1854 Massachusetts gubernatorial election

Gubernatorial elections were held in Massachusetts on November 15, 1854. Know-Nothing candidate Henry J. Gardner was elected to his first term as Governor, defeating incumbent Whig Governor Emory Washburn.

1854 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
November 15, 1854 (1854-11-15)
 
Nominee Henry J. Gardner Emory Washburn Henry W. Bishop
Party Know Nothing Whig Democratic
Popular vote 81,503 27,279 13,742
Percentage 62.58% 20.94% 10.55%
Governor before election

Emory Washburn
Whig

 Elected Governor

Henry J. Gardner
Know Nothing

Elections in Massachusetts
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Federal government
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Ballot measures
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City council
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Mayor
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Mayor

Future Senator and Vice President of the United States Henry Wilson also ran as a candidate for the new Massachusetts Republican Party. This marks the first campaign in which the new party participated, following its founding on Worcester Common in September.

Republican convention

The new Republican Party held their founding convention on Worcester Common on September 7. A highlight of the convention was the speech of Charles Sumner.[1]

Candidates

All of the candidates were considered free-soilers, except Samuel Hoar, though he had founded the Free Soil Party.[1]

Balloting
1854 Massachusetts Republican convention[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Henry Wilson 316 65.83%
Republican Stephen C. Phillips 68 14.17%
Republican Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar 48 10.00%
Republican Samuel Hoar 38 7.92%
Republican Nathaniel Banks 5 1.04%
Republican Scattering 5 1.04%
Total votes 480 100.00%

A Democrat, Increase Sumner of Great Barrington, was nominated for Lieutenant Governor.[1]

A platform was adopted opposing the acquisition of Cuba or any other territory without a free vote of its residents, denouncing the Boston Municipal Government for the arrest of Anthony Burns and calling for state intervention, and pledging "to make the question of freedom paramount to all other political questions." The platform proposed the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Act, restoration of abolition in Kansas and Nebraska, prohibition of slavery in all territories, refusal of admission for new slave states, and abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia.[1]

Democratic convention

The Democratic Party held their convention in Lowell on September 26. Isaac Adams was elected President with 297 out of 553 votes.[2]

Candidates
  • Henry W. Bishop

Henry Bishop was nominated by acclamation, despite his letter declining the nomination.[2]

A state party platform was passed endorsing the national Democratic platform of 1852, the Pierce administration, the principle of democratic self-government, and a recent act of Congress "changing the superintendence of our National armories from the military to the civil." The platform also included a plank emphasizing the freedom of religion.[2]

Free Soil convention

At the Free Soil convention in Springfield on October 17, the party voted to disband and endorse the Republican ticket.

Native American convention

The Native American Party (better known as the "Know Nothings") held their first convention at Tremont Temple in Boston on October 18. Henry J. Gardner served as President.[3]

Candidates

Balloting
1854 Native American Party Convention
Ballot1234
Gardner00396623
Bryant80333254181
Wright18022210927
Thayer01136724
Wilder343109430
Wilson66000
Brown66000
Total9681,206944988

After the contentious first ballot, Henry Wilson withdrew his name from consideration. A motion was passed disqualifying any person who had joined the party within the prior month, effectively eliminating front-runner Marshall Wilder as well.[3] There was some accusation that the Boston Whig Party had inordinate influence at the convention.[3]

After balloting was concluded, the party secretary was instructed to misinform the Boston newspapers as to which candidates had been nominated.[3]

General election

Candidates

Campaign

A dominant issue in the campaign was the Fugitive Slave Act. Allen and Wilson both strongly opposed it and Allen charged Gardner with having supported it, which he denied. Gardner advocated for the repeal or modification of the law and said that he had, in the past, favored a fusion between the Whig and Free Soil parties.[5]

Results
1854 Massachusetts gubernatorial election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Know Nothing Henry J. Gardner 81,503 62.58% New
Whig Emory Washburn 27,279 20.94% 25.00
Democratic Henry W. Bishop 13,742 10.55% 16.67
Republican Henry Wilson 6,483 4.98% N/A
Indep. Free Soil Charles Allen 477 0.37% N/A
Democratic-Hunker Bradford L. Wales 477 0.37% 3.88
Others Others 288 0.22%
Know Nothing gain from Whig Swing

References
  1. "Massachusetts Republican State Convention". The New York Times. 8 Sep 1854. p. 1.
  2. "Massachusetts Democratic State Convention". The New York Times. 27 Sep 1854. p. 1.
  3. "The Massachusetts Know-Nothing State Convention". The New York Times. 19 Oct 1854. p. 1.
  4. "Acceptance of General Henry Wilson of the Nomination for Governor of Massachusetts". The New York Times. 4 Oct 1854. p. 1.
  5. "Massachusetts Politics". The New York Times. 1 Nov 1854. p. 1.
  6. "1854 Massachusetts governor results".
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