The Constitution of the Confederate States having been unanimously adopted in the Provisional Congress the day before, the body elected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi the Provisional President of the Confederate States of America. Alexander Hamilton Stephens of Georgia was elected as Provisional Vice-President. Both votes were unanimous. (By John Osborne)

Samuel Goodale of Cincinnati, Ohio patented his "Mutoscope," a crank-driven steroscope machine using flickering cards to simulate motion. (By John Osborne)

The Oregon Spectator began publication as a semi-monthly. Non-political, its masthead carried the motto "Westward the star of empire takes its way." It was the first United States newspaper published on the West Coast. (By John Osborne)

Thomas Green Clemson became the first superintendent of the Agriculture Bureau under the operation of the Interior Department. Previous to this, the Bureau had been under the Patent Office. (By John Osborne)

Rabbi Morris Jacob Raphall of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York City gave the opening prayer in the House of Representatives at the first session of the Thirty-sixth Congress.  He was the first of his faith ever to give the invocation. (By John Osborne)