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8th Wisconsin Legislature 
Summary
The Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1855, to April 2, 1855, in regular session.
| 8th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
 Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||
| Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||
| Term | January 1, 1855 – January 7, 1856 | ||||
| Election | November 7, 1854 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 25 | ||||
| Senate President | James T. Lewis (R) | ||||
| President pro tempore | Eleazer Wakeley (D) | ||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||
| Assembly | |||||
| Members | 82 | ||||
| Assembly Speaker | Charles C. Sholes (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
| |||||
This was the first Wisconsin legislature seated after the establishment of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Assemblymembers were elected to a one-year term. Assemblymembers and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 7, 1854. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 8, 1853.[1]
Major events edit
- February 1, 1855: Charles Durkee elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in Joint Session.[2]
- November 6, 1855: In the 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, incumbent William A. Barstow was initially declared the winner. The election results were contested and eventually Coles Bashford, the Republican candidate, prevailed and became the next Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation edit
- March 8, 1855: Act to provide for the division of the County of Adams, and to submit the question to a Vote of the people, 1855 Act 28. The referendum passed and resulted in the creation of Juneau County from the western half of Adams County.
- March 23, 1855: Act relative to the rights of married women, 1855 Act 49. Granted married women the rights to own property and conduct business in circumstances where the husband had been negligent or otherwise irresponsible.
Party summary edit
Senate summary edit
Democratic: 13 seats
Independent: 1 seat
Republican: 11 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | F.S. | Whig | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 25 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 52% | 0% | 0% | 4% | 44% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 25 | 0 |
Assembly summary edit
Democratic: 34 seats
Independent: 4 seats
Republican: 44 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | F.S. | Whig | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 51 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 34 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 44 | 82 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 41.46% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.88% | 53.66% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 46 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 82 | 0 |
Sessions edit
- 1st Regular session: January 10, 1855 – April 2, 1855
Leaders edit
Senate leadership edit
- President of the Senate: James T. Lewis, Lieutenant Governor
- President pro tempore: Eleazer Wakeley
Assembly leadership edit
- Speaker of the Assembly: Charles C. Sholes
Members edit
Members of the Senate edit
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Eighth Wisconsin Legislature (25):
Democratic: 13 seats
Independent: 1 seat
Republican: 11 seats
Members of the Assembly edit
Members of the Assembly for the Eighth Wisconsin Legislature (82):
Democratic: 34 seats
Independent: 4 seats
Republican: 44 seats
Employees edit
Senate employees edit
- Chief Clerk: Samuel G. Bugh
- Sergeant-at-Arms: William H. Gleason
Assembly employees edit
- Chief Clerk: David Atwood
- Sergeant-at-Arms: William Blake
References edit
- ^ Heg, J. E., ed. (1882). "Annals of the legislature" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 189–191.
- ^ Journal of the Assembly of Wisconsin (Report). Beriah Brown, Printer. 1855. p. 199. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ "Official Returns". The Weekly Wisconsin. November 22, 1854. p. 1. Retrieved August 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Democratic Nominations". Waukesha Plain Dealer. November 1, 1854. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Waukesha County". Milwaukee Sentinel. November 9, 1854. p. 2. Retrieved September 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.