12th United States Congress
Template:Short description Template:More footnotes Template:Infobox United States Congress
The 12th 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, 1811, to March 4, 1813, during the third and fourth years of James Madison's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1800 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority. Template:TOClimit
Major events
- November 6, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh's forces
- December 16, 1811: New Madrid earthquake
- April 4, 1812: President Madison enacted a 90-day embargo on trade with the United Kingdom
- April 20, 1812: Vice President George Clinton died
- June 18, 1812: War of 1812: United States declared war on Great Britain
- August 16, 1812: War of 1812: Detroit surrendered to the British.
- October 13, 1812: War of 1812: the Battle of Queenston Heights
- November 5, 1812: Elections of 1812:
Major legislation
States admitted and territories organized
- April 30, 1812: Louisiana was admitted as a state into the Union. It was formerly known as the Territory of Orleans
- June 4, 1812: Missouri Territory was organized. It was formerly known as Louisiana Territory
George Clinton
William H. Crawford
Henry Clay
Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this congress. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
Senate
During this congress, two new Senate seats were added for the new state of Louisiana. Template:US Congress party summary
House of Representatives
During this congress, one new House seat was added for the new state of Louisiana. Template:US Congress party summary
Leadership
Senate
- President: George Clinton (DR), until April 20, 1812; vacant thereafter.
- President pro tempore: William H. Crawford (DR)
House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Henry Clay Democratic-Republican
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.
Senate
Template:Main Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1814; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1816; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1812 Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
- Template:Party stripe2. George M. Bibb (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. John Pope (DR)
- Template:Party stripe2. Jean N. Destréhan (DR), September 3, 1812 – October 1, 1812
- Template:Party stripeThomas Posey (DR), October 8, 1812 – February 4, 1813
- Template:Party stripeJames Brown (DR), from February 5, 1813
- Template:Party stripe3. Allan B. Magruder (DR), from September 3, 1812
- Template:Party stripe1. Samuel Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. Philip Reed (DR)
- Template:Party stripe1. James Lloyd (F)
- Template:Party stripe2. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR), from June 29, 1811
- Template:Party stripe1. John Lambert (DR)
- Template:Party stripe2. John Condit (DR)
- Template:Party stripe1. Obadiah German (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. John Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripe2. James Turner (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. Jesse Franklin (DR)
- Template:Party stripe1. Michael Leib (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. Andrew Gregg (DR)
- Template:Party stripe1. Christopher G. Champlin (F), until October 2, 1811
- Template:Party stripeWilliam Hunter (F), from October 28, 1811
- Template:Party stripe2. Jeremiah B. Howell (DR)
- Template:Party stripe2. John Taylor (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. John Gaillard (DR)
- Template:Party stripe1. Joseph Anderson (DR)
- Template:Party stripe2. Jenkin Whiteside (DR), until October 8, 1811
- Template:Party stripeGeorge W. Campbell (DR), from October 8, 1811
House of Representatives
Template:Main The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Epaphroditus Champion (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Davenport (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lyman Law (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jonathan O. Moseley (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Timothy Pitkin (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lewis B. Sturges (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Tallmadge (F)
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William W. Bibb (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Howell Cobb (DR), until before October, 1812
- Template:Party stripeWilliam Barnett (DR), from October 5, 1812
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Bolling Hall (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George M. Troup (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Anthony New (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel McKee (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Stephen Ormsby (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard M. Johnson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry Clay (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Desha (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas B. Robertson (DR), from December 23, 1812 (newly admitted state)
The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Philip Stuart (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Kent (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Philip B. Key (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Ringgold (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peter Little (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander McKim (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Montgomery (DR), until April 29, 1811
- Template:Party stripeStevenson Archer (DR), from October 26, 1811
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert Wright (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Goldsborough (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Josiah Quincy (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Reed (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Leonard White (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR), until June 29, 1811
- Template:Party stripeWilliam M. Richardson (DR), from November 4, 1811
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Ely (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Taggart (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Turner Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Isaiah L. Green (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Laban Wheaton (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elijah Brigham (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abijah Bigelow (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Ezekiel Bacon (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Ebenezer Seaver (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Cutts (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Widgery (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peleg Tallman (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Barzillai Gannett (DR), until sometime in 1812 before April 6 (Template:Dm)
- Template:Party stripeFrancis Carr (DR), from April 6, 1812
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Josiah Bartlett Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Dinsmoor (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Obed Hall (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John A. Harper (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Sullivan (F)
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Adam Boyd (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lewis Condict (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jacob Hufty (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George C. Maxwell (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Morgan (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Newbold (DR)
There were two plural districts, the 2nd & 6th each had two representatives.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Ebenezer Sage (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Paulding Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Pierre Van Cortlandt Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Emott (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas B. Cooke (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Asa Fitch (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert Le Roy Livingston (F), until May 6, 1812
- Template:Party stripeThomas P. Grosvenor (F) from January 29, 1813
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Harmanus Bleecker (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Pond (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Sammons (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Silas Stow (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas R. Gold (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Arunah Metcalf (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Uri Tracy (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Avery (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peter B. Porter (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lemuel Sawyer (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Willis Alston (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Blount (DR), until February 7, 1812
- Template:Party stripeWilliam Kennedy (DR), from January 30, 1813
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Blackledge (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William R. King (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Archibald McBryde (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Stanford (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Cochran (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Pearson (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Israel Pickens (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Meshack Franklin (DR)
There were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Anderson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Milnor (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Adam Seybert (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert Brown (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jonathan Roberts (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Rodman (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Roger Davis (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John M. Hyneman (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Lefever (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Bard (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert Whitehill (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Crawford (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Piper (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Findley (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Smilie (DR), until December 30, 1812, vacant thereafter
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Aaron Lyle (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abner Lacock (DR)
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Jackson Jr. (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elisha R. Potter (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Langdon Cheves (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Butler Sr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David R. Williams (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Lowndes (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Winn (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John C. Calhoun (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Moore (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elias Earle (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Rhea (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Sevier (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Felix Grundy (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Shaw (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Strong (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Fisk (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Martin Chittenden (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Wilson (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Baker (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William McCoy (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Breckinridge (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Sheffey (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Lewis Jr. (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John P. Hungerford (DR), until November 29, 1811
- Template:Party stripeJohn Taliaferro (DR), from November 29, 1811
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Aylett Hawes (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Dawson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Roane (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Burwell Bassett (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William A. Burwell (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Matthew Clay (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Randolph (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Pleasants (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Gholson Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peterson Goodwyn (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edwin Gray (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Hugh Nelson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Clopton (DR)
Non-voting members
- Template:Ushr. Shadrach Bond, from December 3, 1812
- Template:Ushr. Jonathan Jennings
- Template:Ushr. George Poindexter
- Template:Ushr. Edward Hempstead, from November 9, 1812
- Template:Ushr, vacant until April 29, 1812
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
- Replacements: 1
- Democratic-Republicans: no net change
- Federalists: no net change
- Deaths: 0
- Resignations: 4
- Interim appointments: 1
- Seats of newly admitted states: 2
- Vacancies:1
- Total seats with changes: 6
Template:See also Template:Ordinal US Congress change
|-
| Massachusetts
(2)
| Vacant
| Legislature elected late.
Successor elected June 29, 1811.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Joseph B. Varnum (DR)
| June 29, 1811
|-
| Rhode Island
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | Christopher G. Champlin (F)
| Resigned October 2, 1811
Successor elected October 28, 1811.
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | William Hunter (F)
| October 28, 1811
|-
| Tennessee
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Jenkin Whiteside (DR)
| Resigned October 8, 1811.
Successor elected October 8, 1811.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | George W. Campbell (DR)
| October 8, 1811
|-
| Louisiana
(3)
| New seat
| Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.
Inaugural Senator elected September 3, 1812, for the term ending March 4, 1813.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Allan B. Magruder (DR)
| September 3, 1812
|-
| rowspan=3 | Louisiana
(2)
| New seat
| Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.
Inaugural Senator elected September 3, 1812, for the term ending March 4, 1817.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Jean Noel Destréhan (DR)
| September 3, 1812
|-
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Jean N. Destréhan (DR)
| Resigned October 1, 1812, without having qualified.
Successor appointed October 8, 1812, to continue the term ending March 4, 1817.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Posey (DR)
| October 8, 1812
|-
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Posey (DR)
| Appointee lost election to finish the term.
Successor elected February 4, 1813.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | James Brown (DR)
| February 5, 1813
|}
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 3
- Democratic-Republicans: no net change
- Federalists: no net change
- Deaths: 2
- Resignations: 5
- Contested election: 1
- Seats of newly admitted states: 1
- Vacancies: 1
- Total seats with changes: 10
Template:Main Template:Ordinal US Congress change
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Montgomery (DR) | Resigned April 29, 1811, to become attorney General of Maryland | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Stevenson Archer (DR) | Seated October 26, 1811 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Joseph B. Varnum (DR) | Resigned June 29, 1811, to become U.S. Senator | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | William M. Richardson (DR) | Seated November 4, 1811 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Hungerford (DR) | Lost contested election November 29, 1811 | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Taliaferro (DR) | Seated November 29, 1811 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Barzillai Gannett (DR) | Resigned sometime in 1812 before April 6 (Template:Dm) | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Francis Carr (DR) | Seated April 6, 1812 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Blount (DR) | Died February 7, 1812 | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | William Kennedy (DR) | Seated January 30, 1813 |- | Template:Ushr | colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Julien de Lallande Poydras had resigned in the previous Congress, and the seat remained vacant until the territory became the state of Louisiana on April 30, 1812 | rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas B. Robertson (DR) | rowspan=2 | Seated April 30, 1812 |- | Template:Ushr
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Robert Le Roy Livingston (F) | Resigned May 6, 1812 | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Thomas P. Grosvenor (F) | Seated January 29, 1813 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Howell Cobb (DR) | Resigned sometime before October 1812 (Template:Dm) | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | William Barnett (DR) | Seated October 5, 1812 |- | Template:Ushr | colspan=2 | Territory delegate seat established | Edward Hempstead | Seated November 9, 1812 |- | Template:Ushr | colspan=2 | Territory delegate seat established | Shadrach Bond | Seated December 3, 1812 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Smilie (DR) | Died December 30, 1812 | Vacant | Not filled until next Congress |}
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Michael Leib)
- Engrossed Bills (Chairman: Nicholas Gilman)
- National University
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts (Chairman: Charles Turner Jr.)
- Apportionment of Representatives (Select)
- Bankruptcy (Select)
- Claims (Chairman: Burwell Bassett then Thomas Gholson Jr.)
- Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas Newton Jr.)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: Joseph Lewis Jr.)
- Elections (Chairman: William Findley)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: John Rhea)
- Public Lands (Chairman: Jeremiah Morrow)
- Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Adam Seybert then Burwell Bassett)
- Rules (Select)
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Ways and Means (Chairman: Ezekiel Bacon then Langdon Cheves)
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Template:Data missing)
- The Library (Chairman: N/A)
Employees
Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin Latrobe, until July 1, 1811; vacant thereafter
- Librarian of Congress: Patrick Magruder
Senate
- Chaplain: Walter D. Addison (Presbyterian), until November 13, 1811
- John Brackenridge (Presbyterian), from November 13, 1811
- Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
- Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers, died
- Mountjoy Bayly, elected November 6, 1811
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Jesse Lee (Methodist), until November 13, 1811
- Nicholas Snethen (Methodist), elected November 13, 1811
- Jesse Lee (Methodist), elected November 2, 1812
- Clerk: Patrick Magruder
- Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
- Reading Clerks: Template:Dm
- Sergeant at Arms: Thomas Dunn
See also
- 1810 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- United States elections, 1812 (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)