The second Minnesota Legislature first convened on December 7, 1859. The 37 members of the Minnesota Senate and the 80 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the General Election of October 11, 1859.
| Second Minnesota Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Minnesota Legislature | ||||
| Jurisdiction | Minnesota, United States | ||||
| Term | December 7, 1859 – January 8, 1861 | ||||
| Website | www | ||||
| Minnesota State Senate | |||||
| Members | 37 Senators | ||||
| Lieutenant Governor | William Holcombe, Ignatius L. Donnelly | ||||
| Party control | Republican Party | ||||
| Minnesota House of Representatives | |||||
| Members | 80 Representatives | ||||
| Speaker | Amos Coggswell | ||||
| Party control | Republican Party | ||||
Sessions
editThe legislature met in a regular session from December 7, 1859 to March 12, 1860. There were no special sessions of the second legislature.[1]
Party summary
edit- Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.
Senate
edit| Party[2][3] (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | Vacant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Independent | Republican | |||
| End of previous Legislature | 20 | 0 | 17 | 37 | 0 |
| Begin | 13 | 1 | 23 | 37 | 0 |
| January 6, 1860 | 11 | 25 | |||
| Latest voting share | 30% | 3% | 68% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 2 | 0 | 19 | 21 | 0 |
House of Representatives
edit| Party[2][3] (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||
| End of previous Legislature | 44 | 36 | 80 | 0 |
| Begin | 22 | 58 | 80 | 0 |
| December 29, 1859 | 19 | 77 | 3 | |
| December 30, 1859 | 61 | 80 | 0 | |
| Latest voting share | 24% | 76% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 3 | 39 | 42 | 0 |
Leadership
editSenate
edit- Lieutenant Governor
- Until January 2, 1860 William Holcombe (D-Stillwater)[4]
- Since January 2, 1860 Ignatius L. Donnelly (R-Nininger)[4]
House of Representatives
edit- Speaker of the House
- Amos Coggswell (R-Aurora)[5]
Members
editSenate
editHouse of Representatives
editMembership changes
editSenate
edit| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | Orlando B. Bryant (D) |
Bryant and O'Ferrall were initially seated with certificates of election issued by order of the Minnesota Supreme Court, but Holley and Wells contested the election. On January 6, 1860, the Senate determined that, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Minnesota which assigned to each house of the legislature the power to judge the elections and qualifications of its own members, the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction to determine the membership of the Senate. The Senate then determined that Holley and Wells were entitled to the seats.[8][9] | Henry W. Holley (R) |
January 6, 1860[10][11] |
| Ignatius F. O'Ferrall (D) |
Reuben Wells (R) |
House of Representatives
edit| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | Ara Barton (D) |
Barton, Newell, and Waldhier were initially seated; however, Bixler, Caskey, and Hayes challenged their election on the grounds that the Democrats in the district had engaged in voter intimidation against Republican voters,[12] and illegal votes were cast. On December 29, 1859, the House of Representatives ruled that Bixler, Caskey, and Hayes were rightfully entitled to the seats, and thereby unseated Barton, Newell, and Waldhier.[13][14][15] | Moses Bixler (R) |
December 30, 1859[16][17][18] |
| Stephen Newell (D) |
Henry Caskey (R) | |||
| Michael Waldhier (D) |
Archibald M. Hayes (R) |
Standing committees
editSenate
edit| Committee | Republican members | Democratic members | Indepenednet members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ways and Means | Emerson Hodges, John T. Averill | Thomas Cowan | N/A |
| State Affairs | Michael Cook, Riley L. Bartholomew | Samuel E. Adams | N/A |
| Judiciary | Jesse Bishop, Lucius K. Stannard | Christopher Columbus Andrews | N/A |
| Internal Improvements | John T. Averill, Ephraim L. King | Joel D. Cruttenden | N/A |
| Harbors | Frederick Gluck, Robert N. McLaren | Thomas Clark | N/A |
| Elections | F. Eugene Baldwin, Emerson Hodges | A. H. Norris | N/A |
| Federal Relations | David Heaton, Hector Galloway | William Sprigg Hall | N/A |
| Banks | Robert N. McLaren, Eli Robinson | Alonzo J. Edgerton | N/A |
| Public Lands | J. F. Baldwin, Daniel H. Frost | William F. Pettit | N/A |
| Printing | Jacob H. Stewart, Ephraim L. King | Thomas Cowan | N/A |
| Agriculture and Manufacture | George Watson, Henry C. Rogers | John H. Stevens | N/A |
| Towns and Counties | Daniel H. Frost, Frederick Gluck | Oscar Taylor | N/A |
| Education and Science | J. M. Winn, Jacob H. Stewart | Christopher Columbus Andrews | N/A |
| Incorporations | Lucius K. Stannard, William McKusick | Charles N. Mackubin | N/A |
| Engrossment | E. H. Kennedy, Michael Cook | A. H. Norris | N/A |
| Militia | Riley L. Bartholomew, E. H. Kennedy | John H. Stevens | N/A |
| State Prison | William McKusick, Jesse Bishop | Socrates Nelson | N/A |
| State Library | Ephraim L. King, George Watson | William F. Pettit | N/A |
| Indian Affairs | Henry C. Rogers, David C. Evans | Joel D. Crutenden | N/A |
| Public Buildings | Hector Galloway, Lucius K. Stannard | Ignatius F. O'Ferrall | N/A |
| Roads and Bridges | Frederick Gluck | Orlando B. Bryant | Eli Robinson |
| Enrollment | David C. Evans, J. M. Winn | Oscar Taylor | N/A |
| University and University Lands | David Heaton, J. F. Baldwin | William S. Hall | N/A |
Notes
edit- ^ Alonzo J. Edgerton was a Republican during his service in the 19th and 20th Minnesota Legislatures,[6] as well as during his short service in the 47th United States Congress. However, the Minnesota Staats-Zeitung listed him as a Democrat in 1859,[3] he ran for Congress in 1860 as a Breckenridge Democrat and, during his service in the 2nd Minnesota Legislature, tended more often than not to vote with the Democrats on party-line votes,[7] indicating that he was a Democrat prior to 1861, and likely changed party affiliations in response to the secession of the Southern states and the American Civil War.
References
edit- ^ "Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ a b Dubin, Michael J. (2007). Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures: A Year by Year Summary, 1796-2006 (Revised ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 102. ISBN 1476607761.
- ^ a b c "Legislatur von Minnesota. Zweite Sißung" (PDF). Minnesota Staats-Zeitung (in German). St. Paul, MN. 10 December 1859. p. 3. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ a b "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849-present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Edgerton, Alonzo Jay "A.J."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Journal of the Senate of the Second Legislature of the State of Minnesota". Newson, Moore, Foster & Company, Incidental Printers to Senate. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Bryant, Orlando? B." Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "O'Ferrall, Ignatius F. "I.F."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Holley, Henry W. "H.W."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Wells, Reuben". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Contested Election Petition" (PDF). Minnesota Journal of the House, December 8, 1859. Minnesota House of Representatives. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Barton, Ara "Asa"". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Newell, Stephen". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Waldhier, Michael". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Bixler, Moses". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Caskey, Henry". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Hayes, Archibald M. "A.M."". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ^ "Standing Committees". The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat. Vol. XI, no. 37. Saint Paul, MN. December 23, 1859. p. 5. ISSN 2694-4251. LCCN sn83016751. Retrieved December 25, 2020 – via the Library of Congress.
- ^ "Minnesota Legislature | Standing Committees". Weekly Minnesotian & Times. Vol. 9, no. 14. December 24, 1859. p. 4. ISSN 2694-4340. LCCN sn90059501. Retrieved December 25, 2020 – via the Library of Congress.