7th United States Congress
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox United States Congress The 7th 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, 1801, to March 4, 1803, during the first two years of Thomas Jefferson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1790 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority, except when the Senate held a two-day Special Senate session in order to provide advice to the new President Thomas Jefferson, when there was still a Federalist majority in the Senate. Template:TOC limit
Major events
- March 4, 1801: Thomas Jefferson became President of the United States.
- May 10, 1801: The pascha of Tripoli declared war on United States by having the flagpole on the consulate chopped down
- March 16, 1802: West Point established
- February 24, 1803: First time an Act of Congress was declared unconstitutional: U.S. Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison
Major legislation
- April 29, 1802: Judiciary Act of 1802, ch. 31, Template:USStat
- April 30, 1802: Enabling Act of 1802, ch. 40, Template:USStat
States admitted
- Ohio was admitted as a state, having previously been a portion of the Northwest Territory. The exact date is unclear and in dispute, but it is undisputed that it was during this Congress. The official date when Ohio became a state was not set until 1953, when the 83rd U.S. Congress passed legislation retrospectively designating the date of the first meeting of the Ohio state legislature, March 1, 1803, as that date. However, on April 30, 1802, the 7th U.S. Congress had passed an act "authorizing the inhabitants of Ohio to form a Constitution and state government, and admission of Ohio into the Union." (Sess. 1, ch. 40, Template:USStat) On February 19, 1803, the same Congress passed an act "providing for the execution of the laws of the United States in the State of Ohio." (Sess. 2, ch. 7, Template:USStat) The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress states that Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802, and counts its seats as vacant from that date.
Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
Senate
The Federalists still controlled the Senate when they held a two-day special Senate session in March 1801, which was called by outgoing President John Adams so that the Senate could provide advice to the new President Thomas Jefferson,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but by the time Congress began its first regular session in December 1801 to start official business, the Democratic-Republicans had gained Senate control.
House of Representatives
Template:US Congress party summary
Leadership
Senate
Template:Multiple image Template:Multiple image
- President: Aaron Burr (DR)
- President pro tempore: Abraham Baldwin (DR), first elected December 7, 1801
- Stephen R. Bradley (DR), first elected December 14, 1802
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Nathaniel Macon, (DR), elected December 7, 1801
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.
Senate
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 1802; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1806. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
- Template:Party stripe1. John Eager Howard (F)
- Template:Party stripe3. William Hindman (F), until November 19, 1801
- Template:Party stripeRobert Wright (DR), from November 19, 1801
- Template:Party stripe1. Jonathan Mason (F)
- Template:Party stripe2. Dwight Foster (F), until March 2, 1803
- Template:Party stripe2. Samuel Livermore (F), until June 12, 1801
- Template:Party stripeSimeon Olcott (F), from June 17, 1801
- Template:Party stripe3. James Sheafe (F), until June 14, 1802
- Template:Party stripeWilliam Plumer (F), from June 17, 1802
- Template:Party stripe1. Gouverneur Morris (F)
- Template:Party stripe3. John Armstrong Jr. (DR), until February 5, 1802
- Template:Party stripeDeWitt Clinton (DR), from February 9, 1802
- Template:Party stripe2. Jesse Franklin (DR)
- Template:Party stripe3. David Stone (DR)
Due to uncertainty over Ohio's exact admittance date (see "States admitted, above") its two senators were not elected until the next Congress.
- 1: Vacant (newly admitted state)
- 3: Vacant (newly admitted state)
- Template:Party stripe1. James Ross (F)
- Template:Party stripe3. John Peter G. Muhlenberg (DR), until June 30, 1801
- Template:Party stripeGeorge Logan (DR), from July 13, 1801
- Template:Party stripe1. Theodore Foster (F)
- Template:Party stripe2. Ray Greene (F), until March 5, 1801
- Template:Party stripeChristopher Ellery (DR), from May 6, 1801
- Template:Party stripe2. Charles Pinckney (DR), until June 6, 1801
- Template:Party stripeThomas Sumter (DR), from December 15, 1801
- Template:Party stripe3. John E. Colhoun (DR), until October 26, 1802
- Template:Party stripePierce Butler (DR), from November 4, 1802
- Template:Party stripe1. Nathaniel Chipman (F)
- Template:Party stripe3. Elijah Paine (F), until September 1, 1801
- Template:Party stripeStephen R. Bradley (DR), from October 15, 1801
House of Representatives
Template:Main The names of representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "At-large," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel W. Dana (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Davenport (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Calvin Goddard (F), from May 14, 1801
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Roger Griswold (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Elias Perkins (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Cotton Smith (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Tallmadge (F), from September 21, 1801
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Milledge (DR), until May 1802
- Template:Party stripePeter Early (DR), from January 10, 1803
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Taliaferro (DR), until May 1802
- Template:Party stripeDavid Meriwether (DR), from December 6, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas T. Davis (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Fowler (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Campbell (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Sprigg Jr. (DR), until February 11, 1802
- Template:Party stripeWalter Bowie (DR), from March 24, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Plater (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Daniel Hiester (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Archer (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph H. Nicholson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Dennis (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Bacon (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Shepard (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Ebenezer Mattoon (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Levi Lincoln Sr. (DR), until March 5, 1801
- Template:Party stripeSeth Hastings (F), from January 11, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lemuel Williams (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Josiah Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Phanuel Bishop (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Eustis (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathan Read (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Manasseh Cutler (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Silas Lee (F), until August 20, 1801
- Template:Party stripeSamuel Thatcher (F), from December 6, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Cutts (DR), from December 7, 1801
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abiel Foster (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Peirce (F), until June 1802
- Template:Party stripeSamuel Hunt (F), from December 6, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel Tenney (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George B. Upham (F)
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Condit (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Ebenezer Elmer (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Helms (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Mott (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry Southard (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lucas C. Elmendorf (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Tillotson (DR), until August 10, 1801
- Template:Party stripeTheodorus Bailey (DR), from December 7, 1801
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Bird (F), until July 25, 1801
- Template:Party stripeJohn P. Van Ness (DR), December 7, 1801 – January 17, 1803; vacant thereafter
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Thomas (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Walker (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Morris (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. James Holland (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Archibald Henderson (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Robert Williams (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Stanford (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William H. Hill (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Barry Grove (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Charles Johnson (DR), from December 7, 1801 until July 23, 1802
- Template:Party stripeThomas Wynns (DR), from December 7, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Willis Alston (F, then D-R)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Stanly (F)
- Template:Ushr. vacant<ref name="Ohio">The official date when Ohio became a state was not set until 1953, when the 83rd U.S. Congress passed legislation retrospectively designating the date of the first meeting of the Ohio state legislature, March 1, 1803, as that date. However, on April 30, 1802, the 7th U.S. Congress had passed an act "authorizing the inhabitants of Ohio to form a Constitution and state government, and admission of Ohio into the Union." (Sess. 1, ch. 40, Template:USStat) On February 19, 1803, the same Congress passed an act "providing for the execution of the laws of the United States in the State of Ohio." (Sess. 2, ch. 7, Template:USStat) The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress states that Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802, and counts its seats as vacant from that date.</ref> (newly admitted state)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Jones (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Michael Leib (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Hemphill (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr:<ref name="Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania's 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.</ref> Robert Brown (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr:<ref name="Pennsylvania"/> Isaac Van Horne (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Hiester (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John A. Hanna (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Boude (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Stewart (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Andrew Gregg (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Henry Woods (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Smilie (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Hoge (DR)
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Joseph Stanton Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Tillinghast (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Lowndes (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Rutledge Jr. (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Benjamin Huger (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Sumter (DR), until December 15, 1801
- Template:Party stripeRichard Winn (DR), from January 24, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William Butler Sr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Moore (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Israel Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Lewis R. Morris (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Smith (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. David Holmes (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. George Jackson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Abram Trigg (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John J. Trigg (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Matthew Clay (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Randolph (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. William B. Giles (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Edwin Gray (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Stratton (F)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Clopton (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Samuel J. Cabell (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Dawson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Anthony New (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Richard Brent (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Philip R. Thompson (DR)
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. John Taliaferro (DR)
Non-voting members
- Template:Ushr. Template:Party stripeNarsworthy Hunter (DR), until March 11, 1802
- Template:Party stripeThomas M. Green Jr. (DR), from December 6, 1802
- Template:Party stripeTemplate:Ushr. Paul Fearing (F)
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
There was 1 death, 8 resignations, and 2 seats added for a new state. Template:See also Template:Ordinal US Congress change
|-
| Rhode Island
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | Ray Greene (F)
| Resigned March 5, 1801, after being nominated for a judicial position. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Christopher Ellery (DR)
| Seated May 6, 1801
|-
| South Carolina
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Charles Pinckney (DR)
| Resigned June 6, 1801, after being appointed Minister to Spain. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Sumter (DR)
| Seated December 15, 1801
|-
| New Hampshire
(2)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | Samuel Livermore (F)
| Resigned June 12, 1801. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | Simeon Olcott (F)
| Seated June 17, 1801
|-
| Pennsylvania
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Peter Muhlenberg (DR)
| Resigned June 30, 1801. His successor was appointed July 13, 1801, and then elected December 17, 1801.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | George Logan (DR)
| Seated July 13, 1801
|-
| Vermont
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | Elijah Paine (F)
| Resigned September 1, 1801. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Stephen R. Bradley (DR)
| Seated October 15, 1801
|-
| Maryland
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | William Hindman (F)
| Resigned November 19, 1801. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Robert Wright (DR)
| Seated November 19, 1801
|-
| Massachusetts
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | Dwight Foster (F)
| Resigned March 2, 1803. Not filled this Congress
| Vacant
|-
| New York
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)
| Resigned February 5, 1802. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | DeWitt Clinton (DR)
| Seated February 9, 1802
|-
| New Hampshire
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | James Sheafe (F)
| Resigned June 14, 1802. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Federalist | William Plumer (F)
| Seated June 17, 1802
|-
| South Carolina
(3)
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John E. Colhoun (DR)
| Died October 26, 1802. His successor was elected.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Pierce Butler (DR)
| Seated November 4, 1802
|-
| Ohio
(1)
| rowspan=2 | New seats
| rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" |Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802.
| Vacant
| rowspan=2 | Not filled this Congress
|-
| Ohio
(3)
| Vacant
|}
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 8
- Democratic-Republicans: no net change
- Federalists: no net change
- Deaths: 1
- Resignations: 9
- Forfeiture: 1
- Vacancy: 1
- Total seats with changes: 11
Template:Main Template:Ordinal US Congress change
|- | Template:Ushr | Vacant | Elizur Goodrich (F) resigned before the beginning of this Congress. | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Calvin Goddard (F) | May 14, 1801
|- | Template:Ushr | Vacant | William Edmond (F) resigned before the beginning of this Congress. | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Benjamin Tallmadge (F) | September 21, 1801
|-
| Template:Ushr
| Vacant
| Representative-elect George Thatcher declined to serve.
Successor elected June 22, 1801.
| Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Richard Cutts (DR)
| December 7, 1801<ref name=CongressionalRoster>Template:Cite web</ref>
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Levi Lincoln (DR) | Resigned March 5, 1801, after being appointed US Attorney General. | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Seth Hastings (F) | January 11, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Federalist | John Bird (F) | Resigned July 25, 1801. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Peter Van Ness (DR) | December 7, 1801
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Tillotson (DR) | Resigned August 10, 1801, upon appointment as NY Secretary of State. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Theodorus Bailey (DR) | December 7, 1801
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Silas Lee (F) | Resigned August 20, 1801. | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Samuel Thatcher (F) | December 6, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Sumter (DR) | Resigned December 15, 1801, after being elected to the US Senate. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Richard Winn (DR) | January 24, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Benjamin Taliaferro (DR) | Resigned sometime in 1802. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | David Meriwether (DR) | December 6, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Joseph Peirce (F) | Resigned sometime in 1802. | Template:Party shading/Federalist | Samuel Hunt (F) | December 6, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Richard Sprigg Jr. (DR) | Resigned February 11, 1802. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Walter Bowie (DR) | March 24, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican|Narsworthy Hunter (DR) | Died March 11, 1802. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican|Thomas M. Green Jr. (DR) | December 6, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Milledge (DR) | Resigned May 1802 after being elected Governor. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Peter Early (DR) | January 10, 1803
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Charles Johnson (DR) | Died July 23, 1802. | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | Thomas Wynns (DR) | December 7, 1802
|- | Template:Ushr | New seat | Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802. | Vacant | rowspan=2 | Not filled until next Congress
|- | Template:Ushr | Template:Party shading/Democratic-Republican | John Peter Van Ness (DR) | Seat declared forfeited January 17, 1803. | Vacant
|}
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
House of Representatives
- Claims (Chairman: John C. Smith)
- Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Samuel Smith)
- Elections (Chairman: John Milledge then John Bacon)
- Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: John Davenport)
- Rules (Select)
- Standards of Official Conduct (Chairman: N/A)
- Ways and Means (Chairman: John Randolph)
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Dwight Foster)
Officers
Legislative branch agency directors
Senate
- Chaplain: Thomas J. Claggett (Episcopalian), until December 9, 1801
- Edward Gantt (Episcopalian), elected December 9, 1801
- Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
- Doorkeeper: James Mathers
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Thomas Lyell (Methodist), until December 10, 1801
- William Parkinson (Baptist), elected December 10, 1801
- Clerk: John Holt Oswald, until December 7, 1801
- John Beckley, elected December 7, 1801
- Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
- Reading Clerks: Template:Dm
- Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton
See also
- 1800 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 1802 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)