The Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1859, to March 21, 1859, 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. Assembly members were elected to a one-year term. Assembly members and even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1858. 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 3, 1857. The

governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

during this entire term was Republican Alexander Randall, of

Waukesha County Waukesha County () is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its median income of $88,985 placed ...

, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the

1857 Wisconsin gubernatorial election The 1857 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1857. After incumbent Governor Coles Bashford declined to seek re-election, Republican Party candidate Alexander Randall narrowly defeated Democratic candidate James B. Cro ...

Major events

* March 7, 1859: The

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...

ruled on the case of '' Ableman v. Booth'', vacating the

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the state judicial system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. In addition to hearing appeals of lower Wisconsin court decisions, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also ...

decision which had attempted to nullify enforcement of the

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 The Fugitive Slave Act or Fugitive Slave Law was a law passed by the 31st United States Congress on September 18, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850 between Southern interests in slavery and Northern Free-Soilers. The Act was one ...

in Wisconsin. * April 12, 1859: Edward V. Whiton, Chief Justice of the

, died in office. * April 19, 1859: Luther S. Dixon was appointed Chief Justice of the

. * November 8, 1859: Alexander Randall was re-elected as

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

Major legislation

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 12, 1859 – March 21, 1859

Leaders

Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Erasmus D. Campbell,

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

* President pro tempore: Denison Worthington

Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: William P. Lyon

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature (30): WI Senate Partisan Map 1859

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Twelfth Wisconsin Legislature: WI Assembly Partisan Map 1859

Employees

Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Hiram Bowen ** Assistant Clerk: C. M. Cook ** Engrossing Clerk: A. M. Thomson ** Enrolling Clerk: C. T. Overton ** Transcribing Clerk: G. M. O'Brien * Sergeant-at-Arms:

Asa Kinney Asa Kinney (May 21, 1810October 3, 1886) was an American businessman, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He represented southern Milwaukee County in the Wisconsin State Senate during the 1st and 2nd legislatures (1848, 1849). Biography Born in ...

** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Jacob Low * Postmaster: E. G. Garner ** Post Messenger: Garrit Mahony * Doorkeeper: D. C. Shelden * Messengers: ** William W. Worthington ** Dwight Allen

Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: L. H. D. Crane ** Assistant Clerk: John S. Dean ** Engrossing Clerk: George Burnside ** Enrolling Clerk: George W. Stoner ** Transcribing Clerk: Oliver Gibbs, Jr. * Sergeant-at-Arms: Emanuel Munk ** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph Gates * Postmaster: Sewall W. Smith ** Assistant Postmaster: Cyrus Fertig * Doorkeeper: G. W. Munderloh ** Assistant Doorkeeper: William Adams * Firemen: ** F. Brown ** N. L. Andrews * Messengers: ** Cyrus Lanyon ** John Ford ** W. Howard Aldrich (12-year-old son of Assembly member William Aldrich) ** Edward Livingston ** Samuel Fernandez

References

Notes

External links

{{Wisconsin legislatures 1859 in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

Wisconsin legislative sessions