The Tenth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1857, to March 9, 1857, in regular session.
This was the first legislative session after the expansion and redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session. The Senate grew from 25 to 30 seats; the Assembly grew from 82 to 97 seats.
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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1856. 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 6, 1855, or were elected in the 1856 election for a newly created district and were serving a one-year term.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Coles Bashford, of Winnebago County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1855 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.
Major events January 23, 1857: James Rood Doolittle elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session. March 4, 1857: Inauguration of James Buchanan as the 15th President of the United States. November 3, 1857: Alexander Randall elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation February 19, 1857: Act relating to the writ of Habeas Corpus to persons claimed as Fugitive Slaves, the right of trial by jury, and to prevent kidnapping in this State, 1857 Act 8. This was an attempt to make it more difficult to arrest people on accusation that they were fugitive slaves. It also introduced severe penalties for falsely claiming a person as a fugitive slave. February 28, 1857: Act providing for the erection of the main edifice of the State University, 1857 Act 25 February 28, 1857: Act authorizing the enlargement of the State Capitol, and providing and appropriating means for the payment of the same, 1857 Act 26 March 4, 1857: Act to extend the right of Suffrage, 1857 Act 44. This was the second attempt to create a referendum which would grant voting rights to African American men in Wisconsin. The first referendum passed, but was deemed illegitimate. This referendum would fail in the 1857 election. Ultimately, the Wisconsin Supreme Court would rule in the 1866 case of Gillespie v. Palmer that the earlier referendum was valid, and that African American men would have the right to vote in the state. March 7, 1857: Act to preserve the purity of Elections, 1857 Act 85 March 9, 1857: Act to provide for the appointment of a Superintendent of Public Property and to define his powers and duties, 1857 Act 95
Party summary
Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 12 0 13 25 0 1st Session 11 0 19 30 0 Final voting share 37% 0%63% Beginning of the next Legislature 12 0 18 30 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Ind. Republican Vacant End of previous Legislature 47 1 34 82 0 1st Session 34 063 97 0 Final voting share 35% 0%65% Beginning of the next Legislature 44 0 53 97 0
Sessions 1st Regular session: January 14, 1857 – March 9, 1857
Leaders
Senate leadership President of the Senate: Arthur MacArthur Sr., Lieutenant Governor President pro tempore:
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Wyman Spooner
Members
Members of the Senate Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Tenth Wisconsin Legislature (30):
District Counties Senator Party Residence 01 Sheboygan Dem. Sheboygan 02 Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawanaw Dem. Appleton 03 Ozaukee Dem. Ozaukee 04 Washington Dem. Schleisingerville 05 Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 06 Milwaukee Dem. Milwaukee 07 Racine Rep. Racine 08 Kenosha Rep. Kenosha 09 Adams, Juneau, Sauk Rep. Necedah 10 Waukesha Dem. Genesee 11 Dane Rep. Stoughton 12 Walworth Rep. Elkhorn 13 Lafayette Dem. Shullsburg 14 Jefferson & Dodge Dem. Watertown 15 Iowa & Richland Rep. Wyoming 16 Grant Rep. Lancaster 17 Rock Rep. Janesville 18 Rock Rep. Shopiere 19 Manitowoc, Calumet Dem. Manitowoc 20 Fond du Lac Rep. 21 Winnebago Rep. Oshkosh 22 Dodge Dem. Beaver Dam 23 Jefferson Rep. Lake Mills 24 Green Rep. Monroe 25 Columbia Rep. Portage 26 Dane Rep. Madison 27 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood Rep. Plover 28 Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, , Pierce, Polk, Rep. Menomonie 29 Marquette Rep. Berlin 30 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, , Monroe, Tremealeau Rep.
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Tenth Wisconsin Legislature (97):
SenateDistrict County District Representative Party Residence 09Adams & Juneau Rep. Mauston 28 Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, , Polk, Rep. Hudson 30 Bad Ax, Crawford Rep. 02Brown Dem. Green Bay 30 Buffalo, Jackson, Trempealeau Rep. Trempealeau 19Calumet Rep. Charlestown 28 Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, & Pierce Rep. Prescott 25 Columbia 1 Rep. Lodi 2 Rep. Lowville 3 Rep. Wyocena 11 Dane 1 Rep. Stoughton 2 Rep. Beverly 3 Rep. Oregon 26 4 Dem. Black Earth 5 Rep. Madison 6 Rep. Madison 22 Dodge 1 Rep. Mayville 2 Dem. Leroy 3 Rep. Juneau 4 Rep. Fox Lake 5 Rep. Beaver Dam 6 Rep. Springfield 02 Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, & Shawano Rep. Sturgeon Bay 20 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Ripon 2 Rep. Rosendale 3 Dem. 4 Dem. 5 Dem. 16 Grant 1 Rep. Hazel Green 2 Dem. Potosi 3 Rep. Platteville 4 Rep. Lancaster 5 Rep. Ora Oak 24 Green 1 Rep. Monticello 2 Rep. Monroe 15 Iowa 1 Dem. Highland 2 Rep. Mineral Point 23 Jefferson 1 Rep. Farmington 2 Rep. Aztalan 14 3 Dem. Watertown 4 Dem. Alderly 5 Dem. Portland 08 Kenosha 1 Rep. Kenosha 2 Rep. Salem 30 La Crosse, Monroe Rep. La Crosse 13 Lafayette 1 Dem. Cottage Inn 2 Dem. Wiota 3 Dem. New Diggings 19 Manitowoc 1 Dem. Manitowoc 2 Dem. Clarks Mills 27 Marathon, Portage, Wood Rep. Stevens Point 29 Marquette 1 Rep. Princeton 2 Rep. Kingston 05 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 2 Dem. Milwaukee 06 3 Dem. Milwaukee 4 Dem. Milwaukee 5 Dem. Milwaukee 05 6 Dem. Milwaukee 7 Dem. Milwaukee 06 8 Dem. Milwaukee 9 Dem. Milwaukee 02 Outagamie Dem. Appleton 03Ozaukee 1 Dem. Ozaukee 2 Dem. Cedarburg 07 Racine 1 Rep. Racine 2 Rep. Whitesville 3 Rep. Raymond 4 Rep. Burlington 15 Richland Rep. Richland 18 Rock 1 Rep. Beloit 2 Rep. Clinton 17 3 Rep. Janesville 4 Rep. Footville 5 Rep. Janesville 09 Sauk 1 Rep. Merrimack 2 Rep. Reedsburg 01 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Dem. Plymouth 3 Rep. Winooski 12 Walworth 1 Rep. Springfield 2 Rep. Sharon 3 Rep. Whitewater 4 Rep. Elkhorn 04 Washington 1 Dem. Hartford 2 Dem. West Bend 3 Dem. Cedarburg 10 Waukesha 1 Rep. Oconomowoc 2 Rep. Pewaukee 3 Rep. North Prairie 4 Rep. Waukesha 5 Rep. Waukesha 27 Waupaca Dem. Mukwa Waushara Rep. Poysippi 21 Winnebago 1 Rep. Oshkosh 2 Rep. Winchester 3 Rep. Omro
Employees
Senate employees Chief Clerk: William Henry Brisbane Sergeant-at-Arms: Alanson Filer
Assembly employees Chief Clerk: William C. Webb Sergeant-at-Arms: William C. Rogers
Changes from the 9th Legislature The most significant structural change to the Legislature between the 9th and 10th sessions was the reapportionment and redistricting of legislative seats. The new districts were defined in 1856 Wisconsin Act 109, passed into law in the 9th Wisconsin Legislature.
Senate redistricting
Summary of changes
17 senate districts were left unchanged. Dane County went from having one senator to two (11, 26). Jefferson County went from having one senator to two (14, 23). Marquette County became its own senate district (29), after previously having been in a shared district with Adams, Sauk, and Waushara counties. Sheboygan County became its own senate district (1), after previously having been in a shared district with Calumet and Manitowoc counties Waukesha County went from two senators to one (10). The multi-county, lightly-populated northern and western regions of the state went from two senators to four (2, 27, 28, 30).
Senate districts
Dist. 9th Legislature 10th Legislature 1 Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan counties Sheboygan County 2 Brown, Door, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca counties Brown, Outagamie, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto, Shawano counties 3 Ozaukee County Ozaukee County 4 Washington County Washington County 5 Northern Milwaukee County Northern Milwaukee County 6 Southern Milwaukee County Southern Milwaukee County 7 Racine County Racine County 8 Kenosha County Kenosha County 9 Northern Waukesha County Sauk, Adams, Juneau counties 10 Southern Waukesha County Waukesha County 11 Dane County Eastern Dane County 12 Walworth County Walworth County 13 Lafayette County Lafayette County 14 Jefferson County Northern Jefferson County 15 Iowa, Richland counties Iowa, Richland counties 16 Grant County Grant County 17 Western Rock County Western Rock County 18 Eastern Rock County Eastern Rock County 19 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties Manitowoc, Calumet County 20 Fond du Lac County Fond du Lac County 21 Winnebago County Winnebago County 22 Dodge County Dodge County 23 Adams, Marquette, Sauk, Waushara counties Southern Jefferson County 24 Green County Green County 25 Columbia County Columbia County 26Did not exist in 9th Legislature Western Dane County 27 Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood County 28 Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, La Pointe, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix counties 29 Marquette County 30 Bad Ax, Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Tremealeau counties
Assembly redistricting
Summary of changes Brown County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Door and Kewaunee counties. Columbia County went from having 2 districts to 3. Dane County went from having 5 districts to 6. Fond du Lac County went from having 4 districts to 5. Green County went from having 1 district to 2. Manitowoc County went from having 1 district to 2. Marquette County went from having 1 district and 1 shared district with Waushara to having 2 districts. Outagamie County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Oconto and Waupaca counties. Rock County went from having 4 districts to 5. Sauk County went from sharing a district with Adams to having 2 districts of its own. Sheboygan County went from having 2 districts to 3. Walworth County went from having 6 districts to 4. Washington County went from having 2 districts to 3. Waupaca County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Oconto and Outagamie counties. Waushara County became its own assembly district, after previously having been in a shared district with Marquette Winnebago County went from having 2 districts to 3.
Assembly districts