Pennsylvania 1824 U.S. House of Representatives, District 1

Office:: U.S. House of Representatives (Federal)
Title:: U.S. Congressman
Jurisdiction:: Federal

Label:: Pennsylvania 1824 U.S. House of Representatives, District 1
Date:: 1824
State:: Pennsylvania
Type:: General
Iteration:: First Ballot
Office/Role:: U.S. House of Representatives/U.S. Congressman
Candidates:: John Wurts, Joel B. Sutherland

Candidates:	John Wurts [1]	Joel B. Sutherland
Affiliation:	Federalist	Republican
Final Result: [2][3][4][5][6]	1221	1124
District of One	1221	1124
Philadelphia County	1221	1124
Blockley	100	90
District of Mayamensing	99	111
Passyunk	43	19
City of Philadelphia	472	288
Ward Cedar	227	191
Ward New Market	245	97
District of Southwark[7]	507	616

Notes:

[1]Elected.

[2]"Sutherland had two strings to his bow; he was a candidate for both Congress and Assembly: his majority for the latter was 28 votes; for the former, Mr. Wurts outpolled him 94 votes. If had been elected to both offices, being a 'man of principle in proportion to his interest,' there can be no doubt which he would have accepted. S. The latest The Philadelphia Gazette and Universal Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) and Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) informs us, that Mr. Sutherland is already making interest to have himself elected U.S. Senator!" The Huntingdon Gazette (Huntingdon, PA). October 28, 1824.

[3]"In the first congressional district, the failure of Dr. Sutherland is less astonishing than the powerful vote he received, considering the desperate means that were resorted to by the alliance to defeat his nomination. Previous to Dr. Sutherland's nomination by the democratic conferees, Mr. Wurts was nominated by 'the Independent Republicans,' alias Greggmen; by the regular 'Federal Republican Congerees,' and finally, by a delegation representing 'the friends of William H. Crawford.' These nominations were supported by the 'Press,' the 'Columbian Observer,' the 'American Sentinel,' and by ALL the federal papers of the city. In the Press and Sentinel, Mr. Wurts was daily published as the democratic candidate. A large proportion of the voters in the first district are Catholics, and in many instances their democratic feelings, as in the late Governor's election, were swerved by the remembrance of the stand Mr. Wurts had taken on the charter question in the state senate. They were too honest to suppose, what was the truth, that he did it only to effect his political objects. Dr. Sutherland too, it was known, was a candidate for two offices; a circumstance calculated to operate unfavorably with those who were not aware that they are not incompatible, and that the duties of the one commence with the termination of those of the other. . . . On the morning preceding the election, the Sentinel published a communication from and signed by one of the oldest and most bitter federalists in the county, asserting that in a conversation some years since, Dr. Sutherland declared himself hostile to Irishmen. Published in a paper received as democratic, republished in two others of a similar cearacter (sic), and circulated in handbills all over the district at a period entirely too late to remove the impression it was calculated to make in a district containing more Irish voters than any other in this state, perhaps in the union, its effect may easily be estimated. . . . Amid such a combination of parties, alike regardless of truth, and equalty bent, right or wrong, on prostrating a man formidable from his talents to the enemies of democracy, it is wonderful that the personal popularity of Dr. Sutherland could have brought him within so very small a vote of his federal opponent." Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). October 18, 1824.

[4]"Mr. Wurts (sic) is a liberal politician who was run on the Fed. Council ticket, and was elected." Village Record, or Chester and Delaware Federalist (West Chester, PA). October 20, 1824.

[5]The United States Gazette (Philadelphia, PA), Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA), Poulson's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA), Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia, PA) and Village Record, or Chester and Delaware Federalist (West Chester, PA) list Joel B. Sutherland with 1125 votes.

[6]On October 13, The Philadelphia Gazette and Universal Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) and Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) ran returns that were the same as the returns from the United States Gazette, Poulson's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA), the Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia, PA) and the Village Record. It ran a new set of returns on October 16 labelled "Official Returns."

[7]The United States Gazette (Philadelphia, PA), Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA), Poulson's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) and Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia, PA) list Joel B. Sutherland with 617 votes.

References:

Original Election Certificate. The National Archives, Washington, DC.

The Philadelphia Gazette and Universal Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) and Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). October 13, 1824.

Aurora. General Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). October 14, 1824.

The Democratic Press (Philadelphia, PA). October 14, 1824.

Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). October 14, 1824.

The National Gazette and Literary Register (Philadelphia, PA). October 14, 1824.

Poulson's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). October 14, 1824.

The United States Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). October 14, 1824.

United States Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). October 15, 1824.

The Philadelphia Gazette and Universal Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA) and Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). October 16, 1824.

Franklin Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). October 18, 1824.

Village Record, or Chester and Delaware Federalist (West Chester, PA). October 20, 1824.

The Huntingdon Gazette (Huntingdon, PA). October 28, 1824.

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