Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-04-12
THE SENATE OF 1861.
a Memorable Bedy of which but Few
Now survive.


active political life who composed the
senate at the special session of the thirty
seventh congress, which met on the 4 h
of July, 1861, having been called by
proclamation of President Lincoln, is
sued ON the 10Th of April previous, the
day after the fall of Fort Sumter. This
summons to congress was part Of the
same proclamation by which tine mil
tia of the several states OF To union, 10
the aggregate number of 75,000,' were
called forth to suppress the com ina.
tons In the southern states opposing
and obstructing the execution OF the
laws. 1t will be interesting to call over
the roll of that senate and recollect the
men, who, less than twenty-five years
ago, met the great and unprecedented
responsibilities of the time.
Hannibal Hamlin wss the vice presi.
dent of the United States and called
the senate to order, and the Rev. Dr.
Byron Sunderland offered prayers Both
these gentlemen are still living. MIR.
Hamlin had had long experience IN the
senate, having been first elected In 1910
and serving continually with the ex-
ception of less than two months occu-
pancy of the gubernatorial chair of
Maine. Until very recently ne has been
in public life ever since, serviog anoth-
er full term in the senate since the war.
The two senators from Maine were Lot
NJ. Morrill, and William Pit Fessenden.
MIR. Fessenden had been in the senate
since 1858. Mr. Morrill, was new sen-
ator elected to succeed Mr.. Hamlin.
Mr.. Fessenden died in 1869 and Mr..
Morrill, last year. Vermont was repre-
scented by Solomon Foote and Jacob
Collamer, both men of great ability and
distinction. Mr.. Foote entered the
senate in 1851 and died in office in 1864,
He WAS president pro tenn of the SEN
ate during this congress. Mr.. Gala
mer first entered the senate in 1855
having previously been twice chietjus-
tice of the supreme court of Vermont,
six years a member of the house OF
representatives aud postmaster general
in Taylol's administration. He died in
office in 1875, and his statue is one of
the contributions of his state to the hall
of statuary in the national capitol.
John T. Hale and Daniel Clark were
the senators from New Hampshire.
Mr.. Hale was serving his third term.
Mr.. Clark entered the senate in 1857
for short term, ending in 1861, and
was reelected. Mr.. Hale has been dead
ten years, but Clark has been United
States district Judge for New Hamp-
shire since 1866. The representatives of
Massachusetts, were Charles Sumner
and Henry Wilson. The former has
been senator since 1851 and the latter
since 1866. Mr.. Sumner died in 1874
and Mr.. Wilson the following year
Rhode Island was represented by James
F. Simmons and Henry B. Anthony.
Mr.. Simmons had been a ser ator from
IS41 to 1S47, and wasrs-elec e. ,lS57.
In 1862 be resigned, and died two years
later. Mr.. Anthony began h s long sena-
torial career, which is not yet ended,
in 1859 There is but one other member
of the senate in that congress who is
now member of that body, and Mr..
Anthony alone has had continuous ser
vice. James Dixon and Lafayette s.
Foster we're the Connecticut senators.
Mr.. Dixon entered the senate in 1857
served two full terms. and died in 1873
Mr.. Foster became a senator in 1855
and served two terms. He was chosen
president pro tenn. of the senate when
Andrew johnson became president Of
the United States. He is not now living
Preston King and Ira Harris were
the New York members. Judge Har-
ris was q new member, having been
elected to succeed VIM, II. Seward.
Mr.. King had been in the senate four
years. Both are dead. The new Jer-
sey senators were John r. Thomson
and John G. Ten Eyck. Mr. Thomson
was a democrat. serving his second
term. Mr.. Ten Eyck was a republican,
ard had been IN the senate two years.
The former died in 1862, We do not
know whather the other is living or
not. Pennsylvania was represented
by David Wilmot, of Wilmot proviso
fame, and Etgar Cowen. Both were
new senators. Mr.. Wilmot died In
1858, and we are in doubt about Mr..
Cowen. Delaware was represented
by james A. Bayard, father of the pres
ent Senator Bayard, and Willard
Salisbury, younger brother of the
present Senator salisbury. We be-
lieve that Mr.. Bayard is dead and Mr..
Salisbury is living. Anthony Kenne
dy and James Pesrce were the two
Maryland members. Mr.. Pearce had
been senator continuously since 1915.
de died in 1862. Mr.. Kennedy only
served one term.
John G. Breckenridge and Lazlr
W. Powell were the Kentucky mem
bers. Mr.. Breckenridge had been vice
president during Buchanan's term, and
was defeated candidate for the presi-
dency. He was expelled from the
senate the following September, and
became a general of the rebel army.
Both are dead. Trusten Polk, OF
Missouri, was serving his first term, and
was the only senator from that state.
He, too, was expelled for disloyslty.
Andrew Johnson alone appeared from
Tennessee, 1.-THE other senator, A. 0. P.
Nicholson, not appearing at the open
ing of the session, and being expelled
on the 11th of July. Johnson is dead,
and probably Nicholson also. Lyman
1rumbull had just been chosen for q