Massachusetts 1804 State Senate, Bristol County

Office:
State Senate (State)
Title:
State Senator
Jurisdiction:
State
Label:
Massachusetts 1804 State Senate, Bristol County
Date:
1804
State:
Massachusetts
Type:
General
Iteration:
First Ballot
Office/Role:
State Senate/State Senator
Candidates:
Josiah Deane, Nathaniel Morton, Jr., Stephen Bullock, Alden Spooner, scattering
Candidates: Josiah Deane[1]Nathaniel Morton, Jr.[2]Stephen BullockAlden Spoonerscattering
Affiliation:RepublicanRepublicanFederalistFederalist
Final Result: [3][4][5][6][7]156015401113110718
Bristol County156015401113110718
Town of Attleborough888499124-
Town of Berkley48525550-
Town of Dartmouth1141144444-
Town of Dighton1111114444-
Town of Easton[8]97952827-
Town of Fall River44445252-
Town of Freetown1431432020-
Town of Mansfield65653333-
Town of New Bedford[9]11911917816117
Town of Norton97973939-
Town of Raynham90935045-
Town of Rehoboth218218165164-
Town of Somerset20-2424-
Town of Swansea10810822-
Town of Taunton[10]1711701791791
Town of Westport272710199-

Notes:

[1]Elected.
[2]Elected.
[3]"No. Voters, 2653. Make a choice, 1327." Governor's Council Records.
[4]The Governor's Council Records list Josiah Deane with 1540 votes and nathaniel Morton, Jr. with 1490 votes but the town totals add up to 1560 and 1540.
[5]"Whereas on the return of the votes for one of the Senators, for the District of Bristol, it appeared to the Senate that Nathaniel Morton, Junr. Esq. had 1148 votes and Nathaniel Morton, Esq. 382 votes and that the names and addition of Nath'l Morton Jr. Esq. and Nathaniel Morton, Esq. were descriptive of the same person, and that there is no other person in said District to whom the same could apply - and that said numbers of votes together constituted a majority of the votes of said District. It is therefore hereby declared that Nath'l Morton, Esq. was by the vote of the Senate yesterday declared duly elected and entitled to a seat at this board by reason of the facts appearing as above stated. Whereupon Ordered by the Senate that the foregoing to be entered on the Journals of the Senate. A true copy from the Journal." Document from the 1804 Massachusetts State Senate Journal relating to the election of Nathaniel Morton. May 31, 1804. National Archives.
[6]"A debate arose in the Senate on the legality of the election of Nathaniel Morton, Esq. of Bristol District--Many of the votes were to Nathaniel Morton, Esq. others to Nathaniel Morton jun. Esq. There are two Nathaniel Mortons in the district, one of them a very honest shoemaker, and a federal man; the other is a justice of the peace, and a democrat. The Senate decided that the votes were intended for the democrat; and he was allowed to hold his seat." Salem Gazette (Salem, MA). June 1, 1804.
[7]"In the afternoon the vacancies in the Senate were filled. Previous to which, the Senate, after considerable debate, determined, mem. con. that there was not a vacancy, in Bristol district; and that NATHANIEL MORTON, Esq. had a right to his seat." Columbian Centinel and Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). June 2, 1804.
[8]The Columbian Courier, or Weekly Miscellany (New Bedford, MA) lists 23 votes for Stephen Bullock.
[9]The Columbian Courier, or Weekly Miscellany (New Bedford, MA) and The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI) list 113 votes for Nathaniel Morton.
[10]The Columbian Centinel and Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA), The Columbian Courier, or Weekly Miscellany (New Bedford, MA) and The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI) report 167 votes for Nathaniel Morton.

References:

Governor's Council Records. Massachusetts State Archives, Boston.
Document from the 1804 Massachusetts State Senate Journal relating to the election of Nathaniel Morton. May 31, 1804. National Archives, Washington, DC.
Columbian Centinel and Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). April 4, 1804.
Columbian Courier, or Weekly Miscellany (New Bedford, MA). April 6, 1804.
Columbian Courier, or Weekly Miscellany (New Bedford, MA). April 13, 1804.
The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI). April 28, 1804.
New-England Palladium (Boston, MA). May 15, 1804.
Columbian Centinel and Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). May 19, 1804.
The Salem Gazette (Salem, MA). June 1, 1804.
Columbian Centinel and Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). June 2, 1804.
Republican Spy (Springfield, MA). June 4, 1804.

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