United States Senate elections, 1878 and 1879

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United States Senate elections, 1878 and 1879

Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg


  1876/77 Dates vary by state
(And other dates for special elections)
1880/81  

26 of the 76 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
39 seats needed for a majority

 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before3638
Seats won1410
Seats after4231
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 6Decrease2.svg 7
Seats up817

 Third partyFourth party
 
Party Anti-Monopoly Independent
Seats before11
Seats won00
Seats after11
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Seats up00

Majority Party before election

Republican

Elected Majority Party

Democratic

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.

Democratic Party (United States) political party in the United States

The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. Tracing its heritage back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party.

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.

American Civil War Civil war in the United States from 1861 to 1865

The American Civil War was a war fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865, between the North and the South. The Civil War is the most studied and written about episode in U.S. history. Primarily as a result of the long-standing controversy over the enslavement of black people, war broke out in April 1861 when secessionist forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina shortly after Abraham Lincoln had been inaugurated as the President of the United States. The loyalists of the Union in the North proclaimed support for the Constitution. They faced secessionists of the Confederate States in the South, who advocated for states' rights to uphold slavery.

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, 46th Congress (1879–1881)

The Anti-Monopoly Party was a short-lived American political party established in 1884. The party nominated Benjamin F. Butler for President of the United States in 1884, as did the Greenback Party, which ultimately supplanted the organization.

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

D8D7D6D5D4D3D2D1
D9D10D11D12D13D14D15D16D17D18
D28D27D26D25D24D23D22D21D20D19
D29
Ran
D30
Ran
D31
Ran
D32
Ran
D33
Unknown
D34
Unknown
D35
Retired
D36
Retired
AM1I1
Plurality →R38
Retired
R29
Unknown
R30
Unknown
R31
Retired
R32
Retired
R33
Retired
R34
Retired
R35
Retired
R36
Retired
R37
Retired
R28
Ran
R27
Ran
R26
Ran
R25
Ran
R24
Ran
R23
Ran
R22
Ran
R21R20R19
R9R10R11R12R13R14R15R16R17R18
R8R7R6R5R4R3R2R1

After the elections

D8D7D6D5D4D3D2D1
D9D10D11D12D13D14D15D16D17D18
D28D27D26D25D24D23D22D21D20D19
D29
Re-elected
D30
Re-elected
D31
Hold
D32
Hold
D33
Hold
D34
Hold
D35
Hold
D36
Gain
D37
Gain
D38
Gain
Majority →D39
Gain
R29
Hold
R30
Hold
R31
Gain
V1
R loss
AM1I1D42
Gain
D41
Gain
D40
Gain
R28
Hold
R27
Re-elected
R26
Re-elected
R25
Re-elected
R24
Re-elected
R23
Re-elected
R22
Re-elected
R21R20R19
R9R10R11R12R13R14R15R16R17R18
R8R7R6R5R4R3R2R1
Key:
AM# Anti-Monopoly Party
D# Democratic
I#Independent
R# Republican
V#Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 45th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated in 1879 before March 4; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Missouri
(Class 3)
David H. Armstrong Democratic1877 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired when successor elected.
Winner elected January 27, 1879.
Democratic hold.
Winner did not run for the next term, see below.
James Shields (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Indiana
(Class 3)
Daniel W. Voorhees Democratic1877 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected January 31, 1879.
Winner was also elected to the next term, see below.
Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Michigan
(Class 1)
Isaac P. Christiancy Republican 1874 Incumbent resigned February 10, 1879 due to ill health.
Winner elected February 22, 1879.
Republican hold.
Zachariah Chandler (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Races leading to the 46th Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1885; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral
history
Alabama George E. Spencer Republican 1868 (Special)
1872
Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in August 1878.
Democratic gain.
George S. Houston (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Arkansas Stephen W. Dorsey Republican1872 or 1873Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1878.
Democratic gain.
James D. Walker (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
California Aaron A. Sargent Republican1872 or 1873Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1878.
Democratic gain.
James T. Farley (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Colorado Jerome B. Chaffee Republican 1876 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1879.
Republican hold.
Nathaniel P. Hill (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Connecticut William Henry Barnum Democratic 1876 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1879.
Republican gain.
Orville H. Platt (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Florida Simon B. Conover Republican1872 or 1873Incumbent retired.
Winner elected January 21, 1879. [1]
Democratic gain.
Wilkinson Call (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Georgia John Brown Gordon Democratic 1873 Incumbent re-elected in 1879.John Brown Gordon (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Illinois Richard J. Oglesby Republican1872 or 1873Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1879.
Republican hold.
John A. Logan (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Indiana Daniel W. Voorhees Democratic1877 (Appointed)
1879 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected in 1879.Daniel W. Voorhees (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Iowa William B. Allison Republican 1872 Incumbent re-elected January 23, 1878. [2] William B. Allison (Republican) 104 votes
Daniel F. Miller (Republican) 35 votes
E. N. Gates 3 votes [2]
Kansas John Ingalls Republican 1873 Incumbent re-elected in 1879.John Ingalls (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Kentucky Thomas C. McCreery Democratic 1872 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1879.
Democratic hold.
John Stuart Williams (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Louisiana James B. Eustis Democratic 1876 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1879.
Democratic hold.
Benjamin F. Jonas (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Maryland George R. Dennis Democratic1872 or 1873Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1878 or in 1879.
Democratic hold.
James Black Groome (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Missouri James Shields DemocraticIllinois:
—1848 or 1849
—1849 (Election voided)
1849 (Special)
—1855 (Lost)
Minnesota:
1858
—1859 (Lost)
Missouri:
1879 (Special)
Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1879.
Democratic hold.
George G. Vest (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Nevada John P. Jones Republican 1873 Incumbent re-elected in 1879.John P. Jones (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
New Hampshire Bainbridge Wadleigh Republican 1872 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Republican loss.
[Data unknown/missing.]
New York Roscoe Conkling Republican 1867
1873
Incumbent re-elected January 22, 1879.Roscoe Conkling (Republican)
William Dorsheimer (Democratic)
Peter Cooper (Greenback)
North Carolina Augustus Merrimon Democratic 1872 Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1879.
Democratic hold.
Zebulon Vance (Democratic)
Augustus Merrimon (Democratic)
Ohio Stanley Matthews Republican 1877 (Special) Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1878 or 1879.
Democratic gain.
George H. Pendleton (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Oregon John H. Mitchell Republican 1872 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1878 or 1879.
Democratic gain.
James H. Slater (Democratic)
John H. Mitchell (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Pennsylvania J. Donald Cameron Republican 1877 (Special) Incumbent re-elected January 20, 1879.J. Donald Cameron (Republican) 53.78%
Hiester Clymer (Democratic) 36.65%
Daniel Agnew (Greenback) 6.37%
Edward McPherson (Republican) 1.20%
Russell Thayer (Republican) 0.40%
Galusha A. Grow (Republican) 0.40%
South Carolina John J. Patterson Republican1872 or 1873Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1878.
Democratic gain.
Wade Hampton III (Democratic)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Vermont Justin S. Morrill Republican 1866
1872
Incumbent re-elected in 1878.Justin S. Morrill (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]
Wisconsin Timothy O. Howe Republican 1861
1866
1872
Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected January 22, 1879. [3]
Republican hold.
Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican)
Timothy O. Howe (Republican)
Elisha W. Keyes (Republican)

Elections during the 46th Congress

In this election, the winner was elected in 1879 after March 4.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
New Hampshire
(Class 3)
Charles H. Bell Republican1879 (Appointed)Legislature had failed to elect, see above.
Interim appointee retired when successor elected.
Winner elected June 17, 1879.
Republican hold.
Henry W. Blair (Republican)
[Data unknown/missing.]

Complete list of elections

New York

In New York, the election was held on January 21, 1879, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Roscoe Conkling had been re-elected in January 1873 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1879. At the State election in November 1877, 19 Republicans and 13 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1878-1879) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1878, 97 Republicans, 28 Democrats and 3 Greenbackers were elected for the session of 1879 to the Assembly, and Republican Thomas Murphy was elected to fill the vacancy in the State Senate caused by the death of Democrat John Morrissey. The 102nd New York State Legislature met from January 7 to May 22, 1879, at Albany, New York.

New York State Legislature state legislature of the U.S. state of New York

The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York. The New York Constitution does not designate an official term for the two houses together. It says only that "legislative power is vested in the senate and assembly." The session laws are published in the official Laws of New York. The permanent laws of a general nature are codified in the Consolidated Laws of New York. The legislature is seated at the New York State Capitol in Albany.

Roscoe Conkling American politician

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.

The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 20, Temporary President of the State Senate William H. Robertson presided. Present were all Republican legislators except State Senator Louis S. Goebel [4] (6th D.) and Assemblyman James W. Wadsworth. They re-nominated the incumbent U.S. Senator Conkling unanimously. The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met also on January 20. State Senator Thomas C. E. Ecclesine (8th D.) offered to adopt a prostest against the senatorial election proceedings, claiming that the senatorial and assembly districts were incorrectly apportioned and thus the State Legislature did not represent the wish of the people of the State. The protest was substituted by a resolution to appoint a committee which would elaborate an address on the apportionment at a later date. Ecclesine then marched out, and the remaining legislators nominated Lieutenant Governor William Dorsheimer for the U.S. Senate.

William H. Robertson American politician

William Henry Robertson was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Louis S. Goebel was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

James Wolcott Wadsworth American farmer, soldier and statesman

James Wolcott Wadsworth was an American farmer, soldier and statesman.

1879 Democratic caucus for United States Senator result
CandidateFirst ballotSecond ballot
William Dorsheimer 1118
James F. Starbuck 88
DeWitt C. West [5] 86
Elijah Ward 2

The two Greenback assemblymen John Banfield (Chemung Co.) and George E. Williams (Oswego Co.) voted for 87-year-old Peter Cooper, a New York City inventor, industrialist and philanthropist who had run for U.S. President in 1876 on the Greenback ticket.

Oswego County, New York County in the United States

Oswego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,109. The county seat is Oswego. The county name is from a Mohawk language word meaning "the outpouring", referring to the mouth of the Oswego River.

Peter Cooper American politician and businessman

Peter Cooper was an American industrialist, inventor, philanthropist, and candidate for President of the United States. He designed and built the first American steam locomotive, the Tom Thumb, and founded the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan, New York City.

New York City Largest city in the United States

The City of New York, usually called either New York City (NYC) or simply New York (NY), is the most populous city in the United States and in the U.S. state of New York. With an estimated 2017 population of 8,622,698 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles (784 km2), New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. Located at the southern tip of the state of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world's most populous megacities, with an estimated 20,320,876 people in its 2017 Metropolitan Statistical Area and 23,876,155 residents in its Combined Statistical Area. A global power city, New York City has been described as the cultural, financial, and media capital of the world, and exerts a significant impact upon commerce, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion, and sports. The city's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy.

Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1879 United States Senator election result
  Republican Democrat Greenback
State Senate
(32 members)
Roscoe Conkling 20 William Dorsheimer 12
State Assembly
(128 members)
Roscoe Conkling 95 William Dorsheimer 23 Peter Cooper 2

Note: The votes were cast on January 21, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 22 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the election was held January 20, 1879. J. Donald Cameron was re-elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate. [6]

After Sen. Simon Cameron resigned from office, his son J. Donald Cameron was elected by the General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in 1877 to serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which was to expire on March 4, 1879. The Pennsylvania General Assembly convened on January 20, 1879, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1879. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican J. Donald Cameron (Inc.)13553.78
Democratic Hiester Clymer 9236.65
Greenback Daniel Agnew166.37
Republican Edward McPherson 31.20
Republican Russell Thayer10.40
Republican Galusha A. Grow 10.40
N/ANot voting31.20
Totals251100.00%

See also

Notes

  1. "THE FLORIDA SENATORSHIP". The New York Times. January 22, 1879. p. 1.
  2. 1 2 Clark, p. 185.
  3. Thompson, p. 262.
  4. State Senator Goebel refused to caucus with any of the parties, but voted for Conkling at the election.
  5. DeWitt Clinton West (1824-1880), of Lowville, assemblyman 1853
  6. 1 2 "U.S. Senate Election - 20 January 1879" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 22, 2013.

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References