Senate roll call 389 · 34th Congress · Feb 26, 1857
To pass S. 622, a bill establishing a telegraph system from the atlantic states to san francisco.
On Feb 26, 1857, the Senate voted 36–15 (S 622). Result: passed. By party: Democrats 19–15, Others 16–0, Republicans 1–0. 15 members voted against their own party.
During the 34th Congress (1855–1856), Franklin Pierce was president.
- Yes
- 36
- No
- 15
- Did not vote
- 13
- Date
- Feb 26, 1857
By party
- Democrats19 yes · 15 no · 5 didn’t vote
- Others16 yes · 0 no · 8 didn’t vote
- Republicans1 yes · 0 no
Who broke with their party
- Benjamin Fitzpatrick D-AL voted no
- Clement Claiborne Clay Jr. D-AL voted no
- Robert Ward Johnson D-AR voted no
- David Levy Yulee D-FL voted no
- Alfred Iverson Sr. D-GA voted no
- Robert Augustus Toombs D-GA voted no
- Jesse David Bright D-IN voted no
- John Slidell D-LA voted no
- James Stephen Green D-MO voted no
- Asa Biggs D-NC voted no
- David Settle Reid D-NC voted no
- George Ellis Pugh D-OH voted no
- Andrew Pickens Butler D-SC voted no
- James Murray Mason D-VA voted no
- Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter D-VA voted no
How each senator voted: Yes
- William King Sebastian D-AR
- John B. Weller D-CA
- William McKendree Gwin D-CA
- Isaac Toucey D-CT
- Lafayette Sabine Foster O-CT
- James Asheton Bayard Jr. D-DE
- George Wallace Jones D-IA
- James Harlan O-IA
- Lyman Trumbull D-IL
- Stephen Arnold Douglas D-IL
- Graham Newell Fitch D-IN
- John Burton Thompson O-KY
- Judah Philip Benjamin O-LA
- Henry Wilson O-MA
- Thomas George Pratt O-MD
- Amos Nourse R-ME
- Charles Edward Stuart D-MI
- Lewis Cass D-MI
- Henry Sheffie Geyer O-MO
- Stephen Adams D-MS
- James Bell O-NH
- John Parker Hale O-NH
- John Renshaw Thomson D-NJ
- Hamilton Fish O-NY
- William Henry Seward O-NY
- Benjamin Franklin Wade O-OH
- Richard Brodhead D-PA
- William Bigler D-PA
- Charles Tillinghast James D-RI
- Philip Allen D-RI
- John Bell O-TN
- Samuel Houston O-TX
- Thomas Jefferson Rusk D-TX
- Jacob Collamer O-VT
- Solomon Foot O-VT
- Henry Dodge D-WI
How each senator voted: No
- Benjamin Fitzpatrick D-AL
- Clement Claiborne Clay Jr. D-AL
- Robert Ward Johnson D-AR
- David Levy Yulee D-FL
- Alfred Iverson Sr. D-GA
- Robert Augustus Toombs D-GA
- Jesse David Bright D-IN
- John Slidell D-LA
- James Stephen Green D-MO
- Asa Biggs D-NC
- David Settle Reid D-NC
- George Ellis Pugh D-OH
- Andrew Pickens Butler D-SC
- James Murray Mason D-VA
- Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter D-VA
Did not vote
- John Middleton Clayton O-DE
- Joseph Parsons Comegys O-DE
- Stephen Russell Mallory D-FL
- John Jordan Crittenden O-KY
- Charles Sumner O-MA
- James Alfred Pearce O-MD
- Hannibal Hamlin D-ME
- William Pitt Fessenden O-ME
- Albert Gallatin Brown D-MS
- William Wright D-NJ
- Josiah James Evans D-SC
- James Chamberlain Jones O-TN
- Charles Durkee O-WI
Other votes
From Voteview roll call records.
Cite or embed this page
Capitol Receipts, “To pass S. 622, a bill establishing a…: Senate Vote, Feb 26, 1857,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/34-S-389/to-pass-s-622-a-bill-establishing-a-telegraph (accessed 2026-10-17).