The Thirty-First Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session, and later re-convened from June 4 to June 7, 1878, in special session, to complete the revision of the statutes. This was the first extra session of the Wisconsin Legislature since 1862. This was the first and only session of the Legislature to have an Assembly speaker from the Greenback Party— Augustus Barrows. Despite the Greenbackers holding only 13% of the Assembly seats, neither major party had enough seats to form a majority without Greenback support. The Democrats thus formed a coalition with the Greenbacks for the 31st Legislature with Barrows acting as speaker. Senators representing even-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 6, 1877. 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, 1876.

Major events

* January 7, 1878: Inauguration of William E. Smith as the 14th

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wiscons ...

. * February 7, 1878:

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...

died at the Apostolic Palace in

Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...

. * February 28, 1878: The

Bland–Allison Act The Bland–Allison Act, also referred to as the Grand Bland Plan of 1878, was an act of United States Congress requiring the U.S. Treasury to buy a certain amount of silver and put it into circulation as silver dollars. Though the bill was vetoe ...

became law in the United States, with the United States Congress overriding the

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...

of The act restored the monetary status of silver coins, a key priority of the

Free silver Free silver was a major economic policy issue in the United States in the late 19th-century. Its advocates were in favor of an expansionary monetary policy featuring the unlimited coinage of silver into money on-demand, as opposed to strict adhe ...

movement. * March 3, 1878: Cardinal Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci was crowned

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

. * March 3, 1878: The Treaty of San Stefano was signed, ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 and establishing an independent

Principality of Bulgaria The Principality of Bulgaria ( bg, Княжество България, Knyazhestvo Balgariya) was a vassal state under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. It was established by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. After the Russo-Turkish War ende ...

. * April 29, 1878: signed the National Quarantine Act of 1878, which created regulations to prevent the introduction of contagious diseases into the United States. The law also established the

Marine Hospital Service The Marine Hospital Service was an organization of Marine Hospitals dedicated to the care of ill and disabled seamen in the United States Merchant Marine, the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal beneficiaries. The Marine Hospital Service evolved ...

, the forerunner of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the

National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...

. * June 18, 1878: signed the Posse Comitatus Act, which limited the power of the President to use the United States military to enforce domestic policies. * July 13, 1878: The Treaty of Berlin (1878) was signed, making

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

, and

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

completely independent from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

, confirming the independence of Bulgaria, transferring

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

to British control, and allowing

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

to garrison the Bosnia Vilayet. The treaty settled regional issues left open by the Treaty of San Stefano. * October 1, 1878: 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 involve a point o ...

decided the case '' Ex parte Jackson'', extending Fourth Amendment protections to private letters and packages.

Major legislation

* February 12, 1878: Joint Resolution relating to the remonetization of silver
1878 Joint Resolution 3
Endorsed congressional action to restore the monetary value of silver currency, and resume minting silver coins. * March 12, 1878: An Act to amend sections thirty-one and thirty-two of chapter fifty-six, of the general laws of 1870, entitled "An act to provide for the incorporation and government of fire and inland navigation insurance companies.
1878 Act 214
Created the appointed position of state

insurance commissioner An insurance commissioner (or commissioner of insurance) is a public official in the executive branch of a state or territory in the United States who, along with his or her office, regulate the insurance industry. The powers granted to the office ...

. * March 21, 1878: An Act to authorize the granting of state certificates to graduates of the state university
1878 Act 333
Created a certification process to enable any graduate of the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

to become authorized to work as a teacher at any public school in Wisconsin.

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 9, 1878March 21, 1878 * June Special session: June 4, 1878June 7, 1878

Leaders

Senate leadership

* President of the Senate:

James M. Bingham James M. Bingham (February 3, 1828January 8, 1885) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, the 20th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and the 13th mayor of Chippewa Falls, ...

( R) * President pro tempore:

Levi W. Barden Levi Witter Barden (September 3, 1820August 31, 1915) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served five years in the Wisconsin Legislature, representing Columbia County. Biography Barden was born on September 3, 1820, in Benton ...

( R)

Assembly leadership

Speaker of the Assembly Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...

: Augustus Barrows ( GB)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Thirty-First Wisconsin Legislature: WI Senate Partisan Map 1878

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Thirty-First Wisconsin Legislature: WI Assembly Partisan Map 1878

Employees

Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Andrew Jackson Turner until February 7, 1878, then Charles E. Bross ** Assistant Clerk: F. J. Stockwell ** Bookkeeper: I. F. Stickle ** Engrossing Clerk: J. W. Bates ** Enrolling Clerk: John W. DeGroff * Sergeant-at-Arms: L. J. Brayton ** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: D. D. Polleys * Postmaster: Fred Badger ** Assistant Postmaster: J. A. Neavill * Gallery Attendant: George M. Laing ** Assistant Attendant: John Beck ** Committee Room Attendants: *** William Reese *** W. A. Mills *** D. H. Pulcifer * Doorkeepers: ** R. B. Winsor ** W. F. Bingman ** G. W. McDougal ** L. L. Gunderson * Porter: John Benson * Night Watch: C. L. Smith * Messengers: ** Charles Marsden ** Welcome Smith ** George Buehner ** E. Hubbell ** Harry Meeker ** Louis Loper ** Prentiss S. Brannan ** Eddie Torrey ** P. L. Jerdee ** Lucien Pickarts ** Thomas Lucas

Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Jabez R. Hunter ** Assistant Clerk: Sam Ryan Jr. ** Bookkeeper: Roger C. Spooner ** Engrossing Clerk: Michael Bohan *** Asst. Engrossing Clerk: George Cox ** Enrolling Clerk: H. G. Fischbein *** Asst. Enrolling Clerk: John Meehan ** Proof Reader: Michael Walsh * Sergeant-at-Arms:

Anton Klaus Anton Klaus (December 30, 1829 – July 22, 1897) was a German American immigrant, businessman, and politician. He served as the 12th mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Early life Klaus was born in the town of Bruttig, in the Rhine Province in ...

** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: M. J. Egan ** Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Hugh Lewis * Postmaster: D. W. C. Wilson ** Assistant Postmaster: George W. Dart ** Assistant Postmaster: Anthony G. Froner * Doorkeepers: ** J. A. Allen ** Thomas Hobbins ** O. H. Hestehurn ** N. Sullivan * Committee Room Attendants: ** Ed. Flaherty ** Anton Klaus Jr. ** Richard Donevan ** William Mahoney ** S. S. Hills ** Ed. Jannush * Gallery Attendants: ** John Kane ** A. Tideman * Porters: ** B. Coyne ** Henry Ebert * Night Watch: F. B. Brundage * Night Watch: Francis Fitzgerald * Fireman: George Burns * Janitor: Peter Labonde * Wash Room Attendant: James Whitty * Messengers: ** Clinton Snow ** Charles Whitton ** Harry Cutler ** Willie Krueger ** Fred T. Lee ** Jas. Foran ** Herman Schum ** George Gewecke ** Robert Gilroy ** Marcus L. Moody ** William Burnett ** John Roberts ** Edward Cavanaugh ** Charles Klaus

References

External links

1878: Related Documents
from

Wisconsin Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republican ...

{{Wisconsin legislatures 1878 in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

Wisconsin legislative sessions