49th United States Congress
The 49th United States Congress , made up of the House and Senate , was the United States' legislature . Its legislative period lasted from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1887. All members of the House of Representatives and a third of the senators ( Class III ) were elected in the 1884 congressional elections. There were different majorities in the two chambers. In the Senate, the Republican Party had a majority, while in the House of Representatives the Democrats dominated, who, along with Grover Cleveland, also provided the president. The United States at that time consisted of 38 states. Congress met in the American capital Washington, DC. The distribution of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1880 census .
Important events
- March 4, 1885: Beginning of the legislative period of the 49th Congress. At the same time, Grover Cleveland, who was also elected in November 1884, was introduced to his new office as US President. He replaces Chester A. Arthur .
- June 17, 1885: The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York City Harbor .
- November 25, 1885: Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks dies. This also makes the office of the official Senate President vacant.
- March 1886 - Anti-Chinese riots in Seattle .
- March 17, 1886: The so-called Carrollton Massacre kills 20 African Americans in the state of Mississippi
- May 1, 1886: A general strike begins in the USA that leads to the Haymarket Riots and, in the long term, brings about the introduction of the eight-hour day.
- May 8, 1886 The pharmacist John Pemberton invents Coca-Cola.
- August 20, 1886: A hurricane destroyed the city of Indianola, Texas .
- August 31, 1886: An earthquake measuring 7.3 to 7.6 on the Richter scale destroys parts of Charleston , South Carolina . Around 40,000 people lose their homes.
- September 4, 1886: After nearly 30 years of the Apache Wars, Chief Geronimo surrenders in what will later become the state of Arizona.
- October 28, 1886: Inauguration of the Statue of Liberty in New York City.
- November 1886: In the congressional elections there are different majorities in the two chambers. In the Senate, the Republican Party again has a majority, while the Democrats maintain their supremacy in the House of Representatives.
- January 20, 1887: The United States Navy leases the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii , which at the time was not yet part of the United States.
The main laws
During the session of the 49th Congress, the following federal laws were passed ( see also: Legislative procedure ):
- January 19, 1886: Presidential Succession Act
- February 4, 1887: Interstate Commerce Act
- February 8, 1887: Dawes Act
- March 2, 1887: Hatch Act of 1887
- March 3, 1887: Tucker Act
- March 3, 1887: Edmunds – Tucker Act
Composition according to parties
senate
- Democratic Party: 34
- Republican Party: 42
- Others (0
- Vacant: 0
Total: 76
House of Representatives
- Democratic Party: 182
- Republican Party: 141
- Others: 2
- Vacant: 0
Total: 325
There were also eight congressional delegates who were not entitled to vote
Public officials
senate
- President of the Senate : Thomas A. Hendricks (D) until November 25, 1885. After that, the office was vacant
- President per tempore : John Sherman (R) until February 26, 1887 then John James Ingalls (R)
House of Representatives
Senate members
The following senators represented their respective states in the 49th Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives
The following congressmen represented the interests of their respective states in the 49th Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives who are not entitled to vote:
- Arizona Territory : Curtis Coe Bean (R)
- Dakota Territory : Oscar S. Gifford (R)
- Idaho Territory : John Hailey (D)
- Montana Territory : Joseph Toole (D)
- New Mexico Territory : Antonio Joseph (D)
- Utah Territory : John Thomas Caine (D)
- Washington Territory : Charles Stewart Voorhees (D)
- Wyoming Territory : Joseph Maull Carey (R)
Web links
- bioguide.congress.gov (by entering 49 under Year OR Congress: you get a list of the members of the 49th Congress with a link to the official biographies; English)