Representatives had been meeting since December 5, 1859 on the usually routine task of electing a Speaker.  After almost two months and forty-four ballots, Republican William Pennington of New Jersey was elected on a strict sectional vote with a count of 117 to 116 votes spread amongst his opposition.  Pennington secured only one slave state vote. (By John Osborne)

Representatives had been meeting since December 5, 1859 on the usually routine task of electing a Speaker.  After unsuccessfully supporting John Sherman of Ohio through thirty-nine ballots, the Republicans nominated William Pennington of New Jersey.  On the following fortieth ballot, Pennington fell three votes short of a majority and election. And the election continued.  (By John Osborne)

Representatives had been meeting since December 5, 1859 on the usually routine task of electing a Speaker.  In a marathon session that culminated in the thirty-ninth ballot, John Sherman of Ohio, for the Republicans, who had led every ballot was at last overtaken by William Smith of North Carolina.  Smith, despite the support of a coalition of Democratic and American Party members, could not reach the required number of votes so the struggle went on. (By John Osborne)

Representatives had been meeting since December 5, 1859 on the usually routine task of electing a Speaker.  The sectional crisis made this year very different, however.  Now at the thirty-fourth ballot, there was still no resolution.  John Sherman of Ohio, for the Republicans, could not reach the required numbers of votes and no challenger had been able to reach him, so the struggle went on.  No more votes would be held for thirteen days. (By John Osborne)

Representatives had been meeting for more than two weeks on the usually routine task of electing a Speaker.  The sectional crisis made this year very different, however.  After the seventeenth ballot, southerners and other Democrats rallied behind John Millson of Virginia.  Millson fell just eighteen votes short of the number needed for election, the closest a non-Republican would come, and the struggle went on. (By John Osborne)

Representatives had been meeting for almost two weeks on the usually routine task of electing a Speaker.  The sectional crisis made this year very different, however.  After the twelfth ballot, Thomas S. Bocock of Virginia, the nominee of the Democrats withdrew from the race, having failed to surpass John Sherman of Ohio the Republican nominee.  Sherman could still not win the required majority, however, and the struggle went on. (By John Osborne)

Representatives met in Washington, DC, to elect a Speaker of the House for the new session of Congress.  John Sherman of Ohio defeated Elisha Grow of Pennsylvania for the Republican nomination, while Thomas S. Bocock of Virginia secured the support of the Administration Democrats.  The first ballot of the election proper was inconclusive.  Few members suspected that  the new Speaker would not be selected and seated until February, 1860.  (By John Osborne)