8th United States Congress explained

Number:	8th
Start:	March 4, 1803
End:	March 4, 1805
Vp:	Aaron Burr (DR)
Pro Tem:	John Brown (DR) Jesse Franklin (DR) Joseph Anderson (DR)
Speaker:	Nathaniel Macon (DR)
Senators:	34
Reps:	142
Delegates:	1
S-Majority:	Democratic-Republican
H-Majority:	Democratic-Republican
Sessionnumber1:	1st
Sessionstart1:	October 17, 1803
Sessionend1:	March 27, 1804
Sessionnumber2:	2nd
Sessionstart2:	November 5, 1804
Sessionend2:	March 3, 1805
Previous:	7th
Next:	9th
Imagedate:	1800

The 8th 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, 1803, to March 4, 1805, during the last two years of Thomas Jefferson's first term in office. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1800 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Major events

See main article: 1803 in the United States, 1804 in the United States and 1805 in the United States.

• April 30, 1803: Louisiana Purchase was made by the United States from France
• February 16, 1804: In the First Barbary War, Stephen Decatur led a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate Philadelphia
• May 14, 1804: Lewis and Clark Expedition departed from Camp Dubois to begin their historic journey by traveling up the Missouri River
• July 11, 1804: Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton
• November 30, 1804: Impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase
• December 3, 1804: 1804 United States presidential election: Incumbent Thomas Jefferson (DR) beat challenger Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (F)
• March 1, 1805: Samuel Chase acquitted of impeachment charges by the U.S. Senate

Constitutional amendments

• • • December 9, 1803: Approved an amendment to the United States Constitution providing a new procedure for electing the President and Vice President, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification June 15, 1804: Twelfth Amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 13) to become part of the Constitution

Treaties

• October 20, 1803: Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

Territories organized

• March 26, 1804: Territory of Orleans was organized from the portion of the Louisiana Purchase south of the 33rd parallel; the portion north of the 33rd parallel was organized as the District of Louisiana.
• January 11, 1805: Michigan Territory was organized.
• March 3, 1805: Louisiana Territory was organized from the District of Louisiana.

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.

House of Representatives

Following the 1800 census, the size of the House was increased to 142 seats from 108.

Leadership

Senate

• President: Aaron Burr (DR)
• President pro tempore: John Brown (DR), October 17, 1803 – February 26, 1804
  • Jesse Franklin (DR), March 10, 1804 – November 4, 1804
  • Joseph Anderson (DR), January 15, 1805 – December 1, 1805

House of Representatives

• Speaker: Nathaniel Macon (DR)

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and representatives are listed by district.

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 began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1808; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1806.

1. James Hillhouse (F)

3. Uriah Tracy (F)

1. Samuel White (F)

2. William H. Wells (F), until November 6, 1804

James A. Bayard (F), from November 13, 1804

2. Abraham Baldwin (DR)

3. James Jackson (DR)

2. John Brown (DR)

3. John Breckinridge (DR)

1. Samuel Smith (DR)

3. Robert Wright (DR)

1. John Quincy Adams (F)

2. Timothy Pickering (F)

2. Simeon Olcott (F)

3. William Plumer (F)

1. John Condit (DR), from September 1, 1803

2. Jonathan Dayton (F)

1. Theodorus Bailey (DR), until January 16, 1804

John Armstrong Jr. (DR), February 25, 1804 – June 30, 1804

Samuel L. Mitchill (DR), from November 23, 1804

3. DeWitt Clinton (DR), until November 4, 1803

John Armstrong Jr. (DR), December 7, 1803 – February 23, 1804

John Smith (DR), from February 23, 1804

2. Jesse Franklin (DR)

3. David Stone (DR)

1. John Smith (DR), from April 1, 1803

3. Thomas Worthington (DR), from April 1, 1803

1. Samuel Maclay (DR)

3. George Logan (DR)

1. Samuel J. Potter (DR), until October 14, 1804

Benjamin Howland (DR), from October 29, 1804

2. Christopher Ellery (DR)

2. Thomas Sumter (DR)

3. Pierce Butler (DR), resigned November 21, 1804

John Gaillard (DR), from December 6, 1804

1. Joseph Anderson (DR), from September 22, 1803

2. William Cocke (DR)

1. Israel Smith (DR)

3. Stephen R. Bradley (DR)

1. Stevens Mason (DR), until May 10, 1803

John Taylor of Caroline (DR), June 4, 1803 – December 7, 1803

Abraham B. Venable (DR), December 7, 1803 – June 7, 1804

William B. Giles (DR), August 11, 1804 - December 4, 1804

Andrew Moore (DR), from December 4, 1804

2. Wilson C. Nicholas (DR), until May 22, 1804

Andrew Moore (DR), August 11, 1804 – December 4, 1804

William B. Giles (DR), from December 4, 1804

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Simeon Baldwin (F), from September 5, 1803

. Samuel W. Dana (F)

. John Davenport (F)

. Calvin Goddard (F)

. Roger Griswold (F)

. John Cotton Smith (F)

. Benjamin Tallmadge (F)

. Caesar A. Rodney (DR)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Joseph Bryan (DR)

. Peter Early (DR)

. Samuel Hammond (DR), until February 2, 1805, Vacant thereafter

. David Meriwether (DR)

. Matthew Lyon (DR)

. John Boyle (DR)

. Matthew Walton (DR)

. Thomas Sandford (DR)

. John Fowler (DR)

. George M. Bedinger (DR)

The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.

. John Campbell (F)

. Walter Bowie (DR)

. Thomas Plater (F)

. Daniel Hiester (DR), until March 7, 1804

Roger Nelson (DR), from November 6, 1804

. William McCreery (DR)

. Nicholas R. Moore (DR)

. John Archer (DR)

. Joseph H. Nicholson (DR)

. John Dennis (F)

. William Eustis (DR)

. Jacob Crowninshield (DR)

. Manasseh Cutler (F)

. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)

. Thomas Dwight (F)

. Samuel Taggart (F)

. Nahum Mitchell (F)

. Lemuel Williams (F)

. Phanuel Bishop (DR)

. Seth Hastings (F)

. William Stedman (F)

. Thomson J. Skinner (DR), until August 10, 1804

Simon Larned (DR), from November 5, 1804

. Ebenezer Seaver (DR)

. Richard Cutts (DR)

. Peleg Wadsworth (F)

. Samuel Thatcher (F)

. Phineas Bruce (F)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Silas Betton (F)

. Clifton Clagett (F)

. David Hough (F)

. Samuel Hunt (F)

. Samuel Tenney (F)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Adam Boyd (DR)

. Ebenezer Elmer (DR)

. William Helms (DR)

. James Mott (DR)

. James Sloan (DR)

. Henry Southard (DR)

. John Smith (DR), until February 23, 1804

Samuel Riker (DR), from November 5, 1804

. Joshua Sands (F)

. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR), until November 22, 1804

George Clinton Jr. (DR), from February 14, 1805

. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)

. Andrew McCord (DR)

. Isaac Bloom (DR), until April 26, 1803

Daniel C. Verplanck (DR), from October 17, 1803

. Josiah Hasbrouck (DR), from October 17, 1803

. Henry W. Livingston (F)

. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (F)

. George Tibbits (F)

. Beriah Palmer (DR)

. David Thomas (DR)

. Thomas Sammons (DR)

. Erastus Root (DR)

. Gaylord Griswold (F)

. John Paterson (DR)

. Oliver Phelps (DR)

. Thomas Wynns (DR)

. Willis Alston (DR)

. William Kennedy (DR)

. William Blackledge (DR)

. James Gillespie (DR), until January 11, 1805; vacant thereafter

. Nathaniel Macon (DR)

. Samuel D. Purviance (F)

. Richard Stanford (DR)

. Marmaduke Williams (DR)

. Nathaniel Alexander (DR)

. James Holland (DR)

. Joseph Winston (DR)

. Jeremiah Morrow (DR), from October 17, 1803

There were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives.

. Joseph Clay (DR)

. Michael Leib (DR)

. Jacob Richards (DR)

. Robert Brown (DR)

. Frederick Conrad (DR)

. Isaac Van Horne (DR)

. Isaac Anderson (DR)

. Joseph Hiester (DR)

. John Whitehill (DR)

. David Bard (DR)

. John A. Hanna (DR)

. Andrew Gregg (DR)

. John Stewart (DR)

. John Rea (DR)

. William Findley (DR)

. John Smilie (DR)

. William Hoge (DR), until October 15, 1804

John Hoge (DR), from November 2, 1804

. John B. C. Lucas (DR)

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Nehemiah Knight (DR)

. Joseph Stanton Jr. (DR)

. Thomas Lowndes (F)

. William Butler Sr. (DR)

. Benjamin Huger (F)

. Wade Hampton (DR)

. Richard Winn (DR)

. Levi Casey (DR)

. Thomas Moore (DR)

. John B. Earle (DR)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. George W. Campbell (DR)

. William Dickson (DR)

. John Rhea (DR)

. Gideon Olin (DR)

. James Elliott (F)

. William Chamberlain (F)

. Martin Chittenden (F)

. John G. Jackson (DR)

. James Stephenson (F)

. John Smith (DR)

. David Holmes (DR)

. Thomas Lewis Jr. (F), until March 5, 1804

Andrew Moore (DR), March 5, 1804 – August 11, 1804

Alexander Wilson (DR), from December 4, 1804

. Abram Trigg (DR)

. Joseph Lewis Jr. (F)

. Walter Jones (DR)

. Philip R. Thompson (DR)

. John Dawson (DR)

. Anthony New (DR)

. Thomas Griffin (F)

. John J. Trigg (DR), until May 17, 1804

Christopher H. Clark (DR), from November 5, 1804

. Matthew Clay (DR)

. John Randolph (DR)

. John W. Eppes (DR)

. Thomas Claiborne (DR)

. Peterson Goodwyn (DR)

. Edwin Gray (DR)

. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)

. Thomas M. Randolph (DR)

. John Clopton (DR)

Non-voting members

. William Lattimore

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.

Senate

See also: List of special elections to the United States Senate.

|-| Ohio
(1)| Vacant| Failure to elect| | John Smith (DR)| Seated April 1, 1803

|-| Ohio
(3)| Vacant| Failure to elect| | Thomas Worthington (DR)| Seated April 1, 1803

|-| New Jersey
(1)| Vacant| Failure to elect| | John Condit (DR)| Seated September 1, 1803

|-| Tennessee
(1)| Vacant| Failure to elect| | Joseph Anderson (DR)| Elected September 22, 1803

|-| Virginia
(1)| | Stevens T. Mason (DR)| Died May 10, 1803| | John Taylor (DR)| Appointed June 4, 1803

|-| New York
(3)| | DeWitt Clinton (DR)| Resigned November 4, 1803, to become Mayor of New York City| | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)| Appointed December 7, 1803

|-| Virginia
(1)| | John Taylor (DR)| Successor elected December 7, 1803| | Abraham B. Venable (DR)| Elected December 7, 1803

|-| New York
(1)| | Theodorus Bailey (DR)| Resigned January 16, 1804, to become Postmaster of New York City| | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)| Seated February 25, 1804

|-| New York
(3)| | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)| Successor elected February 23, 1804| | John Smith (DR)| Elected February 23, 1804

|-| Virginia
(2)| | Wilson C. Nicholas (DR)| Resigned May 22, 1804, to become Collector of Port of Norfolk| | Andrew Moore (DR)| Appointed August 11, 1804

|-| Virginia
(1)| | Abraham B. Venable (DR)| Resigned June 7, 1804| | William B. Giles (DR)| Appointed August 11, 1804

|-| New York
(1)| | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)| Resigned June 30, 1804, after being appointed Minister to France| | Samuel Latham Mitchill (DR)| Seated November 23, 1804

|-| Rhode Island
(1)| | Samuel J. Potter (DR)| Died October 14, 1804| | Benjamin Howland (DR)| Seated October 29, 1804

|-| Delaware
(2)| | William H. Wells (F)| Resigned November 6, 1804| | James A. Bayard (F)| Seated November 13, 1804

|-| South Carolina
(3)| | Pierce Butler (DR)| Resigned November 21, 1804| | John Gaillard (DR)| Seated December 6, 1804

|-| Virginia
(1)| | William B. Giles (DR)| Successor elected December 4, 1804| | Andrew Moore (DR)| Elected December 4, 1804

|-| Virginia
(2)| | Andrew Moore (DR)| Successor elected December 4, 1804| | William B. Giles (DR)| Elected December 4, 1804

|}

House of Representatives

See main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives. |-| | Vacant| John Cantine (DR) was elected, but resigned before the Congress began.| | Josiah Hasbrouck (DR)| October 17, 1803

|-| | Vacant| nowrap | Incumbent Elias Perkins (F) elected but chose not to serve.
Successor elected September 5, 1803.| | Simeon Baldwin (F)| October 17, 1803

|-| | Vacant| Seat vacant following Ohio's admission to Union until special election held on June 21, 1803.| | Jeremiah Morrow (DR)| October 17, 1803

|-| | | Isaac Bloom (DR)| Died April 26, 1803| | Daniel C. Verplanck (DR)| October 17, 1803

|-| | | John Smith (DR)| Resigned February 23, 1804, after being elected to U.S. Senate| | Samuel Riker (DR)| November 5, 1804

|-| | | Thomas Lewis Jr. (F)| Lost contested election March 5, 1804| | Andrew Moore (DR)| March 5, 1804

|-| | | Daniel Hiester (DR)| Died March 7, 1804| | Roger Nelson (DR)| November 6, 1804

|-| | | John J. Trigg (DR)| Died May 17, 1804| | Christopher H. Clark (DR)| November 5, 1804

|-| | | Thomson J. Skinner (DR)| Resigned August 10, 1804| | Simon Larned (DR)| November 5, 1804

|-| | | Andrew Moore (DR)| Resigned August 11, 1804, after being appointed to U.S. Senate| | Alexander Wilson (DR)| December 4, 1804

|-| | | William Hoge (DR)| Resigned October 15, 1804| | John Hoge (DR)| November 2, 1804

|-| | | Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)| Resigned November 22, 1804, after being elected to U.S. Senate| | George Clinton Jr. (DR)| February 14, 1805

|-| | | James Gillespie (DR)| Died January 11, 1805| Vacant| Not filled for remainder of term

|-| | | Samuel Hammond (DR)| Resigned February 2, 1805, after becoming Civil and Military Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory| Vacant| Not filled for remainder of term

|}

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

• Whole

House of Representatives

• Claims (Chairman: John C. Smith then Samuel W. Dana)
• Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Samuel L. Mitchill)
• Elections (Chairman: William Findley)
• Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Samuel Tenney)
• Rules (Select)
  • Standards of Official Conduct Ways and Means (Chairman: John Randolph)
• Whole

Joint committees

• Enrolled Bills (Chairman: N/A)

Officers

Legislative branch agency directors

• Architect of the Capitol

Benjamin H. Latrobe, appointed March 6, 1803

• Librarian of Congress

John J. Beckley

Senate

• Secretary

Samuel A. Otis

• Sergeant at Arms

James Mathers

• Chaplain

Edward Gantt, Episcopalian, until November 7, 1804

• • Alexander T. McCormick, Episcopalian, elected November 7, 1804

House of Representatives

• Clerk

John Beckley

• Sergeant at Arms

Joseph Wheaton

• Doorkeeper

Thomas Claxton

• Chaplain

William Parkinson, Baptist, until November 5, 1804

• • The Rev. James Laurie, Presbyterian, elected November 5, 1804
• Reading Clerks:

See also

• 1802 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
  • 1802–03 United States Senate elections
  • 1802–03 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1804 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
  • 1804 United States presidential election
  • 1804–05 United States Senate elections
  • 1804–05 United States House of Representatives elections

References

• Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. 1989. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.
• Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. 1982. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.

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