The Thirty-sixth Congress of the United States opened in Washington, D.C. Of the 238 representatives, there were 116 Republicans, 83 Democrats, 19 from the Opposition Party, eight Anti-Lecompton Democrats, seven Independent Democrats, and five members representing the American Party. The position of the parties made legislation difficult and the first order of business, usually concluded within days, that of the election of the Speaker of the House, dragged on in controversy until a compromise in February, 1860. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, "House History." http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/index.html
Record Data
Date Certainty
Exact
Type
Lawmaking/Litigating