The 1838–39 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between July 2, 1838, and November 5, 1839. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 26th United States Congress convened on December 2, 1839. They occurred during President Martin Van Buren's term. Elections were held for all 242 seats, representing 26 states.
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All 242 seats in the United States House of Representatives 122 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Panic of 1837 and consequent economic downturn drove Whig Party gains. Van Buren's Democratic Party had lost popularity and Whig policies of economic nationalism appealed to a larger number of voters. Democrats were able, however, to contain the political fallout by blaming banks for the crisis. The Anti-Masonic Party, influential in New York, Pennsylvania, and other Northern states, lost seats, while the Southern Nullifier Party disappeared. Two Virginia representatives were elected on that state's Conservative Party ticket.
Early business of the new House reflected the close partisan division. When Congress first Convened on December 3, 1839, two contingents of New Jersey representatives-elect, one composed of Democrats and the other of Whigs, arrived and both requested to be seated as members. Charging the Whigs with election fraud and facing loss of control of the House, the Democratic Party majority (119 to 118 Whigs from outside New Jersey) refused to seat all but one Whig.[1] Massachusetts Representative John Quincy Adams presided as "chairman" of the House after the clerk lost control. Two weeks later, when voting for speaker of the House finally commenced, 11 ballots were needed before Robert M. T. Hunter, a compromise Whig candidate, was elected, receiving 119 votes (out of 232 cast).[2] This congress also enacted the first Independent Treasury bill.
Election summaries
125 | 8 | 109 |
Democratic | [a] | Whig |
State | Type | Date | Total seats |
Democratic | Whig | Others | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | Change | Seats | Change | Seats | Change | ||||
Louisiana | Districts | July 2–4, 1838 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
Illinois | Districts | August 6, 1838 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
Missouri | At-large | August 6, 1838 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
Vermont | Districts | September 1, 1838 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
Maine | Districts | September 10, 1838 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | |||
Arkansas | At-large | October 1, 1838 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
Georgia | At-large | October 1, 1838 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | |
New Jersey | At-large | October 8, 1838 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
South Carolina | Districts | October 8–9, 1838 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6[b] | |
Ohio | Districts | October 9, 1838 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 | |
Pennsylvania | Districts[c] | October 9, 1838 | 28 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 6[d] | 1 | |
Michigan | At-large | November 6, 1838 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
New York | Districts[e] | November 5–7, 1838 | 40 | 19 | 11 | 21 | 11 | 0 | |
Massachusetts | Districts | November 12, 1838 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 | |||
Delaware | At-large | November 13, 1838 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
New Hampshire | At-large | March 12, 1839 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||
Connecticut | Districts | April 1, 1839 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | |
Virginia | Districts | May 23, 1839 | 21 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2[f] | 2 |
Kentucky | Districts | August 1, 1839 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1[g] | |
Tennessee | Districts | August 1, 1839 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | |
Alabama | Districts | August 5, 1839 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |||
Indiana | Districts | August 5, 1839 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
North Carolina | Districts | August 8, 1839 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | |
Rhode Island | At-large | August 27, 1839 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
Maryland | Districts[h] | October 3, 1839 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
Mississippi | At-large | November 4–5, 1839 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 242 | 125 51.7% |
3 | 109 45.0% |
9 | 8 3.3% |
6 |
Special elections
There were special elections in 1838 and 1839 to the 25th United States Congress and 26th United States Congress.
Special elections are listed by date then district.
25th Congress
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Pennsylvania 9 | New member elected March 8, 1838. | ||||
Maine 3 | New member elected April 28, 1838. | ||||
Maine 5 | New member elected May 29, 1838. | ||||
Mississippi at-large 2 seats on a general ticket |
John F. H. Claiborne | Democratic | 1835 | The House rescinded its former decision February 5, 1838 and declared the seats vacant. New members elected May 29, 1838. Two Whig gains. Successors seated May 30, 1838.[3] |
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Samuel J. Gholson | Democratic | 1836 (special) | |||
Ohio 16 | New member elected October 9, 1838. | ||||
Ohio 19 | New member elected November 5, 1838. | ||||
Massachusetts 2 | Stephen C. Phillips | Whig | 1834 (special) | Incumbent resigned September 28, 1838 to become Mayor of Salem. New member elected November 12, 1838. Whig hold. Winner also elected to the next term; see below. |
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26th Congress
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
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Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Missouri at-large | Albert G. Harrison | Democratic | 1835 | New member elected October 28, 1839 and seated December 5, 1839. Democratic hold. |
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Massachusetts 1 | Richard Fletcher | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent member-elect declined to serve. New member elected November 11, 1839. Whig hold. |
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Pennsylvania 14 | New member elected November 20, 1839. | ||||
Massachusetts 6 | James C. Alvord | Whig | 1838 | Incumbent died September 27, 1839. New member elected December 23, 1839. Whig hold. |
First ballot (November 11, 1839)
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Alabama
Arkansas
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Arkansas at-large | Archibald Yell | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Connecticut
Connecticut elected its six members April 1, 1839, flipping all six seats from Democratic to Whig.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[11] | |
Connecticut 1 | Isaac Toucey | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. |
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Connecticut 2 | Samuel Ingham | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. |
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Connecticut 3 | Elisha Haley | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. |
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Connecticut 4 | Thomas T. Whittlesey | Democratic | 1836 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. |
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Connecticut 5 | Lancelot Phelps | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. |
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Connecticut 6 | Orrin Holt | Democratic | 1836 (special) | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. |
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Delaware
Florida Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Maine 1 | |||||
Maine 2 | |||||
Maine 3 | |||||
Maine 4 | |||||
Maine 5 | |||||
Maine 6 | |||||
Maine 7 | |||||
Maine 8 | Thomas Davee | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Maryland
Massachusetts
Elections were held November 12, 1838, but one district's election went to a fourth ballot in 1839, after the March 4, 1839 start of the term but before the House convened in December 1839.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
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Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Massachusetts 1 | Richard Fletcher | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected, but declined to serve, leading to a special election. |
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Massachusetts 2 | Stephen C. Phillips | Whig | 1834 (special) | Incumbent resigned September 28, 1838 to become Mayor of Salem. Whig hold. Successor also elected the same day to finish the current term. |
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Massachusetts 3 | Caleb Cushing | Whig | 1834 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 4 | William Parmenter | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected late on the fourth ballot. | First ballot (November 12, 1838)
Second ballot (December 17, 1838)
Third ballot (February 4, 1839)
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Massachusetts 5 | Levi Lincoln Jr. | Whig | 1834 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 6 | George Grennell Jr. | Whig | 1834 | Incumbent retired. Whig hold. |
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Massachusetts 7 | George N. Briggs | Whig | 1830 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 8 | William Calhoun | Whig | 1834 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 9 | William S. Hastings | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 10 | Nathaniel B. Borden | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent lost re-election as a Whig. Democratic hold. |
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Massachusetts 11 | John Reed Jr. | Whig | 1812 1816 (lost) 1820 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
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Massachusetts 12 | John Quincy Adams | Whig | 1830 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Michigan
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Michigan at-large | Isaac E. Crary | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Mississippi
A special election was held in Mississippi on July 17–18, 1837. Its winners were Democrats John F. H. Claiborne and Samuel J. Gholson. The first session of the 25th Congress was a special session beginning on September 4, 1837, extending to October 16. In November, Mississippi held the regular election. Seargent Smith Prentiss, a Vicksburg lawyer and Whig, unexpectedly launched a vigorous, partisan campaign. He and fellow Whig Thomas J. Word won in an upset. Claiborne and Gholson then argued that the July result entitled them to serve full terms. With the Whig Party newly organizing, the closely divided House, in which Anti-Masons, Nullifiers, and the Independent tended to align more with Whigs and to oppose Democrats, agreed to hear Prentiss. He spoke for nine hours over three days, packing the gallery, drawing Senators, and earning a national reputation for oratory and public admiration from leading Whigs including Senators Clay and Webster. The Elections Committee then required a third election. Scheduled for April 1838, it confirmed the November result. Both Whigs were seated in May late in the second session, also serving for the third session.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Mississippi at-large (2 seats) |
Seargent S. Prentiss | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. |
|
Thomas J. Word | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. |
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
New York 1 | Thomas B. Jackson | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
New York 2 | James De La Montanya | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
New York 3 Plural district with 4 seats |
Ogden Hoffman | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
John McKeon | Democratic | 1834 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | ||
Ely Moore | Democratic | 1834 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. | ||
Gideon Lee | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent retired. Whig Gain. | ||
New York 4 | Gouverneur Kemble | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 5 | Obadiah Titus | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. |
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New York 6 | Nathaniel Jones | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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New York 7 | John C. Brodhead | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. |
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North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[i][31] | |
Pennsylvania 1 | Lemuel Paynter | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Pennsylvania 2 Plural district with 2 seats |
John Sergeant | Whig | 1816 1836 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
George W. Toland | Whig | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. | ||
Pennsylvania 3 | Charles Naylor | Whig | 1837 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 4 Plural district with 3 seats |
Edward Davies | Anti-Masonic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Edward Darlington | Anti-Masonic | 1832 | Incumbent retired. Anti-Masonic hold. | ||
David Potts Jr. | Anti-Masonic | 1830 | Incumbent retired. Anti-Masonic hold. | ||
Pennsylvania 5 | Jacob Fry Jr. | Democratic | 1834 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
Pennsylvania 6 | Mathias Morris | Whig | 1834 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
|
Pennsylvania 7 | David D. Wagener | Democratic | 1832 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 8 | Edward B. Hubley | Democratic | 1834 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
Pennsylvania 9 | George Keim | Democratic | 1838 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 10 | Luther Reily | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. |
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Pennsylvania 11 | Henry Logan | Democratic | 1834 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Pennsylvania 12 | Daniel Sheffer | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. |
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Pennsylvania 13 | Charles McClure | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Pennsylvania 14 | William W. Potter | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 15 | David Petrikin | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 16 | Robert H. Hammond | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 17 | Samuel W. Morris | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 18 | Charles Ogle | Anti-Masonic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 19 | John Klingensmith Jr. | Democratic | 1832 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Pennsylvania 20 | Andrew Buchanan | Democratic | 1832 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Pennsylvania 21 | Thomas M. T. McKennan | Anti-Masonic | 1830 | Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. |
|
Pennsylvania 22 | Richard Biddle | Anti-Masonic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 23 | William Beatty | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 24 | Thomas Henry | Anti-Masonic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Pennsylvania 25 | Arnold Plumer | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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In the 3rd district, Charles Naylor's election was unsuccessfully contested by Charles J. Ingersoll.[32]
There were three special elections in Pennsylvania during the 26th Congress.[33] The first was in the 14th district caused by the death of William W. Potter (Democratic) on October 28, 1839. This vacancy was filled by George McCulloch (Democratic). The second was in the 22nd district caused by the resignation of Richard Biddle. This vacancy was filled by Henry M. Brackenridge (Whig). The third was in the 13th district caused by the death of William S. Ramsey (Democratic) on October 17, 1840. Ramsey had also been re-elected to the 27th Congress and so an additional special election was held the following May to fill the vacancy in the 27th Congress.
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Elections held late, on August 1, 1839.
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
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Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Tennessee 1 | William B. Carter | Whig | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Tennessee 2 | Abraham McClellan | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Tennessee 3 | Joseph L. Williams | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Tennessee 4 | William Stone | Whig | 1837 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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Tennessee 5 | Hopkins L. Turney | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Tennessee 6 | William B. Campbell | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Tennessee 7 | John Bell | Whig | 1827 | Incumbent re-elected. | |
Tennessee 8 | Abram P. Maury | Whig | 1835 | Incumbent retired. Whig hold. |
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Tennessee 9 | James K. Polk | Democratic | 1825 | Incumbent retired to run for Governor. Democratic hold. |
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Tennessee 10 | Ebenezer J. Shields | Whig | 1835 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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Tennessee 11 | Richard Cheatham | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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Tennessee 12 | John W. Crockett | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Tennessee 13 | Christopher H. Williams | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[47] | |
Vermont 1 | Hiland Hall | Whig | 1833 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont 2 | William Slade | Whig | 1831 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont 3 | Horace Everett | Whig | 1828 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Vermont 4 | Heman Allen | Whig | 1832 (late) | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
First ballot
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Vermont 5 | Isaac Fletcher | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
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Member | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates[48] | |
Virginia 1 | Joel Holleman | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 2 | Francis E. Rives | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 3 | John Winston Jones | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 4 | George Dromgoole | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 5 | James Bouldin | Democratic | 1834 (special) | Incumbent retired. Whig gain. |
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Virginia 6 | Walter Coles | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 7 | Archibald Stuart | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent lost re-election. Whig gain. |
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Virginia 8 | Henry A. Wise | Whig | 1833 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 9 | Robert M. T. Hunter | Whig | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 10 | John Taliaferro | Whig | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 11 | John Robertson | Whig | 1834 (special) | Incumbent retired. Whig hold. |
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Virginia 12 | James Garland | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected as a Conservative. Conservative gain. |
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Virginia 13 | Linn Banks | Democratic | 1838 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 14 | Charles F. Mercer | Whig | 1817 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 15 | James M. Mason | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Virginia 16 | Isaac S. Pennybacker | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Virginia 17 | Robert Craig | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 18 | George W. Hopkins | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected as a Conservative. Conservative gain. |
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Virginia 19 | Andrew Beirne | Democratic | 1837 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 20 | Joseph Johnson | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Virginia 21 | William S. Morgan | Democratic | 1835 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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Wisconsin Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Non-voting delegates
25th Congress
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Iowa Territory at-large | None (new district) | New seat. New delegate elected September 10, 1848. Democratic gain. |
Others
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26th Congress
District | Incumbent | This race | |||
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Delegate | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates | |
Florida Territory at-large | Charles Downing | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date. |
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Iowa Territory at-large | William W. Chapman | Democratic | 1838 | Incumbent lost re-election. New delegate elected August 5, 1839, but election was invalidated due to a misdrafting of the a territorial statute, and Congress extended the term of the incumbent delegate to 1840.[50] |
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Wisconsin Territory at-large | George Wallace Jones | Democratic | 1836 | Incumbent lost re-election. New delegate elected in September 1838. Democratic hold. Incumbent claimed that prior 1836 election had entitled him to serve until March 1839, but the house disagreed and seated the winner January 14, 1839. |
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See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links
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