist 1800 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected February 1, 1803 on the 2nd ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Theodorus Bailey (Democratic-Republican) 59
John Woodworth (Democratic-Republican) 57
Gouverneur Morris (Federalist) eliminated on 1st ballot [9]
Pennsylvania James Ross Federalist 1794 (Special)
1797 		Incumbent retired.
New senator elected December 14, 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Samuel Maclay (Democratic-Republican) 59.46%
Isaac Weaver (Democratic-Republican) 25.23%
William Maclay (Democratic-Republican) 9.91%
Not voting 5.41%
Rhode Island Theodore Foster Federalist 1796 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Samuel J. Potter (Democratic-Republican)
Unopposed [10]
Tennessee Joseph Anderson Democratic-
Republican		 1799 (Special) Legislature did not elect until September 22, 1803, after the term began, see below.[ citation needed ]
Democratic-Republican loss.		None.
Vermont Nathaniel Chipman Federalist 1797 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1802.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Israel Smith (Democratic-Republican), 111
Abel Spencer (Federalist), 79
Scattering, 6. [11]
Virginia Stevens Mason Democratic-
Republican		 1794 (Special)
1796 		Incumbent re-elected in 1803.√ Stevens Mason (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Special elections during the 8th Congress

In this special election, the winner was seated in 1803 after March 4.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Ohio
(Class 1)		New seatOhio joined the Union in 1803.
Winner elected April 1, 1803.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ John Smith (Democratic-Republican)
Ohio
(Class 3)		New seatOhio joined the Union in 1803.
Winner elected April 1, 1803.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Thomas Worthington (Democratic-Republican)
Tennessee
(Class 1)		VacantLegislature had failed to elect.[ citation needed ]
Predecessor re-elected late September 22, 1803 on the 4th ballot.
Democratic-Republican gain.		√ Joseph Anderson (Democratic-Republican) 19
Daniel Smith 17 [12]
New Jersey
(Class 1)		 John Condit Democratic-Republican1803 (Appointed)Legislature had failed to elect.
Condit was then appointed September 1, 1803 to continue the term.
He was then elected November 3, 1803.		√ John Condit (Democratic-Republican)
Unanimous [13] [14]
Virginia
(Class 1)		 John Taylor Democratic-Republican 1792 (Special)
1793 		Predecessor Stevens T. Mason (DR) had died May 10, 1803, having just begun the new term.
Interim appointee served from June 4, 1803, and did not seek election to finish the term.
Winner elected December 7, 1803.
Democratic-Republican hold.		√ Abraham B. Venable (Democratic-Republican)
Unanimous [15]

Early race leading to the Congress-after-next

In this general election, the winner was seated on March 4, 1805; ordered by state.

This election involved a Class 2 seat.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Tennessee William Cocke Democratic-
Republican		 1799 (Special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected early September 23, 1803.
Democratic-Republican hold.		√ Daniel Smith (Democratic-Republican) 35
Jenkin Whiteside 1 [16]

New Jersey (special)

The New Jersey legislature had failed to elect by March 4, 1803. The governor appointed John Condit (DR) September 1, 1803 to continue the term. Condit was then unanimously elected November 3, 1803 to finish the term. No vote totals were recorded. [17]

John Condit American politician

John Condict, a.k.a. Condit was a United States Representative and a United States Senator from New Jersey and father of United States Representative Silas Condit.

Ohio

Ohio joined the Union in 1803. New Democratic-Republican senators were elected April 1, 1803. Official records indicate that John Smith and Thomas Worthington were elected, and that Smith received the "long" term, while Worthington received the "short" one. They do not indicate if there were other candidates, or what the vote totals were. [18]

Thomas Worthington (governor) Governor of Ohio

Thomas Worthington was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the sixth Governor of Ohio.

Vermont

Federalist Senator Nathaniel Chipman lost re-election to Democratic-Republican Israel Smith. Smith received 102 votes in the Vermont House of Representatives and 9 from the Governor and Council. [11] Spencer received 75 votes from the House and 4 from the Governor and Council. [11]

Nathaniel Chipman American judge

Nathaniel Chipman was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Vermont and Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. A Yale College graduate and Continental Army veteran of the American Revolution, Chipman became a prominent attorney and advocate for Vermont statehood. When Vermont was admitted to the Union, he served as the first judge of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont.

Israel Smith American judge

Israel Smith was an American lawyer and politician. He held a wide variety of positions in the state of Vermont, including as a member of the United States House of Representatives, a member of the United States Senate and Governor of Vermont.

Vermont House of Representatives

The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives are elected to a two-year term without term limits.

Virginia

Two-term Democratic-Republican incumbent Stevens Mason was re-elected in 1803.

Stevens Thomson Mason (Virginia) American politician

Stevens Thomson Mason was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, a member of the Virginia state legislature and a Republican U.S. Senator from Virginia (1794–1803).

Virginia (special)

Democratic-Republican Senator Stevens T. Mason died May 10, 1803, having just begun the new term. John Taylor (DR) was appointed but chose not to run to finish the term. Abraham B. Venable (DR) was elected December 7, 1803 as the unanimous choice of the Virginia General Assembly. No vote totals were recorded. [15]

See also

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The United States Senate elections of 1804 and 1805 were elections that expanded the Democratic-Republican Party's overwhelming control over the United States Senate. The Federalists went 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 1806 and 1807 were elections that had the Democratic-Republican Party increase its overwhelming control of the Senate by one additional Senator. The Federalists went 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. As it was, however, they lost one of the two seats they were defending and picked up no gains from their opponents.

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.

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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 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.

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.

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References

  1. ↑ "New York 1802 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing The Poughkeepsie Journal (Poughkeepsie, NY). February 16, 1802.
  2. ↑ "New Hampshire 1802 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Courier of New Hampshire (Concord, NH). June 24, 1802. The Providence Gazette (Providence, RI). July 3, 1802.
  3. ↑ "South Carolina 1802 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Original Election Returns. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia. The Carolina Gazette (Charleston, SC). December 16, 1802. National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser (Washington, DC). December 22, 1802.
  4. ↑ "Connecticut 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing American Mercury (Hartford, CT). November 4, 1802.
  5. ↑ "Delaware 1803 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the Delaware State Senate, 1803. 13-14.
  6. ↑ "Maryland 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Votes and Proceedings of the Maryland State Senate, 1802. 10.
  7. ↑ "Massachusetts 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). February 5, 1803. The Independent Chronicle (Boston, MA). February 7, 1803. Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). February 9, 1803. Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, MA). February 9, 1803. Boston Gazette (Boston, MA). February 10, 1803. Republican Star or Eastern Shore General Advertiser (Easton, MD). March 1, 1803. Frederick-Town Herald (Fredericktown, MD). March 5, 1803.
  8. ↑ "New Jersey 1802 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Middlebury Mercury (Middlebury, VT). December 15, 1802.
  9. ↑ "New York 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the New York Assembly, 1803. 39-40.
  10. ↑ "Rhode Island 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 31, 2018., citing The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI). November 2, 1802.
  11. 1 2 3 "Bennington: October 25, 1802". City Gazette. Charleston, South Carolina. November 20, 1802. p. 2 – via GenealogyBank.com. (Subscription required (help)).
  12. ↑ "Tennessee 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 1, 2018., citing Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1803. 21-22.
  13. ↑ "New Jersey 1803 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing The Centinel of Freedom (Newark, NJ). November 8, 1803.
  14. ↑ http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=112577
  15. 1 2 "Richmond: December 10, 1803". Wilmington, North Carolina: Wilmington Gazette. December 27, 1803. p. 4. (Subscription required (help)). Mr. Taylor having declined to serve longer, Abraham B. Venable, esq., was on Wednesday last unanimously elected by the General Assembly in the room of Mr. Taylor.
  16. ↑ "Tennessee 1803 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Journal of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1803. 27. Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia, PA). October 18, 1803. White, Robert Hiram. Messages of the Governors of Tennessee, 1796-1821. Vol. 1. Nashville: The Tennessee Historical Commission, 1952.
  17. ↑ New Jersey Legislature (1804). Minutes and Proceedings of the Joint Meeting, November 3, 1803. Trenton, NJ: Sherman, Mershon & Thomas. p. 44.
  18. ↑ Taylor, William A. (1900). Ohio in Congress from 1803 to 1901. Columbus, Ohio: Century Publishing Co. p. 96 – via Google books.

Sources

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