36th United States Congress

The 36th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859, to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth years of James Buchanan's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1850 [United States census]. The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House had a Republican plurality.

Major events

June 8, 1859: Comstock Lode discovered in the western Utah Territory
August 27, 1859: First oil well was drilled in the United States, near Titusville, Pennsylvania
October 16–18, 1859: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
December 2, 1859 John Brown executed.
December 5, 1859 – February 1, 1860: House of Representatives elections#December 1859 – February 1860|The election for the House speakership] takes 44 ballots
April 3, 1860: Pony Express began its first run
April 23 – May 3, 1860: Democratic National Convention held in Charleston, South Carolina. Unable to agree on a nominee, the delegates voted to reconvene in June.
May 9, 1860: Constitutional Union Party National Convention held in Baltimore, Maryland, nominating John Bell for president.
May 18, 1860: Republican National Convention held in Chicago, Illinois, nominating Abraham Lincoln for president.
June 18–23, 1860: Democratic Party reconvened in Baltimore, Maryland, nominating Stephen A. Douglas for president.
June 26–28, 1860: Southern Democrats held a convention in Richmond, Virginia, nominating John C. Breckinridge for president.
November 6, 1860: U.S. presidential election: Abraham Lincoln beat John C. Breckinridge, Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell.
December 20, 1860: South Carolina Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
January 3, 1861: Delaware Secession Convention voted not to secede from the Union
January 9, 1861: Mississippi Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
January 10, 1861: Florida Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
January 11, 1861: Alabama Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
January 18, 1861: Georgia Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
January 26, 1861: Louisiana Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
January 29, 1861. Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state.
February 1, 1861: Texas Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession
February 13, 1861: Joint Session of Congress certified the election of President Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin.
February 23, 1861: The people of Texas ratified its Ordinance of Secession President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrived secretly in Washington, D.C. after an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland.

Major legislation

June 16, 1860: Pacific Telegraph Act of 1860, ch. 147,
March 2, 1861: Morrill Tariff, ch. 68,
December 18, 1860 : Crittenden Compromise, rejected by the House of Representatives and the Senate

Constitutional amendments

March 2, 1861: Approved an amendment to the United States Constitution that would shield "domestic institutions" of the states from the constitutional amendment process and from abolition or interference by Congress, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification
* This amendment, commonly known as the Corwin Amendment, has not been ratified and is still pending before the states.

Treaties

March 8, 1859: Quinault Treaty ratified,
March 8, 1859: Point No Point Treaty ratified,

States admitted and territories organized

January 29, 1861: Kansas admitted as a state, ch. 20,
February 28, 1861: Colorado Territory organized, ch. 59,
March 2, 1861: Nevada Territory organized, ch. 83,
March 2, 1861: Dakota Territory organized, ch. 86,

Leadership

Senate

President: John C. Breckinridge
President pro tempore: Benjamin Fitzpatrick, until February 26, 1860
* Jesse D. Bright, June 12–26, 1860
* Benjamin Fitzpatrick, June 26, 1860 – December 2, 1860
* Solomon Foot, elected February 16, 1861

House of Representatives

Speaker: William Pennington, elected February 1, 1860, after 44 rounds of balloting
Democratic Caucus Chairman: George S. Houston

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.

Senate

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1862; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1864; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1860.

Illinois">List of United States senators from Illinois">Illinois

Massachusetts">List of United States senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts

North Carolina">List of United States senators from North Carolina">North Carolina

Vermont">List of United States senators from Vermont">Vermont

House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Illinois">List of United States representatives from Illinois">Illinois

Massachusetts">List of United States representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts

Minnesota">List of United States representatives from Minnesota">Minnesota

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Oregon">List of United States representatives from Oregon">Oregon

Wisconsin">List of United States representatives from Wisconsin">Wisconsin

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.

Senate

Replacements: 4
* Democrats (D): no net change
* Republicans (R): no net change
Deaths: 1
Resignations: 1
Interim appointments: 1
Withdrawals: 13
'''Total seats with changes: 16'''

House of Representatives

Replacements: 7
* Democrats (D): no net change
* Republicans (R): 1 seat net loss
* Anti-Lecompton Democrats (LD): 1 seat net gain
Deaths: 4
Resignations: 3
Contested election: 1
Withdrawals: 28
'''Total seats with changes: 41'''

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Caucuses

Employees

Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

Chaplain: Stephen P. Hill, until December 15, 1859
* Phineas D. Gurley, elected December 15, 1859
Secretary: Asbury Dickins
Sergeant at Arms: Dunning R. McNair

House of Representatives

Clerk: James C. Allen, until February 3, 1860
* John W. Forney, elected February 3, 1860
Chaplain: None
Doorkeeper: Robert B. Hackney, until February 6, 1860
* George Marston, elected February 6, 1860
Messenger: Thaddeus Morrice
Postmaster: Josiah M. Lucas
Reading Clerks:
Sergeant at Arms: Adam J. Glossbrenner, until February 3, 1860
* Henry William Hoffman, from February 3, 1860