To table the nomination of john d. Defrees, to be superintendent of public printing. (p. 307, 315)

On Mar 16, 1861, the Senate voted 21–17. Result: passed. By party: Republicans 12–13, Democrats 9–4. It was a split vote: the parties took opposite sides, with some members crossing over. 16 members voted against their own party.

During the 37th Congress (1861–1862), Abraham Lincoln was president, and Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Yes: 21
No: 17
Did not vote: 35
Date: Mar 16, 1861

By party

Democrats9 yes · 4 no · 16 didn’t vote
Republicans12 yes · 13 no · 11 didn’t vote

Who broke with their party

Charles Burton Mitchel D-AR voted no
Lafayette Sabine Foster R-CT voted yes
Jesse David Bright D-IN voted no
Lazarus Whitehead Powell D-KY voted no
Henry Wilson R-MA voted yes
William Pitt Fessenden R-ME voted yes
Kinsley Scott Bingham R-MI voted yes
Zachariah Chandler R-MI voted yes
Morton Smith Wilkinson R-MN voted yes
Daniel Clark R-NH voted yes
Benjamin Franklin Wade R-OH voted yes
David Wilmot R-PA voted yes
Alfred Osborn Pope Nicholson D-TN voted no
Jacob Collamer R-VT voted yes
James Rood Doolittle R-WI voted yes
Timothy Otis Howe R-WI voted yes

How each senator voted: Yes

How each senator voted: No

Did not vote

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “To table the nomination of john d. Defrees…: Senate Vote, Mar 16, 1861,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/37-S-12/to-table-the-nomination-of-john-d-defrees-to (accessed 2026-10-17).