House elections for the 34th U.S. Congress
1854?55 United States House of Representatives elections
|
|
|
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/1854_House_of_Representatives.svg/350px-1854_House_of_Representatives.svg.png) Results:
Democratic gain
Whig gain
Democratic hold
Whig hold
American gain
Anti-Nebraska gain
Republican gain
People's gain
Independent gain
|
|
The
1854?55 United States House of Representatives elections
were held in 31 states for all 234 seats between August 4, 1854, and November 6, 1855, during President
Franklin Pierce
's term. Each state legislature separately set a date to elect representatives to the
House of Representatives
before the
34th Congress
convened its first session on December 3, 1855.
This midterm election was among the most disruptive in American history, auguring the collapse of the
Second Party System
. Both major parties, the
Democratic Party
and the
Whig Party
, organized as rivals for roughly 20 years, lost critical voter support. Northern voters strongly opposed to the
Kansas?Nebraska Act
shifted sharply against Democrats. Whigs also lost seats as the party disintegrated over slavery.
The elected majority temporarily coalesced as the
Opposition Party
. This transitional party included Whigs,
Free Soil
members,
American Party
members or Know Nothings, the
People's Party
of Indiana,
Anti-Nebraska
candidates, disaffected Northern Democrats, and members of the nascent
Republican Party
, which soon would absorb most of these factions and replace the Whigs to rival the Democrats.
Candidates opposed to the Democratic Party won widely in the North through November 1854. The American Party, ignoring slavery and opposing immigration (particularly by Catholics from
Ireland
and
Germany
) won seats from both major parties, but to the net loss of Democrats, in New England and the South from November 1854 into 1855.
Congress had passed the Kansas?Nebraska Act in May 1854 after aggressive sponsorship by the
Pierce Administration
and Democrats led by Senator
Stephen Douglas
, including radical pro-slavery legislators. The Act repealed the 1820
Missouri Compromise
and triggered the
Bleeding Kansas
conflict. With widely foreseen risks and immediately negative results, the act publicly discredited the Democratic Party, fueling new partisan and sectional rancor. It created violent uncertainty on the frontier by abruptly making slavery potentially legal in territories originally comprising the northern portion of the
Louisiana Purchase
and attractive to contemporary settlers. Settlers were expected to determine the status of slavery locally. This idea appealed to Democratic politicians and to some voters, but proved unworkable in Kansas where the status of slavery would be violently disputed between more numerous Northern settlers and geographically closer Southern settlers. Even some pro-slavery legislators and voters, particularly Southern Whigs, felt repealing the Missouri Compromise was politically reckless and attempting to push slavery by law and force into territories where most settlers predictably were unlikely to want it endangered slavery everywhere, even in the South. These fears proved prescient.
More than 21 representatives vied for the post of
speaker of the House
. After two months and 133 ballots, American Party representative Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts, also a Free Soiler, defeated Democrat
William Aiken
of South Carolina by plurality, 103?100.
[5]
To date, Banks is the only speaker to come from a third party.
Election summaries
[
edit
]
State
|
Type
|
Date
|
Total
seats
|
Opposition
|
Democratic
|
Know Nothing
|
Seats
|
Change
[g]
|
Seats
|
Change
|
Seats
|
Change
|
Arkansas
|
Districts
|
August 4, 1854
|
2
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
|
Iowa
|
Districts
|
August 7, 1854
|
2
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
0
|
|
Missouri
|
Districts
|
7
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
|
Vermont
|
Districts
|
September 5, 1854
|
3
|
3
|
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
California
|
At-large
|
September 6, 1854
|
2
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
0
|
|
Maine
|
Districts
|
September 11, 1854
|
6
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
|
Florida
|
At-large
|
October 2, 1854
|
1
|
0
|
|
1
|
|
0
|
|
South Carolina
|
Districts
|
October 9?10, 1854
|
6
|
0
|
|
6
|
|
0
|
|
Indiana
|
Districts
|
October 10, 1854
|
11
|
9
|
8
|
2
|
8
|
0
|
|
Ohio
|
Districts
|
21
|
21
|
12
|
0
|
12
|
0
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
Districts
|
25
|
17
|
8
|
7
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
Illinois
|
Districts
|
November 7, 1854
(
Election Day
)
[h]
|
9
|
4
|
|
5
|
|
0
|
|
Michigan
|
Districts
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
|
New Jersey
|
Districts
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
|
New York
|
Districts
|
33
|
25
|
13
|
5
|
16
|
3
|
3
|
Wisconsin
|
Districts
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
|
Massachusetts
|
Districts
|
November 12, 1854
|
11
|
0
|
10
|
0
|
1
|
11
|
11
|
Delaware
|
At-large
|
November 14, 1854
|
1
|
0
|
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Late elections (after the March 4, 1855 beginning of the term)
|
New Hampshire
|
Districts
|
March 13, 1855
|
3
|
0
|
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
Connecticut
|
Districts
|
April 2, 1855
|
4
|
0
|
|
0
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
Rhode Island
|
Districts
|
April 4, 1855
|
2
|
0
|
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
Virginia
|
Districts
|
May 24, 1855
|
13
|
0
|
|
12
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
North Carolina
|
Districts
|
August 2, 1855
|
8
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
|
3
|
3
|
Tennessee
|
Districts
|
10
|
0
|
5
|
5
|
|
5
|
5
|
Alabama
|
Districts
|
August 6, 1855
|
7
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
Kentucky
|
Districts
|
10
|
0
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
6
|
6
|
Texas
|
Districts
|
2
|
0
|
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Georgia
|
Districts
|
October 1, 1855
|
8
|
0
|
2
|
6
|
|
2
|
2
|
Louisiana
|
Districts
|
November 5, 1855
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
|
1
|
1
|
Mississippi
|
Districts
[i]
|
November 5?6, 1855
|
5
|
0
|
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Maryland
|
Districts
|
November 6, 1855
|
6
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
Total
|
234
|
100
[3]
42.7%
|
29
[j]
|
83
[3]
35.0%
|
75
|
51
[3]
21.8%
|
51
|
↓
83
|
51
|
100
|
Democratic
|
Know Nothing
|
Opposition
|
Popular vote
|
|
|
|
Democratic
|
|
43.95%
|
Know Nothing
|
|
19.56%
|
Whig
|
|
18.00%
|
Anti-Nebraska
|
|
6.09%
|
Republican
|
|
5.65%
|
People's
|
|
3.17%
|
Independent
|
|
2.61%
|
Free Soil
|
|
0.71%
|
Others
|
|
0.26%
|
|
House seats
|
|
|
|
Democratic
|
|
34.62%
|
Whig
|
|
23.08%
|
Know Nothing
|
|
21.79%
|
Anti-Nebraska
|
|
9.40%
|
Republican
|
|
5.56%
|
People's
|
|
3.85%
|
Independent
|
|
0.43%
|
Free Soil
|
|
0.43%
|
|
Special elections
[
edit
]
There were four special elections to the
33rd United States Congress
, listed here by date and district.
Alabama
[
edit
]
Arkansas
[
edit
]
California
[
edit
]
Note: From statehood to 1864, California's representatives were elected at-large, with the top two vote-getters winning election from 1849 to 1858.
Connecticut
[
edit
]
Delaware
[
edit
]
Delaware's result by county,
Cullen?50-60%
District
|
Incumbent
|
This race
|
Member
|
Party
|
First elected
|
Results
|
Candidates
|
Delaware at-large
|
George R. Riddle
|
Democratic
|
1850
|
Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain
.
|
|
Florida
[
edit
]
Georgia
[
edit
]
Illinois
[
edit
]
Indiana
[
edit
]
Iowa
[
edit
]
District
|
Incumbent
|
This race
|
Member
|
Party
|
First elected
|
Results
|
Candidates
|
Iowa 1
|
Bernhart Henn
|
Democratic
|
1850
|
Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
|
- ?
Y
Augustus Hall
(Democratic) 50.27%
- ?
R. L. Clark (Whig) 49.50%
- ?
J. L. Ashbaugh (Independent) 0.23%
|
Iowa 2
|
William Vandever
|
Whig
|
1852
|
Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.
|
|
Kentucky
[
edit
]
Source: Tribune Almanac
[8]
Louisiana
[
edit
]
Maine
[
edit
]
Maryland
[
edit
]
Massachusetts
[
edit
]
Michigan
[
edit
]
Mississippi
[
edit
]
Missouri
[
edit
]
New Hampshire
[
edit
]
New Jersey
[
edit
]
New York
[
edit
]
North Carolina
[
edit
]
Ohio
[
edit
]
Pennsylvania
[
edit
]
Rhode Island
[
edit
]
South Carolina
[
edit
]
Tennessee
[
edit
]
Elections held late, on August 2, 1855.
Texas
[
edit
]
Vermont
[
edit
]
Virginia
[
edit
]
Wisconsin
[
edit
]
Election results in Wisconsin for 1854:
[24]
Non-voting delegates
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Includes two Anti-Broderick Democrats (California), one Anti-Benton Democrat (Missouri), one Hard-Shell Democrat (New York), and four Soft-Shell Democrats (New York)
- ^
Includes votes for those who ran labeled as an Anti-Broderick Democrat, Anti-Benton Democrat, Hard Shell Democrat or Soft-Shell Democrat.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Counted as part of the
plurality
-winning "
Opposition Party
."
- ^
While Martis, et al. count 51
Know Nothings
, Dubin (p. 174) counts 52.
- ^
Included one Independent Whig:
Anthony Ellmaker Roberts
of
Pennsylvania
.
- ^
Includes votes for those who ran labeled as an Independent, Benton Democrat, Independent Democrat, or Independent American.
- ^
Compared to Whigs, Free Soilers, and Independents elected in the previous election of 1852.
- ^
In 1845, Congress passed a law providing for a uniform date for choosing presidential electors (see: Statutes at Large, 28th Congress, 2nd Session, p. 721). Congressional elections were unaffected by this law, but the date was gradually adopted by the states for congressional elections as well.
- ^
At-large district abolished in redistricting.
- ^
Compared to just
Whig Party
members elected in the previous election of 1852. If Whig Party and
Free Soil Party
members are counted together, the increase was only
25.
- ^
Listed as unsuccessful for re-election in Congressional bio, but no votes listed in source.
- ^
Bennett led 578?560 in returns that included the results of Ottoe (175?95 Bennett), Richardson (76?36 Bennett), Dacotah (25?0 Chapman), and Burt (14?10 Chapman) counties. Gov. Izard excluded those results due to irregularities.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Party Breakdown of the 34th House
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789?Present"
. Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives
. Retrieved
January 21,
2015
.
- ^
Dubin, p. 174.
- ^
Nevins, Allan (1947).
Ordeal of the Union, Volume II: A House Dividing 1852-1857
. New York. pp. 413?415.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
- ^
Guide to U.S. Elections
. Vol. II (6th ed.).
Washington, D.C.
:
CQ Press
. 2010. p. 1021.
ISBN
9781604265361
.
LCCN
2009033938
.
OCLC
430736650
.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - CA - at Large Race - Sep 06, 1854"
.
- ^
The Tribune Almanac and Political Register For 1856
. New York: Greeley & McElrath. 1856.
- ^
"MS - District 01 Race - Nov 05, 1855"
.
Our Campaigns
. October 27, 2008
. Retrieved
February 27,
2022
.
- ^
"MS - District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1855"
.
Our Campaigns
. October 28, 2008
. Retrieved
February 27,
2022
.
- ^
"MS - District 03 Race - Nov 05, 1855"
.
Our Campaigns
. October 29, 2008
. Retrieved
February 27,
2022
.
- ^
"MS - District 04 Race - Nov 05, 1855"
.
Our Campaigns
. October 29, 2008
. Retrieved
February 27,
2022
.
- ^
"MS - District 05 Race - Nov 05, 1855"
.
Our Campaigns
. October 29, 2008
. Retrieved
February 27,
2022
.
- ^
"TN - District 01"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 02"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 03"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 04"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 05"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 06"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 07"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 08"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 09"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"TN - District 10"
.
Our Campaigns
. Retrieved
February 17,
2021
.
- ^
"Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results"
(PDF)
. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on April 5, 2012
. Retrieved
August 27,
2014
.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - MN Territorial Delegate Race - Aug 05, 1855"
.
www.ourcampaigns.com
.
- ^
a
b
"Collections of the NSHS - Volume 18"
.
www.usgennet.org
.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - NE Territorial Delegate - Initial Election Race - Nov 07, 1854"
.
www.ourcampaigns.com
. Retrieved
September 16,
2020
.
- ^
"Our Campaigns - NE Territorial Delegate Race - Nov 07, 1854"
.
www.ourcampaigns.com
. Retrieved
September 16,
2020
.
- ^
Greeley, Horace (1868).
"The Tribune Almanac for the Years L838 to L868, Inclusive: Comprehending the Politician's Register and the Whig Almanac, Containing Annual Election Returns by States and Counties ... Political Essays ... &c., Making a Connected Political History for Thirty Years"
. New York tribune
. Retrieved
September 16,
2020
.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Dubin, Michael J. (March 1, 1998).
United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through 105th Congresses
. McFarland and Company.
ISBN
978-0786402830
.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (January 1, 1989).
The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989
. Macmillan Publishing Company.
ISBN
978-0029201701
.
- Moore, John L., ed. (1994).
Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections
(Third ed.). Congressional Quarterly Inc.
ISBN
978-0871879967
.
- "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789?Present"
. Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives
. Retrieved
January 21,
2015
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Elections spanning
two years
(through 1879)
| |
---|
Elections held
in a single year
(starting 1880)
| Regulars
and
even-year
specials
| |
---|
Odd-year
specials
| |
---|
|
---|
Elections by state
| |
---|
Seat ratings
| |
---|
Speaker elections
| |
---|
Summaries
| |
---|
|