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Wikipedia / 31st 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.

Major events

Major legislation

States admitted and territories organized

September 9, 1850 — As part of the Compromise of 1850:

Party summary

Senate

During this Congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of California.

House of Representatives

During this Congress, two House seats were added for the new state of California.

Leadership

Senate

President pro tempore: David Atchison (D), until May 5, 1850

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives by district.

  1. Skip to House of Representatives, below

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 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.

List of United States senators from AlabamaAlabama

  1. 2. Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D), until November 30, 1849

    1. Jeremiah Clemens (D), from November 30, 1849

    3. William R. King (D)

List of United States senators from ArkansasArkansas

  1. 2. William K. Sebastian (D)

  2. 3. Solon Borland (D)

List of United States senators from CaliforniaCalifornia

  1. 1. John C. Frémont (D), from September 10, 1850 (newly admitted state)

  2. 3. William M. Gwin (D), from September 10, 1850 (newly admitted state)

List of United States senators from ConnecticutConnecticut

  1. 1. Roger S. Baldwin (W)

  2. 3. Truman Smith (W)

List of United States senators from DelawareDelaware

  1. 1. John Wales (W)

  2. 2. Presley Spruance (W)

List of United States senators from FloridaFlorida

  1. 1. David Levy Yulee (D)

  2. 3. Jackson Morton (W)

List of United States senators from GeorgiaGeorgia

  1. 2. John Macpherson Berrien (W)

  2. 3. William C. Dawson (W)

List of United States senators from IllinoisIllinois

  1. 2. Stephen A. Douglas (D)

  2. 3. James Shields (D), until March 6, 1849

    1. James Shields (D), from December 3, 1849

List of United States senators from IndianaIndiana

  1. 1. Jesse D. Bright (D)

  2. 3. James Whitcomb (D)

List of United States senators from IowaIowa

  1. 2. George Wallace Jones (D)

  2. 3. Augustus C. Dodge (D)

List of United States senators from KentuckyKentucky

  1. 2. Joseph R. Underwood (W)

  2. 3. Henry Clay (W)

List of United States senators from LouisianaLouisiana

  1. 2. Solomon W. Downs (D)

  2. 3. Pierre Soulé (D)

List of United States senators from MaineMaine

  1. 1. Hannibal Hamlin (D)

  2. 2. James W. Bradbury (D)

List of United States senators from MarylandMaryland

  1. 1. Reverdy Johnson (W), until March 7, 1849

    1. David Stewart (W), from December 6, 1849, until January 12, 1850

    2. Thomas Pratt (W), from January 12, 1850

    3. James Pearce (W)

List of United States senators from MassachusettsMassachusetts

  1. 1. Daniel Webster (W), until July 22, 1850

    1. Robert C. Winthrop (W), from July 30, 1850, until February 1, 1851

    2. Robert Rantoul Jr. (D), from February 1, 1851

    2. John Davis (W)

List of United States senators from MichiganMichigan

  1. 1. Lewis Cass (D)

  2. 2. Alpheus Felch (D)

List of United States senators from MississippiMississippi

  1. 1. Jefferson Davis (D)

  2. 2. Henry S. Foote (D)

List of United States senators from MissouriMissouri

  1. 1. Thomas H. Benton (D)

  2. 3. David R. Atchison (D)

List of United States senators from New HampshireNew Hampshire

  1. 2. John P. Hale (FS)

  2. 3. Moses Norris Jr. (D)

List of United States senators from New JerseyNew Jersey

  1. 1. William L. Dayton (W)

  2. 2. Jacob W. Miller (W)

List of United States senators from New YorkNew York

  1. 1. Daniel S. Dickinson (D)

  2. 3. William H. Seward (W)

List of United States senators from North CarolinaNorth Carolina

  1. 2. Willie P. Mangum (W)

  2. 3. George E. Badger (W)

List of United States senators from OhioOhio

  1. 1. Thomas Corwin (W), until July 20, 1850

    1. Thomas Ewing (W), from July 20, 1850

    3. Salmon P. Chase (FS)

List of United States senators from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

  1. 1. Daniel Sturgeon (D)

  2. 3. James Cooper (W)

List of United States senators from Rhode IslandRhode Island

  1. 1. Albert C. Greene (W)

  2. 2. John H. Clarke (W)

List of United States senators from South CarolinaSouth Carolina

  1. 2. John C. Calhoun (D), until March 31, 1850

    1. Franklin H. Elmore (D), from April 11, 1850, until May 29, 1850

    2. Robert W. Barnwell (D), from June 4, 1850, until December 18, 1850

    3. Robert Rhett (D), from December 18, 1850

    3. Andrew Butler (D)

List of United States senators from TennesseeTennessee

  1. 1. Hopkins L. Turney (D)

  2. 2. John Bell (W)

List of United States senators from TexasTexas

  1. 1. Thomas J. Rusk (D)

  2. 2. Samuel Houston (D)

List of United States senators from VermontVermont

  1. 1. Samuel S. Phelps (W)

  2. 3. William Upham (W)

List of United States senators from VirginiaVirginia

  1. 1. James M. Mason (D)

  2. 2. Robert M. T. Hunter (D)

List of United States senators from WisconsinWisconsin

  1. 1. Henry Dodge (D)

  2. 3. Isaac P. Walker (D)

House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

List of United States representatives from AlabamaAlabama

  1. . William J. Alston (W)

  2. . Henry W. Hilliard (W)

  3. . Sampson W. Harris (D)

  4. . Samuel W. Inge (D)

  5. . David Hubbard (D)

  6. . Williamson R. W. Cobb (D)

  7. . Franklin W. Bowdon (D)

List of United States representatives from ArkansasArkansas

  1. . Robert W. Johnson (D)

List of United States representatives from CaliforniaCalifornia

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

  1. . Edward Gilbert (D), from September 11, 1850 (newly admitted state)

  2. . George W. Wright (I), from September 11, 1850 (newly admitted state)

List of United States representatives from ConnecticutConnecticut

  1. . Loren P. Waldo (D)

  2. . Walter Booth (FS)

  3. . Chauncey F. Cleveland (D)

  4. . Thomas B. Butler (W)

List of United States representatives from DelawareDelaware

  1. . John W. Houston (W)

List of United States representatives from FloridaFlorida

  1. . Edward C. Cabell (W)

List of United States representatives from GeorgiaGeorgia

  1. . Thomas Butler King (W), until March 3, 1850

    1. Joseph W. Jackson (D), from March 4, 1850

    . Marshall J. Wellborn (D)

  2. . Allen F. Owen (W)

  3. . Hugh A. Haralson (D)

  4. . Thomas C. Hackett (D)

  5. . Howell Cobb (D)

  6. . Alexander H. Stephens (W)

  7. . Robert A. Toombs (W)

List of United States representatives from IllinoisIllinois

  1. . William H. Bissell (D)

  2. . John A. McClernand (D)

  3. . Timothy R. Young (D)

  4. . John Wentworth (D)

  5. . William A. Richardson (D)

  6. . Edward D. Baker (W)

  7. . Thomas L. Harris (D)

List of United States representatives from IndianaIndiana

  1. . Nathaniel Albertson (D)

  2. . Cyrus L. Dunham (D)

  3. . John L. Robinson (D)

  4. . George W. Julian (FS)

  5. . William J. Brown (D)

  6. . Willis A. Gorman (D)

  7. . Edward W. McGaughey (W)

  8. . Joseph E. McDonald (D)

  9. . Graham N. Fitch (D)

  10. . Andrew J. Harlan (D)

List of United States representatives from IowaIowa

  1. . William Thompson (D), until June 29, 1850

    1. Daniel F. Miller (W), from December 20, 1850

    . Shepherd Leffler (D)

List of United States representatives from KentuckyKentucky

  1. . Linn Boyd (D)

  2. . James L. Johnson (W)

  3. . Finis E. McLean (W)

  4. . George Caldwell (D)

  5. . John B. Thompson (W)

  6. . Daniel Breck (W)

  7. . Humphrey Marshall (W)

  8. . Charles S. Morehead (W)

  9. . John C. Mason (D)

  10. . Richard H. Stanton (D)

List of United States representatives from LouisianaLouisiana

  1. . Emile La Sére (D)

  2. . Charles M. Conrad (W), until August 17, 1850

    1. Henry A. Bullard (W), from December 5, 1850

    . John H. Harmanson (D), until October 24, 1850

    1. Alexander G. Penn (D), from December 30, 1850

    . Isaac E. Morse (D)

List of United States representatives from MaineMaine

  1. . Elbridge Gerry (D)

  2. . Nathaniel Littlefield (D)

  3. . John Otis (W)

  4. . Rufus K. Goodenow (W)

  5. . Cullen Sawtelle (D)

  6. . Charles Stetson (D)

  7. . Thomas J. D. Fuller (D)

List of United States representatives from MarylandMaryland

  1. . Richard Bowie (W)

  2. . William T. Hamilton (D)

  3. . Edward Hammond (D)

  4. . Robert M. McLane (D)

  5. . Alexander Evans (W)

  6. . John B. Kerr (W)

List of United States representatives from MassachusettsMassachusetts

  1. . Robert C. Winthrop (W), until July 30, 1850

    1. Samuel Atkins Eliot (W), from August 22, 1850

    . Daniel P. King (W), until July 25, 1850

  2. . James H. Duncan (W)

  3. . vacant

  4. . Charles Allen (FS)

  5. . George Ashmun (W)

  6. . Julius Rockwell (W)

  7. . Horace Mann (W)

  8. . Orin Fowler (W)

  9. . Joseph Grinnell (W)

List of United States representatives from MichiganMichigan

  1. . Alexander W. Buel (D)

  2. . William Sprague (W)

  3. . Kinsley S. Bingham (D)

List of United States representatives from MississippiMississippi

  1. . Jacob Thompson (D)

  2. . Winfield S. Featherston (D)

  3. . William McWillie (D)

  4. . Albert G. Brown (D)

List of United States representatives from MissouriMissouri

  1. . James B. Bowlin (D)

  2. . William V. Bay (D)

  3. . James S. Green (D)

  4. . Willard P. Hall (D)

  5. . John S. Phelps (D)

List of United States representatives from New HampshireNew Hampshire

  1. . Amos Tuck (FS)

  2. . Charles H. Peaslee (D)

  3. . James Wilson (W), until September 9, 1850

    1. George W. Morrison (D), from October 8, 1850

    . Harry Hibbard (D)

List of United States representatives from New JerseyNew Jersey

  1. . Andrew K. Hay (W)

  2. . William A. Newell (W)

  3. . Isaac Wildrick (D)

  4. . John Van Dyke (W)

  5. . James G. King (W)

List of United States representatives from New YorkNew York

  1. . John A. King (W)

  2. . David A. Bokee (W)

  3. . J. Phillips Phoenix (W)

  4. . Walter Underhill (W)

  5. . George Briggs (W)

  6. . James Brooks (W)

  7. . William Nelson (W)

  8. . Ransom Halloway (W)

  9. . Thomas McKissock (W)

  10. . Herman D. Gould (W)

  11. . Peter H. Silvester (W)

  12. . Gideon Reynolds (W)

  13. . John L. Schoolcraft (W)

  14. . George R. Andrews (W)

  15. . John R. Thurman (W)

  16. . Hugh White (W)

  17. . Henry P. Alexander (W)

  18. . Preston King (FS)

  19. . Charles E. Clarke (W)

  20. . Orsamus B. Matteson (W)

  21. . Hiram Walden (D)

  22. . Henry Bennett (W)

  23. . William Duer (W)

  24. . Daniel Gott (W)

  25. . Harmon S. Conger (W)

  26. . William T. Jackson (W)

  27. . William A. Sackett (W)

  28. . Abraham M. Schermerhorn (W)

  29. . Robert L. Rose (W)

  30. . David Rumsey Jr. (W)

  31. . Elijah Risley (W)

  32. . Elbridge G. Spaulding (W)

  33. . Harvey Putnam (W)

  34. . Lorenzo Burrows (W)

List of United States representatives from North CarolinaNorth Carolina

  1. . Thomas L. Clingman (W)

  2. . Joseph P. Caldwell (W)

  3. . Edmund Deberry (W)

  4. . Augustine H. Shepperd (W)

  5. . Abraham W. Venable (D)

  6. . John R. J. Daniel (D)

  7. . William S. Ashe (D)

  8. . Edward Stanly (W)

  9. . David Outlaw (W)

List of United States representatives from OhioOhio

  1. . David T. Disney (D)

  2. . Lewis D. Campbell (W)

  3. . Robert C. Schenck (W)

  4. . Moses B. Corwin (W)

  5. . Emery D. Potter (D)

  6. . Rodolphus Dickinson (D), until March 20, 1849

    1. Amos E. Wood (D), from December 3, 1849, until November 19, 1850

    2. John Bell (W), from January 7, 1851

    . Jonathan D. Morris (D)

  7. . John L. Taylor (W)

  8. . Edson B. Olds (D)

  9. . Charles Sweetser (D)

  10. . John K. Miller (D)

  11. . Samuel F. Vinton (W)

  12. . William A. Whittlesey (D)

  13. . Nathan Evans (W)

  14. . William F. Hunter (W)

  15. . Moses Hoagland (D)

  16. . Joseph Cable (D)

  17. . David K. Cartter (D)

  18. . John Crowell (W)

  19. . Joshua R. Giddings (FS)

  20. . Joseph M. Root (FS)

List of United States representatives from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

  1. . Lewis C. Levin (A)

  2. . Joseph R. Chandler (W)

  3. . Henry D. Moore (W)

  4. . John Robbins Jr. (D)

  5. . John Freedley (W)

  6. . Thomas Ross (D)

  7. . Jesse C. Dickey (W)

  8. . Thaddeus Stevens (W)

  9. . William Strong (D)

  10. . Milo M. Dimmick (D)

  11. . Chester P. Butler (W), until October 5, 1850

    1. John Brisbin (D), from November 13, 1850

    . David Wilmot (D)

  12. . Joseph Casey (W)

  13. . Charles W. Pitman (W)

  14. . Henry Nes (W), until September 10, 1850

    1. Joel B. Danner (D), from December 2, 1850

    . James X. McLanahan (D)

  15. . Samuel Calvin (W)

  16. . Andrew J. Ogle (W)

  17. . Job Mann (D)

  18. . Robert R. Reed (W)

  19. . Moses Hampton (W)

  20. . John W. Howe (FS)

  21. . James Thompson (D)

  22. . Alfred Gilmore (D)

List of United States representatives from Rhode IslandRhode Island

  1. . George G. King (W)

  2. . Nathan F. Dixon Jr. (W)

List of United States representatives from South CarolinaSouth Carolina

  1. . Daniel Wallace (D)

  2. . James L. Orr (D)

  3. . Joseph A. Woodward (D)

  4. . John McQueen (D)

  5. . Armistead Burt (D)

  6. . Isaac E. Holmes (D)

  7. . William F. Colcock (D)

List of United States representatives from TennesseeTennessee

  1. . Andrew Johnson (D)

  2. . Albert G. Watkins (W)

  3. . Josiah M. Anderson (W)

  4. . John H. Savage (D)

  5. . George W. Jones (D)

  6. . James H. Thomas (D)

  7. . Meredith P. Gentry (W)

  8. . Andrew Ewing (D)

  9. . Isham G. Harris (D)

  10. . Frederick P. Stanton (D)

  11. . Christopher H. Williams (W)

List of United States representatives from TexasTexas

  1. . David S. Kaufman (D), until January 31, 1851

  2. . Volney E. Howard (D)

List of United States representatives from VermontVermont

  1. . William Henry (W)

  2. . William Hebard (W)

  3. . George P. Marsh (W), until May 29, 1849

    1. James Meacham (W), from December 3, 1849

    . Lucius B. Peck (D)

List of United States representatives from VirginiaVirginia

  1. . John S. Millson (D)

  2. . Richard K. Meade (D)

  3. . Thomas H. Averett (D)

  4. . Thomas S. Bocock (D)

  5. . Paulus Powell (D)

  6. . James A. Seddon (D)

  7. . Thomas H. Bayly (D)

  8. . Alexander Holladay (D)

  9. . Jeremiah Morton (W)

  10. . Richard Parker (D)

  11. . James McDowell (D)

  12. . Henry A. Edmundson (D)

  13. . LaFayette McMullen (D)

  14. . James M. H. Beale (D)

  15. . Alexander Newman (D), until September 8, 1849

    1. Thomas Haymond (W), from November 8, 1849

List of United States representatives from WisconsinWisconsin

  1. . Charles Durkee (FS)

  2. . Orasmus Cole (W)

  3. . James D. Doty (D)

Non-voting members

  1. . Henry H. Sibley, from July 7, 1849

  2. . Samuel Thurston (D)

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

|- | Illinois(3) | | 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. | | James Shields (D) | Seated December 3, 1849

|- | Maryland(1) | | Reverdy Johnson (W) | Resigned March 7, 1849, having been appointed United States Attorney General | | David Stewart (W) | Appointed December 6, 1849

|- | Alabama(2) | | Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) | Sen. Dixon Lewis successor elected November 30, 1849 | | Jeremiah Clemens (D) | Elected November 30, 1849

|- | Maryland(1) | | David Stewart (W) | Successor elected January 12, 1850 | | Thomas Pratt (W) | Elected January 12, 1850

|- | South Carolina(2) | | John C. Calhoun (D) | Died March 31, 1850 | | Franklin H. Elmore (D) | Appointed April 11, 1850

|- | South Carolina(2) | | Franklin H. Elmore (D) | Died May 29, 1850 | | Robert W. Barnwell (D) | Appointed June 4, 1850

|- | Ohio(1) | | Thomas Corwin (W) | Resigned July 20, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of the Treasury | | Thomas Ewing (W) | Appointed July 20, 1850

|- | Massachusetts(1) | | Daniel Webster (W) | Resigned July 22, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of State again. | | 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. | | 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. | | William M. Gwin (D) | Elected September 10, 1850

|- | South Carolina(2) | | Robert W. Barnwell (D) | Successor elected December 18, 1850 | | Robert Rhett (D) | Elected December 18, 1850

|- | Massachusetts(1) | | Robert C. Winthrop (W) | Successor elected February 1, 1851 | | 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

|- | | Vacant | style="font-size:80%" | Seat remained vacant after territory became organized at end of previous congress | Henry H. Sibley | Seated July 7, 1849 |- | | | George Perkins Marsh (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned some time in 1849 | | James Meacham (W) | Seated December 3, 1849 |- | | | Rodolphus Dickinson (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died March 20, 1849 | | Amos E. Wood (D) | Seated December 3, 1849 |- | | | Alexander Newman (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died September 8, 1849 | | Thomas Haymond (W) | Seated November 8, 1849 |- | | | Thomas B. King (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned March 3, 1850 | | Joseph W. Jackson (D) | Seated March 4, 1850 |- | | | Daniel P. King (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died July 25, 1850 | Vacant | Not filled this term |- | | | 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 | | Daniel F. Miller (W) | Seated December 20, 1850 |- | | | Robert C. Winthrop (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 30, 1850, after being appointed to the US Senate | | Samuel A. Eliot (W) | Seated August 22, 1850 |- | | | Charles M. Conrad (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned August 17, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of War | | Henry A. Bullard (W) | Seated December 5, 1850 |- | | | James Wilson (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned September 9, 1850 | | George W. Morrison (D) | Seated October 8, 1850 |- | | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | California admitted into the Union September 9, 1850, and seat remained vacant until September 11, 1850 | | Edward Gilbert (D) | Seated September 11, 1850 |- | | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | California admitted into the Union September 9, 1850, and seat remained vacant until September 11, 1850 | | George W. Wright (I) | Seated September 11, 1850 |- | | | Henry Nes (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died September 10, 1850 | | Joel B. Danner (D) | Seated December 2, 1850 |- | | | Chester P. Butler (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 5, 1850 | | John Brisbin (D) | Seated November 13, 1850 |- | | | John H. Harmanson (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 24, 1850 | | Alexander G. Penn (D) | Seated December 30, 1850 |- | | | Amos E. Wood (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died November 19, 1850 | | John Bell (W) | Seated January 7, 1851 |- | | | 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.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Caucuses

Employees

Senate

Chaplain: Henry Slicer (Methodist), until January 9, 1850

House of Representatives

Clerk: Thomas J. Campbell, died April 13, 1850

Sergeant at Arms: Nathan Sargent, until 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