6th Wisconsin Legislature
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| 6th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 Wisconsin State Capitol, 1855 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||
| Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||
| Term | January 3, 1853 – January 2, 1854 | ||||
| Election | November 2, 1852 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 25 | ||||
| Senate President | Timothy Burns Until September 21, 1853 | ||||
| President pro tempore | Duncan Reed | ||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||
| Assembly | |||||
| Members | 82 | ||||
| Assembly Speaker | Henry L. Palmer | ||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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The Sixth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 12, 1853, to April 4, 1853, in regular session. They reconvened from June 6 to July 13 to sit as a court of impeachment for Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Levi Hubbell.
This was the first legislative session after the first expansion and redistricting of the Senate and Assembly. The Senate grew from 19 to 25 seats; the Assembly grew from 66 to 82 seats.
Senators representing odd-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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1852. 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 4, 1851, or were elected in the 1852 election for a newly created district and were serving a one-year term.[1]
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Whig Leonard J. Farwell, of Dane County, serving the second year of a two-year term, having won election in the 1851 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. He was Wisconsin's only Whig governor.
- March 4, 1853: Inauguration of Franklin Pierce as the 14th President of the United States.
- March 5, 1853: Wisconsin State Assembly voted to impeach Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Levi Hubbell.
- July 11, 1853: Judge Levi Hubbell was acquitted in a trial of impeachment in the Wisconsin State Senate.
- September 21, 1853: Lieutenant Governor Timothy Burns died in office.
- November 8, 1853: William A. Barstow elected Governor of Wisconsin.
Major legislation
- February 11, 1853: Act to divide the County of La Crosse and create the County of Jackson, 1853 Act 8
- February 16, 1853: Act to incorporate the County of Shawanaw, 1853 Act 9
- March 4, 1853: Act to incorporate the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1853 Act 17
- March 7, 1853: Act for the division of the county of Washington, and the creation of the county of Ozaukee, 1853 Act 21
- March 14, 1853: Act to divide Saint Croix, and create the counties of Pierce and Polk, 1853 Act 31
- March 19, 1853: Act to organize a Seventh Judicial Circuit, and to provide for the election of a Judge thereof, 1853 Act 40
- March 19, 1853: Act to provide for contesting elections of members of the Senate and Assembly, 1853 Act 41
- March 25, 1853: Act providing for the Geological Survey of the State, 1853 Act 47
- April 2, 1853: Act providing for the organization of Joint Stock Companies, 1853 Act 68
- June 6, 1853: Act to amend article four of the Constitution, 1853 Act 95, to change state senate terms from two years to four years. This act was eventually put to a referendum in 1854, where it was defeated by a 2-to-1 margin.
- July 6, 1853: Act to divide the county of Jackson, and create the counties of Buffalo and Clarke, 1853 Act 100
- July 6, 1853: Act to submit to the people the question of a Prohibitory Liquor Law, 1853 Act 101
- July 12, 1853: Act to provide for the punishment of murder in the first degree, and to abolish the penalty of death, 1853 Act 103. With this act, Wisconsin became the first U.S. state to abolish the death penalty.
Party summary
Senate summary
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | F.S. | Whig | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 12 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 0 |
| Start of 1st Session | 18 | 0 | 7 | 25 | 0 |
| from May 1 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 1 |
| from June 8 | 18 | 0 | 7 | 25 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 68% | 0% | 32% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 22 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0 |
Assembly summary
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | F.S. | Whig | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 28 | 6 | 32 | 66 | 0 |
| 1st Session | 55 | 7 | 20 | 82 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 67% | 9% | 24% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 51 | 4 | 27 | 82 | 0 |
Sessions
- 1st Regular session: January 12, 1853 – April 4, 1853
- Special Impeachment session: June 6, 1853 – July 13, 1853
Leaders
Senate leadership
- President of the Senate: Timothy Burns, Lieutenant Governor (Until his death, September 21, 1853)
- President pro tempore: Duncan Reed
Assembly leadership
- Speaker of the Assembly: Henry L. Palmer
Members
Members of the Senate
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Sixth Wisconsin Legislature (25):
Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Sixth Wisconsin Legislature (82):
Employees
Senate employees
- Chief Clerk: John K. Williams
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas Hood
Assembly employees
- Chief Clerk: Thomas McHugh
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Richard F. Wilson
