The 1794–95 United States Senate elections were held on various dates in various states. As these

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

elections were prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators were chosen by

state legislatures A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Stat ...

. Senators were elected over a wide range of time throughout 1794 and 1795, and a seat may have been filled months late or remained vacant due to legislative deadlock. In these elections, terms were up for the senators in Class 3. This was the first election cycle with organized political parties in the United States, with the

Federalist Party The Federalist Party was a Conservatism in the United States, conservative political party which was the first political party in the United States. As such, under Alexander Hamilton, it dominated the national government from 1789 to 1801. De ...

emerging from the Pro Administration coalition, and the

Democratic-Republican Party The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early ...

emerging from the

Anti-Administration The Anti-Administration Party was an informal political faction in the United States led by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson that opposed policies of then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in the first term of US President George W ...

coalition.

Results summary

Senate party division, 4th Congress (1795–1797) * Majority party: Federalist (20) * Minority party: Democratic-Republican (10) * Other parties: 0 * Total seats: 30

Change in composition

Before the elections

Note: There were no political parties in the 3rd Congress. Members are informally grouped here into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record. After the March 31, 1794 special election in Pennsylvania.

Results of the elections

Beginning of the next Congress

Seven senators who were considered "Anti-Administration" became Democratic-Republicans and eleven "Pro-Administration" became Federalists.

Race summaries

Except if/when noted, the number following candidates is the whole number vote(s), not a percentage.

Special elections during the 3rd Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated before March 4, 1795; ordered by election date.

Races leading to the 4th Congress

In these regular elections, the winner was seated on March 4, 1795; ordered by state. All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Elections during the 4th Congress

There were no elections in 1795 after March 4.

Connecticut

Delaware (special)

The Delaware special election was held February 7, 1795. Incumbent Senator

George Read George Read may refer to: * George Reade (colonial governor) (1608–1671), politician, judge, and Acting Governor of Virginia Colony * George Read (American politician, born 1733) (1733–1798), lawyer, signer of Declaration of Independence and U ...

had resigned to take the position of Chief Justice of the

Delaware Supreme Court The Delaware Supreme Court is the sole appellate court in the United States state of Delaware. Because Delaware is a popular haven for corporations, the Court has developed a worldwide reputation as a respected source of corporate law decisions, ...

. Henry Latimer defeated the former

Governor of Delaware A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

Governor of Pennsylvania A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

men from Delaware and Pennsylvania by one vote.

Georgia

Kentucky

Maryland

John Henry won election over James Lloyd by an unknown number of votes for the Class 3 seat.

New Hampshire

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (special)

Pennsylvania (regular)

Incumbent

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

Robert Morris, who was elected in 1788, was not a candidate for re-election to another term. The

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...

convened on February 26, 1795, to elect a senator for the term beginning March 4, 1795.

South Carolina

Vermont

Virginia

Even though neither of Virginia's incumbent's terms were up, both resigned in 1794, leading to two special elections. Future-president

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

resigned March 27, 1794 to become

U.S. Minister to France The United States ambassador to France is the official representative of the president of the United States to the president of France. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with France since the American Revolution. Relations we ...

Stevens Thomson Mason Stevens Thomson Mason (October 27, 1811 – January 4, 1843) was an American politician who served as the first governor of Michigan from 1835 to 1840. Coming to political prominence at an early age, Mason was appointed his territory's ...

was elected November 18, 1794 and would become a Democratic-Republican in the next Congress.

Virginia (special, class 2)

Incumbent

John Taylor of Caroline John Taylor (December 19, 1753August 21, 1824), usually called John Taylor of Caroline, was a politician and writer. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates (1779–81, 1783–85, 1796–1800) and in the United States Senate (1792–94, 1803 ...

resigned May 11, 1794.

Henry Tazewell Henry Tazewell (November 27, 1753January 24, 1799) was an American politician who was instrumental in the early government of Virginia, and a US senator from Virginia. He was also a slave owner. Tazewell served as President pro tempore of the Un ...

was elected November 18, 1794 and would become a Democratic-Republican in the next Congress.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:1794-95 United States Senate elections

Results summary

Change in composition

Before the elections

Results of the elections

Beginning of the next Congress

Race summaries

Special elections during the 3rd Congress

Races leading to the 4th Congress

Elections during the 4th Congress

Connecticut

Delaware (special)

Georgia

Kentucky

Maryland

New Hampshire

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania (special)

Pennsylvania (regular)

South Carolina

Vermont

Virginia

Virginia (special, class 2)

See also

References

External links