Which party would have had a majority in the house in 1861 if...

[CARLHAYDEN]

Would appreciate it if someone could research the following question (I'm a little busy with other matters)

What party would have had a majority in the House of Representatives in 1861 if Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia had not seceded?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The GOP would still hold the majority, 116-102.

[CARLHAYDEN]

The GOP would still hold the majority, 116-102.

Thank you.

My memory was that it would have been close.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The GOP would still hold the majority, 116-102.

Thank you.

My memory was that it would have been close.

It would have; there were also a large number of third party people, including quite a few Independent Democrats, so I think the Democrats would have had a majority, but I'm not sure.

[CARLHAYDEN]

The GOP would still hold the majority, 116-102.

Thank you.

My memory was that it would have been close.

It would have; there were also a large number of third party people, including quite a few Independent Democrats, so I think the Democrats would have had a majority, but I'm not sure.

My recollection (this is from about twenty years ago) is that with the "others" the Democrats would have had a razor thin control of the house and control of the senate.

An professor of American history had suggested that Lincoln deliberately provoked sucession of the outer south states to gain control of congress.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The GOP would still hold the majority, 116-102.

Thank you.

My memory was that it would have been close.

It would have; there were also a large number of third party people, including quite a few Independent Democrats, so I think the Democrats would have had a majority, but I'm not sure.

My recollection (this is from about twenty years ago) is that with the "others" the Democrats would have had a razor thin control of the house and control of the senate.

An professor of American history had suggested that Lincoln deliberately provoked sucession of the outer south states to gain control of congress.

You're probably right on the matter of the "others" giving the Democrats the majority, but who was the professor who said that about Lincoln?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Assuming that the four departed states would have or did elect Democrats or Unionists, then in the House the Republicans would have had 108 of 208 members in the House if the totals in the Wikipedia article on 37th Congress are correct.  I think you were using the numbers for the 36th Congress, Warner.  That Congress ended on March 4, 1861, before Fort Sumter was fired on and thus would be out of Lincoln's concerns of political control.

A number of States had to hold special elections when the first session was called early because rather than wait 13 months for their Representatives to be seated at the regular start of a first session, they customarily held House elections a year later than scheduled.  They also had a solid 29 of 52 Senators at the start of the special session on March 4, plus 2 more Republicans to be expected from the already admitted State of Kansas.  The GNP (Grand New Party) thus held narrow majorities in both Houses of the 37th Congress without requiring any further secessions, though that fact would not be clear in the case of the House of Representatives until after the special elections for the earlier than usual 1st session that opened on July 4 (a date I'm certain was chosen for its political implications.)