Massachusetts 1804 House of Representatives, Salem

Office:
House of Representatives (State)
Title:
State Representative
Jurisdiction:
State
Label:
Massachusetts 1804 House of Representatives, Salem
Date:
1804
State:
Massachusetts
Type:
General
Iteration:
First Ballot
Office/Role:
House of Representatives/State Representative
Candidates:
William Cleveland, John Hathorne, John Southwick, William Gray, Jr., Nathaniel Bowditch, Jonathan Waldo, scattering
Candidates: William Cleveland[1]John Hathorne[2]John Southwick[3]William Gray, Jr.Nathaniel BowditchJonathan Waldoscattering
Affiliation:RepublicanRepublicanRepublicanFederalistFederalistFederalist
Final Result: [4][5]5345335334564544445
Town of Salem534533533456454444-

Notes:

[1]Elected.
[2]Elected.
[3]Elected.
[4]"[It was our intention to have given the result of the late unprecedentedly contested election, without any comments, but we feel that we have no right to disregard the wishes of some of our best friends. We therefore insert the following.] The election in this town for Representatives to the General Court was held on Tuesday the 15th inst. The contest between the two great political parties which divide this State was ardent. Never had the federalists done so much, and never had they less cause for boasting. They have been beaten, and fairly and honorably beaten--and although they brought forward Mr. WM. GRAY, jr. the greatest and richest merchant in the United States, at the head of their ticket, they have now found that, wealth, united with great personal influence, has weighed only as the dust of the balance. Republicans will never support men known to be opposed to systems and measures they deem invaluable. It is to pure principles they adhere. It is to 'law and order,' contrasted to federal confusion and wild uproar, the republicans of Salem will wlways cling, as to the last and best hope of man. The poll was opened at 11, and closed at 5 o'clock--when the following result of the election was declared ...Republican majority, upon an average, 80." Salem Register (Salem, MA). May 17, 1804.
[5]"On Tuesday last, this town made choice of its Representatives, and the Antifederalists once more triumphed. The following was the state of the poll at its close ... For those who know the different men composing the two lists, comment is unnecessary. Passion and party spirit aside, there can be no doubt but those whom the federalists supported would have been the choice of the people, in preference to the others. As to the talk in the Register, to make us believe that Mr. Gray, Maj. Waldo and Mr. Bowditch have some desperate plan in their minds hostile to our liberties, and would oppose themselves to 'systems and measures which the people deem invaluable;' and that on Col. Hathorne, Mr. Cleveland and Master Southwick depend 'the last and best hope of man'--no sober person can pay any regard to it. The talents of Col. Hathorne were never suspected of being of that peculiar kind, that would lead this last, best hope of man to seek a refuge in them. As to Mr. Cleveland, it is impossible, from his inert life, that he can feel that concern for the interests of the town, which a man engaged in active business does: his notions in legislation, therefore, instead of being the fruit of experience, must be spun from his own theoretic brain. Master Southwick, immured in a school of fifty or sixty boys from morning till night, may be very expert at vulgar fractions, but we cannot think he knows much of political arithmetic. Indeed, though the Demos have ungratefully cast by Major Sprague, to introduce another in his stead, we do not imagine they have greatly improved their representation; nor do we think the last best hope of man has much to hope even from the united powers of the three--With much deference, however, be it said." Salem Gazette (Salem, MA). May 18, 1804.

References:

Salem Register (Salem, MA). May 17, 1804.
The Salem Gazette (Salem, MA). May 18, 1804.
The Democrat (Boston, MA). May 19, 1804.
The Independent Chronicle (Boston, MA). May 24, 1804.
The Pittsfield Sun (Pittsfield, MA). May 28, 1804.
The Independent Chronicle (Boston, MA). June 4, 1804.
Republican Spy (Springfield, MA). June 11, 1804.

Page Images

handwritten notes
Phil's original notebook pages that were used to compile this election. These notes are considered a draft of the electronic version. Therefore, the numbers may not match. To verify numbers you will need to check the original sources cited. Some original source material is available at the American Antiquarian Society).
handwritten notes
Phil's original notebook pages that were used to compile this election. These notes are considered a draft of the electronic version. Therefore, the numbers may not match. To verify numbers you will need to check the original sources cited. Some original source material is available at the American Antiquarian Society).

These election records were released on 11 January 2012. Versions numbers are assigned by state. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia are complete and are in Version 1.0. All other states are in a Beta version. For more information go to the about page.