buckalew was elected by the pennsylvania general assembly to the u.s. senate in 1863. in a number of speeches, notably in the senate on july 11, 1867; at a large public meeting in philadelphia in november of the same year; before the social science association at philadelphia in october 1870; and in the senate of pennsylvania on march 27, 1871; as well as in the report of the select committee on representative reform of the united states senate, of which be was chairman, buckalew argued persuasively for the use of cumulative voting in the election of representatives in congress, state legislatures, town councils and other bodies.