The Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 9, 1856, to March 31, 1856, in regular session, and re-convened from September 3, 1856, to October 14, 1856.

This was a pivotal legislative session in the fall of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin and the rise of the new Republican Party—the Republicans would dominate the state government for most of the next 100 years. The start of the session saw the dispute over the 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, in which the Democratic incumbent governor, William A. Barstow, was forced to resign from office three months into this term after the Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out a number of apparently fraudulent votes.

Before he left office however, Barstow was involved in an extensive railroad bribery scandal, which ultimately also implicated his Republican challenger, Coles Bashford, and a huge portion of the members of the 9th Wisconsin Legislature. The scheme saw railroad promoters, led by Milwaukee mayor Byron Kilbourn, bribing legislators and other state officials with railroad company bonds and stock in exchange for securing land grants for the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad route. An 1858 investigation found $900,000 worth of bribes had been paid (nearly $33,000,000 adjusted for inflation), averaging $10,000 per official. Although legislators from both parties received the corrupt bonds, Democrats ultimately took the bulk of the blame.

Senators representing even-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 even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 6, 1855. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the second year of their two-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 7, 1854.

Due to the controversies over the gubernatorial election, the governor for nearly all of this term's regular legislative session was the previous incumbent, Democrat of Waukesha County, who asserted that he was the rightful governor until March 21, 1856, when he resigned. At that time, the lieutenant governor, Democrat Arthur MacArthur Sr., of Milwaukee County, then ascended to become governor until the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Republican Coles Bashford, of Winnebago County, had actually won the 1855 election and was entitled to the seat. Bashford was sworn in March 25, 1856, and served for the remainder of this legislative term, in the first year of a two-year gubernatorial term.

Major events

January 7, 1856: Resulting from a dispute over the 1855 gubernatorial election, both Coles Bashford and William A. Barstow were sworn in as Governor of Wisconsin in separate ceremonies. January 15, 1856: Assemblymember William Brunquest, representing Oconto, Outagamie, and Waupaca counties, resigned his seat after it was demonstrated that he had actually lost his election to Louis Bostedo. March 21, 1856: Barstow officially withdrew his claim to the Governorship, leaving Lieutenant Governor Arthur MacArthur Sr. as governor. March 24, 1856: The Wisconsin Supreme Court issued its decision in the case Atty. Gen. ex rel. Bashford v. Barstow, ruling that Bashford had won the 1855 gubernatorial election. March 25, 1856: Bashford was sworn in as the 5th Governor of Wisconsin. MacArthur returned to his previous office as Lieutenant Governor. November 4, 1856: James Buchanan was elected 15th president of the United States.

Major legislation

March 20, 1856: Act to annex a part of the county of Dodge to the county of Jefferson, 1856 Act 27 March 22, 1856: Joint Resolution in relation to Islands in the Mississippi river, 1856 Joint Resolution 2 March 28, 1856: Act to define the boundaries of the county of Winnebago, 1856 Act 45 March 29, 1856: Act to divide the county of Portage and erect the county of Wood, 1856 Act 54 March 31, 1856: Joint Resolution of the Senate and Assembly of the State of Wisconsin to the United States, in relation to the removal of the Stockbridge Indians, 1856 Joint Resolution 4 March 31, 1856: Act to set apart and incorporate the county of Burnette, 1856 Act 94 September 16, 1856: Joint Resolution in relation to the Stockbridge and Munsee Indians, 1856 Joint Resolution 5 September 30, 1856: Act to apportion and district anew the Members of the Senate and Assembly of the State of Wisconsin, 1856 Act 109. Expanded the Wisconsin Senate to 30 members, and the Assembly to 97. October 6, 1856: Act to organize the county of Eau Claire, 1856 Act 114 October 14, 1856: Act to regulate the boundaries of La Crosse, Jackson and Monroe Counties, 1856 Act 145

Party summary

Senate summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 13 1 11 25 0 1st Session 12 0 13 25 0 Final voting share 48% 0%52% Beginning of the next Legislature 11 019 30 0

Assembly summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 34 4 44 82 0 start of 1st Session 45 1 36 82 0 January 15 46 1 35 82 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 34 0 63 97 0

Sessions 1st Regular session: January 9, 1856 – March 31, 1856 2nd Regular session: September 3, 1856 – October 14, 1856

Leaders

Senate leadership President of the Senate: Arthur MacArthur Sr., Lieutenant Governor President pro tempore: Louis P. Harvey

Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: William Hull

Members

Members of the Senate Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:

District Counties Senator Party Residence 01 Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Rep. Sheboygan 02 Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca Dem. Appleton 03 Ozaukee Dem. Grafton 04 Washington Dem. Schleisingerville 05 Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 06 Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 07 Racine Rep. Racine 08 Kenosha Rep. Kenosha 09 Waukesha Rep. Summit 10 Waukesha Dem. Genesee 11 Dane Rep. Stoughton 12 Walworth Rep. Elkhorn 13 Lafayette Dem. Cottage Inn 14 Jefferson Dem. Waterloo 15 Iowa & Richland Rep. Mineral Point 16 Grant Rep. Lancaster 17 Rock Rep. Janesville 18 Rock Rep. Shopiere 19 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Jackson, , , Pierce, Polk, St. Croix Dem. 20 Fond du Lac Rep. 21 Winnebago Dem. Oshkosh 22 Dodge Dem. Beaver Dam 23 Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara Dem. Montello 24 Green Rep. Monroe 25 Columbia Rep. Fall River

Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:

SenateDistrict County District Representative Party Residence 23Adams, Sauk Rep. Baraboo 19Bad Ax, Crawford Dem. Bad Ax 02 Brown, Door, & Kewaunee Dem. Green Bay 19 Buffalo, Chippewa, & Rep. 01 Calumet Dem. Manchester 25Columbia 1 Rep. Portage 2 Rep. Lowville 11Dane 1 Rep. Albion 2 Dem. York 3 Rep. Dunn 4 Dem. Cross Plains 5 Dem. Madison 22 Dodge 1 Dem. Williamstown 2 Dem. Hustisford 3 Dem. Emmet 4 Dem. Clyman 5 Rep. Beaver Dam 6 Rep. Waupun 20 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Metomen 2 Dem. Ashford 3 Dem. Fond du Lac 4 Dem. Marshfield 16 Grant 1 Rep. Hazel Green 2 Dem. Potosi 3 Rep. Clifton 4 Rep. Lancaster 5 Dem. Cassville 24 Green Rep. Brooklyn 15Iowa 1 Dem. Highland 2 Dem. Mineral Point 14Jefferson 1 Dem. Watertown 2 Rep. Milford 3 Dem. Koskonong 4 Dem. Farmington 5 Rep. Sullivan 08Kenosha 1 Rep. Kenosha 2 Rep. Paris 13Lafayette 1 Dem. Benton 2 Dem. Shullsburg 3 Rep. Darlington 19La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, & Dem. Hudson 01 Manitowoc Dem. Manitowoc 02 Marathon, Portage Rep. Grand Rapids 23Marquette, Waushara 1 Dem. Moundville 2 Dem. Warren 05Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 2 Dem. Milwaukee 06 3 Rep. Milwaukee 4 Dem. Milwaukee 5 Dem. Milwaukee 6 Dem. Milwaukee 7 Dem. Greenfield 05 8 Dem. Wauwatosa 9 Dem. Granville 02 Oconto, Outagamie, Waupaca Rep. Waupaca Dem. Weyauwega 03Ozaukee 1 Dem. Port Washington 2 Dem. Cedarburg 07Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Dem. Racine 3 Dem. Norway 4 Rep. Waterford 15Richland Ind. Richland 18Rock 1 Rep. Turtle 2 Rep. Lima 17 3 Rep. Janesville 4 Rep. Union 01Sheboygan 1 Dem. Mosel 2 Rep. Scott 12Walworth 1 Rep. La Grange 2 Rep. Lafayette 3 Rep. East Troy 4 Dem. Geneva 5 Rep. Darien 6 Rep. Bloomfield 04Washington 1 Dem. Richfield 2 Dem. Addison 09Waukesha 1 Rep. Merton 2 Dem. Lisbon 10 3 Dem. Eagle 4 Rep. Waukesha 21Winnebago 1 Rep. Nepeuskun 2 Dem. Winchester

Employees

Senate employees Chief Clerk: Byron Paine Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph Baker

Assembly employees Chief Clerk: James Armstrong Sergeant-at-Arms: Egbert Moseley

References

External links