Congress attempted to stop discussion on the slavery issue after they were flooded by over 100,000 petitions urging the abolition of slavery in the 1830's. In 1836, they passed a resolution that banned the discussion of these petitions and enforced the ban in 1839, 1841 and 1843. However, John Quincy Adams, who believed this was unfair, came up with creative methods of bringing the debate up on the floor anyway.
Chat with our AI personalities
Based on its smaller size, the United States Senate has the ability to allow unlimited debate, such as filibusters. During the nineteenth century, both houses of Congress allowed filibuster debates. However, due to the House's increasing size, it became no longer feasible.
Well, honey, Congress finally grew a backbone and passed the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, something it couldn't do under the hot mess that was the Articles of Confederation. This bad boy set up a system for admitting new states to the Union and banned slavery in the Northwest Territory. It was like Congress finally put on its big boy pants and started getting things done.
Pendleton Act of 1883, after the assassination of Garfield by a disaffected patronage seeker.
The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850 and it was done to satisfy abolitionists who were in Congress. While slavery was outlawed in Washington, D.C. under this compromise, the Fugitive Slave Act allowed slaves to be returned to their masters and those who housed their escape to be punished.
Congress must have a 'quorum'. That means that at least half of the members must be present. That would be 50 in the Senate and 219 in the House.