31st United States Congress
Template:Short description Template:Infobox United States Congress The 31st 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, 1849, to March 4, 1851, during the 16 months of the Zachary Taylor presidency and the first eight months of the administration of Millard Fillmore's. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1840 United States census. The Senate had a Democratic majority, while there was a Democratic plurality in the House. Template:TOC limit
Major events
- March 4, 1849: Zachary Taylor became President of the United States
- June, 1849: Relations with France broke down as the French ambassador Guillaume-Tell de La Vallée Poussin engaged in "insulting and confrontational" behavior towards President Taylor, shortly after this a row erupted with France over reparations which France owed the United States. The president of France, Napoleon III, made this worse by making remarks that led to several members of Congress openly condemning him.Template:Efn
- December 3–22, 1849: The election for the House speakership takes 63 ballots.<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref>
- March 7, 1850: Senator Daniel Webster gave his "Seventh of March" speech in which he endorsed the Compromise of 1850 to prevent a possible civil war
- May 22, 1850: Senate votes 42-11 in favor of ratifying the Clayton–Bulwer Treaty after the motion to do so was put forth by William R. King of Alabama.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The results of the vote were celebrated in Britain.<ref>Mediation of the Honduran-Guatemalan Boundary Question: Held Under the Good Offices of the Department of State, 1918-1919 ... by United States. Department of State U.S. Government Printing Office, 1919 pg. 211</ref>
- July 9, 1850: President Taylor died and Vice President Millard Fillmore became President.
Major legislation
- September 9, 1850: Compromise of 1850, sess. 1, chs. 48-51, Template:USStat - Template:USStat
- September 18, 1850: Fugitive Slave Act, sess. 1, ch. 60, Template:USStat
- September 20, 1850: "An Act to suppress the Slave Trade in the District of Columbia," sess. 1, ch. 63, Template:USStat
- September 29, 1850: Donation Land Claim Act, sess. 1, ch. 76, Template:USStat
States admitted and territories organized
- September 9, 1850 — As part of the Compromise of 1850:
- Texas's borders were changed, ch. 49, Template:USStat
- New Mexico Territory was organized, ch. 49, Template:USStat
- California was admitted as a state, ch. 50, Template:USStat
- Utah Territory was organized, ch. 51, Template:USStat
Party summary
Senate
During this Congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of California. Template:US Congress party summary
House of Representatives
During this Congress, two House seats were added for the new state of California. Template:US Congress party summary
Leadership
Millard Fillmore
Senate
- President: Millard Fillmore (W), until July 9, 1850; vacant thereafter.
- President pro tempore: David Atchison (D), until May 5, 1850
- William R. King (D), from May 6, 1850
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Howell Cobb (D), elected December 22, 1849, after 63 ballots
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: James Thompson
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives by district.
Senate
Template:Multiple image 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 ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1854. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
- Template:Party stripe2. Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D), until November 30, 1849
- Template:Party stripeJeremiah Clemens (D), from November 30, 1849
- Template:Party stripe3. William R. King (D)
- Template:Party stripe1. John C. Frémont (D), from September 10, 1850 (newly admitted state)
- Template:Party stripe3. William M. Gwin (D), from September 10, 1850 (newly admitted state)
- Template:Party stripe2. Stephen A. Douglas (D)
- Template:Party stripe3. James Shields (D), until March 6, 1849
- Template:Party stripeJames Shields (D), from December 3, 1849
- Template:Party stripe1. Reverdy Johnson (W), until March 7, 1849
- Template:Party stripeDavid Stewart (W), from December 6, 1849, until January 12, 1850
- Template:Party stripeThomas Pratt (W), from January 12, 1850
- Template:Party stripe3. James Pearce (W)
- Template:Party stripe1. Daniel Webster (W), until July 22, 1850
- Template:Party stripeRobert C. Winthrop (W), from July 30, 1850, until February 1, 1851
- Template:Party stripeRobert Rantoul Jr. (D), from February 1, 1851
- Template:Party stripe2. John Davis (W)
- Template:Party stripe1. Thomas Corwin (W), until July 20, 1850
- Template:Party stripeThomas Ewing (W), from July 20, 1850
- Template:Party stripe3. Salmon P. Chase (FS)
- Template:Party stripe2. John C. Calhoun (D), until March 31, 1850
- Template:Party stripeFranklin H. Elmore (D), from April 11, 1850, until May 29, 1850
- Template:Party stripeRobert W. Barnwell (D), from June 4, 1850, until December 18, 1850
- Template:Party stripeRobert Rhett (D), from December 18, 1850
- Template:Party stripe3. Andrew Butler (D)
Template:Col-break Template:Col-end
House of Representatives
Template:Main The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William J. Alston (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry W. Hilliard (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Sampson W. Harris (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel W. Inge (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Hubbard (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Williamson R. W. Cobb (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Franklin W. Bowdon (D)
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edward Gilbert (D), from September 11, 1850 (newly admitted state)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George W. Wright (I), from September 11, 1850 (newly admitted state)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Loren P. Waldo (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Walter Booth (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Chauncey F. Cleveland (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas B. Butler (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Butler King (W), until March 3, 1850
- Template:Party stripeJoseph W. Jackson (D), from March 4, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Marshall J. Wellborn (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Allen F. Owen (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Hugh A. Haralson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas C. Hackett (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Howell Cobb (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander H. Stephens (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert A. Toombs (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William H. Bissell (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John A. McClernand (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Timothy R. Young (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Wentworth (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William A. Richardson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edward D. Baker (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas L. Harris (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathaniel Albertson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Cyrus L. Dunham (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John L. Robinson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George W. Julian (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William J. Brown (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Willis A. Gorman (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edward W. McGaughey (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph E. McDonald (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Graham N. Fitch (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew J. Harlan (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Thompson (D), until June 29, 1850
- Template:Party stripeDaniel F. Miller (W), from December 20, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Shepherd Leffler (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Linn Boyd (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James L. Johnson (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Finis E. McLean (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George A. Caldwell (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John B. Thompson (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Breck (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Humphrey Marshall (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles S. Morehead (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John C. Mason (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard H. Stanton (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Emile La Sére (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles M. Conrad (W), until August 17, 1850
- Template:Party stripeHenry A. Bullard (W), from December 5, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John H. Harmanson (D), until October 24, 1850
- Template:Party stripeAlexander G. Penn (D), from December 30, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Isaac E. Morse (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elbridge Gerry (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathaniel Littlefield (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Otis (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Rufus K. Goodenow (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Cullen Sawtelle (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Stetson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas J. D. Fuller (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Bowie (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William T. Hamilton (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edward Hammond (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert M. McLane (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander Evans (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John B. Kerr (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert C. Winthrop (W), until July 30, 1850
- Template:Party stripeSamuel Atkins Eliot (W), from August 22, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel P. King (W), until July 25, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James H. Duncan (W)
- Template:0Template:Ushr. vacant
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Allen (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Ashmun (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Julius Rockwell (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Horace Mann (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Orin Fowler (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Grinnell (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander W. Buel (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Sprague (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Kinsley S. Bingham (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jacob Thompson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Winfield S. Featherston (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William McWillie (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Albert G. Brown (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James B. Bowlin (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William V. Bay (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James S. Green (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Willard P. Hall (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John S. Phelps (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Amos Tuck (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles H. Peaslee (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Wilson (W), until September 9, 1850
- Template:Party stripeGeorge W. Morrison (D), from October 8, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Harry Hibbard (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew K. Hay (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William A. Newell (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Isaac Wildrick (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Van Dyke (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James G. King (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John A. King (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David A. Bokee (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. J. Phillips Phoenix (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Walter Underhill (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Briggs (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Brooks (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Nelson (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Ransom Halloway (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas McKissock (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Herman D. Gould (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peter H. Silvester (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Gideon Reynolds (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John L. Schoolcraft (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George R. Andrews (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John R. Thurman (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Hugh White (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry P. Alexander (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Preston King (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles E. Clarke (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Orsamus B. Matteson (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Hiram Walden (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry Bennett (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Duer (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Gott (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Harmon S. Conger (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William T. Jackson (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William A. Sackett (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abraham M. Schermerhorn (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert L. Rose (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Rumsey Jr. (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elijah Risley (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elbridge G. Spaulding (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Harvey Putnam (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lorenzo Burrows (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas L. Clingman (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph P. Caldwell (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edmund Deberry (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Augustine H. Shepperd (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abraham W. Venable (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John R. J. Daniel (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William S. Ashe (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edward Stanly (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Outlaw (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David T. Disney (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lewis D. Campbell (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert C. Schenck (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Moses B. Corwin (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Emery D. Potter (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Rodolphus Dickinson (D), until March 20, 1849
- Template:Party stripeAmos E. Wood (D), from December 3, 1849, until November 19, 1850
- Template:Party stripeJohn Bell (W), from January 7, 1851
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jonathan D. Morris (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John L. Taylor (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edson B. Olds (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Sweetser (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John K. Miller (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel F. Vinton (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William A. Whittlesey (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathan Evans (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William F. Hunter (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Moses Hoagland (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Cable (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David K. Cartter (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Crowell (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joshua R. Giddings (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph M. Root (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lewis C. Levin (A)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph R. Chandler (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry D. Moore (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Robbins Jr. (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Freedley (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Ross (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jesse C. Dickey (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thaddeus Stevens (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Strong (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Milo M. Dimmick (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Chester P. Butler (W), until October 5, 1850
- Template:Party stripeJohn Brisbin (D), from November 13, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Wilmot (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Casey (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles W. Pitman (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry Nes (W), until September 10, 1850
- Template:Party stripeJoel B. Danner (D), from December 2, 1850
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James X. McLanahan (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Calvin (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew J. Ogle (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Job Mann (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert R. Reed (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Moses Hampton (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John W. Howe (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Thompson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alfred Gilmore (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George G. King (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathan F. Dixon Jr. (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Wallace (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James L. Orr (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph A. Woodward (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John McQueen (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Armistead Burt (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Isaac E. Holmes (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William F. Colcock (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew Johnson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Albert G. Watkins (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Josiah M. Anderson (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John H. Savage (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George W. Jones (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James H. Thomas (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Meredith P. Gentry (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew Ewing (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Isham G. Harris (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Frederick P. Stanton (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Christopher H. Williams (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David S. Kaufman (D), until January 31, 1851
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Volney E. Howard (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Henry (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Hebard (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George P. Marsh (W), until May 29, 1849
- Template:Party stripeJames Meacham (W), from December 3, 1849
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lucius B. Peck (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John S. Millson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard K. Meade (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas H. Averett (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas S. Bocock (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Paulus Powell (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James A. Seddon (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas H. Bayly (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander Holladay (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Jeremiah Morton (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Parker (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James McDowell (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry A. Edmundson (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. LaFayette McMullen (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James M. H. Beale (D)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Alexander Newman (D), until September 8, 1849
- Template:Party stripeThomas Haymond (W), from November 8, 1849
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Durkee (FS)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Orasmus Cole (W)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James D. Doty (D)
Non-voting members
- Template:0Template:Ushr. Henry H. Sibley, from July 7, 1849
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Thurston (D)
| House seats by party holding plurality in state | |
|---|---|
| Template:Legend | Template:Legend |
| Template:Legend | Template:Legend |
| Template:Legend | Template:Legend |
| Template:Legend | |
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
- Replacements: 5
- Democrats (D): no net change
- Whigs (W): no net change
- Deaths: 1
- Resignations: 3
- Seats from newly admitted states: 2
- Interim appointments: 4
- Total seats with changes: 8
Template:See also Template:Ordinal US Congress change
|-
| Illinois
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | James Shields (D)
| Senate voided election March 6, 1849, as Sen. Shields was determined not to have been a US citizen for the number of years required by the Constitution.
Incumbent was re-elected October 27, 1849, having by then qualified.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | James Shields (D)
| Seated December 3, 1849
|-
| Maryland
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Reverdy Johnson (W)
| Resigned March 7, 1849, having been appointed United States Attorney General
| Template:Party shading/Whig | David Stewart (W)
| Appointed December 6, 1849
|-
| Alabama
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D)
| Sen. Dixon Lewis successor elected November 30, 1849
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Jeremiah Clemens (D)
| Elected November 30, 1849
|-
| Maryland
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Whig | David Stewart (W)
| Successor elected January 12, 1850
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Thomas Pratt (W)
| Elected January 12, 1850
|-
| South Carolina
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | John C. Calhoun (D)
| Died March 31, 1850
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Franklin H. Elmore (D)
| Appointed April 11, 1850
|-
| South Carolina
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Franklin H. Elmore (D)
| Died May 29, 1850
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Robert W. Barnwell (D)
| Appointed June 4, 1850
|-
| Ohio
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Thomas Corwin (W)
| Resigned July 20, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of the Treasury
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Thomas Ewing (W)
| Appointed July 20, 1850
|-
| Massachusetts
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Daniel Webster (W)
| Resigned July 22, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of State again.
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Robert C. Winthrop (W)
| Appointed July 30, 1850
|-
| California
(1)
| New state
| California admitted to the Union September 9, 1850.
The first Senator was elected September 10, 1850.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | John C. Frémont (D)
| Elected September 10, 1850
|-
| California
(3)
| New state
| California admitted to the Union September 9, 1850.
The first Senator was elected September 10, 1850.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | William M. Gwin (D)
| Elected September 10, 1850
|-
| South Carolina
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Robert W. Barnwell (D)
| Successor elected December 18, 1850
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Robert Rhett (D)
| Elected December 18, 1850
|-
| Massachusetts
(1)
| Template:Party shading/Whig | Robert C. Winthrop (W)
| Successor elected February 1, 1851
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Robert Rantoul Jr. (D)
| Elected February 1, 1851
|}
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 11
- Democrats (D): 2 seat net gain
- Whigs (W): 2 seat net loss
- Deaths: 8
- Resignations: 5
- Contested election:1
- Seats from newly admitted states: 2
- Total seats with changes: 16
Template:Main Template:Ordinal US Congress change
|- | Template:Ushr | Vacant | style="font-size:80%" | Seat remained vacant after territory became organized at end of previous congress | Henry H. Sibley | Seated July 7, 1849 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | George Perkins Marsh (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned some time in 1849 | Template:Party shading/Whig | James Meacham (W) | Seated December 3, 1849 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Rodolphus Dickinson (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died March 20, 1849 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Amos E. Wood (D) | Seated December 3, 1849 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Alexander Newman (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died September 8, 1849 | Template:Party shading/Whig | Thomas Haymond (W) | Seated November 8, 1849 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | Thomas B. King (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned March 3, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Joseph W. Jackson (D) | Seated March 4, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | Daniel P. King (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died July 25, 1850 | Vacant | Not filled this term |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic | William Thompson (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Seat declared vacant June 29, 1850, after contested election. House ruled neither candidate entitled to seat and forced special election | Template:Party shading/Whig | Daniel F. Miller (W) | Seated December 20, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | Robert C. Winthrop (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 30, 1850, after being appointed to the US Senate | Template:Party shading/Whig | Samuel A. Eliot (W) | Seated August 22, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | Charles M. Conrad (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned August 17, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of War | Template:Party shading/Whig | Henry A. Bullard (W) | Seated December 5, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | James Wilson (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned September 9, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | George W. Morrison (D) | Seated October 8, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | California admitted into the Union September 9, 1850, and seat remained vacant until September 11, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Edward Gilbert (D) | Seated September 11, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | California admitted into the Union September 9, 1850, and seat remained vacant until September 11, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Independent (US) | George W. Wright (I) | Seated September 11, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | Henry Nes (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died September 10, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Joel B. Danner (D) | Seated December 2, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Whig | Chester P. Butler (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 5, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | John Brisbin (D) | Seated November 13, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic | John H. Harmanson (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 24, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Alexander G. Penn (D) | Seated December 30, 1850 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Amos E. Wood (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died November 19, 1850 | Template:Party shading/Whig | John Bell (W) | Seated January 7, 1851 |- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic | David S. Kaufman (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died January 31, 1851 | Vacant | Not filled this term |}
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
Senate
- Agriculture (Chairman: Daniel Sturgeon)
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Augustus Dodge)
- California's Admission to the Union (Select)
- Claims (Chairman: Moses Norris Jr.)
- Commerce (Chairman: Clement C. Clay)
- Disorder in the Senate of April 17, 1850 (Select)
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: James M. Mason)
- Eligibility of James Shields (Special)
- Finance (Chairman: Daniel S. Dickinson then James Pearce)
- Foreign Relations (Chairman: William R. King then Henry S. Foote)
- French Spoilations (Select) (Chairman: Truman Smith)
- Indian Affairs (Chairman: David R. Atchison)
- Judiciary (Chairman: Andrew P. Butler)
- Manufactures (Chairman: William K. Sebastian)
- Mexican Boundary Commission (Select)
- Military Affairs (Chairman: Jefferson Davis)
- Militia (Chairman: Sam Houston)
- Naval Affairs (Chairman: David Levy Yulee)
- Ordnance and War Ships (Select)
- Patents and the Patent Office (Chairman: David S. Reid)
- Pensions (Chairman: George Wallace Jones)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Thomas J. Rusk)
- Printing (Chairman: Solon Borland)
- Private Land Claims (Chairman: Solomon W. Downs)
- Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: Robert M.T. Hunter)
- Public Lands (Chairman: Alpheus Felch)
- Retrenchment (Chairman: James W. Bradbury)
- Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: Isaac P. Walker)
- Roads and Canals (Chairman: Jesse D. Bright)
- Seventh Census (Select)
- Settlement of the Slavery Question (Select)
- Tariff Regulation (Select)
- Territories (Chairman: Stephen A. Douglas)
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts (Chairman: Daniel P. King)
- Agriculture (Chairman: Nathaniel S. Littlefield)
- Bounty Land Act of 1850 (Select)
- Claims (Chairman: John Reeves Jones Daniel)
- Commerce (Chairman: Robert M. McLane)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: Albert G. Brown)
- Elections (Chairman: William Strong)
- Engraving (Chairman: Edward Hammond)
- Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: Alexander Holladay)
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: William Thompson)
- Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: Kingsley S. Bingham)
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: George A. Caldwell)
- Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: Milo M. Dimmick)
- Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: James M. H. Beale)
- Foreign Affairs (Chairman: John A. McClernand)
- Indian Affairs (Chairman: Robert W. Johnson)
- Invalid Pensions (Chairman: Shepherd Leffler)
- Judiciary (Chairman: James Thompson)
- Manufactures (Chairman: Lucius B. Peck)
- Mileage (Chairman: Graham N. Fitch)
- Military Affairs (Chairman: Armistead Burt)
- Militia (Chairman: Charles H. Peaslee)
- Naval Affairs (Chairman: Frederick P. Stanton)
- Patents (Chairman: Hiram Walden)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Emery D. Potter)
- Private Land Claims (Chairman: Isaac E. Morse)
- Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: Franklin W. Bowdon)
- Public Expenditures (Chairman: Andrew Johnson)
- Public Lands (Chairman: James B. Bowlin)
- Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Williamson R. W. Cobb)
- Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: Cullen Sawtelle)
- Revolutionary Pensions (Chairman: Loren P. Waldo)
- Roads and Canals (Chairman: John L. Robinson)
- Rules (Chairman: David S. Kaufman)
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories (Chairman: Linn Boyd)
- Ways and Means (Chairman: Thomas H. Bayly)
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Sen. Thomas J. Rusk then Sen. George Badger)
- The Library (Chairman: N/A)
- The Printing (Chairman: N/A)
Caucuses
- Democratic (House)
- Democratic (Senate)
Employees
Senate
- Chaplain: Henry Slicer (Methodist), until January 9, 1850
- Clement M. Butler (Episcopalian), elected January 9, 1850
- Secretary: Asbury Dickins
- Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Ralph Gurley (Presbyterian)
- Clerk: Thomas J. Campbell, died April 13, 1850
- Richard M. Young, elected April 17, 1850
- Doorkeeper: Robert E. Horner
- Postmaster: John M. Johnson
- Reading Clerks: Template:Data missing
- Sergeant at Arms: Nathan Sargent, until January 15, 1850
- Adam J. Glossbrenner, from January 15, 1850
See also
- 1848 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 1850 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
Notes
References
External links
- Statutes at Large, 1789-1875
- Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
- U.S. House of Representatives: House History
- U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book