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: 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,
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
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.California">List of United States senators from California">California
Connecticut">List of United States senators from Connecticut">Connecticut
Delaware">List of United States senators from Delaware">Delaware
Florida">List of United States senators from Florida">Florida
Georgia">List of United States senators from Georgia">Georgia
Illinois">List of United States senators from Illinois">Illinois
Indiana">List of United States senators from Indiana">Indiana
Iowa">List of United States senators from Iowa">Iowa
Kansas">List of United States senators from Kansas">Kansas
Kentucky">List of United States senators from Kentucky">Kentucky
Louisiana">List of United States senators from Louisiana">Louisiana
Maine">List of United States senators from Maine">Maine
Maryland">List of United States senators from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
Michigan">List of United States senators from Michigan">Michigan
Minnesota">List of United States senators from Minnesota">Minnesota
Mississippi">List of United States senators from Mississippi">Mississippi
Missouri">List of United States senators from Missouri">Missouri
New Hampshire">List of United States senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
New Jersey">List of United States senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
Ohio">List of United States senators from Ohio">Ohio
Oregon">List of United States senators from Oregon">Oregon
Pennsylvania">List of United States senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
Rhode Island">List of United States senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
Tennessee">List of United States senators from Tennessee">Tennessee
Texas">List of United States senators from Texas">Texas
Vermont">List of United States senators from Vermont">Vermont
Virginia">List of United States senators from Virginia">Virginia
Wisconsin">List of United States senators from Wisconsin">Wisconsin
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.Arkansas">List of United States representatives from Arkansas">Arkansas
California">List of United States representatives from California">California
Connecticut">List of United States representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut
Delaware">List of United States representatives from Delaware">Delaware
Florida">List of United States representatives from Florida">Florida
Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia
Illinois">List of United States representatives from Illinois">Illinois
Indiana">List of United States representatives from Indiana">Indiana
Iowa">List of United States representatives from Iowa">Iowa
Kansas">List of United States representatives from Kansas">Kansas
Kentucky">List of United States representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
Louisiana">List of United States representatives from Louisiana">Louisiana
Maine">List of United States representatives from Maine">Maine
Maryland">List of United States representatives from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
Michigan">List of United States representatives from Michigan">Michigan
Minnesota">List of United States representatives from Minnesota">Minnesota
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
Mississippi">List of United States representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi
Missouri">List of United States representatives from Missouri">Missouri
New Hampshire">List of United States representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
New Jersey">List of United States representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
New York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
Ohio">List of United States representatives from Ohio">Ohio
Oregon">List of United States representatives from Oregon">Oregon
Pennsylvania">List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
Rhode Island">List of United States representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina