The Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 11, 1854, to April 3, 1854, in regular session. 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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 8, 1853. 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 2, 1852.

Major events

* January 2, 1854: Inauguration of

William A. Barstow William Augustus Barstow (September 13, 1813December 13, 1865) was an American businessman, politician, and public administrator. He was the third governor and second Secretary of State of Wisconsin, and served as a Union Army officer during the ...

as the 3rd

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 ...

. * March 20, 1854: A local meeting was held at

Ripon, Wisconsin Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,733 at the 2010 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon. Ripon is home to the Little White Schoolhouse, the commonly recognized birthplace of ...

, to oppose the proposed Kansas–Nebraska Act—later cited as the birth of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

. * May 30, 1854:

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

signed the

Kansas–Nebraska Act The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 () was a territorial organic act that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. It was drafted by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas, passed by the 33rd United States Congress, and signed into law by ...

. * July 13, 1854: The Republican Party of Wisconsin was established at a convention in

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

. * November 7, 1854: Wisconsin voters rejected three amendments to the Constitution of Wisconsin which would have doubled legislative terms and instituted biennial legislative sessions.

Major legislation

* January 30, 1854: Act to organize the County of Trempe a l'eau
1854 Act 2
* February 9, 1854: Act to organize the County of Dunn
1854 Act 7
* February 11, 1854: Act to divide La Pointe county and create the county of Douglass
1854 Act 10
* March 6, 1854: Act to divide the sixth Judicial Circuit and organize an eighth Judicial Circuit, and to fix the time for holding the Circuit Courts in the Counties of the respective circuits
1854 Act 13
* March 24, 1854: Act to divide the county of

La Crosse La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's populat ...

and organize the county of Monroe
1854 Act 35
* March 30, 1854: Act concerning the terms of office of Judges of the several courts of this State
1854 Act 41
Standardized state judicial terms as starting the first Monday of the year following the election of that judge. * March 31, 1854: Act to provide for the appointment of an Assistant Secretary of State and Assistant State Treasurer, and to prescribe their duties
1854 Act 65
* April 24, 1854: Act to divide the second and third Judicial Circuits and organize the ninth Judicial Circuit, and to fix the time of holding the Circuit Courts in the Counties of said respective Circuits
1854 Act 75
* April 25, 1854: Act to amend Article Four of the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...

1854 Act 89
Created a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

to modify the lengths of State Senate terms from two years to four years, and for the Assembly from one year to two years, and to change the Legislative sessions from one year to two years. The referendum was rejected by voters in November.

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

* 1st Regular session: January 11, 1854 – April 3, 1854

Leaders

Senate leadership

* President of the Senate:

James T. Lewis James Taylor Lewis (October 30, 1819August 5, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 9th Governor of Wisconsin (1864–1866). Prior to his election as governor, he was the 7th Secretary of State of Wisconsin (1862&n ...

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

* President pro tempore: Benjamin Allen

Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly:

Frederick W. Horn Frederick William Horn (August 21, 1815 – January 15, 1893) was a German-American immigrant, lawyer, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served in many elected offices; he was the 4th, 7th, & 25th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembl ...

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Seventh Wisconsin Legislature: WI Senate Partisan Map 1854

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Seventh Wisconsin Legislature (82): WI Assembly Partisan Map 1854

Employees

Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Samuel G. Bugh * Sergeant-at-Arms: J. M. Sherwood

Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Thomas McHugh * Sergeant-at-Arms: William H. Gleason

References

External links

{{Wisconsin legislatures 1854 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