Are the ballots in the American Congress anonymous?

Question

I was reading the history of the 13th Amendment. After creating the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln realized that he would need to amend the Constitution to truly end slavery. His attempts to change the Constitution were ultimately successful, as the House passed the bill in January 1865 with a vote of 119–56.

That made me wonder are the 56 people who voted against the abolishment of slavery known in posterity? Are the ballots in Congress anonymous or is there the implicit part of voting that your name will be etched into infamy if your vote goes against public sentiment?

I wonder what exactly are the rules on anonymous voting in congress?

Answer 1

The yeas and nays are entered in the public journal upon the desire of one-fifth present. Section 5 of Article I of the Constitution says:

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.

Here is the The Journal of the House of Representatives entry for the vote you ask about:

It is also visualized here: Roll Call Votes: House Vote #480 in 1865 (38th Congress

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That same Section also allows the House to keep any part of its proceedings secret that it judges to require secrecy. The history of this practice is reviewed nicely by ohwilleke on this answer over at the Politics StackExchange.

Answer 2

The only time the votes are anonymous is when they are viva voce and one-fifth of the members present do not request a roll call vote.