1838 and 1839 United States House of Representatives elections

Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 26th Congress were held during President Martin Van Buren's term at various dates in different states from July 1838 to November 1839.

1838 and 1839 United States House of Representatives elections

July 2, 1838 – November 5, 1839

All 242 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
122 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader John Jones Robert M. T. Hunter
Party Democratic Whig
Leader's seat Virginia 3rd Virginia 9th
Last election 128 seats 100 seats
Seats won 126 116
Seat change 2 16
Popular vote 995,133 989,712
Percentage 50.01% 49.73%
Swing 0.94% 3.23%

  Third party
 
Party Independent
Last election 1 seat
Seats won 0
Seat change 1
Popular vote 8,205
Percentage 0.41%
Swing 0.58%

Speaker before election

James K. Polk
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Robert M. T. Hunter
Whig

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 [lower-alpha 1] 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[lower-alpha 2]
Ohio Districts October 9, 1838 19 11 3 8 3 0
Pennsylvania Districts[lower-alpha 3] October 9, 1838 28 17 5 1 6[lower-alpha 4] 1
Michigan At-large November 6, 1838 1 1 0 0
New York Districts[lower-alpha 5] 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[lower-alpha 6] 2
Kentucky Districts August 1, 1839 13 2 1 11 0 1[lower-alpha 7]
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[lower-alpha 8] 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
Popular vote
Democratic
50.01%
Whig
49.73%
Others
0.26%
House seats
Democratic
52.07%
Whig
47.93%

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]
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.
Successor also elected the same day to the next term, see below.

26th Congress

District Incumbent This race
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.
Massachusetts 1 Richard Fletcher Whig 1836 Incumbent member-elect declined to serve.
New member elected November 11, 1839.
Whig hold.
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 on the second ballot.
Whig hold.
First ballot (November 11, 1839):
  • Rodolphus Dickensen (Democratic) 48.99%
  • Osmyn Baker (Whig) 44.48%
  • Henry Chapman (Unknown) 4.58%
  • Israel Billings (Anti-Slavery) 1.95%[8]

Second ballot (December 23, 1839):
  • Y Osmyn Baker (Whig) 51.09%
  • Rodolphus Dickensen (Democratic) 39.98%
  • Israel Billings (Anti-Slavery) 8.93%[9]

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
Connecticut 1 Isaac Toucey Democratic 1835 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 2 Samuel Ingham Democratic 1835 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 3 Elisha Haley Democratic 1835 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 4 Thomas T. Whittlesey Democratic 1836 (Special) Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 5 Lancelot Phelps Democratic 1835 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Connecticut 6 Orrin Holt Democratic 1836 (Special) Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.

Florida Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Iowa Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

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.

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
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Massachusetts 1 Richard Fletcher Whig 1836 Incumbent re-elected, but declined to serve, leading to a special election.
Massachusetts 2 Stephen C. Phillips Whig 1834 (Special) Incumbent resigned September 28, 1838 to become Mayor of Salem.
New member elected.
Whig hold.
Successor also elected the same day to finish the current term.
Massachusetts 3 Caleb Cushing Whig 1834 Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 4 William Parmenter Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected late on the fourth ballot. First ballot (November 12, 1838):

Second ballot (December 17, 1838):
  • William Parmenter (Democratic) 47.23%
  • Nathan Brooks (Whig) 45.59%
  • Levi Farwell (Unknown) 3.18%
  • James T. Woodbury (Democratic) 2.22%
  • Amos Farnsworth (Anti-Slavery) 1.79%[20]

Third ballot (February 4, 1839):

Fourth ballot (April 1, 1839):
Massachusetts 5 Levi Lincoln Jr. Whig 1834 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 6 George Grennell Jr. Whig 1834 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.
Massachusetts 7 George N. Briggs Whig 1830 Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 8 William Calhoun Whig 1834 Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 9 William S. Hastings Whig 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 10 Nathaniel B. Borden Democratic 1835 Incumbent lost re-election from a different party.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Massachusetts 11 John Reed Jr. Whig 1812
1816 (Lost)
1820
Incumbent re-elected.
Massachusetts 12 John Quincy Adams Whig 1830 Incumbent re-elected.

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.

Pennsylvania

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[lower-alpha 9][26]
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.
Pennsylvania 4
Plural district with 3 seats
Edward Davies Anti-Masonic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Edward Darlington Anti-Masonic 1832 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Masonic hold.
David Potts Jr. Anti-Masonic 1830 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Masonic hold.
Pennsylvania 5 Jacob Fry Jr. Democratic 1834 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 6 Mathias Morris Whig 1834 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Pennsylvania 7 David D. Wagener Democratic 1832 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 8 Edward B. Hubley Democratic 1834 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Y Peter Newhard (Democratic) 54.5%
  • Walter C. Livingston (Whig) 45.5%
Pennsylvania 9 George Keim Democratic 1838 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y George Keim (Democratic) 69.3%
  • Daniel M. Bieber (Whig) 30.7%
Pennsylvania 10 Luther Reily Democratic 1836 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Pennsylvania 11 Henry Logan Democratic 1834 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 12 Daniel Sheffer Democratic 1836 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.
Pennsylvania 13 Charles McClure Democratic 1836 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 14 William W. Potter Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 15 David Petrikin Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 16 Robert H. Hammond Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 17 Samuel W. Morris Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 18 Charles Ogle Anti-Masonic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 19 John Klingensmith Jr. Democratic 1832 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 20 Andrew Buchanan Democratic 1832 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Y Enos Hook (Democratic) 62.4%
  • Fideleo Hughes (Whig) 37.6%
Pennsylvania 21 Thomas M. T. McKennan Anti-Masonic 1830 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Pennsylvania 22 Richard Biddle Anti-Masonic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 23 William Beatty Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 24 Thomas Henry Anti-Masonic 1836 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Thomas Henry (Anti-Masonic) 54.7%
  • James D. White (Democratic) 45.3%
Pennsylvania 25 Arnold Plumer Democratic 1836 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.

In the 3rd district, Charles Naylor's election was unsuccessfully contested by Charles J. Ingersoll.[27]

There were three special elections in Pennsylvania during the 26th Congress.[28] 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.

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 New district New seat.
New delegate elected September 10, 1848.
Democratic gain.

26th Congress

District Incumbent This race
Delegate Party First elected Results Candidates
Florida Territory at-large Charles Downing Democratic 1836 Incumbent re-elected on an unknown date.
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.[30]
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.

See also

Notes

  1. Anti-Masons won 6 elections and Conservatives won 2.
  2. Nullifiers
  3. Includes two plural districts, one with three members
  4. Anti-Masons
  5. Includes five plural districts, one with four members
  6. Conservatives
  7. Independent joined Whigs
  8. Includes 1 plural district
  9. For plural districts, percent is based on assumption that each voter cast as many votes as there are seats

References

  1. Lalor, John Joseph (1899). Lalor, John J. (ed.). "Cyclopædia of political science, political economy, and of the political history of the United States, by the best American and European writers". New York, New York: New York: 309. hdl:2027/umn.319510014074381. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "26th Congress (1839–1841)". Congress Profiles. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  3. "Twenty-fifth Congress March 4, 1837, to March 3, 1839". Historian of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  4. "Our Campaigns - MS - At Large Special Election Race - Apr 24, 1838". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  5. "MA District 2 - Special Election". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  6. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=393489
  7. "Our Campaigns - MA District 1 - Special Election Race - Nov 11, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  8. "Our Campaigns - MA District 6 - Special Election - 1st Trial Race - Nov 11, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  9. "MA District 6 - Special Election - 2nd Trial". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  10. "Our Campaigns - CT District 1 Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  11. "Our Campaigns - CT District 2 Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  12. "Our Campaigns - CT District 3 Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  13. "Our Campaigns - CT District 4 Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  14. "Our Campaigns - CT District 5 Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  15. "Our Campaigns - CT District 6 Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  16. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=722909
  17. CQGuide, p. 570.
  18. "MA District 2". OurCampaigns.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  19. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 1st Trial Race - Nov 12, 1838". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  20. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 2nd Trial Race - Dec 17, 1838". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  21. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 3rd Trial Race - Feb 04, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  22. "Our Campaigns - MA District 4 - 4th Trial Race - Apr 01, 1839". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  23. "Our Campaigns - MA District 7 Race - Nov 12, 1838". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  24. "Our Campaigns - MA District 10 Race - Nov 12, 1838". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  25. "Our Campaigns - MA District 12 Race - Nov 09, 1840". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  26. "Wilkes University Elections Statistics Project" (PDF).
  27. "Twenty-Sixth Congress (membership roster) – see footnote 42" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  28. "Twenty-Sixth Congress (membership roster) – see footnotes 43-48" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  29. Pelzer, Louis (1908). Shambaugh, Benjamin F. (ed.). "The History and Principles of the Democratic Party of the Territory of Iowa". Iowa Journal of History and Politics. Vol. 6 no. 1. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa. p. 12. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  30. Pelzer, Louis (1907). Shambaugh, Benjamin F. (ed.). "The Election of Francis Gehon in 1839". Iowa Journal of History and Politics. Vol. 4 no. 4. Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa. p. 539. Retrieved December 18, 2020.

Bibliography

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