1868–69 United States Senate elections

The 1868–69 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these U.S. Senate elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1868 and 1869, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock.^[1] In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 1.

1868–69 United States Senate elections

← 1866 & 1867 Dates vary by state (And other dates for special elections) 1870 & 1871 →
25 of the 66 (8 vacant)/74 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections) 34 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Henry B. Anthony[a] Party Republican Democratic Leader since March 4, 1863 Leader's seat Rhode Island Last election 39 seats 10 seats Seats before 57 9 Seats won 17 5 Seats after 57 9 Seat change Seats up 17 5
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      Unreconstructed states
Majority Party before election Republican Elected Majority Party Republican

The Republican Party maintained their Senate majority. Six former Confederate states were then readmitted separately from the regular election, each electing two Republicans. This increased the Republicans' already overwhelming majority to the largest proportion of seats ever controlled by the party.

Results summary

Senate party division, 41st Congress (1869–1871)

• Majority party: Republican (57)
• Minority party: Democratic (9)
• Other parties: (0)
• Vacant: (8)
• Total seats: 74

Change in Senate composition

Beginning of 1868

D3	D2	D1	V4	V3	V2	V1
D4	D5	D6	D7	D8	V5 Readmitted	V6 Readmitted	V7 Readmitted	V8 Readmitted	V9 Readmitted
R44	R45	V17 Readmitted	V16 Readmitted	V15 Readmitted	V14 Readmitted	V13 Readmitted	V12 Readmitted	V11 Special	V10 Readmitted
R43	R42	R41	R40	R39	R38	R37	R36	R35	R34
Majority →									R33
R24	R25	R26	R27	R28	R29	R30	R31	R32
R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18	R17	R16	R15	R14
R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13
R3	R2	R1	V18	V19	V20	V21

After the readmission of the Confederate states

D3	D2	D1	V4	V3	V2	V1
D4	D5	D6	D7	D8	D9 Gain	R57 Gain	R56 Gain	R55 Gain	R54 Gain
R44	R45	R46 Gain	R47 Gain	R48 Gain	R49 Gain	R50 Gain	R51 Gain	R52 Gain	R53 Gain
R43	R42	R41	R40	R39	R38	R37	R36	R35	R34
Majority →
R24	R25	R26	R27	R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33
R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18	R17	R16	R15	R14
R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13
R3	R2	R1	V5	V6	V7	V8

Before the elections

After July 16, 1868, readmission of South Carolina.

D3	D2	D1	V4 Seceded	V3 Seceded	V2 Seceded	V1
D4	D5 Unknown	D6 Retired	D7 Retired	D8 Retired	D9 Retired	R57 Retired	R56 Retired	R55 Unknown	R54 Unknown
R44 Ran	R45 Ran	R46 Ran	R47 Ran	R48 Ran	R49 Ran	R50 Ran	R51 Ran	R52 Ran	R53 Unknown
R43 Ran	R42 Ran	R41 Ran	R40	R39	R38	R37	R36	R35	R34
Majority →
R24	R25	R26	R27	R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33
R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18	R17	R16	R15	R14
R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13
R3	R2	R1	V5	V6	V7	V8

Result of the elections

D3	D2	D1	V4 Seceded	V3 Seceded	V2 Seceded	V1
D4	D5 Hold	D6 Hold	D7 Gain	D8 Gain	D9 Gain	R57 Gain	R56 Gain	R55 Gain	R54 Hold
R44 Re-elected	R45 Re-elected	R46 Re-elected	R47 Re-elected	R48 Hold	R49 Hold	R50 Hold	R51 Hold	R52 Hold	R53 Hold
R43 Re-elected	R42 Re-elected	R41 Re-elected	R40	R39	R38	R37	R36	R35	R34
Majority →
R24	R25	R26	R27	R28	R29	R30	R31	R32	R33
R23	R22	R21	R20	R19	R18	R17	R16	R15	R14
R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13
R3	R2	R1	V5	V6	V7	V8

Key:	D# Democratic R# Republican V# Vacant

Race summaries

Elections during the 40th Congress

In these elections, the winners were seated during 1868 or in 1869 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
Kentucky (Class 2)	James Guthrie	Democratic	1865	Incumbent resigned due to failing health. New senator elected February 19, 1868. Democratic hold.	▌Y Thomas C. McCreery (Democratic) [data missing]
Maryland (Class 3)	Vacant since March 3, 1867, when Senator-elect Philip F. Thomas failed to qualify.			New senator elected March 7, 1868. Democratic gain.	▌Y George Vickers (Democratic) [data missing]
Florida (Class 1)	Vacant since January 21, 1861, when Stephen Mallory (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected June 17, 1868. Republican gain. Winner did not run for election to the next term; see below.	▌Y Adonijah Welch (Republican) [data missing]
Arkansas (Class 2)	Vacant since July 11, 1861, when William K. Sebastian (D) was expelled.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected June 22, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Alexander McDonald (Republican) [data missing]
Arkansas (Class 3)	Vacant since July 11, 1861, when Charles B. Mitchel (D) was expelled.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected June 23, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Benjamin F. Rice (Republican) [data missing]
Florida (Class 3)	Vacant since January 21, 1861, when David Levy Yulee (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected June 25, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Thomas W. Osborn (Republican) [data missing]
Louisiana (Class 2)	Vacant since February 4, 1861, when Judah P. Benjamin (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 8, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y John S. Harris (Republican) [data missing]
Louisiana (Class 3)	Vacant since February 4, 1861, when John Slidell (D) resigned.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 9, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y William P. Kellogg (Republican) [data missing]
Alabama (Class 2)	Vacant since January 21, 1861, when Clement Claiborne Clay (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 13, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Willard Warner (Republican) [data missing]
Alabama (Class 3)	Vacant since January 21, 1861, when Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 13, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y George E. Spencer (Republican) [data missing]
North Carolina (Class 2)	Vacant since March 6, 1861, when Thomas Bragg (D) resigned.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 14, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Joseph Abbott (Republican) [data missing]
North Carolina (Class 3)	Vacant since March 11, 1861, when Thomas Clingman (D) resigned.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 14, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y John Pool (Republican) [data missing]
South Carolina (Class 2)	Vacant since November 10, 1860, when James Chesnut Jr. (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 15, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Thomas J. Robertson (Republican) [data missing]
South Carolina (Class 3)	Vacant since November 11, 1860, when James Henry Hammond (D) withdrew.			State readmitted to the Union. New senator elected July 16, 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Frederick A. Sawyer (Republican) [data missing]
Delaware (Class 1)	James A. Bayard Jr.	Democratic	1851 1857 1863 1864 (resigned) 1867 (appointed)	Interim appointee elected January 19, 1869 to finish the term.[2] Winner did not run for election to the next term; see below.	▌Y James A. Bayard Jr. (Democratic) [data missing]

Races leading to the 41st Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1869; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

State	Incumbent			Results	Candidates
	Senator	Party	Electoral history
California	John Conness	Republican	1862–63	Incumbent lost re-election or retired. New senator elected in 1868. Democratic gain.	▌Y Eugene Casserly (Democratic) [data missing]
Connecticut	James Dixon	Republican	1856 1863	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold.	▌Y William Buckingham (Republican) [data missing]
Delaware	James A. Bayard Jr.	Democratic	1851 1857 1863 1864 (resigned) 1867 (appointed) 1869 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1869. Democratic hold.	▌Y Thomas F. Bayard Sr. (Democratic) [data missing]
Florida	Adonijah Welch	Republican	1868 (special)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold.	▌Y Abijah Gilbert (Republican) [data missing]
Indiana	Thomas A. Hendricks	Democratic	1862	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1868. Republican gain.	▌Y Daniel D. Pratt (Republican) [data missing]
Maine	Lot M. Morrill	Republican	1861 (special) 1863	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1869. Republican hold.	▌Y Hannibal Hamlin (Republican) [data missing]
Maryland	William P. Whyte	Democratic	1868 (appointed)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1868 or 1869. Democratic hold.	▌Y William T. Hamilton (Democratic) [data missing]
Massachusetts	Charles Sumner	Republican	1851 (special) 1857 1863	Incumbent re-elected in 1869.	▌Y Charles Sumner (Republican) [data missing]
Michigan	Zachariah Chandler	Republican	1857 1863	Incumbent re-elected in 1869.	▌Y Zachariah Chandler (Republican) [data missing]
Minnesota	Alexander Ramsey	Republican	1863	Incumbent re-elected in 1869.	▌Y Alexander Ramsey (Republican) 52 (80%) ▌Charles W. Nash (Democratic) 13 (20%)[3]
Mississippi	Vacant since January 21, 1861, when Jefferson Davis (D) resigned.			Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1870.	None.
Missouri	John B. Henderson	Republican	1862 (appointed) 1862	Incumbent retired. New senator elected in 1868. Republican hold.	▌Y Carl Schurz (Republican) [data missing]
Nebraska	Thomas Tipton	Republican	1867	Incumbent re-elected in 1869.	▌Y Thomas Tipton (Republican) [data missing]
Nevada	William M. Stewart	Republican	1865	Incumbent re-elected in 1869.	▌Y William M. Stewart (Republican) [data missing]
New Jersey	Frederick T. Frelinghuysen	Republican	1866 (appointed) 1867 (special)	Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected in 1869. Democratic gain.	▌Y John P. Stockton (Democratic) 42 ▌Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (Republican) 34 [data missing]
New York	Edwin D. Morgan	Republican	1863	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected January 19, 1869. Republican hold.	▌Y Reuben E. Fenton (Republican) ▌Henry C. Murphy (Democratic) ▌Henry S. Randall (Democratic)
Ohio	Benjamin Wade	Republican	1851 1856 1863	Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected in 1868. Democratic gain.	▌Y Allen G. Thurman (Democratic) [data missing]
Pennsylvania	Charles R. Buckalew	Democratic	1863	Incumbent lost re-election or retired. New senator elected January 19, 1869. Republican gain.	▌Y John Scott (Republican) 58.65% ▌William A. Wallace (Democratic) 38.35% ▌Hiester Clymer (Democratic) 0.75%
Rhode Island	William Sprague IV	Republican	1862	Incumbent re-elected in 1868.	▌Y William Sprague IV (Republican) [data missing]
Tennessee	David T. Patterson	Democratic	1866 (readmission)	Incumbent retired. New senator elected early on October 22, 1867, for the term beginning March 4, 1869. Republican gain.	▌Y William G. Brownlow (Republican) 63 ▌William B. Stokes (Republican) 39[4]
Texas	Vacant since March 23, 1861, when Louis Wigfall (D) withdrew.			Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1870.	None.
Vermont	George F. Edmunds	Republican	1866 (appointed) 1866 (special)	Incumbent re-elected in 1868.	▌Y George F. Edmunds (Republican) [data missing]
Virginia	Vacant since January 2, 1864, when Joseph Segar (U) was not seated.[5]			Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction. Seat remained vacant until 1870.	None.
West Virginia	Peter G. Van Winkle	Republican	1863	Incumbent lost re-election or retired. New senator elected in 1869. Republican hold.	▌Y Arthur I. Boreman (Republican) 43(H), 19(S) ▌Daniel Lamb (Republican) 10(H), 3(S)
Wisconsin	James R. Doolittle	Republican	1857 1863	Incumbent lost re-election or retired. New senator elected in 1868 or 1869. Republican hold.	▌Y Matthew H. Carpenter (Republican) [data missing]

Elections during the 41st Congress

There were no elections in 1869 during this Congress after March 4.

Delaware

Interim appointed Senator James A. Bayard Jr. was elected January 19, 1869 to finish his term.^[2]

Maryland

Maryland (special)

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland

1868 United States Senate special election in Maryland

← 1863 1868 1868 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate William Pinkney Whyte Party Democratic Legislative vote - Percentage -%

William Pinkney Whyte won election by an unknown margin of votes, for the Class 1 seat to fill the vacancy created by Reverdy Johnson.^[6]

Maryland (regular)

See also: List of United States senators from Maryland

1868 United States Senate election in Maryland

← 1868 1868 1874 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate William Thomas Hamilton Thomas Swann Party Democratic Democratic Legislative vote 56 46 Percentage 50.91% 41.82

William Thomas Hamilton won election against Thomas Swann by a margin of 9.09%, or 10 votes for the Class 1 seat.^[7]

Maryland (March special)

1868 United States Senate special election in Maryland

← 1864 March 6, 1868 1872 →
80 members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidate John Creswell Philip Francis Thomas Party Democratic Democratic Legislative vote 59 41 Percentage 57.84% 40.20%

Philip Francis Thomas, a Democrat, was elected in 1867, however, failed to qualify for the seat due to his support for the Confederacy. George Vickers was elected to finish the rest of the term by a margin of 17.65%, or 18 votes, for the Class 3 seat.^[8]

Minnesota

The Minnesota U.S. Senate election was held by the state legislature on January 19, 1869, with each chamber voting separately. Republican Senator Alexander Ramsey received 16 of 21 votes in the state Senate and 36 of 44 in the state House. The legislature declared Ramsey the duly elected U.S. Senator in a joint convention on January 20, 1869. Democratic nominee Charles W. Nash was an attorney from Hastings, former state Senator for the 7th Senate District (1862–1864), and the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 1865.^[3]

1869 Minnesota U.S. Senate election[3]
Republican	Alexander Ramsey (inc.)	52	80.00
Democrat	Charles W. Nash	13	20.00

New York

Main article: 1869 United States Senate election in New York

See also: List of United States senators from New York

The election in New York was held on January 19, 1869, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Edwin D. Morgan had been elected in February 1863 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1869. At the State election in November 1867, 17 Republicans and 15 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1868–1869) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1868, Democrat John T. Hoffman was elected Governor, and 75 Republicans and 53 Democrats were elected for the session of 1869 to the Assembly. The 92nd New York State Legislature met from January 5 to May 11, 1869, at Albany, New York.

The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 16, Assemblyman John H. Selkreg presided. All 92 legislators were present. They nominated Ex-Governor Reuben E. Fenton for the U.S. Senate. The incumbent U.S. Senator Edwin D. Morgan was very keen on his re-election, but was voted down. Speaker Truman G. Younglove had held back the appointments to the standing Assembly committees until after the caucus, and subsequent election, of a U.S. Senator, and was accused by the Morgan men to have made a bargain to favor the Fenton men with appointments after the election was accomplished. After the caucus, comparing notes, the assemblymen discovered that some of the most important committee chairmanships had been promised to a dozen different members by Speaker Younglove.

1869 Republican caucus for United States Senator result

Candidate	First ballot	Second ballot
Reuben E. Fenton	(50)	52
Edwin D. Morgan	(42)	40
blank	(1)

Note: On the first ballot, 93 votes were cast, one too many, and it was annulled without announcing the result. The above stated result transpired unofficially. The blank vote caused some debate if the result was really invalidated by it, but it was finally agreed to take a second ballot.

The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met on January 18. State Senator Henry C. Murphy was again nominated, like in 1867.

In the Assembly, Republicans DeWitt C. Hoyt (Saratoga Co.) and James O. Schoonmaker (Ulster Co.); and Democrats James Irving (NYC), Lawrence D. Kiernan (NYC), Harris B. Howard (Rensselaer Co.), James B. Pearsall (Queens), John Tighe (Albany Co.) and Moses Y. Tilden (Columbia Co.); did not vote.

In the State Senate, Republicans Matthew Hale (16th D.) and Charles Stanford (15th D.); and Democrats Cauldwell, Thomas J. Creamer, Michael Norton (5th D.) and John J. Bradley (7th D.); did not vote.

Reuben E. Fenton was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1869 United States Senator election result

House	Republican		Democratic		Democratic
State Senate (32 members)	Reuben E. Fenton	15	Henry C. Murphy	10	Henry S. Randall	1
State Assembly (128 members)	Reuben E. Fenton	73	Henry C. Murphy	46

Notes:

• The vote for Ex-Secretary of State Randall was cast by Henry C. Murphy.
• The votes were cast on January 19, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 20 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

Pennsylvania

Main article: 1869 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania election was held January 19, 1869. John Scott was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.^[9] The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 19, 1869, to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1869. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results^[9][10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Scott	78	58.65
	Democratic	William A. Wallace	51	38.35
	Democratic	Hiester Clymer	1	0.75
	N/A	Not voting	3	2.26
Totals			133	100.00%

West Virginia

1869 United States Senate election in West Virginia

← 1863 February 2, 1869 1875 →
Needed to win: Majority of votes cast in each House of the Legislature 53 votes cast in the House; 27 votes needed 22 votes cast in the Senate; 12 votes needed
Candidate Arthur Boreman Daniel Lamb Party Republican Democratic House vote 43 votes 81.1% 10 votes 18.9% Senate vote 19 votes 86.4% 3 votes 13.6%
U.S. senator before election Peter Van Winkle Republican Elected U.S. Senator Arthur Boreman Republican

On February 2, 1869, the West Virginia Legislature held an election for senator to replace Peter Van Winkle. Nominated were Arthur Boreman, the first governor of West Virginia, and Daniel Lamb, a member of West Virginia's constitutional convention and former delegate.^[11] Boreman, having received majorities of the vote in both the House and Senate, was declared duly as elected senator on February 3, 1869.^[12]

Party		Candidate	House		Senate
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Republican	Arthur Boreman	43	81.1	19	86.4
	Democratic	Daniel Lamb	10	18.9	3	13.6
Total			53	100	22	100
Needed to win			27	>50	12	>50

See also

• 1868 United States elections
  • 1868 United States presidential election
  • 1868–69 United States House of Representatives elections
• 40th United States Congress
• 41st United States Congress

Notes

1. as Republican Conference Chair

References

1. "17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Direct Election of U.S. Senators (1913)". National Archives and Records Administration. February 8, 2022.
2. Byrd and Wolff, page 90
3. University of Minnesota Libraries, University of Minnesota. "1869 Minnesota U.S. Senate Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
4. Coulter, E. Merton (1999). William G. Brownlow: Fighting Parson of the Southern Highlands. Univ. of Tennessee Press. p. 347. ISBN 9781572330504.
5. Segar was not seated on the premise that the Union-friendly legislature was illegitimate despite having seated his predecessor based credentials from the same legislature. In reality, the Senate refused because it did not want to set a precedent for easing reentry of Confederate states. See "Musical Chairs (1861–1869)". United States Senate. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
6. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 00, 1863". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
7. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Jan 17, 1868". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
8. "Our Campaigns - MD US Senate Race - Feb 00, 1865". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
9. "U.S. Senate Election - 19 January 1869" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
10. "PA US Senate - 1869". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
11. Atkinson, George Wesley (1890). Prominent Men of West Virginia. W.L. Callin. p. 257.
12. Journal of the West Virginia House of Delegates, Volume 7. West Virginia Legislature. 1869. p. 57.

Further reading

• "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". United States Senate.
• Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160632563.
• Taft, George S. (1885). Compilation of Senate Election Cases from 1789 to 1885. United States Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Members of the 41st United States Congress
• Result state election 1867 in The Tribune Almanac for 1868 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
• Result state election 1868 in The Tribune Almanac for 1869 compiled by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune
• ALBANY.; Caucus of the Republican Members of the Legislature; Reuben E. Fenton Nominated United States Senator in NYT on January 17, 1869
• ALBANY.; Election of United States Senator in NYT on January 20, 1869
• Result New York State Senate in Journal of the Senate (92nd Session) (1869; pg. 58f)
• Result New York Assembly in Journal of the Assembly (92nd Session) (1869; Vol. I, pg. 75f)
• Pennsylvania Election Statistics: 1682-2006 from the Wilkes University Election Statistics Project