1854 Vermont gubernatorial election

Last updated
1854 Vermont gubernatorial election
Flag of Vermont (1837-1923).svg
  1853 September 5, 1854 (1854-09-05) 1855  
  Stephen Royce.jpg
Nominee Stephen Royce Merritt Clark
Party Whig Democratic
Popular vote27,92615,084
Percentage62.6%33.8%

Governor before election

John S. Robinson
Democratic

Elected Governor

Stephen Royce
Whig

The 1854 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont took place on September 5. [1] The Whig nominee was Stephen Royce, former Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. [2] The Democratic nominee was Merritt Clark, [3] and Lawrence Brainerd ran as the nominee of the Free Soil Party [4] even as he was one of the organizers of the new anti-slavery Republican Party [5] and appeared as a Whig candidate for the Vermont Senate on the ballot in Franklin County. [6] Whig William C. Kittredge was nominated for governor against his wishes by advocates of the Temperance movement [7] and Democrat Horatio Needham also attracted the support of some Free Soil advocates. [4]

Contents

With the Whig Party splintering nationally over the slavery issue, the Republican Party was formed as the main abolitionist party, and Royce was endorsed by the new organization. [8] In the September voting, Free Soil advocates, Republicans, and anti-slavery Whigs largely backed Royce, who was easily elected with 62.6 percent to 33.9 for Clark and 1.4 for Brainerd. [9] Kittredge, Needham, William R. Shafter, and other write-in candidates all received less than one percent each. [9] Royce took the oath of office and began a one-year term on October 12. [10]

General election

Results

1854 Vermont gubernatorial election [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Whig Stephen Royce 27,926 62.6%
Democratic Merritt Clark 15,08433.8%
Free Soil Lawrence Brainerd 6191.4%
Free Soil Horatio Needham 3020.7%
Whig William C. Kittredge 2930.7%
William R. Shafter2550.5%
Write-inOther1350.3%
Total votes'44,614''100'

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Brainerd</span> American politician

Lawrence Brainerd was an American businessman, abolitionist and United States Senator from Vermont. A longtime anti-slavery activist, after leaving the Jacksonians in the 1830s, Brainerd was active in the Whig, Liberty, and Free Soil parties, and was one of the organizers of the Republican Party when it was formed as the main anti-slavery party in the mid-1850s. Brainerd's longtime commitment to the cause of abolition was recognized in 1854, when opponents of slavery in the Vermont General Assembly chose him to fill a five-month vacancy in the United States Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Upham</span> American attorney and politician

William Upham was an American attorney and politician from Montpelier, Vermont. He was most notable for his service as a United States senator from Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Holbrook</span> American politician

Frederick Holbrook was an American farmer, businessman, and Governor of the State of Vermont. Active in politics and government, first as a Whig, and later as a Republican, he was most notable for his service as the 27th governor of Vermont from 1861 to 1863.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter T. Washburn</span> American lawyer, politician & soldier

Peter Thacher Washburn was a Vermont lawyer, politician and soldier. A veteran of the American Civil War, he served as the 31st governor of Vermont as a Republican from 1869 to 1870, and was the first Vermont Governor to die in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry A. Fletcher</span> American politician

Henry Addison Fletcher was an American Civil War veteran, a farmer and a U.S. politician of the Republican Party. He is most notable for his service as the 38th lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1890 to 1892.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermont Republican Party</span> Vermont affiliate of the Republican Party

The Vermont Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Vermont and has been active since its foundation in the 1860s. The party is the second largest in the state behind the Vermont Democratic Party, but ahead of the Vermont Progressive Party. The party historically dominated Vermont politics until the mid-20th century, but was replaced by the Vermont Democratic Party. The party currently has very weak electoral power in the state, controlling none of Vermont's federal elected offices. The only statewide office that the party controls is the governorship, currently held by Phil Scott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Royce</span> American judge

Stephen Royce was an American lawyer, judge and politician. Originally a Democratic-Republican, and later a Whig Party, he became a Republican when the party was formed in the mid-1850s. Royce served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1829 to 1846, chief justice from 1846 to 1852, and 23rd governor of Vermont from 1854 to 1856.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levi Underwood</span> American politician

Levi Underwood was a lawyer and politician from Vermont. Originally a Democrat, Underwood's antislavery views caused him to join the new Republican Party when it was founded. Underwood was most notable for his service as the 23rd lieutenant governor of Vermont from 1860 to 1862.

Horatio Needham was a Vermont politician and lawyer who served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 United States Senate election in Vermont</span>

The 1974 United States Senate election in Vermont took place on November 5, 1974. The incumbent Republican Senator, George Aiken, did not run for re-election to another term in the United States Senate. The Democratic nominee, Patrick Leahy, the state's attorney of Chittenden County, defeated Republican nominee, Rep. Richard W. Mallary, to become Aiken's successor. This election also included Liberty Union Party candidate Bernie Sanders, who won 4.1% of the vote.

William Weston was an attorney and politician in Burlington, Vermont, and Brooklyn, New York. He served in several local and state offices, and is most notable for his service as a member of the Vermont Senate in the 1850s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1866 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1866 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 4, 1866. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", Incumbent Republican Paul Dillingham was a candidate for a second one-year term as governor of Vermont. With the election taking place soon after the American Civil War, Dillingham ran as a pro-Union Republican. The Democratic nomination was won by Charles N. Davenport of Wilmington, an attorney and founder of the Brattleboro Reformer newspaper, who was also the Democratic nominee in 1865. In the general election, Dillingham was easily elected to a second one-year term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1852 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1852 Vermont gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, September 7. Incumbent governor Charles K. Williams, a Whig, was not a candidate for reelection. In the voting, Whig Erastus Fairbanks received 49.2 percent, Democrat John S. Robinson 31.3 percent, and Free Soil Party nominee Lawrence Brainerd 19.6 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1851 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1851 Vermont gubernatorial election was held on September 2, 1851. The state continued its support for the Whig party, and Whig Governor Charles K. Williams was easily re-elected to a one-year term. The strong showing of the Free Soil Party candidate Timothy P. Redfield also showed that Vermont was on its way to becoming an anti-slavery bastion. The Democratic nominee, John S. Robinson went on to win the governorship in 1853.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1853 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1853 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 6. The same three candidates who ran for governor of Vermont in 1852 ran again in 1853: Whig and incumbent Erastus Fairbanks, Democratic candidate John S. Robinson, and Lawrence Brainerd, the nominee of the Free Soil Party. The results showed that Fairbanks had received 43.9 percent of the vote, with Robinson receiving 38.5 percent, and Brainerd 17.6 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1855 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1855 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on September 4. With the Whig Party defunct after 1854, incumbent Stephen Royce, who had run with the support of both Whigs and the new Republican Party in 1854, ran as the nominee of the Republicans. The Democratic candidate was Merritt Clark, who had run unsuccessfully against Royce in 1854. James M. Slade, the Clerk of the Vermont House of Representatives was the nominee of the Know Nothing Party, also called the American Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1856 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1856 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 2. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Stephen Royce was not a candidate for a third one-year term. The Republican nomination was won by Ryland Fletcher, the incumbent lieutenant governor. The Democratic nominee was Henry Keyes, a former member of the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1861 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1861 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont was held on Tuesday, September 3. In keeping with the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Erastus Fairbanks, who had also served as governor from 1852 to 1853, was not a candidate for a third one-year term. The Republican nominee was Frederick Holbrook, a former member of the Vermont Senate. With the Democratic Party split nationally over the issue of slavery during the American Civil War, Andrew Tracy, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, appeared on the ballot as a pro-Union Democrat. Benjamin H. Smalley was on the ballot as a "Peace Democrat," Democrats who favored a compromise with the states that had formed the Confederacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1846 Vermont gubernatorial election</span> Election

The 1846 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 1, 1846, and resulted in the election of Whig Party candidate Horace Eaton to a one-year term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Mount Cemetery (Montpelier, Vermont)</span> Cemetery in Montpelier, Vermont

Green Mount Cemetery is a burial ground in Montpelier, Vermont. Located at 250 State Street, the 35-acre facility was established in 1854. It is operated by the City of Montpelier, and managed by the city's part time cemetery commission and a small full-time staff.

References

  1. Walton, Eliakim Persons, ed. (September 1, 1854). "Election September 5". Vermont Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Whig State Ticket: For Governor, Stephen Royce of Berkshire". The Brattleboro Eagle. Brattleboro, VT. September 1, 1854. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Nominations of the Democratic State Convention". The Burlington Weekly Sentinel. Burlington, VT. June 22, 1854. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Armstrong, Howard E. (1955). Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 273 via Google Books.
  5. Walton, E. P. Jr., ed. (August 11, 1854). "State Ticket --- All Right!". Vermont Watchman & State Journal. Montpelier, VT. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Franklin County Convention". St. Albans Messenger . St. Albans, VT. July 20, 1854. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "A Rebuke". Vermont Journal. Windsor, VT. September 8, 1854. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  8. Thompson, Daniel P., ed. (August 17, 1854). "Republican State Ticket: For Governor, Stephen Royce". The Freeman. Montpelier, VT. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 3 Vermont House of Representatives (1855). Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Vermont. Montpelier, VT: E. P. Walton, Jr. p. 484 via Google Books.
  10. "Editorial Correspondence No. 1". The Burlington Free Press . Burlington, VT. October 14, 1854. p. 2 via Newspapers.com.