The 36th 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, 1859, to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth years of James Buchanan's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1850 United States census. The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House had a Republican plurality. Major events June 8, 1859: Comstock Lode discovered in the western Utah Territory (present-day Nevada) August 27, 1859: First oil well was drilled in the United States, near Titusville, Pennsylvania October 16–18, 1859: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry December 2, 1859 John Brown executed. December 5, 1859 – February 1, 1860: The election for the House speakership takes 44 ballots April 3, 1860: Pony Express began its first run April 23 – May 3, 1860: Democratic National Convention held in Charleston, South Carolina. Unable to agree on a nominee, the delegates voted to reconvene in June. May 9, 1860: Constitutional Union Party National Convention held in Baltimore, Maryland, nominating John Bell for president. May 18, 1860: Republican National Convention held in Chicago, Illinois, nominating Abraham Lincoln for president. June 18–23, 1860: Democratic Party reconvened in Baltimore, Maryland, nominating Stephen A. Douglas for president. June 26–28, 1860: Southern Democrats held a convention in Richmond, Virginia, nominating John C. Breckinridge for president. November 6, 1860: U.S. presidential election: Abraham Lincoln beat John C. Breckinridge, Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell. December 20, 1860: South Carolina Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession January 3, 1861: Delaware Secession Convention voted not to secede from the Union January 9, 1861: Mississippi Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession January 10, 1861: Florida Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession January 11, 1861: Alabama Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession January 18, 1861: Georgia Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession January 26, 1861: Louisiana Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession January 29, 1861. Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state. February 1, 1861: Texas Secession Convention enacted an Ordinance of Secession February 13th, 1861: Joint Session of Congress certified the election of President Abraham Lincoln and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin. February 23, 1861: The people of Texas ratified its Ordinance of Secession President-elect Abraham Lincoln