Today is, of course, Election Day in the United States. All 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 senators will be elected. The first congressional election in the US was held from November 24 1788 to March 5, 1789 – each state set their own dates.
With the new form of government needing to be operational prior to the completion of the first national census, Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution set a temporary apportionment of seats. Among the original 13 states, 11 of them ratified the Constitution and elected 59 total representatives. North Carolina and Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until after the 1st Congress began, and consequently did not elect their representatives until 1790.
Actual political parties did not yet exist, but new members of Congress were informally categorized as either “pro-Administration” (i.e., pro-Washington and pro-Hamilton) or “anti-Administration”.
The representative chosen for the part of Maryland where I now reside was Daniel Carroll. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and a plantation owner. He supported the American Revolution, served in the Confederation Congress, was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 which penned the Constitution of the United States. He was one of the few Catholics among the Founders. His younger brother John was the first Catholic bishop in the United States (as Bishop of Baltimore, 1790) and founder of Georgetown University; his cousin Charles Carroll of Carrollton signed the Declaration of Independence.
Daniel Carroll
Not for me!
This is a surprise!
Cosmic Cats!
BADA BING!!
Did you know on the Canary Islands there is not one canary? And on the Virgin Isles? Same thing – not one canary there either!
The next time you shop, ask your cashier what kind of candy bar they like and buy them one. I did this today, it was self checkout, but still, it’s a nice thing to do!
Your body has always told you when it’s tired. At 80, you’ve finally stopped arguing with it.
I’m not getting older. I’m becoming a limited edition.
After a sheepdog gets all the sheep in the pen, he reports back to the farmer: “All 40 accounted for.” “But I only have 38 sheep,” ays the farmer. “I know,” says the sheepdog. “But I rounded them up.”
Yesterday I saw a dog wearing a “Do not approach” vest. I wonder if they make those for people.
The US is the only country in the world where people believe government-funded healthcare won’t work because people with government-funded healthcare told them so.
At my age an all-nighter means I didn’t have to get up and pee.
I’m currently experiencing life at the rate of several “WTF’s” per hour.
Putting someone on the ballot just because of their last name is a bit slimy. But enough about Darlene Graham.
I’m actually a very pleasant person to be around … unless I’m hungry, tired, hot, cold, thirsty, anxious, dealing with idiots, or basically uncomfortable in any way.
Yes, get out and vote and remember whose country this is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q7PULELvok
