28th United States Congress explained

Number:28th
Imagedate:1846
Start:March 4, 1843
End:March 4, 1845
Vp:Vacant
Pro Tem:Willie P. Mangum (W)
Speaker:John W. Jones (D)
Senators:54
Reps:223
Delegates:3
S-Majority:Whig
H-Majority:Democratic
Sessionnumber1:1st
Sessionstart1:December 4, 1843
Sessionend1:June 17, 1844
Sessionnumber2:2nd
Sessionstart2:December 2, 1844
Sessionend2:March 3, 1845
Previous:27th
Next:29th

The 28th 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, 1843, to March 4, 1845, during the third and fourth years of John Tyler's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1840 United States census. The Senate had a Whig majority, and the House had a Democratic majority.

Major events

See also: 1843 in the United States, 1844 in the United States and 1845 in the United States.

Major legislation

Treaties

States admitted

Party summary

Senate

During this congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of Florida.

House of Representatives

Following the 1840 United States Census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats. During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida.

Leadership

Senate

Vacant

Willie P. Mangum (W)

House of Representatives

John W. Jones (D)

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, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1846; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.

Skip to House of Representatives, below

2. William R. King (D), until April 15, 1844

Dixon H. Lewis (D), from April 22, 1844

3. Arthur P. Bagby (D)

2. William S. Fulton (D), until August 15, 1844

Chester Ashley (D), from November 8, 1844

3. Ambrose H. Sevier (D)

1. Jabez W. Huntington (W)

3. John M. Niles (D)

1. Richard H. Bayard (W)

2. Thomas Clayton (W)

1: Vacant from March 3, 1845 admission

2: Vacant from March 3, 1845 admission

2. John MacPherson Berrien (W)

3. Walter T. Colquitt (D)

2. Samuel McRoberts (D), until March 27, 1843

James Semple (D), from December 4, 1843

3. Sidney Breese (D)

1. Albert S. White (W)

3. Edward A. Hannegan (D)

2. James T. Morehead (W)

3. John J. Crittenden (W)

2. Alexander Barrow (W)

3. Alexander Porter (W), until January 13, 1844

Henry Johnson (W), from February 12, 1844

1. John Fairfield (D), from December 4, 1843

2. George Evans (W)

1. William D. Merrick (W)

3. James A. Pearce (W)

1. Rufus Choate (W)

2. Isaac C. Bates (W)

1. Augustus S. Porter (W)

2. William Woodbridge (W)

1. John Henderson (W)

2. Robert J. Walker (D)

1. Thomas H. Benton (D)

3. Lewis F. Linn (D), until October 3, 1843

David R. Atchison (D), from October 14, 1843

2. Levi Woodbury (D)

3. Charles G. Atherton (D)

1. William L. Dayton (W)

2. Jacob W. Miller (W)

1. Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (W), until June 17, 1844

Daniel S. Dickinson (D), from November 30, 1844

3. Silas Wright Jr. (D), until November 26, 1844

Henry A. Foster (D), November 30, 1844 – January 27, 1845

John A. Dix (D), from January 27, 1845

2. Willie P. Mangum (W)

3. William H. Haywood Jr. (D)

1. Benjamin Tappan (D)

3. William Allen (D)

1. Daniel Sturgeon (D)

3. James Buchanan (D)

1. William Sprague III (W), until January 17, 1844

John B. Francis (LO), from January 25, 1844

2. James F. Simmons (W)

2. Daniel E. Huger (D), until March 3, 1845

3. George McDuffie (D)

1. Ephraim H. Foster (W), from October 17, 1843

2. Spencer Jarnagin (W), from October 17, 1843

1. Samuel S. Phelps (W)

3. William Upham (W)

1. William C. Rives (W)

2. William S. Archer (W)

House of Representatives

Representatives are listed by their district numbers.

. James Dellet (W)

. James E. Belser (D)

. Dixon H. Lewis (D), until April 22, 1844

William L. Yancey (D), from December 2, 1844

. William W. Payne (D)

. George S. Houston (D)

. Reuben Chapman (D)

. Felix G. McConnell (D)

. Edward Cross (D)

. Thomas H. Seymour (D)

. John Stewart (D)

. George S. Catlin (D)

. Samuel Simons (D)

. George B. Rodney (W)

: Vacant from March 3, 1845 admission

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Edward J. Black (D)

. Howell Cobb (D)

. Mark A. Cooper (D), until June 26, 1843

Alexander H. Stephens (W), from October 2, 1843

. Hugh A. Haralson (D)

. John B. Lamar (D), until July 29, 1843

Absalom H. Chappell (W), from October 2, 1843

. John H. Lumpkin (D)

. John Millen (D), until October 15, 1843

Duncan L. Clinch (W), from February 15, 1844

. William H. Stiles (D)

. Robert Smith (D)

. John A. McClernand (D)

. Orlando B. Ficklin (D)

. John Wentworth (D)

. Stephen A. Douglas (D)

. Joseph P. Hoge (D)

. John J. Hardin (W)

. Robert D. Owen (D)

. Thomas J. Henley (D)

. Thomas Smith (D)

. Caleb B. Smith (W)

. William J. Brown (D)

. John W. Davis (D)

. Joseph A. Wright (D)

. John Pettit (D)

. Samuel C. Sample (W)

. Andrew Kennedy (D)

. Linn Boyd (D)

. Willis Green (W)

. Henry Grider (W)

. George A. Caldwell (D)

. James W. Stone (D)

. John White (W)

. William P. Thomasson (W)

. Garrett Davis (W)

. Richard French (D)

. John W. Tibbatts (D)

. John Slidell (D)

. Alcée L. La Branche (D)

. John B. Dawson (D)

. Pierre E. J. B. Bossier (D), until April 24, 1844

Isaac E. Morse (D), from December 2, 1844

. Joshua Herrick (D)

. Robert P. Dunlap (D)

. Luther Severance (W)

. Freeman H. Morse (W)

. Benjamin White (D)

. Hannibal Hamlin (D)

. Shepard Cary (D) from May 10, 1844

. John M. S. Causin (W)

. Francis Brengle (W)

. John Wethered (W)

. John P. Kennedy (W)

. Jacob A. Preston (W)

. Thomas A. Spence (W)

. Robert C. Winthrop (W)

. Daniel P. King (W)

. Amos Abbott (W)

. William Parmenter (D)

. Charles Hudson (W)

. Osmyn Baker (W)

. Julius Rockwell (W)

. John Quincy Adams (W)

. Henry Williams (D)

. Barker Burnell (W), until June 15, 1843

Joseph Grinnell (W), from December 7, 1843

. Robert McClelland (D)

. Lucius Lyon (D)

. James B. Hunt (D)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. William H. Hammett (D)

. Robert W. Roberts (D)

. Jacob Thompson (D)

. Tilghman M. Tucker (D)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Gustavus M. Bower (D)

. James B. Bowlin (D)

. James M. Hughes (D)

. John Jameson (D)

. James H. Relfe (D)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Edmund Burke (D)

. John P. Hale (D)

. Moses Norris Jr. (D)

. John R. Reding (D)

. Lucius Q. C. Elmer (D)

. George Sykes (D)

. Isaac G. Farlee (D)

. Littleton Kirkpatrick (D)

. William Wright (Ind. W)

. Selah B. Strong (D)

. Henry C. Murphy (D)

. J. Phillips Phoenix (W)

. William B. Maclay (D)

. Moses G. Leonard (D)

. Hamilton Fish (W)

. Joseph H. Anderson (D)

. Richard D. Davis (D)

. James G. Clinton (D)

. Jeremiah Russell (D)

. Zadock Pratt (D)

. David L. Seymour (D)

. Daniel D. Barnard (W)

. Charles Rogers (W)

. Lemuel Stetson (D)

. Chesselden Ellis (D)

. Charles S. Benton (D)

. Preston King (D)

. Orville Hungerford (D)

. Samuel Beardsley (D), until February 29, 1844

Levi D. Carpenter (D), from November 5, 1844

. Jeremiah E. Cary (D)

. Smith M. Purdy (D)

. Orville Robinson (D)

. Horace Wheaton (D)

. George O. Rathbun (D)

. Amasa Dana (D)

. Byram Green (D)

. Thomas J. Paterson (W)

. Charles H. Carroll (W)

. William S. Hubbell (D)

. Asher Tyler (W)

. William A. Moseley (W)

. Albert Smith (W)

. Washington Hunt (W)

. Thomas L. Clingman (W)

. Daniel M. Barringer (W)

. David S. Reid (D)

. Edmund Deberry (W)

. Romulus M. Saunders (D)

. James I. McKay (D)

. John R. J. Daniel (D)

. Archibald H. Arrington (D)

. Kenneth Rayner (W)

. Alexander Duncan (D)

. John B. Weller (D)

. Robert C. Schenck (W)

. Joseph Vance (W)

. Emery D. Potter (D)

. Henry St. John (D)

. Joseph J. McDowell (D)

. John I. Vanmeter (W)

. Elias Florence (W)

. Heman Allen Moore (D), until April 3, 1844

Alfred P. Stone (D), from October 8, 1844

. Jacob Brinkerhoff (D)

. Samuel F. Vinton (W)

. Perley B. Johnson (W)

. Alexander Harper (W)

. Joseph Morris (D)

. James Mathews (D)

. William C. McCauslen (D)

. Ezra Dean (D)

. Daniel R. Tilden (W)

. Joshua R. Giddings (W)

. Henry R. Brinkerhoff (D), until April 30, 1844

Edward S. Hamlin (W), from October 8, 1844

. Edward Joy Morris (W)

. Joseph R. Ingersoll (W)

. John T. Smith (D)

. Charles J. Ingersoll (D)

. Jacob S. Yost (D)

. Michael H. Jenks (W)

. Abraham R. McIlvaine (W)

. Jeremiah Brown (W)

. John Ritter (D)

. Richard Brodhead (D)

. Benjamin A. Bidlack (D)

. Almon H. Read (D), until June 3, 1844

George Fuller (D), from December 2, 1844

. Henry Frick (W), until March 1, 1844

James Pollock (W), from April 5, 1844

. Alexander Ramsey (W)

. Henry Nes (Ind. D)

. James Black (D)

. James Irvin (W)

. Andrew Stewart (W)

. Henry D. Foster (D)

. John Dickey (W)

. William Wilkins (D), until February 14, 1844

Cornelius Darragh (W), from March 26, 1844

. Samuel Hays (D)

. Charles M. Reed (W)

. Joseph Buffington (W)

. Henry Y. Cranston (LO)

. Elisha R. Potter Jr. (LO)

. James A. Black (D)

. Richard F. Simpson (D)

. Joseph A. Woodward (D)

. John Campbell (D)

. Armistead Burt (D)

. Isaac E. Holmes (D)

. Robert Rhett (D)

. Andrew Johnson (D)

. William T. Senter (W)

. Julius W. Blackwell (D)

. Alvan Cullom (D)

. George W. Jones (D)

. Aaron V. Brown (D)

. David W. Dickinson (W)

. Joseph H. Peyton (W)

. Cave Johnson (D)

. John B. Ashe (W)

. Milton Brown (W)

. Solomon Foot (W)

. Jacob Collamer (W)

. George P. Marsh (W)

. Paul Dillingham Jr. (D)

. Archibald Atkinson (D)

. George C. Dromgoole (D)

. Walter Coles (D)

. Edmund W. Hubard (D)

. Thomas W. Gilmer (D), until February 16, 1844

William L. Goggin (W), from April 25, 1844

. John W. Jones (D)

. Henry A. Wise (D), until February 12, 1844

Thomas H. Bayly (D), from May 6, 1844

. Willoughby Newton (W)

. Samuel Chilton (W)

. William Lucas (D)

. William Taylor (D)

. Augustus A. Chapman (D)

. George W. Hopkins (D)

. George W. Summers (W)

. Lewis Steenrod (D)

Non-voting members

. David Levy Yulee (D), until March 3, 1845

. Augustus C. Dodge (D)

. Henry Dodge (D)

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.

|-| Tennessee
(1)| Vacant| Senator Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) resigned in 26th Congress.
Successor elected October 17, 1843.| | Ephraim H. Foster (W)| Elected October 17, 1843

|-| Tennessee
(2)| Vacant| Failure to elect.
Successor elected October 17, 1843.| | Spencer Jarnagin (W)| Elected October 17, 1843

|-| Maine
(1)| Vacant| Senator Reuel Williams (D) resigned in previous congress.
Successor elected December 4, 1843.| | John Fairfield (D)| Elected December 4, 1843

|-| Louisiana
(3)| | Alexander Porter (W)| Elected but, due to ill health, never took his seat.
Incumbent died January 13, 1844.
Successor elected February 12, 1844.| | Henry Johnson (W)| Elected February 12, 1844

|-| Illinois
(2)| | Samuel McRoberts (D)| Died March 27, 1843.
Successor appointed December 4, 1843, to continue the term until an election.
Appointee was later elected, on an unknown date.| | James Semple (D)| Seated December 4, 1843

|-| Missouri
(3)| | Lewis F. Linn (D)| Died October 3, 1843.
Successor appointed October 14, 1843, to continue the term until an election.
Appointee was later elected, on an unknown date in 1843.| | David R. Atchison (D)| Seated October 14, 1843

|-| Rhode Island
(1)| | William Sprague (W)| Resigned January 17, 1844.
Successor elected January 25, 1844.| | John B. Francis (LO)| Seated January 25, 1844

|-| Alabama
(2)| | William R. King (D)| Resigned April 15, 1844, after being appointed U.S. Minister to France.
Successor appointed April 22, 1844, to finish the term.| | Dixon H. Lewis (D)| Seated April 22, 1844

|-| New York
(1)| | Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (W)| Resigned June 17, 1844, after being appointed Governor of Wisconsin Territory.
Successor was appointed November 30, 1945.
Appointee was later elected January 18, 1845.| | Daniel S. Dickinson (D)| Seated December 9, 1844

|-| Arkansas
(2)| | William S. Fulton (D)| Died August 15, 1844.
Successor elected November 8, 1844.| | Chester Ashley (D)| Seated November 8, 1844

|-| New York
(3)| | Silas Wright (D)| Resigned November 26, 1844, after being elected Governor of New York.
Successor appointed November 30, 1945. | | Henry A. Foster (D)| Seated December 9, 1844

|-| New York
(3)| | Henry A. Foster (D)| Appointee was not nominated for election.
Successor elected January 18, 1845.| | John A. Dix (D)| Seated January 27, 1845

|-| South Carolina
(2)| | Daniel E. Huger (D)| Resigned March 3, 1845| Vacant| Not filled this term

|-| Florida
(1)| colspan=2 | New state: Florida admitted to the Union March 3, 1845.
First Senator wasn't elected until the next Congress.| Vacant| Not filled this term

|-| Florida
(2)| colspan=2 | New state: Florida admitted to the Union March 3, 1845.
First Senator wasn't elected until the next Congress.| Vacant| Not filled this term

|}

House of Representatives

See main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives. |-| | | Barker Burnell (W)| style="font-size:80%" | Died June 15, 1843| | Joseph Grinnell (W)| Seated December 7, 1843|-| | | Mark A. Cooper (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned June 26, 1843, to become candidate for Governor of Georgia| | Alexander H. Stephens (W)| Seated October 2, 1843|-| | | John B. Lamar (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 29, 1843| | Absalom H. Chappell (W)| Seated October 2, 1843|-| | | John Millen (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Died October 15, 1843| | Duncan L. Clinch (W)| Seated February 15, 1844|-| | | Henry A. Wise (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 12, 1844, after being appointed Minister to Brazil| | Thomas H. Bayly (D)| Seated May 6, 1844|-| | | William Wilkens (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 14, 1844, after being appointed United States Secretary of War| | Cornelius Darragh (W)| Seated March 26, 1844|-| | | Thomas W. Gilmer (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 16, 1844, after being appointed United States Secretary of the Navy| | William L. Goggin (W)| Seated April 25, 1844|-| | | Henry Frick (W)| style="font-size:80%" | Died March 1, 1844| | James Pollock (W)| Seated April 5, 1844|-| | | Heman A. Moore (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Died April 3, 1844| | Alfred P. Stone (D)| Seated October 8, 1844|-| | | Dixon H. Lewis (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned April 22, 1844, after being appointed US Senator| | William L. Yancey (D)| Seated December 2, 1844|-| | | Pierre Bossier (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Died April 24, 1844| | Isaac E. Morse (D)| Seated December 2, 1844|-| | | Samuel Beardsley (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 29, 1844, after being appointed associate judge of New York Supreme Court| | Levi D. Carpenter (D)| Seated November 5, 1844|-| | | Henry R. Brinkerhoff (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Died April 30, 1844| | Edward S. Hamlin (W)| Seated October 8, 1844|-| | | Almon H. Read (D)| style="font-size:80%" | Died June 3, 1844| | George Fuller (D)| Seated December 2, 1844|-| | | David L. Yulee (D)| colspan=3 style="font-size:80%" | Seat was eliminated when Florida achieved statehood March 3, 1845|-| nowrap | | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845| Vacant| Not filled this term|}

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

CommitteeChairman
Foreign RelationsWilliam S. Archer (W-VA)
FinanceGeorge Evans (W-ME)
CommerceJabez W. Huntington (W-CT)
ManufacturesJames F. Simmons (W-RI)
AgricultureWilliam Upham (W-VT)
Military AffairsJohn J. Crittenden (W-KY)
MilitiaAlexander Barrow (W-LA)
Naval AffairsRichard H. Bayard (W-DE)
Public LandsWilliam Woodbridge (W-MI)
Private Land ClaimsJohn Henderson (W-MS)
Indian AffairsAlbert S. White (W-IN)
ClaimsEphraim H. Foster (W-TN)
Revolutionary ClaimsSpencer Jarnagin (W-TN)
JudiciaryJohn M. Berrien (W-GA)
Post Office and Post RoadsWilliam D. Merrick (W-MD)
Roads and CanalsAugustus S. Porter (W-MI)
PensionsIsaac C. Bates (W-MA)
District of ColumbiaJacob W. Miller (W-NJ)
Patents and the Patent OfficeSamuel S. Phelps (W-VT)
RetrenchmentJames T. Morehead (W-KY)
Public BuildingsWilliam L. Dayton (W-NJ)
Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the SenateBenjamin Tappan (W-OH)
PrintingJames F. Simmons (W-RI)
Engrossed BillsBenjamin Tappan (W-OH)

House of Representatives

CommitteeChairman
ElectionsLucius Elmer (D-NJ)
Ways and MeansJames I. McKay (D-NC)
ClaimsJoseph Vance (W-OH)
CommerceIsaac E. Holmes (D-SC)
Public LandsJohn W. Davis (D-IN)
Post Office and Post RoadsGeorge W. Hopkins (D-VA)
District of ColumbiaJohn Campbell (D-SC)
JudiciaryWilliam Wilkins (D-PA), until February 14, 1844
Romulus M. Saunders (D-NC), from February 14, 1844
Revolutionary ClaimsRichard D. Davis (D-NY)
Public ExpendituresJames G. Clinton (D-NY)
Private Land ClaimsEdward Cross (D-AR)
ManufacturersJacob Collamer (W-VT)
AgricultureEdmund Deberry (D-NC)
Indian AffairsCave Johnson (D-TN)
Military AffairsHugh A. Haralson (D-GA)
MilitiaEzra Dean (D-OH)
Naval AffairsHenry A. Wise (D-VA), until February 12, 1844
William Parmenter (D-MA), from February 12, 1844
Foreign AffairsCharles J. Ingersoll (D-PA)
TerritoriesAaron V. Brown (D-TN)
Revolutionary PensionsGeorge O. Rathbun (D-NY), until 1844
David L. Seymour (D-NY), from 1844
Invalid PensionsJacob Brinkerhoff (D-OH)
Roads and CanalsRobert D. Owen (D-IN)
PatentsAlexander Harper (D-OH)
Public Buildings and GroundsZadock Pratt (D-NY)
Revisals and Unfinished BusinessElisha R. Potter (LO-RI)
Expenditures in the Navy DepartmentAmasa Dana (D-NY)
Expenditures in the Post Office DepartmentAlexander Harper (W-OH)
Expenditures on the Public BuildingsDaniel P. King (W-MA)
Rules (select)Henry A. Wise (D-VA) until February 12, 1844
John Quincy Adams (W-MA) from February 12, 1844

Joint committees

Employees

Senate

House of Representatives

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Treaty Of Wangxia (Treaty Of Wang-Hsia 望廈條約), May 18, 1844 . USC US-China Institute . USC Annenberg.