2nd Wisconsin Legislature
{{Short description|Wisconsin legislative term for 1849}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox legislative term
| name = 2nd Wisconsin Legislature
| image = Wisconsin State Capitol 1855.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855
| body = Wisconsin Legislature
| meeting_place = {{nowrap|Wisconsin State Capitol}}
| election = {{nowrap|November 7, 1848}}
| term_start = {{nowrap|January 1, 1849}}
| term_end = {{nowrap|January 7, 1850}}
| before = 1st
| after = 3rd
| website =
| chamber1 = Senate
| membership1 = 19
| control1 = Democratic
| chamber1_leader1_type = {{nowrap|Senate President}}
| chamber1_leader1 = John Edwin Holmes
| chamber1_leader2_type =
| chamber1_leader2 =
| chamber2 = Assembly
| membership2 = 66
| control2 = Democratic
| chamber2_leader1_type = {{nowrap|Assembly Speaker}}
| chamber2_leader1 = Harrison Carroll Hobart
| chamber2_leader2_type =
| chamber2_leader2 =
| session1_start = {{nowrap|January 10, 1849}}
| session1_end = {{nowrap|April 2, 1849}}
}}
The Second Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1849, to April 2, 1849, in regular session. Senators representing odd numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first year of a two-year term. Senators representing even numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term.{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1882 |title= The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1882 |editor-last= Heg |editor-first= J. E. |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1882/reference/wi.wibluebk1882.i0011.pdf |chapter= Annals of the Legislature |pages=179–180 }}
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Nelson Dewey, of Grant County, serving his first full year in office after winning election in the state's first gubernatorial election in May 1848, and taking office in June 1848.
Major events
- January 17, 1849: Isaac P. Walker re-elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session.{{cite report|url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89096563838 |title= Journal of the Senate of the State of Wisconsin |year= 1849 |publisher= Wisconsin Legislature |chapter= In Convention of Both Houses |pages= 57-58 |accessdate= March 2, 2025 |via= HathiTrust }}
- March 4, 1849: Inauguration of Zachary Taylor as the 12th President of the United States.
- November 6, 1849: Nelson Dewey re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
- February 8, 1849: Joint resolution related to Slavery and the Slave trade, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/joint_resolutions/2.pdf 1849 Joint Resolution 2]
- March 6, 1849: Act to extend the boundaries of the county of Marquette, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/acts/73.pdf 1849 Act 73]
- March 8, 1849: Act in relation to the boundaries of the counties of Columbia, Adams, Sauk, Chippewa, La Pointe, and St. Croix, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/acts/77.pdf 1849 Act 77]
- March 8, 1849: Act to extend the boundaries of Winnebago county, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/acts/79.pdf 1849 Act 79]
- March 10, 1849: Joint resolution relative to a proposed amendment to the constitution of the United States, concerning the election of Senators in congress, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/joint_resolutions/5.pdf 1849 Joint Resolution 5]
- March 22, 1849: Act submitting the question of the extension of the right of suffrage to a vote of the People, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/acts/137.pdf 1849 Act 137]. Setting a referendum for the 1849 general election which would grant voting rights to African Americans living in Wisconsin. The referendum passed, but the legality was challenged. The Wisconsin Supreme Court finally upheld the result of the 1849 referendum in the 1866 case of Gillespie v Palmer and others.{{cite web|title=Ezekiel Gillespie, Lost and Found| url=http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/wmh/id/34084 |work=Wisconsin magazine of history |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate=May 13, 2019 }}
- March 31, 1849: Joint resolution instructing the Hon. Isaac P. Walker to resign his seat as United States Senator, [http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1849/related/joint_resolutions/9.pdf 1849 Joint Resolution 9].
- March 31, 1849: An Act in relation to homicide. Created Wisconsin's first law criminalizing abortion.
Party summary
=Senate summary=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |
| style="vertical-align:bottom;"
! rowspan=3 | ! colspan=3 | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
! rowspan=3 | Total ! |
| style="height:5px"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Free Soil Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Whig Party (United States)}}" | | style="background:black;" | |
| Dem.
! F.S. ! Whig ! Vacant |
|---|
| style="font-size:80%;" | End of previous Legislature
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | 16 | 0 | 3 ! 19 | 0 |
| colspan=6 | |
| style="font-size:80%;" | 1st Session
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | 14 | 1 | 4 ! 19 | 0 |
| colspan=6 | |
| Final voting share
! {{party shading/Democratic}} | 74% ! 5% ! 21% ! colspan=2 | |
| colspan=6 | |
| style="font-size:80%;" | Beginning of the next Legislature
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | 13 | 2 | 4 ! 19 | 0 |
=Assembly summary=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |
| style="vertical-align:bottom;"
! rowspan=3 | ! colspan=3 | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
! rowspan=3 | Total ! |
| style="height:5px"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Free Soil Party (United States)}}" | | style="background-color:{{party color|Whig Party (United States)}}" | | style="background:black;" | |
| Dem.
! F.S. ! Whig ! Vacant |
|---|
| style="font-size:80%;" | End of previous Legislature
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | 49 | 0 | 17 ! 66 | 0 |
| colspan=6 | |
| style="font-size:80%;" | 1st Session
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | 36 | 14 | 16 ! 66 | 0 |
| colspan=6 | |
| Final voting share
! {{party shading/Democratic}} | {{percentage|36|66|0}} ! {{percentage|14|66|0}} ! {{percentage|16|66|0}} ! colspan=2 | |
| colspan=6 | |
| style="font-size:80%;" | Beginning of the next Legislature
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | 43 | 8 | 15 ! 66 | 0 |
Sessions
Leaders
=Senate leadership=
- President of the Senate: John E. Holmes, Lieutenant Governor
=Assembly leadership=
- Speaker of the Assembly: Harrison Carroll Hobart
Members
=Members of the Senate=
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Second Wisconsin Legislature (19):
File:WI Senate Partisan Map 1849.svg
| class="wikitable sortable"
! District ! Counties ! Senator ! Party ! Residence |
| 01
| Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan | {{sortname|Lemuel|Goodell}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 02
| Columbia, Marquette, Portage, Sauk | {{sortname|Henry|Merrill}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 03
| Crawford, Chippewa, {{nowrap|St. Croix}}, {{nowrap|La Pointe}} | {{sortname|James|Fisher|James Fisher (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Eastman |
| 04
| {{sortname|Warren|Chase}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Ceresco |
| 05
| {{sortname|Montgomery M.|Cothren|Montgomery Morrison Cothren}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 06
| Grant | {{sortname|George W.|Lakin}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 07
| {{sortname|Dennis|Murphy|Dennis Murphy (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 08
| Green | {{sortname|Elisha T.|Gardner}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Monroe |
| 09
| Dane | {{sortname|Alexander|Botkin}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Madison |
| 10
| Dodge | {{sortname|William M.|Dennis}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 11
| {{sortname|Frederick W.|Horn}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 12
| {{sortname|Myron B.|Williams}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 13
| Waukesha | {{sortname|Frederick|Sprague}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 14
| Walworth | {{sortname|John W.|Boyd|John W. Boyd (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Geneva |
| 15
| Rock | {{sortname|Otis W.|Norton|Otis Norton}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Milton |
| 16
| Racine (Southern half) | {{sortname|C. Latham|Sholes|Christopher Latham Sholes}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Kenosha |
| 17
| Racine (Northern half) | {{sortname|Victor|Willard}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| 18
| Milwaukee (Southern half) | {{sortname|Asa|Kinney}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 19
| Milwaukee (Northern half) | {{sortname|John B.|Smith|John B. Smith (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
=Members of the Assembly=
Members of the Assembly for the Second Wisconsin Legislature (66):{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83058726/assembly-start-of-session/ |title= In Assembly |newspaper= Wisconsin Express |date= January 16, 1849 |page= 1 |accessdate= August 8, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }}[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20714176/solon-johnson-list-of-all-assembly-membe/ "List of Members of the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin"], Wisconsin Express January 30, 1849; p. 4; via Newspapers.com
File:WI Assembly Partisan Map 1849.svg
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Senate ! colspan="2"| Counties ! Representative ! Party ! Residence |
| rowspan="2" | 01
| colspan="2" | Brown | {{sortname|John F.|Meade|John F. Meade}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. |
| colspan="2" | Calumet
| {{sortname|Alonzo D.|Dick}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 02
| colspan="2" | Columbia | {{sortname|Joseph|Kerr|Joseph Kerr (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Columbia |
| 03
| colspan="2" | Crawford & Chippewa | {{sortname|James|O'Neill|James O'Neill (Wisconsin settler)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| rowspan="3" | 09
| rowspan="3" | Dane | 1 | {{sortname|Charles|Rickerson|Charles Rickerson}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Medina |
| 2
| {{sortname|Ira W.|Bird}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Madison |
| 3
| {{sortname|Samuel H.|Roys}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Dunkirk |
| rowspan="5" | 10
| rowspan="5" | Dodge | 1 | {{sortname|Paul|Juneau|Paul Juneau}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Theresa |
| 2
| {{sortname|Hiram|Barber}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 3
| {{sortname|George G.|King|George G. King (politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Shields |
| 4
| {{sortname|Jedediah|Kimball}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Portland |
| 5
| {{sortname|Parker|Warren}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| rowspan="2" | 04
| rowspan="2" | Fond du Lac | 1 | {{sortname|Morgan L.|Noble|Morgan Noble}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| 2
| {{sortname|Jonathan|Daugherty}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} | Whig |
| rowspan="4" | 06
| rowspan="4" | Grant | 1 | {{sortname|Robert R.|Young|Robert R. Young (legislator)}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 2
| {{sortname|Davis|Gillilan|Davis Gillilan}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Potosi |
| 3
| {{sortname|Robert M.|Briggs}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Beetown |
| 4
| {{sortname|James Russell|Vineyard}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 08
| colspan="2" | Green | {{sortname|John C.|Crawford}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Monroe |
| rowspan="2" | 05
| rowspan="2" | Iowa & Richland | 1 | {{sortname|Jabez|Peirce|Jabez Pierce}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 2
| {{sortname|Timothy|Burns|Timothy Burns (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Franklin |
| rowspan="3" | 12
| rowspan="3" | Jefferson | 1 | {{sortname|Benjamin|Nute|Benjamin Nute}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Milford |
| 2
| {{sortname|Jarvis K.|Pike}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 3
| {{sortname|William H.|Johnson|William H. Johnson (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 03
| colspan="2" | {{nowrap|La Pointe}} & {{nowrap|St Croix}} | {{sortname|Joseph|Bowron}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| rowspan="2" | 07
| rowspan="2" | Lafayette | 1 | {{sortname|Daniel Morgan|Parkinson}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Fayette |
| 2
| {{sortname|William|Hill|William Hill (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 01
| colspan="2" | Manitowoc | {{sortname|Charles|Kuehn}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 02
| colspan="2" | Marquette | {{sortname|Satterlee|Clark Jr.}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| rowspan="2" | 19
| rowspan="7" | Milwaukee{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83744010/legislators-elect-for-1849/ |title= Members of the Legislature Elect |newspaper= The Weekly Wisconsin |date= November 15, 1848 |page= 2 |accessdate= August 19, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com }} | 1 | {{sortname|James B.|Cross}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 2
| {{sortname|Zelotus A.|Cotton|Zelotus Cotton}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| rowspan="4" | 18
| 3 | {{sortname|Julius|White}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 4
| {{sortname|Stoddard H.|Martin|Stoddard Martin}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| 5
| {{sortname|John|Flynn Jr.|John Flynn, Jr.}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 6
| {{sortname|Enoch|Chase}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Lake |
| 19
| 7 | {{sortname|Robert|Wason Jr.}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 02
| colspan="2" | Portage | {{sortname|John |Delany|John Delaney (Wisconsin lawyer)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Plover |
| rowspan="3" | 17
| rowspan="5" | Racine | 1 | {{sortname|Marshall|Strong}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Racine |
| 2
| {{sortname|James DeNoon|Reymert}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Norway |
| 3
| {{sortname|Maurice L.|Ayers}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| rowspan="2" | 16
| 4 | {{sortname|Otis|Colwell}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| 5
| {{sortname|Herman S.|Thorp|Herman Thorp}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Bristol |
| rowspan="5" | 15
| rowspan="5" | Rock | 1 | {{sortname|Anson W.|Pope}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 2
| {{sortname|Samuel G.|Colley|Samuel Colley}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Beloit |
| 3
| {{sortname|Lucius H.|Page}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Fulton |
| 4
| {{sortname|Paul|Crandall}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Lima |
| 5
| {{sortname|Josiah F.|Willard|Josiah Willard}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Rock |
| 02
| colspan="2" | Sauk | {{sortname|Cyrus|Leland|Cyrus Leland}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Dem. |
| rowspan="2" | 01
| rowspan="2" | Sheboygan | 1 | {{sortname|Harrison Carroll|Hobart}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 2
| {{sortname|Jedediah|Brown}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| rowspan="5" | 14
| rowspan="5" | Walworth | 1 | {{sortname|Samuel|Pratt}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| 2
| {{sortname|Enos|Hazard}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
| 3
| {{sortname|Samuel D.|Hastings}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Geneva |
| 4
| {{sortname|George H.|Lown}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil | Walworth |
| 5
| {{sortname|Milo|Kelsey}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} | Whig | Delavan |
| rowspan="5" | 11
| rowspan="5" | Washington | 1 | {{sortname|Solon|Johnson|Solon Johnson}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 2
| {{sortname|James|Fagan|James Fagan (farmer-politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Jackson |
| 3
| {{sortname|Peter|Turck|Peter Turck}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Mequon |
| 4
| {{sortname|Patrick|Toland|Patrick Toland}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | {{nowrap|Erin}} |
| 5
| {{sortname|Chauncey M.|Phelps|Chauncey M. Phelps}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Addison |
| rowspan="5" | 13
| rowspan="5" | Waukesha | 1 | {{sortname|William H.|Thomas|William H. Thomas (Wisconsin politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. | Lisbon |
| 2
| {{sortname|D. Henry|Rockwell|D. Henry Rockwell}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 3
| {{sortname|Albert |Alden|Albert Alden (politician)}} | {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Dem. |
| 4
| {{sortname|John M.|Wells}} | {{Party shading/Free Soil}} |Free Soil |
| 5
| {{sortname|Thomas|Sugden|Thomas Sugden (farmer-politician)}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig | Eagle |
| 04
| colspan="2" | Winnebago | {{sortname|Thomas J.|Townsend}} | {{Party shading/Whig}} |Whig |
Employees
=Senate employees=
- Chief Clerk: William Rudolph Smith
- Assistant Clerk: P. N. Bovee
- Enrolling Clerk: G. W. Boardman
- Engrossing Clerk: Henry B. Welsh
- Transcribing Clerk: William Dutcher
- Messenger: Moritz Morgenstine
- Doorkeeper: J. S. Delno
- Fireman: S. B. Sibley
- Sergeant-at-Arms: W. Shellmer
=Assembly employees=
- Chief Clerk: Robert L. Ream
- Chief Clerk pro tem: Daniel Noble Johnson
- Assistant Clerk: William Hull
- Assistant Clerk pro tem: Alexander T. Gray
- Enrolling Clerk: Aaron V. Fryer
- Engrossing Clerk: J. J. Driggs
- Transcribing Clerk: Lyman Cowderey
- Messenger: Marshall Ten Eyk
- Doorkeeper: C. W. White
- Fireman: Samuel Noyes
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Felix McLinden
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Wisconsin legislatures}}