5th United States Congress

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox United States Congress The 5th 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 at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1799, during the first two years of John Adams' presidency. In the context of the Quasi-War with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by Congress. The Acts were overwhelmingly supported by the Federalists and mostly opposed by the Democratic-Republicans. Some Democratic-Republicans, such as Timothy Bloodworth, said they would support formally going to war against France but they opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts which Bloodworth and others believed were unconstitutional.<ref>The Presidency of John Adams by Ralph A. Brown, University Press of Kansas, 1975</ref>

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1790 United States census. Both chambers had a Federalist majority. Template:TOClimit

Major events

Template:Main

March 4, 1797 – John Adams became President of the United States
July 8, 1797 – The Senate expelled Tennessee Senator William Blount for conspiring with the British
July 11, 1798 – The United States Marine Corps was established
XYZ Affair in the U.S., followed by naval skirmishes but no war is declared. The XYZ affair led to several Democratic-Republicans breaking ranks with Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson took pains to avoid blaming France for the incident, as a result John Hunter, Josiah Tattnall, Timothy Bloodworth, Alexander Martin, Lemuel Benton, Thomas Sumter, William Smith, John Milledge, Abraham Baldwin, Joseph McDowell, Matthew Locke, Robert Williams, Richard Stanford, Nathaniel Macon, James Gillespie, Dempsey Burges, Thomas Blount, Nathan Bryan, John Brown, Thomas T. Davis, John Fowler and Joseph Anderson all publicly broke ranks with Jefferson, despite the fact he was the de facto leader of their party, and sided with Alexander Hamilton. The aforementioned congressmen and senators were referred to by Jefferson as a "reign of witches" and were described as the "Pro-British republicans" (as opposed to the "pro-French republicans" led by Jefferson).<ref>The Reign of Witches: The Struggle Against the Alien and Sedition Laws, 1789-1800 by Elizabeth Lawson</ref>

Major legislation

Template:Main

April 7, 1798: Mississippi Organic Act ("An Act for an amicable settlement of limits with the state of Georgia, and authorizing the establishment of a government in the Mississippi territory"), Sess. 2, ch. 28, Template:USStat
April 30, 1798: The U.S. Department of the Navy was established, Sess. 2, ch. 35, Template:USStat
June 18, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization") (Naturalization Act of 1798), Sess. 2, ch. 54, Template:USStat
June 25, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act concerning Aliens"), Sess. 2, ch. 58, Template:USStat
July 6, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act respecting Alien Enemies"), Sess. 2, ch. 66, Template:USStat
July 9, 1798: Act Further to Protect the Commerce of the United States, Sess. 2, ch. 68, Template:USStat
July 11, 1798: The United States Marine Corps was established, Sess. 2, ch. 72, Template:USStat
July 14, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States") (Sedition Act), Sess. 2, ch. 74, Template:USStat
July 16, 1798: Marine Hospital Service Act ("An Act for the relief of sick and disabled Seamen"), Sess. 2, ch. 77, Template:USStat

Treaties ratified

June 7, 1797: Treaty of Tripoli between the United States and Tripoli.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
July 7, 1797: Existing treaties with France were rescinded, Sess. 2, ch. 67, Template:USStat

Party summary

Details on changes are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

Template:US Congress party summary

House of Representatives

Template:US Congress party summary

Leadership

Senate

President: Thomas Jefferson (DR)
President pro tempore: William Bradford (F), elected July 6, 1797
- Jacob Read (F), elected November 22, 1797
- Theodore Sedgwick (F), elected June 27, 1798
- John Laurance (F), elected December 6, 1798
- James Ross (F), elected March 1, 1799

House of Representatives

Speaker: Jonathan Dayton (F)

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, 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 this Congress, requiring reelection in 1802; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1798; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1800. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break

Skip to House of Representatives, below

Connecticut

Template:Party stripe1. James Hillhouse (F)

Template:Party stripe3. Uriah Tracy (F)

Delaware

Template:Party stripe1. Henry Latimer (F)

Template:Party stripe2. John Vining (F), until January 19, 1798

Template:Party stripe Joshua Clayton (F), from January 19, 1798, until August 11, 1798

Template:Party stripe William H. Wells (F), from January 17, 1799

Template:Party stripe James Lloyd (F), from December 11, 1797

Template:Party stripe2. Richard Stockton (F)

New York

Template:Party stripe1. Philip Schuyler (F), until January 3, 1798

Template:Party stripe John Sloss Hobart (F), from January 11, 1798, until April 16, 1798

Template:Party stripe William North (F), from May 5, 1798, until August 17, 1798

Template:Party stripe James Watson (F), from August 17, 1798

Template:Party stripe3. John Laurance (F)

Template:Col-break

Template:Party stripe Ray Greene (F), from November 13, 1797

South Carolina

Template:Party stripe2. John Hunter (DR) until November 26, 1798

Template:Party stripe Charles Pinckney (DR), from December 6, 1798

Template:Party stripe3. Jacob Read (F)

Tennessee

Template:Party stripe1. William Cocke (DR), May 15, 1797 - September 26, 1797

Template:Party stripe Andrew Jackson (DR), September 26, 1797 - April 12, 1798

Template:Party stripe Daniel Smith (DR), from October 6, 1798

Template:Party stripe2. William Blount (DR), until July 8, 1797

Template:Party stripe Joseph Anderson (DR), from September 26, 1797

Connecticut

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Allen (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Joshua Coit (F), until September 5, 1798

Template:Party stripe Jonathan Brace (F), from December 3, 1798

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Samuel W. Dana (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James Davenport (F), until August 3, 1797

Template:Party stripe William Edmond (F), from November 13, 1797

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Chauncey Goodrich (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Roger Griswold (F) until Sep 14, 1798; expelled fisticuffs

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Nathaniel Smith (F)

Delaware

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James A. Bayard (F)

Georgia

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Abraham Baldwin (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Milledge (DR)

Kentucky

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas T. Davis (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Fowler (DR)

Maryland

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. George Dent (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Richard Sprigg Jr. (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Craik (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. George Baer Jr. (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Samuel Smith (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Matthews (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Hindman (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Dennis (F)

Massachusetts

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomson J. Skinner (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Shepard (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Samuel Lyman (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Dwight Foster (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Nathaniel Freeman Jr. (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Reed Sr. (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Stephen Bullock (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Harrison Gray Otis (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Samuel Sewall (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Theophilus Bradbury (F), until July 24, 1797

Template:Party stripe Bailey Bartlett (F), from November 27, 1797

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Isaac Parker (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Peleg Wadsworth (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. George Thatcher (F)

New Hampshire

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Abiel Foster (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Jonathan Freeman (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Gordon (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Jeremiah Smith (F), until July 26, 1797

Template:Party stripe Peleg Sprague (F), from December 15, 1797

New Jersey

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Jonathan Dayton (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James H. Imlay (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James Schureman (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas Sinnickson (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Mark Thomson (F)

New York

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Jonathan N. Havens (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Edward Livingston (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Lucas C. Elmendorf (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. David Brooks (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Hezekiah L. Hosmer (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John E. Van Alen (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Henry Glen (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Williams (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James Cochran (F)

Template:Col-break

North Carolina

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Joseph McDowell (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Matthew Locke (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Robert Williams (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Richard Stanford (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Nathaniel Macon (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James Gillespie (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Barry Grove (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Dempsey Burges (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas Blount (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Nathan Bryan (DR), until June 4, 1798

Template:Party stripe Richard Dobbs Spaight (DR), from December 10, 1798

Pennsylvania

The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Swanwick (DR), until July 31, 1798

Template:Party stripe Robert Waln (F), from December 3, 1798

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Blair McClenachan (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Richard Thomas (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Chapman (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Samuel Sitgreaves (F), until 1798

Template:Party stripe Robert Brown (DR), from December 4, 1798

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. George Ege (F), until October 1797

Template:Party stripe Joseph Hiester (DR), from December 1, 1797

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John A. Hanna (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Wilkes Kittera (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas Hartley (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Andrew Gregg (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. David Bard (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Findley (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Albert Gallatin (DR)

Rhode Island

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Christopher G. Champlin (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Elisha R. Potter (F), until 1797

Template:Party stripe Thomas Tillinghast (F), from November 13, 1797

South Carolina

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William L. Smith (F), until July 10, 1797

Template:Party stripe Thomas Pinckney (F), from November 23, 1797

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Rutledge Jr. (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Lemuel Benton (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas Sumter (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Robert Goodloe Harper (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William Smith (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. James Machir (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Abram Trigg (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John J. Trigg (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Matthew Clay (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Abraham B. Venable (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas Claiborne (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. William B. Giles (DR), until October 2, 1798

Template:Party stripe Joseph Eggleston (DR), from December 3, 1798

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Carter B. Harrison (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Josiah Parker (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Thomas Evans (F)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Clopton (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Samuel J. Cabell (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Dawson (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Anthony New (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Richard Brent (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. John Nicholas (DR)

Template:Party stripe Template:Ushr. Walter Jones (DR)

Template:Col-break

Template:Col-end

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress

Senate

There were 9 resignations, 2 deaths, 1 expulsion, 1 late selection, and 2 elections to replace appointees. Neither party had a net gain of seats. Template:See also Template:Ordinal US Congress change

|- | Virginia
(2) | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Henry Tazewell (DR) | Died January 24, 1799 | Vacant | Not filled in this Congress |}

House of Representatives

There were 9 resignations and 3 deaths. The Federalists had a 1-seat net loss and the Democratic-Republicans had a 1-seat net gain. Template:Main Template:Ordinal US Congress change

|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Vacant | Vacant | Daniel Buck (F) had been re-elected, but declined to serve.
Successor elected May 23, 1797.<ref name="Dubin">Date cited is the election date, but the winner in some cases "took" his seat on a later date. See Template:Cite book</ref> | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Lewis R. Morris (F) | May 24, 1797