The Thirty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1865 to March 4, 1867, during the first month of Abraham Lincoln's fifth year as president, and the first two years of his successor, U.S. President Andrew Johnson.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Eighth Census of the United States in 1860. Both chambers had a Republican majority.
March 4, 1865: Second inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln.April 9, 1865: Surrender of Confederate forces at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the American Civil WarApril 15, 1865: Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson became President of the United StatesDecember 11, 1865: Creation of the House Appropriations Committee and the House Banking and Commerce Committee, reducing the tasks of the House Ways and Means CommitteeJanuary, 1866: The second and current United States Capitol dome completed after 11 years of work.July 24, 1866: Tennessee became the first U.S. state to be readmitted to the Union following the American Civil War.November 5, 1866: United States House of Representatives elections, 1866January 8, 1867: African American men are granted the right to vote in the District of ColumbiaApril 9, 1866: Civil Rights Act of 1866, Sess. 1, ch. 31, 14 Stat. 27July 16, 1866: Freedmen's Bureau Bill, Sess. 1, ch. 200, 14 Stat. 173July 23, 1866: Judicial Circuits Act, Sess. 1, ch. 210, 14 Stat. 209, reduced the number of United States circuit courts to nine and the number of Supreme Court justices to sevenJuly 25, 1866: An Act to revive the Grade of General in the United States Army, Sess. 1, ch. 232, 14 Stat. 223, (now called "5-star general"); Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant became the first to have this rank.July 28, 1866: Metric Act of 1866, Sess. 1, ch. 301, 14 Stat. 339, legalized the use of the metric system for weights and measures in the United States.December 18, 1865: Thirteenth Amendment declared ratifiedJune 13, 1866: Fourteenth Amendment passed Congress and sent to the states for ratification.July 24, 1866: Tennessee readmitted to representation.March 1, 1867: Nebraska admitted as the 37th state, Sess. 2, ch. 36, 14 Stat. 391 (over president's veto)The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
During this Congress, two seats were added for the new state of Nebraska.
During this Congress, one seat was added for the new state of Nebraska.
President: Andrew Johnson (D), until April 15, 1865; vacant thereafter.President pro tempore: Lafayette S. Foster (R), until March 2, 1867Benjamin F. Wade (R), elected March 2, 1867Republican Conference Chairman: Henry B. AnthonySpeaker: Schuyler Colfax (R)Republican Conference Chairman: Justin S. MorrillThis list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1868; Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1870; and Class 3 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1866.
Skip to House of Representatives, belowThe names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
replacements: 8Democratic: 2-seat net lossRepublican: 2-seat net gainUnionist: no net changeUnconditional Union: no net changedeaths: 4resignations: 2vacancy: 1seats of newly admitted states: 2seats of re-admitted states: 2Total seats with changes: 12replacements: 9Democratic: 1-seat net gainRepublican: 2-seat net gainUnconditional Unionist: 1 seat net lossUnionist: 0 net changedeaths: 4resignations: 4contested election: 3seats from newly admitted states: 1seats from re-admitted states: 8Total seats with changes: 21Lists of committees and their party leaders.
AgricultureAudit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the SenateClaimsCoins, Weights and Measures (Select)CommerceCompensation (Select)Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)District of ColumbiaFinanceForeign RelationsIndian AffairsInterior Department Clerical Force (Select)JudiciaryManufacturesMilitary AffairsMines and MiningMississippi River Levees Reconstruction (Select)National Banks (Select)National Telegraph Company (Select)Naval AffairsOrdnance and War Ships (Select)Pacific RailroadPatents and the Patent OfficePensionsPost Office and Post RoadsPrivate Land ClaimsPublic LandsRetrenchmentRevolutionary ClaimsTariff Regulation (Select)TerritoriesWholeAccountsAgricultureAppropriationsBanking and CurrencyClaimsCommerceDistrict of ColumbiaElectionsExpenditures in the Interior DepartmentExpenditures in the Navy DepartmentExpenditures in the Post Office DepartmentExpenditures in the State DepartmentExpenditures in the Treasury DepartmentExpenditures in the War DepartmentExpenditures on Public BuildingsForeign AffairsFreedmen's AffairsIndian AffairsInvalid PensionsManufacturesMileageMilitary AffairsMilitiaMines and MiningNaval AffairsPacific RailroadsPatentsPost Office and Post RoadsPublic Buildings and GroundsPublic ExpendituresPublic LandsRevisal and Unfinished BusinessRevolutionary ClaimsRoads and CanalsRules (Select)Standards of Official ConductTerritoriesWays and MeansWholeConditions of Indian Tribes (Special)Conduct of the WarEnrolled BillsRetrenchmentTo Inquire into the Condition of the States which Formed the So-Called Confederate StatesArchitect of the Capitol: Thomas U. Walter, resigned May 26, 1865Edward Clark, appointed August 30, 1865Librarian of Congress: Ainsworth Rand SpoffordChaplain: Edgar H. Gray (Baptist)Secretary: John W. ForneySergeant at Arms: George T. BrownChaplain: Charles B. Boynton (Congregationalist)Clerk: Edward McPhersonDoorkeeper: Ira GoodnowMessenger to the Speaker: William D. ToddPostmaster: Joshua GivenSergeant at Arms: Nehemiah G. Ordway 
