B. U. G. S.

“When the Republicans in 1854 and took over the House of Representatives in 1855, the Whig Party was simply FORGOTTEN.”

This incorrect. The 1854 poll returned a divided Congress: 84 Dems, 62 Americans; 60 Whigs and 46 Reps.The 1856 election produced a solid Dem majority: 132 Dems, 90 Reps, 14 Americans and 1 independent. By 1858 the Reps attained a plurality, but not a majority. There were 116 Reps to 83 Dems, 19 Oppositions, 8 Anti-Lecompton Dems, 7 Ind. Dems and 5 Americans.

In 1860 the House sat 108 Reps, 8 fewer than in the previous Congress, but the succession of Southern states reduced the other parties to a true minority status with 44 Dems, 30 Unionists and 1 Ind. In 1862 Rep support further eroded. The tally was 86 Reps, 72 Dems 25 Unionists and 2 Ind. The Reps were again a plurality only.

In 1864 the Reps gained a lopsided majority which lasted until 1870 when they held the House but by a balanced margin: 136 Reps, 103 Dems and 3 Ind. The six year reign of the Radicals was over. The reps gained a strong victory in 1872 with Grant at the head of the ticket: 199 to 88 with 5 Inds. In 1874 the House fell to the Democrats:182 Dems, 103 Reps and 8 Inds.

The 1850s was a period of political division as varying politicians jockeyed to find a stable party divide. The War produced it and what was in essence a 6 to 10 year reign of radical terror. After that the parties were competitive with the Republicans doing better.

The thrust of your argument is right, if not all the details. My apology for being a bit of a footnote guy but inattention to detail gives opponents an opening to deride on side issues while avoiding the important points.

ME:

This is the sort of correction that is CRITICAL!

I’ll look all this up, but this is not nitpicking, it is IMPORTANT to
my descriptions of history!

THANK YOU!

Many Thanks