1866–67 United States Senate elections

The 1866–67 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 1866 and 1867, 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 3.

1866–67 United States Senate elections
Dates vary by state
(And other dates for special elections)
25 of the 66 (6 vacant)/72 seats in the United States Senate (with special elections)
34 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Henry B. Anthony[lower-alpha 1]
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since March 4, 1863
Leader's seat Rhode Island
Last election 33 seats 9 seats
Seats before 37 10
Seats won 15 2
Seats after 39 10
Seat change Increase 2 Steady
Seats up 13 2
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Unionist Unconditional Unionist Party (US)
Last election 2 seats 4 seats
Seats before 3 2
Seats won 0 0
Seats after 2 1
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 1
Seats up 1 1
Results of the elections:
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     Legislature failed to elect
     Unreconstructed states
Majority Party before election


Republican

 Elected Majority Party


Republican

The Republican Party gained two seats, as several of the Southern States were readmitted during Reconstruction, enlarging their majority.

Results summary

Senate party division, 40th Congress (1867–1869)

  • Majority party: Republican (57)
  • Minority party: Democratic (9)
  • Other parties: (0)
  • Vacant: (6)
  • Total seats: 72

Change in Senate composition

Before the elections

After August 31, 1866 appointment in New Hampshire.

V6
Seceded		 V5
Seceded		 V4
Seceded		 V3
Seceded		 V2 V1
V7
Seceded		 V8
Seceded		 V9
Seceded		 V10
Seceded		 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6
R37
Retired		 UU1 UU2
Unknown		 U1 U2 U3
Ran		 D10
Retired		 D9
Ran		 D8 D7
R36
Retired		 R35
Retired		 R34
Unknown		 R33
Ran		 R32
Ran		 R31
Ran		 R30
Ran		 R29
Ran		 R28
Ran		 R27
Ran
Majority →
R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25
Ran		 R26
Ran
R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7
V14 V13 V12 V11 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6
V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20

As a result of the elections
V6
Seceded		 V5
Seceded		 V4
Seceded		 V3
Seceded		 V2 V1
V7
Seceded		 V8
Seceded		 V9
Seceded		 V10
Seceded		 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6
R37
Hold		 R38
Gain		 R39
Gain		 UU1 U1 U2 D10
Gain		 D9
Gain		 D8 D7
R36
Hold		 R35
Hold		 R34
Hold		 R33
Hold		 R32
Hold		 R31
Hold		 R30
Hold		 R29
Re-elected		 R28
Re-elected		 R27
Re-elected
Majority →
R17 R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25
Re-elected		 R26
Re-elected
R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8 R7
V14 V13 V12 V11 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6
V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20

Beginning of the next Congress
V7 V6 V5 V4 V3 V2 V1
V8 V9 V10 V11
Not seated		 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6
R38 R39 R40
Changed		 R41
Changed		 R42
New seat		 R43
New seat		 R44
Gain		 R45
Gain		 D8
Changed		 D7
R37 R36 R35 R34 R33 R32 R31 R30 R29 R28
Majority → R27
R18 R19 R20 R21 R22 R23 R24 R25 R26
R17 R16 R15 R14 R13 R12 R11 R10 R9 R8
V14 V13 V12 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7
V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21
Key:
D# Democratic
R# Republican
UU# Unconditional Unionist
U# Unionist
V# Vacant

Race summaries

Special elections during the 39th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated during 1866 or in 1867 before March 4; ordered by election date.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Maine
(Class 2)		 Nathan A. Farwell Republican 1864 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected January 11, 1865 to finish the term.
Winner did not run for re-election to the next term, see below.
Iowa
(Class 3)		 James Harlan Republican 1855
1857 (Election invalidated)
1857 (special)
1860		 Incumbent resigned May 15, 1865 to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
Winner elected January 13, 1866.
Republican Hold.
Winner did not run for re-election to the next term, see below.
Tennessee
(Class 1)		 Vacant since March 4, 1862, when Andrew Johnson (D)
resigned to become Military Governor of Tennessee.		 State re-admitted to the Union.
Winner elected July 24, 1866.
Democratic gain.
Tennessee
(Class 2)		 Vacant since March 3, 1861, when Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D)
withdrew in anticipation of secession.		 State re-admitted to the Union.
Winner elected July 24, 1866.
Unionist gain.
New Jersey
(Class 2)		 John P. Stockton Democratic 1864 Incumbent's election disputed and seat declared vacant.
Winner elected September 19, 1866.
Republican gain.
Vermont
(Class 1)		 George F. Edmunds Republican 1866 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected October 24, 1866 to finish the term.[2]
Vermont
(Class 3)		 Luke P. Poland Republican 1865 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected October 24, 1866 to finish the term.[2]
Winner lost re-election to the next term, see below.
Kansas
(Class 2)		 Edmund G. Ross Republican 1866 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected January 23, 1867 to finish the term.[3]
New Jersey
(Class 1)		 Frederick T. Frelinghuysen Republican 1866 (Appointed) Interim appointee elected January 23, 1867 to finish the term.[4]
Nebraska
(Class 1)		 New state Nebraska admitted to the Union March 1, 1867.
Winner elected March 1, 1867.
Republican gain.
Nebraska
(Class 2)		 Nebraska admitted to the Union March 1, 1867.
Winner elected March 1, 1867.
Republican gain.

Races leading to the 40th Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning March 4, 1867; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral
history
Alabama Vacant since January 21, 1861,
when Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) withdrew.		 Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.		 None.
Arkansas Vacant since July 11, 1861,
when Charles B. Mitchel (D) was expelled.		 Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.		 None.
California James A. McDougall Democratic 1860 Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1866 or 1867.
Republican gain.
Connecticut Lafayette S. Foster Republican 1860 Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1866.
Republican hold.
Florida Vacant since January 21, 1861,
when David Levy Yulee (D) withdrew.		 Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.		 None.
Georgia Vacant since January 28, 1861,
when Alfred Iverson Sr. (D) withdrew.		 Winner elected in 1867.
Senate refused to seat the winner.
Seat remained vacant until 1871 when Georgia was readmitted.
Illinois Lyman Trumbull Republican 1855
1861		 Incumbent re-elected in 1867.
Iowa Samuel J. Kirkwood Republican 1865 (special) Incumbent lost nomination.
Winner elected January 13, 1866.[5]
Republican hold.
  • ▌Green tickY James Harlan (Republican) 118 votes
  • ▌H. H. Trimble (Democratic) 20 votes
Indiana Henry Lane Republican 1860 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1867.
Republican hold.
Kansas Samuel C. Pomeroy Republican 1861 Incumbent re-elected in 1867.
Kentucky Garrett Davis Unionist 1861 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1867 as a Democrat.
Democratic gain.
Louisiana Vacant since February 4, 1861,
when John Slidell (D) resigned.		 Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.		 None.
Maryland John Creswell Unconditional
Unionist		 1865 (special) Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1866 or in 1867.
Senate refused to seat him as a person "who had given aid and comfort" to the Confederate cause.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.
Unconditional Unionist loss.
Missouri B. Gratz Brown Republican 1863 (special) Incumbent retired due to ill health.
Winner elected in 1866 or 1867.
Republican hold.
Nevada James W. Nye Republican 1865 Incumbent re-elected in 1867.
New Hampshire George G. Fogg Republican 1866 (Appointed) Incumbent retired.
Winner elected in 1866 or 1867.
Republican hold.
New York Ira Harris Republican 1861 Incumbent lost renomination.
Winner elected January 15, 1867.
Republican hold.
North Carolina Vacant since March 11, 1861,
when Thomas Clingman (D) resigned.		 Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.		 None.
Ohio John Sherman Republican 1861 (special) Incumbent re-elected in 1866.
Oregon James Nesmith Democratic 1860 or 1861 Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1866 or 1867.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania Edgar Cowan Republican 1861 Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected January 15, 1867.
Republican hold.
South Carolina Vacant since November 11, 1860,
when James Henry Hammond (D) withdrew.		 Legislature failed to elect during Civil War and Reconstruction.
Seat remained vacant until 1868.		 None.
Vermont Luke P. Poland Republican 1865 (Appointed)
1866		 Incumbent lost re-election.
Winner elected in 1866.
Republican hold.
Wisconsin Timothy O. Howe Republican 1861 Incumbent re-elected January 23, 1867.[6]

Elections during the 40th Congress
State Incumbent Results Candidates
Senator Party Electoral history
Tennessee David T. Patterson Democratic 1866 (Readmission) Incumbent retired.
Winner elected early in October 22, 1867 for the term beginning March 4, 1869.
Republican gain.

New York
Main article: 1867 United States Senate election in New York
See also: List of United States senators from New York

The New York election was held on January 15, 1867, by the New York State Legislature. Republican Ira Harris had been elected in February 1861 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1867.

At the State election in November 1865, 27 Republicans and 5 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1866-1867) in the State Senate. At the State election in November 1866, 82 Republicans and 46 Democrats were elected for the session of 1867 to the Assembly. The 90th State Legislature met from January 1 to April 20, 1867, at Albany, New York.

The caucus of Republican State legislators met on January 10, State Senator Charles J. Folger presided. State Senator Thomas Parsons (28th D.) was absent, but had his vote cast by proxy. They nominated Congressman Roscoe Conkling for the U.S. Senate. The incumbent Senator Ira Harris was voted down.

Candidate Informal
ballot		 First
ballot		 Second
ballot		 Third
ballot		 Fourth
ballot		 Fifth
ballot
Roscoe Conkling 33 39 45 53 59
Noah Davis 30 41 44 50 49
Ira Harris 32 24 18 6
Ransom Balcom[8] 7 4 2 wd
Horace Greeley 6 wd
Charles J. Folger 1 1 1

Notes:

  • On the fourth ballot, 110 votes were cast, one too many, and it was annulled.
  • "wd" = name withdrawn

The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met also on January 10. State Senator Henry C. Murphy was nominated on the first ballot with 25 votes against 21 for Ex-D.A. of New York A. Oakey Hall. Roscoe Conkling was the choice of both the Assembly and the State Senate, and was declared elected.

1867 United States Senator election result
House Republican Democratic Democratic
State Senate
(32 members)		 Roscoe Conkling 24 Henry C. Murphy 2 George F. Comstock 1
State Assembly
(128 members)		 Roscoe Conkling 78 Henry C. Murphy 42

Notes:

  • The vote for Ex-Chief Judge Comstock was cast by Henry C. Murphy.
  • The votes were cast on January 15, but both Houses met in a joint session on January 16 to compare nominations, and declare the result.

Conkling was re-elected in 1873 and 1879, and remained in office until May 17, 1881, when he resigned in protest against the distribution of federal patronage in New York by President James A. Garfield without being consulted. The crisis between the Stalwart and the Half-Breed factions of the Republican party arose when the leader of the New Yorker Half-Breeds William H. Robertson was appointed Collector of the Port of New York, a position Conkling wanted to give to one of his Stalwart friends.

Pennsylvania
Main article: 1867 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
See also: List of United States senators from Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania election was held on January 15, 1867. Simon Cameron was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[9]

Incumbent Republican Edgar Cowan, who was elected in 1861, was a candidate for re-election to another term, but was defeated by former Democratic Senator and former United States Secretary of War Simon Cameron, who had previously switched to the Republican Party.[10] The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 15, 1867, to elect a Senator to fill the term beginning on March 4, 1867. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:

State Legislature Results[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Simon Cameron 82 61.65
Republican Edgar Cowan (Inc.) 49 36.84
N/A Not voting 2 1.50
Totals 133 100.00%

See also

References
  1. as Republican Conference Chair
  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, p. 176.
  3. Byrd and Wolff, p. 108.
  4. Byrd and Wolff, p. 142.
  5. Clark, p. 141.
  6. Journal of the Senate of Wisconsin for the year A. D. 1867 (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: Atwood & Burlee, State Printers. 1867. pp. 118–119. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  7. Coulter, E. Merton (1999). William G. Brownlow: Fighting Parson of the Southern Highlands. p. 347. ISBN 9781572330504.
  8. Ransom Balcom (1818-1879), of Binghamton, justice of the New York Supreme Court (6th D.) 1856-77
  9. "U.S. Senate Election - 15 January 1867" (PDF). Wilkes University. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  10. "CAMERON, Simon, (1799 - 1889)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
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