The Senate has already sat in a short special session in March but now the full Thirty-ninth Congress of the United States opened in Washington, D.C. With seats representing the late Confederacy still vacant, 193 representatives sat in the House, along with nine territorial delegates. The Republicans had a heavy majority with their 136 seats dominating the 38 Democratic members. Eighteen others sat as Unionists or Independent Republican. Schuyler Colfax, Republican of Indiana and incumbent Speaker of the House was re-elected. (By John Osborne)