Ω 37th United States Congress (Seated 3/1861)

:us34stars: 37th United States Congress :us34stars:

March 4, 1861 – March 4, 1863


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U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., Inauguration Day, March 4, 1861.

50 Senators
183 Representatives
7 Non-Voting Delegates

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 3, 1863
The 37th 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.

For the first time since the party's establishment, the Republicans won the majority of both chambers, and thus full control of Congress. And with Abraham Lincoln becoming the first Republican President after being sworn in on March 4, 1861, the Republicans had their first ever overall federal government trifecta.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

Senate


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As of 3/1/1861, Starts With: 22 Democrats, 29 Republicans, 1 Unionist, 52 Members Total, 16 Vacant Seats, 68 Total Seats

As of 3/1/1863, Ends With: 11 Democrats, 30 Republicans, 7 Unionist, 48 Members Total, 20 Vacant Seats, 68 Total Seats

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, facing re-election in 1862; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1864; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1866.

Alabama

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Arkansas

California
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Connecticut
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Delaware
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Florida

  • 1. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Georgia

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Illinois
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Indiana
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Iowa
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Kansas
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Kentucky
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Louisiana

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Maine
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Maryland
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Massachusetts
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Michigan
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Minnesota
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Mississippi

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant

Missouri
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New Hampshire
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New Jersey
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New York
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North Carolina

Ohio
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Oregon
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Pennsylvania
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Rhode Island
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South Carolina

  • 2. Vacant
  • 3. Vacant

Tennessee

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

Texas

Vermont
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Virginia

Wisconsin
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House of Representatives

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As of 3/1/1861, Starts With: 2 Constitutional Unionists, 44 Democrats, 1 Independent Democrat,
107 Republicans, 23 Unionist, 177 Members Total, 62 Vacant Seats, 239 Total Seats

As of 3/1/1863, Ends With: 2 Constitutional Unionists, 44 Democrats, 1 Independent Democrat,
105 Republicans, 31 Unionist, 182 Members Total, 57 Vacant Seats, 239 Total Seats

Members of the House of Representatives are listed by their districts.

Alabama

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

Arkansas

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant

California
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All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Connecticut
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Delaware

Florida

  • At-large. Vacant

Georgia

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

Illinois
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Indiana
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Iowa
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Kansas
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Kentucky
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Louisiana

Maine
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Maryland
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Massachusetts
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Michigan
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Minnesota
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Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Mississippi

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

Missouri
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New Hampshire
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New Jersey
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New York
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North Carolina

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

Ohio
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Oregon
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  • At-large. Andrew J. Thayer (D), until July 30, 1861
    • George K. Shiel (D), from July 30, 1861

Pennsylvania
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Rhode Island
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South Carolina

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

Tennessee

Texas

  • 1. Vacant
  • 2. Vacant

Vermont
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Virginia

Wisconsin
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Non-voting members

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R - Republican
D - Democrat
U - Unionist
I - Independent
ID - Independent Democrat
CU- Constitutional Union

Major 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 19, 1862: Anti-Coolie Act, Sess. 1, ch. 24, 27, 12 Stat. 340
  • February 25, 1862: Legal Tender Act of 1862, Sess. 2, ch. 33, 12 Stat. 345
  • April 16, 1862: District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, Sess. 2, ch. 54, 12 Stat. 376
  • 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
  • June 19, 1862: An Act to secure Freedom to all persons within the Territories of the United States, Sess. 2, ch 111, 12 Stat. 432
  • 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 Bank 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
  • March 3, 1863: Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, Sess. 3, ch. 81, 12 Stat. 755
  • March 3, 1863: Tenth Circuit Act, 12 Stat. 794
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/37th_United_States_Congress
 
Last edited:
Looking at the breakdown of both parts of Congress, the Senate was firmly in Republican hands as of March 1, 1861. If the vacant seats in the House that the Southern states who seceded were filled by Democrats as they probably would, there would only be a one vote majority for the Republicans 107 to 106 with one Independent Democrat and 23 Unionists. The Southern states still had the power to influence and block legislation, in particular, the abolishment of slavery if they had not rashly decided to leave the Union. I'm sure they could have gotten some Unionist votes who were all about preserving the Union at almost any cost even if it meant protecting slavery where it was already established.

The South also had a majority on the Supreme Court on March 1, 1861. The Lincoln administration promptly replaced the Southern justices who left when their states seceded and Chief Justice Roger Taney after his death with Republican judges insuring that any of Lincoln's agenda would pass Constitutional muster if it were challenged at the Supreme Court level. Again, cooler heads could have prevailed if the South had taken inventory and realized that they still wielded power in the House of Representatives and at the Supreme Court.
 
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