1874 and 1875 United States Senate elections

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For related races, see 1874 United States elections.
1874 and 1875 United States Senate elections
← 1872 & 1873 Dates vary by state
(And other dates for special elections)		 1876 & 1877 →
25 of the 74 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
38 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
  Henry B. Anthony - Brady-Handy.jpg John Stevenson.jpg
Leader Henry B. Anthony[a] John W. Stevenson[b]
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since March 4, 1863 March 4, 1873
Leader's seat Rhode Island Kentucky
Seats before 52 19
Seats won 10 14
Seats after 42 28
Seat change Decrease 10 Increase 9
Seats up 20 5
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Liberal Republican Anti-Monopoly
Seats before 2 0
Seats won 0 1
Seats after 2 1
Seat change Steady Increase 1
Seats up 0 0
Majority Party before election


Republican

Elected Majority Party


Republican

The 1874 and 1875 United States Senate elections had the Democratic Party gain nine seats in the United States Senate from the Republican Party (the party of incumbent President Ulysses S. Grant). Republicans remained in the majority, however.

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

Results summary[]

Colored shading indicates party with largest share of that row.

Parties Total
Democratic Republican Liberal
Republican 		Anti-
Monopoly
Before these elections 19 52 2 0 73
Not up 14 32 2 — 48
Class 2 (1870/71) 9 15 1 — 25
Class 3 (1872/73) 5 17 1 — 31
Up 5 22 1 — 36
Regular: Class 1 5 20 — — 25
Special: Class 1 0 1 1 — 2
Special: Class 2 0 1 — — 1
Incumbent retired 2 11 — — 13
Held by same party 1 4 — — 5
Replaced by other party Decrease7 Republicans replaced by Increase7 Democrats
Decrease1 Democrat replaced by Increase1 Anti-Monopolist 		IncreaseDecrease8
Result 8 4 — 1 13
Incumbent's intent unknown 1 4 — — 5
Held by same party 1 2 — — 3
Replaced by other party Decrease2 Republicans replaced by Increase2 Democrats IncreaseDecrease2
Result 3 2 — — 5
Incumbent ran 2 5 — — 7
Won re-election 2 2 — — 4
Lost re-election Decrease1 Republican replaced by Increase1 Democrat 1
Lost renomination
but held by same party 		— 2 — — 2
Result 3 4 — — 7
Total elected 14 10 — 1 25
Net change Increase9 Decrease10 — Increase1 IncreaseDecrease9
Result 28 42 2 1 73

Change in Senate composition[]

Before the elections[]

After the April 17, 1874 special election in Massachusetts.

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1
D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15
Ran 		D16
Ran 		D17
Unknown
R48
Retired 		R49
Retired 		R50
Retired 		R51
Retired 		R52
Retired 		LR1 LR2 V1 D19
Retired 		D18
Retired
R47
Retired 		R46
Retired 		R45
Retired 		R44
Retired 		R43
Retired 		R42
Retired 		R41
Retired 		R40
Unknown 		R39
Unknown 		R38
Unknown
Majority → R37
Ran
R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33
Ran 		R34
Ran 		R35
Ran 		R36
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

Result of the elections[]

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1
D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15
Re-elected 		D16
Re-elected 		D17
Hold
D27
Gain 		D26
Gain 		D25
Gain 		D24
Gain 		D23
Gain 		D22
Gain 		D21
Gain 		D20
Gain 		D19
Gain 		D18
Hold
D28
Gain 		AM1
Gain 		V1 LR2 LR1 R42
Hold 		R41
Hold 		R40
Hold 		R39
Hold 		R38
Hold
Majority → R37
Hold
R28 R29 R30 R31 R32 R33
Re-elected 		R34
Re-elected 		R35
Hold 		R36
Hold
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

Beginning of the next Congress[]

D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1
D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16 D17
D27 D26 D25 D24 D23 D22 D21 D20 D19 D18
D28 AM1 V1 R44
Change 		R43
Change 		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:
AM# Anti-Monopoly Party
D# Democratic
LR# Liberal Republican
R# Republican
V# Vacant

Race summaries[]

Elections during the 43rd Congress[]

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1874 or in 1875 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Kansas
(Class 2) 		Robert Crozier Republican 1873 (Appointed) Interim appointee retired February 2, 1874.
New senator elected February 2, 1874.
Republican hold.
Mississippi
(Class 1) 		Adelbert Ames Republican 1870 Incumbent resigned March 17, 1873 to become Governor of Mississippi.
New senator elected February 3, 1874.
Republican hold.
Winner did not run for the next term, see below.
Massachusetts
(Class 1) 		Charles Sumner Liberal
Republican 		1851 (Special)
1857
1863
1869 		Incumbent died March 12, 1874.
New senator elected April 17, 1874.
Republican gain.
Winner did not run for the next term, see below.
  • ▌Green tickY William B. Washburn (Republican)
  • [data unknown/missing]

Races leading to the 44th Congress[]

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1875; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
California Eugene Casserly Democratic 1868 Incumbent resigned November 29, 1873.
New senator elected early December 20, 1873.[1]
Anti-Monopoly gain.
Connecticut William Alfred Buckingham Republican 1868 or 1869 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected May 19, 1874.
Democratic gain.
Incumbent died February 5, 1875 and winner was then appointed to finish the term.
  • ▌Green tickY William W. Eaton (Democratic) 59.95%
  • ▌William A. Buckingham (Republican) 32.39%
  • ▌Joseph R. Hawley (Republican) 4.45%
  • ▌Charles R. Ingersoll (Democratic) 1.62%
  • ▌Others 1.62%[2]
Delaware Thomas F. Bayard Democratic 1869 Incumbent re-elected in 1875.
  • ▌Green tickY Thomas F. Bayard (Democratic)
  • [data unknown/missing]
Florida Abijah Gilbert Republican 1868 or 1869 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1875.
Democratic gain.
Indiana Daniel D. Pratt Republican 1868 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1874 or 1875.
Democratic gain.
Maine Hannibal Hamlin Republican 1857
1861 (Resigned)
1869 		Incumbent re-elected in 1875.
  • ▌Green tickY Hannibal Hamlin (Republican)
  • [data unknown/missing]
Maryland William P. Whyte Democratic 1874 (Appointed) Incumbent retired to .
New senator elected in 1874.
Democratic hold.
Massachusetts William B. Washburn Republican 1874 (Special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1875.
Republican hold.
Michigan Zachariah Chandler Republican 1857
1863
1869 		Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1874.
Republican hold.
Minnesota Alexander Ramsey Republican 1863
1869 		Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1875.
Republican hold.
Mississippi Henry R. Pease Republican 1874 (Special) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in February 1874.
Republican hold.
Missouri Carl Schurz Republican 1868 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1874.
Democratic gain.
  • ▌Green tickY Francis Cockrell (Democratic)
  • ▌Carl Schurz (Republican)
  • [data unknown/missing]
Nebraska Thomas Tipton Republican 1867
1869 		Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1875.
Republican hold.
Nevada William M. Stewart Republican 1865
1869 		Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 12, 1875.
Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY William Sharon (Republican)
  • [data unknown/missing]
New Jersey John P. Stockton Democratic 1864
1866 (Lost election dispute)
1869 		Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1875.
Democratic hold.
New York Reuben E. Fenton Republican 1869 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 20, 1875.
Democratic gain.
Ohio Allen G. Thurman Democratic 1868 Incumbent re-elected in 1874.
  • ▌Green tickY Allen G. Thurman (Democratic)
  • [data unknown/missing]
Pennsylvania John Scott Republican 1869 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 19, 1875.
Democratic gain.
Rhode Island William Sprague IV Republican 1862
1868 		Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1875.
Republican hold.
Tennessee William G. Brownlow Republican 1867 (Early) Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 26, 1875 on the 54th ballot.
Democratic gain.
Texas James W. Flanagan Republican 1870 (Readmission) Incumbent retired.[d]
New senator elected on January 28, 1875.
Democratic gain.
Vermont George F. Edmunds Republican 1866 (Appointed)
1866 (Special)
1868 		Incumbent re-elected on October 20, 1874.
  • ▌Green tickY George F. Edmunds (Republican) 279 votes
  • ▌Edward J. Phelps (Democratic) 49 vote
  • ▌Charles W. Willard (Republican) 13 votes[5]
Virginia John F. Lewis Republican Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1875.
Democratic gain.
West Virginia Arthur I. Boreman Republican 1868 or 1869 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1874 or 1875.
Democratic gain.
Wisconsin Matthew H. Carpenter Republican 1868 or 1869 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected February 1875.
Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY Angus Cameron (Republican)
  • ▌Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican)
  • [data unknown/missing]

Elections during the 44th Congress[]

There were no special elections in 1875 to the 44th Congress.

New York[]

See also: List of United States senators from New York and 1874 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

The New York election was held on January 19 and 20, 1875, by the New York State Legislature.

Republican Reuben E. Fenton had been elected in January 1869 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1875.

At the state election in November 1873, a Republican majority was elected for a two-year term (1874-1875) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1874, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden was elected Governor, 75 Democrats and 53 Republicans were elected for the session of 1875 to the Assembly, and Democrat Albert P. Laning was elected in the 31st District to fill a vacancy in the State Senate. The 98th New York State Legislature met from January 5 to May 19, 1875, at Albany, New York.

The caucus of Democratic State legislators met on January 15, State Senator Albert P. Laning, of Buffalo, presided. All but one of the legislators were present, only Assemblyman John M. Roscoe, of Schoharie County, was sick. The caucus nominated Francis Kernan for the U.S. Senate. Kernan had been the Democratic/Liberal Republican candidate for Governor in November 1872 but had been defeated by John Adams Dix. Now Kernan was the choice of Tammany boss John Kelly who had succeeded the corrupt William M. Tweed. Kelly was opposed by John C. Jacobs, who proposed Ex-State Senator Henry C. Murphy, Jacobs's predecessor from the 3rd District, and the Democratic candidate who had lost the U.S. Senate elections in 1867 and 1869 when the Democrats were the minority. Kelly stood firm in his intention to dominate the Democratic Party, and had the caucus nomination made by viva voce vote instead of the more traditional secret ballot. Jacobs and Murphy had expected to get votes from many legislators who would not dare to cross Kelly openly, but had to abandon their hopes when the secret ballot was voted down 74 to 13.

Democratic caucus
Candidate First ballot
Francis Kernan 77
Henry C. Murphy 9
John T. Hoffman 1

The caucus of the Republican State legislators nominated Ex-U.S. Senator from New York Edwin D. Morgan.

On January 19, the Democratic majority of the Assembly nominated Francis Kernan, and the Republican majority of the State Senate nominated Ex-U.S. Senator Edwin D. Morgan. On January 20, both Houses met in joint session to compare nominations, and finding that they disagreed, proceeded to a joint ballot. Francis Kernan was elected, the first Democratic U.S. Senator from New York since 1851 when Daniel S. Dickinson left office.

House Democratic Republican Democratic
State Senate
(32 members) 		Francis Kernan 13 Edwin D. Morgan 16
State Assembly
(128 members) 		Francis Kernan 74 Edwin D. Morgan 52 John T. Hoffman 1
Joint Ballot
(160 members) 		Francis Kernan 87 Edwin D. Morgan 68 John T. Hoffman 1

Note: The vote for Ex-Governor of New York Hoffman was cast by Reuben E. Fenton's brother-in-law Samuel Scudder, a Democratic Assemblyman from Cattaraugus County.

Pennsylvania[]

See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania and 1874 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania election was held on January 19, 1875. The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, elected William A. Wallace.[6]

State Legislature Results[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William A. Wallace 125 49.80
Republican John Allison 116 46.22
N/A Not voting 10 3.98
Totals 251 100.00%

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ as Republican Conference Chair
  2. ^ as Democratic Caucus Chair
  3. ^ Johnson attained 47 votes before switches, four short of a majority.
  4. ^ Democrats regained control of the state government following the end of Reconstruction, so Flanagan was not a candidate.

References[]

  1. ^ a b "THE CALIFORNIAN SENATORSHIP ELECTION OF BOOTH". The New York Times. December 21, 1873. p. 1. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  2. ^ "CT US Senate". OurCampaigns.com. October 11, 2008. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  3. ^ Hearn, Chester G. (2000). The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-7864-0863-4.
  4. ^ Horton, Louise (1974). Samuel Bell Maxey: A Biography. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-292-72261-3.
  5. ^ "Vermont: re-election of George F. Edmunds to the United States Senate". New York Herald. New York, NY. October 21, 1874. p. 7 – via Library of Congress, Chronicling America.
  6. ^ a b "U.S. Senate Election - 19 January 1875" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  7. ^ "PA US Senate - 1875". OurCampaigns. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
Retrieved from ""