United States Senate elections, 1822 and 1823

Last updated
United States Senate elections, 1822 and 1823
Flag of the United States (1822-1836).svg
  1820/21 Dates vary by state 1824/25  

16 of the 48 seats in the United States Senate (plus special elections)
25 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic-Republican Federalist
Last election39 seats4 seats
Seats before444
Seats won141
Seats after443
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg 1
Seats up142

Majority party before election

Democratic-Republican

Elected Majority party

Democratic-Republican

The United States Senate elections of 1822 and 1823 were elections for the United States Senate that had the Democratic-Republican Party continue almost complete control of the Senate.

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.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 18th Congress (1823–1825)

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

Composition after the January 24, 1822 election in Delaware.

DR1DR2DR3DR4
DR14DR13DR12DR11DR10DR9DR8DR7DR6DR5
DR15DR16DR17DR18DR19DR20DR21DR22DR23DR24
Majority →DR25
DR34DR33DR32DR31DR30DR29DR28DR27DR26
DR35DR36DR37DR38DR39DR40DR41DR42DR43DR44
F1F2F3F4

Result of the elections

DR1DR2DR3DR4
DR14DR13DR12DR11DR10DR9DR8DR7DR6DR5
DR15DR16DR17DR18DR119DR20DR21DR22DR23DR24
Majority →DR25
DR34
Hold
DR33
Hold
DR32
Hold
DR31
Hold
DR30DR29DR28DR27DR26
DR35
Re-elected
DR36
Re-elected
DR37
Re-elected
DR38
Re-elected
DR39
Re-elected
DR40
Re-elected
DR41
Re-elected
DR42
Re-elected
DR43
Re-elected
DR44
Re-elected
F1F2F3
Re-elected
V1
F Loss

Beginning of the next Congress, divided by factions

DRa1DRa2DRa3DRa4
DRc14DRc13DRc12DRa11DRa10DRa9DRa8DRa7DRa6DRa5
DRc15DRc16DRc17DRc18DRc19DRc20DRc21DRc22DRc23DRc24
Plurality→DRc25
DRj34DRj33DRj32DRc31DRc30DRc29DRc28DRc27DRc26
DRj35DRj36DRj37DRj38DRj39DRj40DRj41DRj42V3
F Loss
V2
F Loss
Fa1Fa2Fa3V1
Key:
DR#= Democratic-Republican
DRa#= Democratic-Republican (Adams-Clay)
DRc#= Democratic-Republican (Crawford)
DRj#= Democratic-Republican (Jackson)
F#= Federalist
Fa#= Federalist (Adams-Clay)
V#= Vacant

Race summaries

Bold states link to specific election articles.

Special elections during the preceding Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1822 or before March 4, 1823; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Delaware
(Class 1)
Vacant Outerbridge Horsey (F) had resigned March 3, 1821.
Winner elected January 24, 1822.
Democratic-Republican gain.
Caesar A. Rodney (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Ohio
(Class 3)
William A. Trimble Democratic-Republican 1819 Incumbent died December 13, 1821.
Winner elected January 29, 1822.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Ethan Allen Brown (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Massachusetts
(Class 2)
Harrison Gray Otis Federalist 1816 Incumbent resigned May 30, 1822 to run for Mayor of Boston.
Winner elected June 5, 1822.
Winner was also elected to the next term, see below.
Federalist hold.
James Lloyd (Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Alabama
(Class 3)
John W. Walker Democratic-Republican 1819 Incumbent resigned December 12, 1822 due to failing health.
Winner elected December 12, 1822.
Democratic-Republican hold.
William Kelly (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maryland
(Class 1)
William Pinkney Democratic-Republican 1819 (Special)
1821
Incumbent died February 25, 1822.
Winner elected December 17, 1822.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Samuel Smith (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Virginia
(Class 2)
James Pleasants Democratic-Republican 1819 (Special) Incumbent resigned December 15, 1822.
Winner elected December 18, 1822.
Winner was also elected to the next term, see below.
Democratic-Republican hold.
John Taylor of Caroline (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Races leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1823; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Alabama William R. King Democratic-Republican 1819 Incumbent re-elected as a Jackson Democratic-Republican in 1822.William R. King (Jackson Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Delaware Nicholas Van Dyke Federalist 1817 Legislature failed to elect.
Federalist loss.
Incumbent would later be re-elected late in 1824.
[Data unknown/missing.]
Georgia Nicholas Ware Democratic-Republican 1821 (Special) Incumbent re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican in 1822 or 1823.Nicholas Ware (Crawford Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Illinois Jesse B. Thomas Democratic-Republican 1818 Incumbent re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican in 1823.Jesse B. Thomas (Crawford Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Kentucky Richard M. Johnson Democratic-Republican 1819 (Special) Incumbent re-elected as a Jackson Democratic-Republican in 1823.Richard M. Johnson (Jackson Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Louisiana Henry Johnson Democratic-Republican1818 (Appointed)Incumbent appointee elected as an Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican to a full term in 1823.Henry Johnson (Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maine John Chandler Democratic-Republican 1820 Incumbent re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican in 1823.John Chandler (Crawford Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Massachusetts James Lloyd Federalist 1808 (Special)
1808
Resigned 1813
1822 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected as an Adams-Clay Federalist in 1822.
Winner was also elected to finish the previous term, see above.
James Lloyd (Adams-Clay Federalist)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Mississippi Thomas Hill Williams Democratic-Republican 1817 Incumbent re-elected as a Jackson Democratic-Republican in 1823.Thomas Hill Williams (Jackson Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New Hampshire David L. Morril Democratic-Republican 1816 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1823.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Samuel Bell (Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New Jersey Mahlon Dickerson Democratic-Republican 1817 Incumbent re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican in 1823.Mahlon Dickerson (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
North Carolina Montfort Stokes Democratic-Republican 1816 (Special)
1816
Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1822.
Democratic-Republican hold.
John Branch (Crawford Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Rhode Island Nehemiah R. Knight Democratic-Republican 1821 (Special) Incumbent re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican in 1823.Nehemiah R. Knight (Crawford Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
South Carolina William Smith Democratic-Republican 1810 (Special)
1816
Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1822.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Robert Y. Hayne (Jackson Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Tennessee John Williams Democratic-Republican 1815 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1822 or 1823.
Democratic-Republican hold.
Andrew Jackson (Jackson Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Virginia Armistead T. Mason Democratic-Republican 1822 (Special) Incumbent re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican in 1823.
Winner was also elected to finish the previous term, see above.
John Taylor of Caroline (Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Special elections during the next Congress

In these special elections, the winners were elected in 1823 after March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
New Jersey
(Class 1)
Samuel L. Southard Democratic-Republican1821 (Appointed)
1821
Incumbent resigned March 4, 1823 to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
Winner elected November 12, 1823.
Democratic Republican hold.
Joseph McIlvaine (Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

See also

17th United States Congress

The Seventeenth 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. While its term was officially March 4, 1821, to March 4, 1823, during the fifth and sixth years of James Monroe's presidency, its first session began on December 3, 1821, ending on May 8, 1822, and its second session began on December 2, 1822, to March 3, 1823. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the third Census of the United States in 1810. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Related Research Articles

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References