1878 and 1879 United States House of Representatives elections

Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1878 and 1879 for Representatives to the 46th United States Congress. These elections occurred in the middle of President Rutherford B. Hayes's term.

With a sour economy as the nation's pressing issue, both major parties lost seats to the new Greenback Party, which was established to promote the long-term use of paper money as a solution to stop enormous economic fluctuations.  The Democratic Party remained the largest party, but lost its majority.  However, it allied with several independent politicians and was able to remain in power.  Notable freshmen included James B. Weaver, who would later run for president as the Greenback candidate in 1880 and the Populist candidate in 1892.  This was the fourth and last recorded House election where both major parties lost seats at the same time.

Election summaries

Election dates 

In 1845, Congress set a uniform nationwide date for choosing presidential electors.  This Act of Congress did not affect election dates for Congress, which remained within the jurisdiction of state governments, but over time, the states moved their congressional elections to this date as well.  In 1878–79, there were still 7 states with earlier election dates, and 1 state with a later election date:

 Early elections (1878):
 June 3 Oregon
 September 3 Vermont
 September 9 Maine
 October 7 Indiana
 October 8 Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia
 Late election (1879):
 September 3, 1879 California

California's elections were the last time a state held congressional general elections after November.

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado 

Patterson successfully contested the election and was seated March 4, 1877.

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida 

In the  the difference between the two candidates, in the initial returns, was just 22 votes. Bisbee challenged Hull's election, and  Bisbee challenged Hull's electionwas eventually awarded the seat on January 22, 1881.

Georgia

Illinois 

{| class="wikitable"

|- valign=bottom
! District
! Incumbent
! Party
! Firstelected
! Result
! Candidates

|-
| 
| William Aldrich
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Carter Harrison, Sr.
|  | Democratic
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.to run for MayorRepublican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Lorenzo Brentano
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Lost re-nominationRepublican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William Lathrop
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Horatio C. Burchard
|  | Republican
| 1869
|  | Lost re-nominationRepublican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Thomas J. Henderson
|  | Republican
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Philip C. Hayes
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Greenbury L. Fort
|  | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Thomas A. Boyd
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Benjamin F. Marsh
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Robert M. Knapp
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Lost re-nominationDemocratic hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William M. Springer
|  | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Thomas F. Tipton
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Democratic gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Joseph G. Cannon
|  | Republican
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| John R. Eden
|  | Democratic
| 1872
|  | Lost re-nominationGreenback gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William A. J. Sparks
|  | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William R. Morrison
|  | Democratic
| 1862
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William Hartzell
|  | Democratic
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Richard W. Townshend
|  | Democratic
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|}

 Indiana 

In the , Gilbert De La Matyr was also endorsed by the state Democratic Party.

 Iowa 

In the , James B. Weaver was also endorsed by the state Democratic Party.

In the , Edward H. Gillette was also endorsed by the state Democratic Party.

 Kansas 

 Kentucky 

 Louisiana 

 Maine 

In the , George W. Ladd was also endorsed by the state Democratic Party.

 Maryland 

In the , William Quigley was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

 Massachusetts 

In the , Nathan Clark was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

In the , Edward H. Lathrop was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

 Michigan 

 Minnesota 

In the , William Meighan was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

In the , Ignatius L. Donnelly was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

 Mississippi 

 Missouri 

In the , T. J. Fagg was also endorsed by the state Republican Party.

 Nebraska 

In the  District, J. W. Davis was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

 Nevada 

 New Hampshire 

 New Jersey 

In the , Hezekiah B. Smith was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

 New York 

{| class="wikitable"

|- valign=bottom
! District
! Incumbent
! Party
! Firstelected
! Result
! Candidates

|-
| 
| James W. Covert
|  | Democratic
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William D. Veeder
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Independent Democratic gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Simeon B. Chittenden
|  | Republican
| 1874 
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Archibald M. Bliss
|  | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Nicholas Muller
|  | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Samuel S. Cox
|  | Democratic
| 1873 
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Anthony Eickhoff
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Anson G. McCook
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Fernando Wood
|  | Democratic
| 1866
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Abram Hewitt
|  | Democratic
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Independent Democratic gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Benjamin A. Willis
|  | Democratic
| 1874
|  | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Clarkson Nott Potter
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| John H. Ketcham
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| George M. Beebe
|  | Democratic
| 1874
|  | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Republican gain'.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Stephen L. Mayham
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Democratic hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| colspan=3 | Vacant
|  | Democratic incumbent Terence J. Quinn died June 18, 1878.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Martin I. Townsend
|  | Republican
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Andrew Williams
|  | Republican
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Amaziah B. James
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| John H. Starin
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Solomon Bundy
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| George A. Bagley
|  | Republican
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William J. Bacon
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| William H. Baker
|  | Republican
| 1874
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Frank Hiscock
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| John H. Camp
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Elbridge G. Lapham
|  | Republican
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Jeremiah W. Dwight
|  | Republican
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| John N. Hungerford
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Elizur K. Hart
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Charles B. Benedict
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican gain.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| Daniel N. Lockwood
|  | Democratic
| 1876
|  | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Republican gain'.
| nowrap | 

|-
| 
| George W. Patterson
|  | Republican
| 1876
|  | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold.
| nowrap | 

|}

In the , Daniel O'Reilly was also endorsed by the state Republican Party.

In the , Thomas Burke was also endorsed by the "Anti-Tammany" faction of the state Democratic Party.

In the , Samuel S. Cox was endorsed by the state Greenback Party, and Maurice S. D'Vries was endorsed by the "Anti-Tammany"'' faction of the state Democratic Party.

In the , Lawrence Jerome was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

In the , James O'Brien was also endorsed by the state Republican Party. For the purposes of simplicity he is listed as having been elected an Independent Democrat.

In the , John Spriggs was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

In the , John Weiting was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

In the , David Pierpont was also endorsed by the state Greenback Party.

South Carolina 

South Carolina was one state rampant with voter fraud, particularly through the use of tissue ballots, thin ballots hidden in the normal ballot, typically 10 to 20 at a time.  The almost statewide exclusion of Republicans as Commissioners of Elections, and the ensuing appointment of nearly all Democratic Managers of Elections, allowed to Democratic Managers to perpetrate this scheme.  When the votes were counted and more votes than voters were found, the Managers removed and destroyed the Republican ballots resulting in the complete takeover of the state.

See also 
 1878 and 1879 United States Senate elections
 45th United States Congress
 46th United States Congress

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links 
 Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)