1850 and 1851 United States Senate elections

The United States Senate elections of 1850 and 1851 were elections which had the Democratic Party lose seats, but retain a majority in the United States Senate.

For related races, see 1850 United States elections.

1850 and 1851 United States Senate elections
Various dates
21 of the 62 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
32 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Party Democratic Whig Free Soil
Last election 33 seats 25 seats 1 seat
Seats before 35 25 2
Seats won 12 4 0
Seats after 33 22 2
Seat change 2 3
Seats up 14 7 0
Majority party before election


Democratic

 Elected Majority party


Democratic

As this election was prior to ratification of the seventeenth amendment, Senators were chosen by state legislatures.

Results summary

Senate Party Division, 32nd Congress (1851–1853)

  • Majority Party: Democratic (34–35)
  • Minority Party: Whig Party (21–23)
  • Other Parties: Free Soiler (2–3)
  • Total Seats: 62

Change in composition

Before the elections
D1
D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11
D21 D20 D19 D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12
D22 D23
Ran		 D24
Ran		 D25
Ran		 D26
Ran		 D27
Ran		 D28
Ran		 D29
Ran		 D30
Ran		 D31
Ran
Majority → D32
Ran
W22
Unknown		 W23
Unknown		 W24
Retired		 FS1 FS2 D36
Retired		 D35
Unknown		 D34
Unknown		 D33
Ran
W21
Ran		 W20
Ran		 W19
Ran		 W18
Ran		 W17 W16 W15 W14 W13 W12
W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 W11
W1

As a result of the elections
D1
D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11
D21 D20 D19 D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12
D22 D23
Re-elected		 D24
Re-elected		 D25
Re-elected		 D26
Re-elected		 D27
Re-elected		 D28
Re-elected		 D29
Re-elected		 D30
Hold		 D31
Hold
Majority → D32
Gain
V1
W Loss		 V2
W Loss		 FS1 FS2 V3
D Loss		 V4
D Loss		 V5
D Loss		 D34
Gain		 D33
Gain
W21
Gain		 W20
Gain		 W19
Hold		 W18
Re-elected		 W17 W16 W15 W14 W13 W12
W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 W11
W1

At the beginning of the first session, December 1, 1851
D1
D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11
D21 D20 D19 D18 D17 D16 D15 D14 D13 D12
D22 D23 D24 D25 D26 D27 D28 D29 D30 D31
Majority → D32
W22
Gain		 W23
Gain		 FS1 FS2 FS3
Gain		 V1 V2 D34
Hold		 D33
W21 W20 W19 W18 W17 W16 W15 W14 W13 W12
W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 W11
W1
Key:
D# Democratic
FS# Free Soil
W# Whig
V# Vacant

Race summaries

Elections during the 31st Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1850 or in 1851 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Maryland
(Class 1)		 David Stewart Whig 1849 (Appointed) Interim appointee retired.
Winner elected January 12, 1850.
Whig hold.
Winner was elected to the next term, see below.
Massachusetts
(Class 1)		 Robert C. Winthrop Whig 1850 (Appointed) Interim appointee lost election to finish the term.
Winner elected February 1, 1851.
Democratic gain.
Winner was not elected to the next term, see below.

Races leading to the 32nd Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1851; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Connecticut Roger Sherman Baldwin Whig 1847 (Appointed)
1848 (Special)		 Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election or retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Whig loss
Seat would not be filled until 1852.		 [data unknown/missing]
California John C. Frémont Democratic 1850 Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic loss.
Seat would not be filled until 1852.		 John C. Frémont (Democratic)
[data unknown/missing]
Delaware John Wales Whig 1849 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1851.
Democratic gain.
Florida David Levy Yulee Democratic 1845 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1851.
Democratic hold.
Indiana Jesse D. Bright Democratic 1844 Incumbent re-elected in 1850.
Maine Hannibal Hamlin Democratic 1848 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1851.
Maryland Thomas Pratt Whig 1850 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1851.
Massachusetts Robert Rantoul Jr. Democratic 1851 (Special) Unknown if incumbent ran for re-election or retired.
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic loss.
Seat would later be filled on April 24, 1851, see below.		 Charles Sumner (Free Soil)
[data unknown/missing]
Michigan Lewis Cass Democratic 1844 or 1845
1848 (Resigned)
1849 (Special)		 Incumbent re-elected in 1850 or 1851.
Mississippi Jefferson Davis Democratic 1847 (Appointed)
1848 (Special)		 Incumbent re-elected in 1850.
Missouri Thomas H. Benton Democratic 1821
1827
1833
1839
1845		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1851.
Whig gain.
New Jersey William L. Dayton Whig 1848 (Democratic)
? (Special)
1845		 Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1851.
Democratic gain.
New York Daniel S. Dickinson Democratic 1844 (Appointed)
1845		 Incumbent lost re-election.
Legislature failed to elect.
Democratic loss.
Seat would later be filled on March 19, 1851, see below.		 Daniel S. Dickinson (Democratic)
Many, see below
Ohio Thomas Ewing Whig 1850 (Appointed) Incumbent lost election to the next term.
Legislature failed to elect.
Whig loss.
Seat would later be filled on March 15, 1851, see below.		 Thomas Ewing (Whig)
[data unknown/missing]
Pennsylvania Daniel Sturgeon Democratic 1840
1845		 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected January 14, 1851.
Democratic hold.
Rhode Island Albert C. Greene Whig 1844 or 1845 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected in 1850 or 1851.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee Hopkins L. Turney Democratic 1844 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1851.
Whig gain.
Texas Thomas J. Rusk Democratic 1846 Incumbent re-elected in 1851.
Vermont Samuel S. Phelps Whig 1839
1845		 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
New senator elected in 1850.
Whig hold.
Virginia James M. Mason Democratic 1847 (Special) Incumbent re-elected in 1850.
Wisconsin Henry Dodge Democratic 1848 Incumbent re-elected in 1851.

Elections during the 32nd Congress

In late these elections, the winners were elected in 1851 after March 4; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Ohio
(Class 1)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
Winner elected late March 15, 1851 on the 37th ballot.[1]
Whig gain.
New York
(Class 1)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
Winner elected late March 19, 1851.
Whig gain.
Massachusetts
(Class 1)		 Vacant Legislature had failed to elect.
Winner elected April 24, 1851.
Free Soil gain.
Kentucky
(Class 3)		 Henry Clay Whig 1806 (Special)
1807 (Retired)
1810 (Appointed)
1811 (Retired)
1831 (Special)
1836
1842 (Resigned)
1849		 Incumbent resigned December 17, 1851, to be effective September 6, 1852.
Winner elected December 31, 1851.
Whig hold.

Race leading to the 33rd Congress

In this regular election, the winner was elected for the term beginning March 4, 1853.

This election involved a Class 3 seat.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Kentucky Joseph R. Underwood Whig 1846 or 1847 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected December 15, 1851, far in advance of the 1853 term, as was common practice at the time.
Know Nothing gain.

Kentucky

Kentucky (Early)
Senator John Burton Thompson
See also: List of United States senators from Kentucky and 1853 United States House of Representatives elections in Kentucky

One-term Whig Joseph R. Underwood retired and the Know Nothing Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky John Burton Thompson was elected early, December 15, 1851, far in advance of the 1853 term, as was common practice at the time.

Kentucky (Special)
Senator Archibald Dixon

Long-term Whig and former-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Clay announced his resignation December 17, 1851 from the class 3 seat, to be effective September 6, 1852.

Whig Archibald Dixon was elected December 31, 1851.

After many ballots, the vote in the final deciding ballot was:

Before Clay's resignation was effective, he died June 24, 1852. Democratic Secretary of State of Kentucky David Meriwether was appointed July 6, 1852 pending the effective date of the special election. Dixon was then seated September 1, 1852 to finish the term that would end in 1855.

Massachusetts
Main article: 1851 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

In 1851, Democrats gained control of the legislature in coalition with the Free Soilers. However, the legislature deadlocked on this Senate race, as Democrats refused to vote for Charles Sumner (the Free Soilers' choice).

New York
Main article: 1851 United States Senate election in New York

The election in New York was held on February 4 and March 18 and 19, 1851. Daniel S. Dickinson (Democratic) had been elected in 1845 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1851. The Whig Party in New York was split in two opposing factions: the Seward/Weed faction (the majority, opposed to the Compromise of 1850) and the "Silver Grays" (supporters of President Millard Fillmore and his compromise legislation, led by Francis Granger whose silver gray hair originated the faction's nickname). The opposing factions of the Democratic Party in New York, the "Barnburners" and the "Hunkers", had reunited at the State election in November 1850, and managed to have almost their whole State ticket elected, only Horatio Seymour was defeated for Governor by a plurality of 262 votes.

At the State election in November 1849, 14 Seward Whigs, 3 Silver Gray Whigs and 15 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1850–1851) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1850, a Whig majority was elected to the Assembly for the session of 1851. The 74th New York State Legislature met from January 7 to April 17, and from June 10 to July 11, 1851, at Albany, New York.

Ex-Governor of New York Hamilton Fish was the candidate of the Whig Party, but was also a close friend of Henry Clay who was one of the leaders of the Fillmore faction in Washington, D.C. He was thus considered the only viable compromise candidate. The Silver Grays asked Fish to pledge his support for the Compromise, but Fish refused to make any comment, saying that he did not seek the office, and that the legislators should vote guided by Fish's known political history. Fish had earlier stated his opposition against the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 but was believed to support most of the remainder of the Compromise. Nevertheless, Silver Gray State Senator James W. Beekman declared that he would not vote for Fish for personal reasons, a dislike stemming from the time when they were fellow students at Columbia University.

The State Legislature met on February 4, the legally prescribed day, to elect a U.S. Senator. In the Assembly, Fish received a majority of 78 to 49. In the State Senate the vote stood 16 for Fish and 16 votes for a variety of candidates, among them Beekman's vote for Francis Granger. After a second ballot with the same result, Beekman moved to adjourn, which was carried by the casting vote of the lieutenant governor, and no nomination was made.

On February 14, Senator George B. Guinnip offered a resolution to declare John Adams Dix elected to the U.S. Senate. On motion of Senator George R. Babcock, the resolution was laid on the table, i.e. consideration was postponed.

On February 15, Guinnip again offered a resolution to declare John Adams Dix elected to the U.S. Senate. Senator Stephen H. Johnson offered an amendment to this resolution, declaring Daniel S. Dickinson elected. On motion of Senator Marius Schoonmaker, the resolution was laid on the table too.

On March 18, when two Democratic State Senators were absent, having gone to New York City, the Whigs persuaded the Democrats in a 14-hour session to re-open the U.S. Senate election, and Senate electionin the small hours of March 19 Fish was nominated by a vote of 16 to 12 (Beekman, Johnson (both Whigs), Thomas B. Carroll and William A. Dart (both Democratic) did not vote).

Fish was the choice of both the Assembly and the Senate, and was declared elected.

Candidate Party Senate
(32 members)
February 4
(first ballot)		 Senate
(32 members)
February 4
(second ballot)		 Assembly
(128 members)
February 4		 Senate
(32 members)
March 19		 Assembly
(128 members)
March 19
Hamilton Fish Whig 16 16 78 16 68
John Adams Dix Democratic 1 1 29 6 6
James T. Brady Democratic 7
Horatio Seymour Democratic 1 1 4 1
Francis Granger Whig 1 1 2 1
Aaron Ward Democratic 1 1 1
Daniel S. Dickinson Democratic 1 1 1
Arphaxed Loomis Democratic 1 1 1
Amasa J. Parker Democratic 1 1 1
David Buel Jr. Democratic 1 1
Augustus C. Hand Democratic 1 1
John Hunter Democratic 1 1
John Fine Democratic 1 1
Levi S. Chatfield Democratic 1 1
John Tracy Democratic 1 1
Abraham Bockee Democratic 1 1
George Rathbun Democratic 1 1
Timothy Jenkins Democratic 1 1
William L. Marcy Democratic 1
Washington Irving 1
John L. Riker 1
Erastus Corning Democratic 1
Levi S. Chatfield Democratic 1
George Wood 1
Daniel Lord 1
James S. Wadsworth Democratic 1
William C. Bouck Democratic 1

Ohio
Main article: 1851 United States Senate election in Ohio

Incumbent Senator Thomas Corwin (Whig) resigned July 20, 1850 to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Thomas Ewing (Whig) was appointed July 20, 1850 to finish the term. Benjamin Wade (Whig) was elected late on March 15, 1851 on the 37th ballot over Ewing.[1]

Pennsylvania
Main article: 1851 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania election was held January 14, 1851. Richard Brodhead was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.[5]

State Legislature Results[5][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Brodhead 76 57.14
Whig Andrew W. Loomis 12 9.02
Whig Alexander Brown 11 8.27
Whig Samuel Purviance 4 3.01
Whig Samuel Calvin 4 3.01
Whig Thomas M. T. McKennan 4 3.01
Whig John Sergeant 4 3.01
Whig George Chambers 3 2.26
Whig John Dickey 2 1.50
Whig James Pollock 2 1.50
Whig John Allison 1 0.75
Whig William Darlington 1 0.75
Whig Townsend Haines 1 0.75
Whig Charles Pitman 1 0.75
Whig Daniel M. Smyser 1 0.75
Whig Thomas White 1 0.75
Whig David Wilmot 1 0.75
N/A Not voting 3 2.26
Totals 133 100.00%

See also

References
  1. Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio statesmen and annals of progress: from the year 1788 to the year 1900 . State of Ohio. p. 240.
  2. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, p. 396.
  3. Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, November 3, 1851 - January 9, 1852. Frankfort, Kentucky: Albert G. Hodges. 1851. p. 412.
  4. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, p. 264.
  5. "U.S. Senate Election - 14 January 1851" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  6. "PA US Senate 1851". OurCampaigns. Retrieved December 22, 2012.

Sources
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