| 37th United States Congress | |||
 United States Capitol (1860) |
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| Duration: March 4, 1861 – March 4, 1863 | |||
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| President of the Senate: | Hannibal Hamlin | ||
| President pro tempore: | Solomon Foot | ||
| Speaker of the House: | Galusha A. Grow | ||
| Members: | 50 Senators 183 Representatives 7 Non-voting members |
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| Senate Majority: | Republican | ||
| House Majority: | Republican | ||
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| 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 |
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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.
Major events
- March 4, 1861: Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States
- April 12, 1861: American Civil War began
- April 13, 1861: Fort Sumter surrendered
- April 27, 1861: President Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus
- July 21, 1861: First Battle of Bull Run
- September 17, 1862: Battle of Antietam
- September 22, 1862: Emancipation Proclamation issued
Major legislation
Main article: List of United States federal legislation
- August 5, 1861: Revenue Act of 1861, Sess. 1, ch. 45, 12 Stat. 292
- August 6, 1861: Confiscation Act of 1861, Sess. 1, ch. 60, 12 Stat. 319
- February 25, 1862: Legal Tender Act of 1862, Sess. 2, ch. 33, 12 Stat. 345
- May 15, 1862: An Act to Establish a Department of Agriculture, Sess. 2, ch. 72, 12 Stat. 387
- May 20, 1862: Homestead Act, Sess. 2, ch. 75, 12 Stat. 392
- July 1, 1862: Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act, Sess. 2, ch. 126, 12 Stat. 501
- July 1, 1862: Revenue Act of 1862, Sess. 2, ch. 119, 12 Stat. 432
- July 1, 1862: Pacific Railway Act, Sess. 2, ch. 120, 12 Stat. 489
- July 2, 1862: Morrill Land Grant Colleges Act, Sess. 2, ch. 130, 12 Stat. 503
- July 17, 1862: Militia Act of 1862, Sess. 2, ch. 201, 12 Stat. 597
- February 25, 1863: National Banking Act, Sess. 3, ch 58, 12 Stat. 665
- March 2, 1863: False Claims Act, Sess. 3, ch. 67, 12 Stat. 696
- March 3, 1863: Enrollment Act, Sess. 3, ch. 75, 12 Stat. 731
States admitted and seceded and Territories organized
States admitted
- December 31, 1862: West Virginia admitted, Sess. 3, ch. 6, 12 Stat. 633
Territories organized
- February 24, 1863: Arizona Territory organized, Sess. 3, ch. 56, 12 Stat. 664
- March 3, 1863: Idaho Territory organized, Sess. 3, ch. 117, 12 Stat. 808
Secession
Main article: Secession in the United States
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.
- Secessions declared during previous Congress: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.
- Secessions declared during this Congress:
- April 17, 1861: Virginia[1] (See also rump Union government of Virginia)[2]
- May 6, 1861: Arkansas[3]
- May 20, 1861: North Carolina[4]
- June 8, 1861: Tennessee[5][6] Senator Andrew Johnson and three members of the House did not recognize secession and retained their seats.
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
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Unionist | Other | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Congress | 26 | 38 | 0 | 2 | 66 | 2 |
| Begin | 30 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 13 |
| End | 29 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 50 | 18 |
| Final voting share | 58.0% | 28.0% | 14.0% | 0.0% | ||
| Beginning of the next Congress | 33 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 52 | 16 |
House of Representatives
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Unionist | Constitutional Unionist |
Independent Democratic |
Other | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Congress | 116 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 32 | 238 | ? |
| Begin | 107 | 44 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 177 | 60 |
| End | 104 | 45 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 182 | 55 |
| Final voting share | 57.14% | 24.73% | 17.03% | 0.55% | 0.55% | 0.00% | ||
| Beginning of the next Congress | 85 | 72 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 183 | 1 |
Leadership
Senate
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Galusha A. Grow (R)
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
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
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Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
|
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are listed by their districts.
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
| State (class) | Vacator | Reason for Vacancy | Successor | Date of successor's taking office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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[7] 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 | |
| North Carolina (3) | Thomas L. Clingman (D) | Withdrew[7] March 28, 1861; expelled later in 1861. | Vacant thereafter | ||
| Virginia (2) | Robert M. T. Hunter (D) | Withdrew[7] 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 | |
| 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 Porter 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 Vacancy | Successor | Date of successor's taking office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | March 15, 1862 | |
| Virginia 7th | Vacant | Charles H. Upton (U) | May 23, 1861 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
Employees
Senate
- Chaplain
- Phineas D. Gurley, Presbyterian
- Byron Sunderland, Presbyterian, elected July 10, 1861
- Secretary:
- Asbury Dickens
- John W. Forney, elected July 15, 1861
- Sergeant at Arms:
- Dunning R. McNair
- George T. Brown, elected July 6, 1861
House of Representatives
- Chaplain of the House: Thomas H. Stockton, Methodist
- Clerk: Emerson Etheridge
- Doorkeeper: Ira Goodnow
- Messenger to the Speaker: Thaddeus Morrice
- Postmaster: William S. King
- Sergeant at Arms: Edward Ball
References
- ^ The text of Virginia's Ordinance of Secession.
- ^ 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.
- ^ The text of Arkansas' Ordinance of Secession.
- ^ The text of North Carolina's Ordinance of Secession.
- ^ The text of Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
External links
- Statutes at Large, 1789-1875
- Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- House History from the U.S. House of Representatives
- Statistics & Lists from the U.S. Senate
- Congressional Directory: Main Page, Government Printing Office Online. Detailed listings of many aspects of previous memberships and sessions of Congress.
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