37th United States Congress

37th United States Congress

United States Capitol (1861)

Duration: March 4, 1861 – March 4, 1863

Senate President: Hannibal Hamlin
Senate Pres. pro tem: Solomon Foot
House Speaker: Galusha A. Grow
Members: 50 Senators
183 Representatives
7 Non-voting members
Senate Majority: Republican
House Majority: Republican

Sessions
Special: March 4, 1861 – March 28, 1861
1st: July 4, 1861 – August 6, 1861
2nd: December 2, 1861 – July 17, 1862
3rd: December 1, 1862 – March 4, 1863
<36th 38th>

The Thirty-seventh 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, 1861 to March 4, 1863, during the first two years of Abraham Lincoln's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Seventh Census of the United States in 1850. Both chambers had a Republican majority.

Contents

Major events

Two special sessions

The Senate, a continuing body, was called into special session by President Buchanan, meeting in March 1861, to address national issues. It confirmed calling forth troops and raising money. The border states and Texas were still represented. Shortly after the Senate session adjourned, Fort Sumter was attacked. The immediate results were to draw four additional states[11] "into the confederacy with their more Southern sisters", and Lincoln called Congress into extraordinary session on the Fourth of July, 1861.[12]

Both Houses then duly met July 4, 1861. Seven states which would send representatives held their state elections for Representative over the months of May to June 1861.[13] Members taking their seats had been elected before the secession crisis, during the formation of the Confederate government, and after Fort Sumter.[14]

Once assembled with a quorum in the House, Congress approved Lincoln's war powers innovations as necessary to preserve the Union.[15] Following the July Federal defeat at First Manassas, the Crittenden Resolution[16] asserted the reason for "the present deplorable civil war." It was meant as an address to the nation, especially to the Border States at a time of U.S. military reverses, when the war support in border state populations was virtually the only thing keeping them in the Union.[17]

Following resignations and expulsions occasioned by the outbreak of the Civil War, five states had some degree of dual representation in the U.S and the C.S. Congresses. Congress accredited Members elected running in these five as Unionist (19), Democratic (6), Constitutional Unionist (1) and Republican (1). All ten Kentucky and all seven Missouri representatives were accepted. The other three states seated four of thirteen representatives from Virginia, three of ten Tennessee, and two of four from Louisiana.[18]

The Crittenden Resolution declared the civil war "… has been forced upon the country by the disunionists of the southern States…" and it would be carried out for the supremacy of the Constitution and the preservation of the Union, and, that accomplished, "the war ought to cease". Democrats seized on this document, especially its assurances of no conquest or overthrowing domestic institutions (emancipation of slaves).[17]

Slaves and slavery

In the first regular session, Republicans superseded the Crittenden Resolution.[17] Congressional policy and military strategy were intertwined.

steps to emancipation - by Congress and Generals

On May 24, 1861, General Benjamin Butler at Fort Monroe, Virginia at the mouth of the Hampton Roads, had declared slaves escaped into his lines as contraband of war, that is, forfeit to their rebel owners.[19] On May 24, Congress followed General Butler's lead, and passed the First Confiscation Act in August, freeing slaves used for rebellion. John C. Frémont in Missouri exceeded his authority, declaring all slaves held by rebels would be freed.[20] Congress responded on opening day. After the opening prayer, December 2, Sen. Lyman Trumbull introduced a bill for confiscation of rebel property and emancipation for their slaves. "Acrimonious debate on confiscation proved a major preoccupation" of Congress.[17]

On March 13, 1862, Congress directed the armies of the United States to stop enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act. The next month, the Congress abolished slavery in the District of Columbia with compensation for loyal citizens. An additional Confiscation Act in July declared free all slaves held by citizens in rebellion, but it had no practical effect without addressing where the act would take effect, or how ownership was to be proved.[21] Emancipation politicians and political generals:

Lincoln's preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was issued September 22, 1862.[21] It became the principle issue before the public in the mid-term elections that year for the 38th Congress. But Republican majorities in both houses held (see 'Congress as a campaign machine' below), and the Republicans actually increased their majority in the Senate.[22]

On January 1, 1863, the war measure by executive proclamation directed the army and the navy to treat all escaped slaves as free when entering Union lines from territory still in rebellion.[23] Congress passed enabling legislation to carry out the Proclamation including "Freedman's Bureau" legislation.[24]

Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War

Congress assumed watchdog responsibilities with this and other investigating committees.

The principle conflict between the president and congress was found in the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Eight thick volumes of testimony were filled with investigations of Union defeats and contractor scandals.

They were highly charged with partisan opinions "vehemently expressed" by chair Benjamin Wade of Ohio, Representative George Washington Julian of Indiana, and Zachariah Chandler of Michigan.[25]

Sen. Chandler, who had been one of McClellan's advocates promoting his spectacular rise,[26] particularly documented criticism of McClellan's Peninsular Campaign with its circuitous maneuvering, endless entrenchment and murderous camp diseases. It led to support for his dismissal.

A congressional committee could ruin a reputation, without itself having any military expertise. It would create the modern Congressional era in which generals fought wars with Congress looking over their shoulders, "and with public opinion following closely behind."[25]

Republican Platform goals

Republican majorities in both houses, apart from pro-union Democrats, and without vacant southern delegations, were able to enact their party platform. These included the Legal Tender Act, February 20, 1862, and increases in the tariff that amounted to protective tariffs. The Homestead Act, May 20, for government lands, and the Morrill Land Grant Act, July 2, for universities promoting practical arts in agriculture and mining, had no immediate war purpose. But they would have long range effects, as would the Pacific Railroad Act, July 1, for a transcontinental railroad.[27]

Treasury innovations were driven by Secretary Salmon P. Chase and necessity of war. The income tax of 1861, numerous taxes on consumer goods such as whiskey, and a national currency all began in Civil War Congresses.[27]

Congress as election machinery

Member's floor speeches were not meant to be persuasive, but for publication in partisan newspapers. The real audience was the constituents back home. Congressional caucuses organized and funded political campaigns, publishing pamphlet versions of speeches and circulating them by the thousands free of postage on the member's franking privilege. Party congressional committees stayed in Washington during national campaigns, keeping an open flow of subsidized literature pouring back into the home districts.[28]

Nevertheless, like other Congresses in the 1850s and 1860s, this Congress would see less than half of its membership reelected.[29] The characteristic turmoil found in the "3rd Party Period, 1855-1896" stirred political party realignment in the North even in the midst of civil war. In this Congress, failure to gain nomination and loss at the general election together accounted for a Membership turnover of 25%.[30]

This Congress in the generations cycle

This first Civil War Congress would be nearing the last of those with pluralities held by members of the “Transcendental” Generation, born 1792-1821.[31] They amounted to 87% of national leadership, with 12% from the upcoming Gilded [Age], and only 1% elder Compromise Generation.[32]

As an age cohort, they were idealistic and exalted “inner truth” on both sides. Neither Transcendentalist-led belligerent in the civil war would back down. Those few Compromisers left with a voice were pushed out of the way. Representative Thaddeus Stevens was typical of their northern expression, “Instruments of war are not selected on account of their harmlessness … lay waste to the whole South.”[33]

In the Congresses following 1870, the “Gilded” generation, in their turn, will choose materialism over the Transcendentalists ideals and their bloodshed, skipping the civic-minded stage of other generational cycles in American history.[34][35]

Major legislation

States admitted and seceded and Territories organized

States admitted

Territories organized

Territories extended

Secession

Congress did not accept secession. Most of the Representatives and Senators from states that attempted to secede left Congress; those who took part in the rebellion were expelled.

Party summary

The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

Party
(Shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic
(D)
Republican
(R)
Unionist
(U)
Other
(O)
End of the previous congress 26 28 0 (American)
1
55 13
Begin 23 29 1 0 53 15
End 13 30 7 50 20
Final voting share 26.0% 60.0% 14.0% 0.0%
Beginning of the next congress 10 33 4 (Unconditional
Unionist
)

3
50 20

House of Representatives

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority/pluality caucus)
Total
Constitutional
Unionist

(CU)
Democratic
(D)
Independent
Democratic
(ID)
Republican
(R)
Unionist
(U)
Other Vacant
End of previous Congress 0 6 56 116 0 32 210 29
Begin 2 44 1 107 23 0 178 63
End 1 45 106 30 183 57
Final voting share 0.5% 24.6% 0.5% 57.9% 16.4% 0.0%
Beginning of the next Congress 0 72 0 85 9 14 180 61

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, 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 ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1862; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1864; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1866.

Alabama

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Arkansas

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

  • 1. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Georgia

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Tennessee

  • 1. Andrew Johnson (D), until March 4, 1862, vacant thereafter
  • 2. Vacant

Texas

Vermont

Virginia

Wisconsin

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives are listed by their districts. Once source reports no Virginians in this Congress,[42] while another source recognizes five.[43]

Alabama

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant
  • 4. Vacant
  • 5. Vacant
  • 6. Vacant
  • 7. Vacant

Arkansas

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant

California

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant
  • 4. Vacant
  • 5. Vacant
  • 6. Vacant
  • 7. Vacant
  • 8. Vacant

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant
  • 4. Vacant
  • 5. Vacant

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant
  • 4. Vacant
  • 5. Vacant
  • 6. Vacant
  • 7. Vacant
  • 8. Vacant

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant
  • 4. Vacant
  • 5. Vacant
  • 6. Vacant

Tennessee

Texas

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant

Vermont

Virginia

Wisconsin

Non-voting members

Changes in membership

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

Senate

State
(class)
Former senator Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
installation
Missouri (3) Vacant Did not take seat until after Congress commenced Waldo P. Johnson (D) March 17, 1861
Kansas (2) Vacant Election not recognized by US Senate James H. Lane (R) April 4, 1861
Kansas (3) Vacant Election not recognized by US Senate Samuel C. Pomeroy (R) April 4, 1861
Pennsylvania (1) Simon Cameron (R) Resigned March 4, 1861 to become Secretary of War. Successor was elected. David Wilmot (R) March 14, 1861
North Carolina (2) Thomas Bragg (D) Withdrew[45] March 6, 1861; expelled later in 1861. Vacant thereafter
Ohio (3) Salmon P. Chase (R) Resigned March 7, 1861 to become Secretary of the Treasury. Successor was elected. John Sherman (R) March 21, 1861
Texas (1) Louis T. Wigfall (D) Withdrew March 23, 1861 Vacant Vacant for remainder of term
North Carolina (3) Thomas L. Clingman (D) Withdrew[45] March 28, 1861; expelled later in 1861. Vacant thereafter
Virginia (2) Robert M. T. Hunter (D) Withdrew[45] March 28, 1861 and later expelled for support of the rebellion. Successor was elected. John S. Carlile (U) July 9, 1861
Virginia (1) James M. Mason (D) Expelled March 28, 1861 for supporting the rebellion. Successor was elected. Waitman T. Willey (U) July 9, 1861
Illinois (2) Stephen A. Douglas (D) Died June 3, 1861. Successor was appointed. Orville H. Browning (R) June 26, 1861
Texas (2) John Hemphill (D) Expelled July ????, 1861 Vacant Vacant for remainder of term
Illinois (2) Orville H. Browning (R) Retired January 12, 1863 upon election of a successor. William A. Richardson (D) January 30, 1863
Arkansas (2) William K. Sebastian (D) Expelled July 11, 1861 Vacant thereafter
Arkansas (3) Charles B. Mitchel (D)
Michigan (2) Kinsley S. Bingham (R) Died October 5, 1861. Successor was elected. Jacob M. Howard (R) January 17, 1862
Oregon (2) Edward D. Baker (R) Killed at Battle of Ball's Bluff October 21, 1861. Successor was appointed. Benjamin Stark (D) October 29, 1861
Kentucky (3) John C. Breckinridge (D) Expelled December 4, 1861 for supporting the rebellion. Successor was elected. Garrett Davis (U) December 23, 1861
Missouri (1) Trusten Polk (D) Expelled January 10, 1862 for supporting the rebellion. Successor was appointed. John B. Henderson (U) January 17, 1862
Missouri (3) Waldo P. Johnson (D) Expelled January 10, 1862 for disloyalty to the government. Successor was appointed. Robert Wilson (U) January 17, 1862
Indiana (1) Jesse D. Bright (D) Expelled February 5, 1862 on charges of disloyalty. Successor was appointed. Joseph A. Wright (U) February 24, 1862
Tennessee (1) Andrew Johnson (D) Resigned March 4, 1862 Vacant thereafter
Rhode Island (1) James F. Simmons (R) Resigned August 15, 1862. Successor was elected. Samuel G. Arnold (R) December 1, 1862
New Jersey (1) John R. Thomson (D) Died September 12, 1862. Successor was appointed. Richard S. Field (R) November 21, 1862
Oregon (2) Benjamin Stark (D) Retired September 12, 1862 upon election of a successor. Benjamin F. Harding (D) September 12, 1862
Maryland (3) James Pearce (D) Died December 20, 1862. Successor was appointed. Thomas H. Hicks (U) December 29, 1862
Indiana (1) Joseph A. Wright (U) Retired January 14, 1863 upon election of a successor. David Turpie (D) January 14, 1863
New Jersey (1) Richard S. Field (R) Retired January 14, 1863 upon election of a successor. James W. Wall (D) January 14, 1863

House of Representatives

District Vacator Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
installation
Colorado Territory At-large New seat Hiram P. Bennett
(Conservative R)
August 19, 1861
Nevada Territory At-large New seat John Cradlebaugh December 2, 1861
Dakota Territory At-large New seat John B. S. Todd
(D)
December 9, 1861
Louisiana 1st Vacant Benjamin F. Flanders (U) December 3, 1862
Louisiana 2nd Vacant Michael Hahn (U) December 3, 1862
Tennessee 3rd Vacant Representative-elect George W. Bridges was arrested by Confederate troops while en route to Washington, D.C. and held prisoner before he escaped. George W. Bridges (U) February 25, 1863
Virginia 1st Vacant Joseph E. Segar (U) May 6, 1862[44]
California At-large Vacant Low not permitted to take seat, qualified later under special act of Congress Frederick F. Low (R) June 3, 1862
Virginia 7th Vacant Charles H. Upton (U) July 4, 1861[44]
Ohio 7th Thomas Corwin (R) Resigned March 12, 1861 to become Minister to Mexico Richard A. Harrison (U) July 4, 1861
Ohio 13th John Sherman (R) Resigned March 12, 1861 when elected U.S. Senator Samuel T. Worcester (R) July 4, 1861
Pennsylvania 12th George W. Scranton (R) Died March 24, 1861 Hendrick B. Wright (D) July 4, 1861
Massachusetts 3rd Charles F. Adams, Sr. (R) Resigned May 1, 1861 to become Ambassador to Great Britain Benjamin Thomas (U) June 11, 1861
Pennsylvania 2nd Edward Joy Morris (R) Resigned June 8, 1861 to become Minister Resident to Turkey Charles J. Biddle (D) July 2, 1861
Virginia 11th John S. Carlile (U) Resigned July 9, 1861 to become United States Senator from the loyal faction of Virginia Jacob B. Blair (U) December 2, 1861
Missouri 3rd John B. Clark (D) Expelled July 13, 1861 for having taken up arms against the Union William A. Hall (D) January 20, 1862
Oregon At-large Andrew J. Thayer (D) Election was successfully contested July 30, 1861 George K. Shiel (D) July 30, 1861
Missouri 5th John W. Reid (D) Withdrew August 3, 1861 and then expelled December 2, 1861 for having taken up arms against the Union Thomas L. Price (D) January 21, 1862
Iowa 1st Samuel Curtis (R) Resigned August 4, 1861 to become colonel of the 2nd Iowa Infantry James F. Wilson (R) October 8, 1861
Massachusetts 5th William Appleton (CU) Resigned September 27, 1861 due to failing health Samuel Hooper (R) December 2, 1861
Illinois 6th John A. McClernand (D) Resigned October 28, 1861 to accept a commission as brigadier general of volunteers for service in the Civil War Anthony L. Knapp (D) December 12, 1861
Kentucky 1st Henry C. Burnett (D) Expelled December 3, 1861 for support of secession Samuel L. Casey (U) March 10, 1862
Kentucky 2nd James S. Jackson (U) Resigned December 13, 1861 to enter the Union Army George H. Yeaman (U) December 1, 1862
Virginia 7th Charles H. Upton (U) Declared not entitled to seat February 27, 1862 Lewis McKenzie (U) February 16, 1863
Illinois 9th John A. Logan (D) Resigned April 2, 1862 to enter the Union Army William J. Allen (D) June 2, 1862
Pennsylvania 7th Thomas B. Cooper (D) Died April 4, 1862 John D. Stiles (D) June 3, 1862
Massachusetts 9th Goldsmith F. Bailey (R) Died May 8, 1862 Amasa Walker (R) December 1, 1862
Maine 2nd Charles W. Walton (R) Resigned May 26, 1862 to become associate justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Thomas A. D. Fessenden (R) December 1, 1862
Missouri 1st Francis P. Blair, Jr. (R) Resigned July, 1862 to become colonel in Union Army Vacant Vacant for remainder of term
Wisconsin 2nd Luther Hanchett (R) Died November 24, 1862 Walter D. McIndoe (R) January 26, 1863
Illinois 5th William A. Richardson (D) Resigned January 29, 1863 after being elected to US Senate Vacant Vacant for remainder of term

Committees

Senate

Standing committees of the Senate resolved, Friday, March 8, 1861[46]

Foreign Relations

  • Sumner (Chairman)
  • Collamer
  • Doolittle
  • Harris
  • Douglas
  • Polk
  • Breckinridge

Finance

  • Fessenden (Chairman)
  • Simmons
  • Wade
  • Howe
  • Hunter
  • Pearce
  • Bright

Commerce

  • Chandler (Chairman)
  • King
  • Morrill
  • Wilson
  • Clingman
  • Saulsbury
  • Johnson

Military Affairs and Militia

  • Wilson (Chairman)
  • King
  • Baker
  • Lane
  • Rice
  • Latham
  • Breckinridge

Naval Affairs

  • Hale (Chairman)
  • Grimes
  • Foot
  • Cowan
  • Thomson
  • Nicholson
  • Kennedy

Judiciary

  • Trumbull (Chairman)
  • Foster
  • Ten Eyck
  • Cowan
  • Bayard
  • Powell
  • Clingman

Post Offices and Post Roads

  • Collamer (Chairman)
  • Dixon
  • Wade
  • Trumbull
  • Rice
  • Bright
  • Latham

Public Lands

  • Harlan (Chairman)
  • Bingham
  • Clark
  • Wilkinson
  • Johnson
  • Mitchel
  • Bragg

Private Land Claims

  • Harris (Chairman)
  • Ten Eyck
  • Sumner
  • Polk
  • Bayard

Indian Affairs

  • Doolittle (Chairman)
  • Baker
  • Cowan
  • Ten Eyck
  • Sebastian
  • Rice
  • Nesmith

Pensions

  • Foster (Chairman)
  • Bingham
  • Lane
  • Simmons
  • Saulsbury
  • Powell
  • Mitchel

Revolutionary Claims

  • King (Chairman)
  • Chandler
  • Wilkinson
  • Nicholson
  • Nesmith

Claims

  • Clark (Chairman)
  • Simmons
  • Howe
  • Cowan
  • Bragg
  • Polk

District of Columbia

  • Grimes (Chairman)
  • Anthony
  • Morrill
  • Wade
  • Kennedy
  • Clingman
  • Powell

Patents and Patent Office

  • Simmons (Chairman)
  • Sumner
  • Doolittle
  • Thomson
  • Sebastian

Public Buildings and Grounds

  • Foot (Chairman)
  • Dixon
  • Chandler
  • Bright
  • Kennedy

Territories

  • Wade (Chairman)
  • Wilkinson
  • Cowan
  • Hale
  • Douglas
  • Sebastian
  • Bragg

Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate

  • Dixon (Chairman)
  • Clark
  • Johnson

Printing

  • Anthony (Chairman)
  • Harlan
  • Nicholson

Engrossed Bills

  • Lane (Chairman)
  • Morrill
  • Mitchel

Enrolled Bills

  • Bingham (Chairman)
  • Baker
  • Saulsbury

The Library

  • Pearce (Chairman)
  • Collamer
  • Fessenden

Order in the Galleries (Select)

  • Anthony
  • Mason
  • Wade

House of Representatives

Members by committee assignments, Congressional Globe, as published July 8, 1861[47] Spellings conform to those found in the Congressional Biographical Dictionary.

Unless otherwise noted, all committees listed are Standing, as found at the Library of Congress[48]

Accounts

Agriculture

Claims

Commerce

Confiscation of Rebel Property (Select)

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

District of Columbia

Elections

Emancipation

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Expenditures in the State Department

Expenditures in the Treasury Department

Expenditures in the War Department

Expenditures in the Post Office Department

Expenditures in the Interior Department

Finance

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Foreign Affairs

Also known as Foreign Relations

Indian Affairs

Invalid Pensions

Judiciary

Lake and River Defences

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Manufactures

Listed in the Congressional Globe, but not listed in the Library of Congress summary page

Mileage

Listed in the Congressional Globe, but not listed in the Library of Congress summary page

Military Affairs

Also known as Military

Military Railroad

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Militia

Also known as Military Affairs and the Militia

Naval Affairs

Niagara Ship Canal (Select)

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Pacific Railroad

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Patents

Also known as Patents and Patent Office

Pensions

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Post Offices and Post Roads

Printing

Also known as Joint Committee on Printing

Private Land Claims

Public Lands

Public Buildings and Grounds

Public Expenditures

Revised and Unfinished Business

Listed in the Congressional Globe, but not listed in the Library of Congress summary page

Revolutionary Claims

Revolutionary Pensions

Roads and Canals

State of the Union

Listed in Library of Congress summary, but not in Congressional Globe of July 22, 1861

Territories

Ways and Means

Joint committees

Enrolled Bills

Library

Employees

Senate

House of Representatives

References

  1. ^ "The White House Historical Association, "The Great Cause of Union" search on 'habeas corpus'". http://www.whitehousehistory.org/whha_classroom/classroom_9-12-warpowers-union.html. 
  2. ^ Note: Missouri and Kentucky remained with full delegations certified in the 37th Congress, Tennessee had four of ten, Virginia and Louisiana seat partial delegation. Martis (1989, p.113-115)
  3. ^ "Ordinance of Secession of Virginia". Csawardept.com. http://www.csawardept.com/documents/secession/VA. Retrieved 2011-12-05. 
  4. ^ "Ordinance of Secession of Arkansas". Csawardept.com. http://www.csawardept.com/documents/secession/AR. Retrieved 2011-12-05. 
  5. ^ "Ordinance of Secession of Tennessee". Csawardept.com. http://www.csawardept.com/documents/secession/TN. Retrieved 2011-12-05. 
  6. ^ "Ordinance of Secession of North Carolina". Csawardept.com. http://www.csawardept.com/documents/secession/NC. Retrieved 2011-12-05. 
  7. ^ Heidler, D.S., Heidler, J.T., Coles, D.J., “Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: a political, social and military history” (2000) ISBN 0-393-04758-X p.441
  8. ^ Heidler, et.al., op. cit., p.295
  9. ^ Martis, Kenneth C., op.cit. p. 115, 117.
  10. ^ Heidler, et.al., op. cit., p.257
  11. ^ Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas
  12. ^ Excerpt from Isaac Bassett's Memoir re-published on the U.S. Senate webpage, url:http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/art/special/Bassett/tdetail.cfm?id=21
  13. ^ McPherson, James M., "Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief", The Penguin Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-59420-191-2, p. 23
  14. ^ Martis, Kenneth C., et al, 'The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989', Macmillan Publishing Company, NY, 1989, ISBN 0-02-920170-5 p. 36
  15. ^ Neely, Mark E., Jr., "Chapter 12. The Civil War" in "The American Congress: the building of a democracy", Julian E. Zelizer, ed., Houghton Mifflin Co., 2004, ISBN 0-618-17906-2, p. 208
  16. ^ Congressional Globe, 37 Cong. 1 sess. p. 233
  17. ^ a b c d Neely, p. 210
  18. ^ Martis, p.115
  19. ^ New York Times: "How Slavery Really Ended in America" Viewed November 9, 2011.
  20. ^ McPherson, p. 57-58
  21. ^ a b Neely, p. 214
  22. ^ McPherson, p. 142
  23. ^ www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured documents/emancipation proclamation/transcript.html
  24. ^ Blaine, James G.. "Memoir re-published on the National Archives webpage". http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/treasures_of_congress/text/page12_text.html. 
  25. ^ a b Neely, p. 212-213
  26. ^ McPherson, p. 76
  27. ^ a b Neely, p. 211
  28. ^ Neely, p. 213
  29. ^ Erickson, Stephen C. (Winter 1995). "The Entrenching of Incumbency: Reelections in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1790-1994". The Cato Journal. http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj14n3-2.html. 
  30. ^ Swain, John W., et al., "A New Look at Turnover in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1789-1998", American Politics Research 2000, (28:435), p. 444, 452.
  31. ^ Straus, William and Howe, Neil, “Generations: the history of America’s future, 1584-2069” William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1991, ISBN 0-688-08133-9, p.196
  32. ^ Straus, p.462
  33. ^ Straus, p.182
  34. ^ Straus, p.203-205
  35. ^ Generation "Generations preview online: Transcendental Generation". http://www.brokenscript.com/?Transcendental Generation. 
  36. ^ Virginia did not turn over its military to the Confederate States until June 8, 1861 and the Constitution of the Confederate States was ratified on June 19, 1861.
  37. ^ The text of Virginia's Ordinance of Secession.
  38. ^ The text of Arkansas's Ordinance of Secession.
  39. ^ The text of North Carolina's Ordinance of Secession.
  40. ^ The text of Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession.
  41. ^ The Tennessee legislature ratified an agreement to enter a military league with the Confederate States on May 7, 1861. Tennessee voters approved the agreement on June 8, 1861.
  42. ^ Parsons, Stanley B, et.al. "United States congressional districts and data, 1843-1883", Greenwood Publishing Group, 1986. pp.xix-xxvii ISBN 0-313-22045-X. p. xvi. Parsons does not acknowledge the seven Virginian Representatives seated in this Congress from Falls Church, Alexandria, Elizabeth (now Hampton) City and the future West Virginian Kingwood, Wheeling, Parkersburg and Ceredo as reported in the Congressional Biographical Dictionary (p.165).
  43. ^ 'The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989', ISBN 0-02-920170-5, p. 112. Martis recognized five Virginian districts in this Congress. in his 'The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989', ISBN 0-02-920170-5, p. 112
  44. ^ a b c d e Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, (1774–2005), "Official Annotated Membership Roster by State with Vacancy and Special Election Information for the 37th Congress".
  45. ^ a b c Withdrawal" meant that these senators announced they were withdrawing from the Senate due to their states' decisions to secede from the Union. Their seats were later declared vacant by the Senate, but some seats were actually unfilled since the beginning of this Congress on March 4, 1861.
  46. ^ "Journal of the Senate of the United States of America, 1789-1873". p. 412. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(sj05269)). 
  47. ^ "Congressional Globe". July 8, 1861. pp. 21–22. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llcg&fileName=057/llcg057.db&recNum=39. 
  48. ^ "A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 37th Congress, Browse by Committee". http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/browse/llsb_037_comm.html. 
  49. ^ a b The Bibliography of Vermont, Gilman, M.D.,The Free Press Association, 1897. p. 320. http://books.google.com/books?id=T1I0AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA320&lpg=PA320&dq=representative+E.+P.+Walton,+new+york&source=bl&ots=1uXny38vFi&sig=LxQT2DhiG7brbozM4FinV6LKUbc&hl=en&ei=N-CdTMTMBcSclgf-68XpCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAg#. 
  50. ^ Lanman, Charles (1887). Biographical annals of the civil government of the United States. New York: JM Morrison. p. 514. http://books.google.com/books?id=pp9GAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA514&lpg=PA514&dq=committee+on+the+Niagara+Ship+Canal&source=bl&ots=5taAcC1SIv&sig=uK3c_Eboz8ZsQbv2UPZG5EA5F6A&hl=en&ei=ffyfTISiOoH_8AbZxIDWDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDcQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=committee%20on%20the%20Niagara%20Ship%20Canal&f=false. 
  51. ^ "US Senate Art & History webpage, "Ashbury Dickens, Secretary of the Senate, 1836-1861"". http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/SOS_Asbury_Dickins.htm. 
  52. ^ "Congresssional Biographical Dictionary, 37th Congress". p. 162, footnote fn 2. http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/bioguide-front/37.pdf. 

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