1851 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

none March 2026 September 2023 balloting December 2019 1851 United States Senate election in Massachusetts presidential no 1845 United States Senate election in Massachusetts 1845 1857 United States Senate election in Massachusetts 1857 January 14–April 24, 1851 x160px 40 members of the Massachusetts Senate396 members of the Massachusetts HouseMajority vote of each house needed to win Senate Percentage House Percentage Charles Sumner by Southworth & Hawes c1850.jpg Charles Sumner Free Soil Party 23 60.53% 193 50.26% File:Robert Charles Winthrop (cropped).jpg Robert C. Winthrop Whig Party (United States) 14 36.84% 166 43.23% Senator Robert C. Winthrop Whig Party (United States) Charles Sumner Free Soil Party The 1851 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held during January 1851. Free Soil Party candidate Charles Sumner was elected by a coalition of Free-Soil and Democratic legislators over Whig incumbent Robert C. Winthrop, who had been appointed to finish the term of retiring Senator Daniel Webster. At the time, Massachusetts elected United States senators by a majority vote of each separate house of the Massachusetts General Court, the House and the Senate. Background Democratic-Free Soil coalition 1850 Massachusetts gubernatorial election At the time, Massachusetts elected governors by a majority of the popular vote. If no candidate received a majority, the election was decided by a vote of the General Court. In 1850, the Massachusetts electorate split between three major parties: the Whigs, the Democrats, and the anti-slavery Free Soil Party. To overcome the much larger Whig Party, the Democrats and Free-Soilers entered a coalition. Under their power-sharing agreement, the state Democratic Party adopted an anti-slavery platform. Democrats George S. Boutwell and Nathaniel Prentiss Banks would be elected Governor and Speaker of the House, respectively. Free Soil leader Henry Wilson was elected Senate President. Finally, abolitionist activist Charles Sumner would be elected to the United States Senate in the January election. Legislative composition 1851 Massachusetts legislature In the Senate, 14 Whigs, 14 Democrats, and 12 Free-Soilers were elected. In the House, 175 Whigs, 108 Democrats, and 113 Free-Soilers were elected.Our Boston Correspondence. Detroit Free Press 5 May 1851 2 Although the Democratic-Free Soil coalition held a clear majority in each house, some Democratic legislators voiced their opposition to the election of the radical abolitionist Sumner. Conservative representatives who sought reconciliation with the South feared that Sumner's election would be a step toward civil war and sought to deny him the majority in the House. Election January The election for Senator began in the House on January 14, but the House adjourned after no candidate received a majority on the first two ballots.Massachusetts U.S. Senator The Baltimore Sun 16 Jan 1851 2 Following the first ballot, a motion was made to postpone the election until February 15. Pending that motion, another motion was made to adjourn. The motion to adjourn failed 180-190, and the motion to postpone failed 159-193. The House proceeded to a second ballot. Following the failure of the second ballot, the House adjourned for the day. They also adjourned on January 15 without electing a Senator. Following this second adjournment, the House Free Soilers threatened that if Sumner was not elected on the next ballot, then they would request the resignation of Democratic Governor George S. Boutwell, who owed his seat to the coalition's support. On January 20, between the fifth and sixth House ballots, Sumner was victorious over Winthrop in the Senate, receiving three votes more than the necessary 20.The Legislature--Election of Charles Sumner U. S. Senator on the part of the Senate The Boston Herald 22 Jan 1851 4U. S. SENATOR. The Liberator 24 Jan 1851 21 4 15 + Results of the January 20 Senate ballot For Sumner For Winthrop Bishop George AustinFree Soil PartyJoseph T. BuckinghamEdward CazneauLyman W. DeanAlexander DeWittJohn W. GravesFree Soil PartyDemocratic Party (US)Whiting GriswoldFrancis HoweEdmund KimballEdw. L. KeyesAlvah MorrisonDavid MoseleyFrederic RobinsonDaniel Saunders Jr.TaborJ. M. UsherAsa G. WelchGiles H. WhitneySamuel Warner Jr.Luke WellingtonMoses WoodWilliam H. WoodFree Soil PartyHenry Wilson Whig Party (US)William BarneyWhig Party (US)Z. D. BassettWhig Party (US)John BoyntonWhig Party (US)Robert S. DanielsWhig Party (US)William HydeWhig Party (US)Charles HubbardWhig Party (US)William A. HawleyWhig Party (US)Stephen HilliardWhig Party (US)George H. KuhnWhig Party (US)Moses NewellWhig Party (US)Charles T. RussellWhig Party (US)David SearsWhig Party (US)Benjamin SeaverWhig Party (US)John H. WilkinsDemocratic Party (US)Erasmus D. Beach April On the twentieth ballot, April 23, Sumner was found to be one vote shy of a majority. However, a single vote had Sumner's name written but crossed out in pencil. After debate, this vote was counted and it was reported that Sumner had a one-vote majority,Ocean and Empire State. The Detroit Free Press 25 April 1851 3 but a Whig member of the House moved to count a previously-discarded vote as "scattering." After another half hour of debate, the motion carried without opposition and Sumner's majority was erased. It was reported that there were two more votes than members voting.The Senatorial Election in Massachusetts The New York Daily Tribune 24 April 1851 4 After it was erroneously reported that Sumner had won by one vote, abolitionists throughout the Commonwealth began celebrating. On the twenty-third ballot, Sumner fell two votes short of a majority. It was reported that two votes for Sumner found "doubled together" were thrown out. On the twenty-sixth ballot, it was moved that votes be cast by envelope. Two Whigs were reported to have supported Sumner, one being Nathaniel B. Borden after instructions to do so from his constituents. Sumner was declared the victor with a majority of one. Two blank ballots were not counted.CHARLES SUMNER ELECTED UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS. National Era V 18 70 1 May 1851 Results balloting December 2019 + Balloting by Round Ballots 1POLITICAL TREACHERY The Liberator 21 3 11 17 Jan 1851 2 3 4 5THE ELECTION FOR SENATOR IN MASSACHUSETTS--MR. SUMNER. National Era 30 Jan 1851 V 5 18 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Free Soil Party Sumner18618618523187188194193191193 Whig Party (US) Winthrop16716816916169168167166166166 Democratic Party (US) Childs61 Democratic Party (US) Merrick50 Democratic Party (US) Davis53 Democratic Party (US) Rantoul480 Democratic Party (US) Boutwell20 Free Soil Party Phillips24 Democratic Party (US) Hallett10 Whig Party (US) Briggs10 Free Soil Party Hoar10 Free Soil Party John Mills10 Democratic Party (US) Henry Bishop0111 Democratic Party (US) Cushing03 Democratic Party (US) Banks01 Scattering0172528262727270 Blank043310 Total 381383382382382384 References 1851 Massachusetts United States Senate