The 36th Congress of the United States ends its second session, finishes its term, and adjourns
With controversy over the status of Fort Sumter raging and Abraham Lincoln due to be inaugurated the next day, Speaker Pennington gaveled the ninety-three day "lame-duck" second session of the House of Representatives to a close, ending the term of the Thirty-sixth Congress of the United States. (By John Osborne)