1859 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

1859 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
40 members of the Massachusetts Senate; 396 members of the Massachusetts House; Majority vote of each house needed to win
Senator before election; Henry Wilson; Republican	Elected Senator ; Henry Wilson; Republican

The 1859 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held during January 1859. Incumbent Senator Henry Wilson, who had been elected in 1855 to fill the unexpired term of Edward Everett, was re-elected easily to a full term as a member of the Republican Party.

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

At the time, the Massachusetts legislature was dominated by a coalition of Republican Party and American Party supporters, united in opposition to slavery.

Election in the Senate

On January 11, the State Senate convened and re-elected Wilson overwhelmingly, with 35 votes.

1859 U.S. Senate election in the Senate^[1]^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Wilson (incumbent)	35	87.50%
	Republican	George S. Boutwell	3	7.50%
	Constitutional Union	Edward Everett	1	2.50%
	Democratic	Caleb Cushing	1	2.50%
Total votes			40	100.00%

Election in the House

On January 12, the House ratified the Senate result, electing Wilson to a full term in the U.S. Senate.

1859 U.S. Senate election in the House^[1]^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry Wilson (incumbent)	199	84.69%
	Democratic	Caleb Cushing	25	10.64%
	Others	Scattering	11	4.68%
Total votes			235	100.00%

References

^ ^a ^b "United States Senators Elected". The Maine Farmer. January 20, 1859. p. 2.
^ "Re-Election of Senator Wilson". The New York Times. January 12, 1859. p. 1.
^ "Re-election of the Hon. Henry Wilson". The New York Times. January 13, 1859.

[results-1] "United States Senators Elected". The Maine Farmer. January 20, 1859. p. 2.

[senate-2] "Re-Election of Senator Wilson". The New York Times. January 12, 1859. p. 1.

[house-3] "Re-election of the Hon. Henry Wilson". The New York Times. January 13, 1859.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Federal elections in Massachusetts
U.S. President	1788 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
U.S. Senate Class 1	1803 1808 1839 1851 1857 1863 1869 1887 1893 1899 1905 1911 1916 1922 s/1926 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 s/1962 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 s/2010 2012 2018 2024
U.S. Senate Class 2	s/1855 1859 1865 1871 s/1873 1877 1883 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 s/1944 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 s/2013 2014 2020
U.S. House	1788–89 1790–92 1792-93 1794–95 1796–97 1798–99 1800–01 1802–03 1804 1806 1808 1810–11 1812–13 1814–15 1816–17 1818–19 1820–21 1822–23 1824–25 1826–27 1828 1830–1970 1972 1974–2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
U.S. House Special Elections	1796–1797 s/1st s/10th s/11th 1800–1801 s/3rd s/4th s/10th s/4th s/12th s/14th 1804 s/12th 1807 s/12th 1808 s/2nd 1810–1811 s/10th s/11th s/4th 1812 s/17th 1814–1815 s/4th s/12th s/3rd 1816–1817 s/11th s/1st 1818 s/20th 1820 s/1st s/8th s/13th 1823 s/10th 1824 s/10th 1827 s/1st 1834–1991 listed here 2001 s/9th 2007 s/5th 2013 s/5th
"s/" = Special election See also: Political party strength in Massachusetts For statewide elections, see Template:State elections in Massachusetts footer.