Tuesday, March 18, 2014

congressarchives: 225th Anniversary of the First Congress: We’ll be posting documents and stories highlighting the establishment of the new government under the Constitution through March 2016. The House and Senate had been in session for two weeks by March 18, 1789, and neither chamber were able to attain a quorum to begin operation of the new government. A week after sending a letter to their absent colleagues, the Senate drafted another letter for distribution. This letter was worded slightly stronger than their initial letter, urging the senators’ immediate attendance. While Congress was not officially able to begin conducting business due to the lack of quorums in both houses, members often gathered together to discuss and prioritize issues that would likely surface in the coming months. Second Letter to Absent Senators from the Senate, 3/18/1789, Records of the U.S. Senate (NAID 7726978)



congressarchives: 225th Anniversary of the First Congress: We’ll be posting documents and stories highlighting the establishment of the new government under the Constitution through March 2016. The House and Senate had been in session for two weeks by March 18, 1789, and neither chamber were able to attain a quorum to begin operation of the new government. A week after sending a letter to their absent colleagues, the Senate drafted another letter for distribution. This letter was worded slightly stronger than their initial letter, urging the senators’ immediate attendance. While Congress was not officially able to begin conducting business due to the lack of quorums in both houses, members often gathered together to discuss and prioritize issues that would likely surface in the coming months. Second Letter to Absent Senators from the Senate, 3/18/1789, Records of the U.S. Senate (NAID 7726978)