15th United States Congress explained

Number:15th
Start:March 4, 1817
End:March 4, 1819
Vp:Daniel D. Tompkins (DR)
Pro Tem:James Barbour (DR)
Speaker:Henry Clay (DR)
Senators:42
Reps:185
Delegates:3
S-Majority:Democratic-Republican
H-Majority:Democratic-Republican
Sessionnumber1:Special
Sessionstart1:March 4, 1817
Sessionend1:March 6, 1817
Sessionnumber2:1st
Sessionstart2:December 1, 1817
Sessionend2:April 20, 1818
Sessionnumber3:2nd
Sessionstart3:November 16, 1818
Sessionend3:March 3, 1819
Previous:14th
Next:16th
Imagename:The Old Brick Capitol, the temporary Capitol while the U.S. Capitol was being renovated after the Burning of Washington.
Imagedate:pictured here around 1861 in use as a Civil War prison

The 15th 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 the Old Brick Capitol in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1817, to March 4, 1819, during the first two years of James Monroe's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1810 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Letter of December 1818

Two major treaties with the United Kingdom were approved, finalized and signed during the 15th Congress, both the Rush–Bagot Treaty and the Treaty of 1818, both of which pertained to the United States-Canada border, and both of which were overwhelmingly popular in the United States. President James Monroe and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams were credited with the accomplishments. A letter signed by many members of congress expressing "Gratitude, amity and brotherhood with Great Britain" was addressed to British Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst, British foreign secretary Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh and Britain's minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinaire to the United States Charles Bagot. The letter also attacked King Louis XVIII of France for insulting remarks he had made towards American diplomats and about the United States, as well as his refusal to pay reparations owed to the United States from damages incurred during the Quasi-War. The letter was signed in December 1818 by Joel Abbot, Thomas W. Cobb, Zadock Cook, Joel Crawford, John Forsyth, William Terrell, Charles Tait, William Smith, John Gaillard, Henry Middleton, William Lowndes, James Ervin, Joseph Bellinger, Starling Tucker, Eldred Simkins, Elias Earle, Wilson Nesbitt, Stephen Decatur Miller, Montfort Stokes, Nathaniel Macon, Lemuel Sawyer, Joseph Hunter Bryan, Thomas H. Hall, Jesse Slocumb, James Owen, Weldon Nathaniel Edwards, James Stewart, James Strudwick Smith, Thomas Settle, George Mumford, Daniel Munroe Forney, Felix Walker, Lewis Williams, John J. Crittenden, Isham Talbot, David Trimble, Henry Clay, Richard Mentor Johnson, Joseph Desha, Anthony New, David Walker, George Robertson, Richard Clough Anderson Jr., Tunstall Quarles, Thomas Speed, William Hendricks, James Noble, Waller Taylor, John Eaton, John Williams, John Rhea, William Grainger Blount, Francis Jones, Samuel E. Hogg, Thomas Claiborne, George W.L. Marr, George Poindexter, Prentiss Mellen, Harrison Gray Otis, Enoch Lincoln, Jonathan Mason, Nathaniel Silsbee, Jeremiah Nelson, Timothy Fuller, Elijah H. Mills, Samuel Clesson Allen, Henry Shaw, Zabdiel Sampson, Walter Folger Jr., Marcus Morton, Benjamin Adams, Solomon Strong, Nathaniel Ruggles, John Holmes, Ezekiel Whitman, Benjamin Orr, John Wilson, Thomas Rice, Joshua Gage and Albion Parris, all of whom also voted to ratify both of the aforementioned treaties. Several governors also signed the letter, which was entirely symbolic and intended as a gesture of goodwill, including Gabriel Slaughter, William Rabun, John Geddes, John Branch, John Brooks, James Patton Preston and David Holmes. This was significant because the governors and the members of congress were from different regions (both Massachusetts and several southern states were represented), and because signers came from both the Whig Party and the Democratic-Republicans.[1] [2] [3] [4] Many members of congress and Washington DC had a very hostile relationship with France's notoriously combative ambassador Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville, which contributed to the letters contents as per France.[5]

Major events

See main article: 1817 in the United States, 1818 in the United States and 1819 in the United States.

Major legislation

Treaties

States admitted and territories created

Party summary

The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this congress. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

During this congress, two Senate seats were added for each of the new states of Mississippi and Illinois.

House of Representatives

During this congress, one House seat was added for each of the new states of Mississippi and Illinois.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Henry Clay (DR)

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class 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 in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1820; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1822; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1818.

1. Samuel W. Dana (F)

3. David Daggett (F)

1. Outerbridge Horsey (F)

2. Nicholas Van Dyke (F)

2. George Troup (DR), until September 23, 1818

John Forsyth (DR), November 23, 1818 – February 17, 1819

3. Charles Tait (DR)

2. Jesse B. Thomas (DR), from December 3, 1818 (newly admitted state)

3. Ninian Edwards (DR), from December 3, 1818 (newly admitted state)

1. James Noble (DR)

3. Waller Taylor (DR)

2. John J. Crittenden (DR), until March 3, 1819

3. Isham Talbot (DR)

2. William C. C. Claiborne (DR), died November 23, 1817

Henry Johnson (DR), from January 12, 1818

3. Eligius Fromentin (DR)

1. Alexander C. Hanson (F)

3. Robert H. Goldsborough (F)

1. Eli P. Ashmun (F), until May 10, 1818

Prentiss Mellen (F), from June 5, 1818

2. Harrison Gray Otis (F)

1. Walter Leake (DR), from December 10, 1817 (newly admitted state)

2. Thomas H. Williams (DR), from December 10, 1817 (newly admitted state)

2. David L. Morril (DR)

3. Jeremiah Mason (F), until June 16, 1817

Clement Storer (DR), from June 27, 1817

1. James J. Wilson (DR)

2. Mahlon Dickerson (DR)

1. Nathan Sanford (DR)

3. Rufus King (F)

2. Montfort Stokes (DR)

3. Nathaniel Macon (DR)

1. Benjamin Ruggles (DR)

3. Jeremiah Morrow (DR)

1. Jonathan Roberts (DR)

3. Abner Lacock (DR)

1. William Hunter (F)

2. James Burrill Jr. (F)

2. William Smith (DR)

3. John Gaillard (DR)

1. George W. Campbell (DR), until April 20, 1818

John H. Eaton (DR), from September 5, 1818

2. John Williams (DR)

1. Isaac Tichenor (F)

3. Dudley Chase (DR), until November 3, 1817

James Fisk (DR), November 4, 1817 – January 8, 1818

William A. Palmer (DR), from October 20, 1818

1. James Barbour (DR)

2. John W. Eppes (DR)

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.

. Uriel Holmes (F), until 1818

Sylvester Gilbert (DR), from November 16, 1818

. Ebenezer Huntington (F)

. Jonathan O. Moseley (F)

. Timothy Pitkin (F)

. Samuel B. Sherwood (F)

. Nathaniel Terry (F)

. Thomas S. Williams (F)

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Willard Hall (DR)

. Louis McLane (F)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Joel Abbot (DR)

. Thomas W. Cobb (DR)

. Zadock Cook (DR)

. Joel Crawford (DR)

. John Forsyth (DR), until November 23, 1818

Robert R. Reid (DR), from February 18, 1819

. William Terrell (DR)

. John McLean (DR), from December 3, 1818 (newly admitted state)

. William Hendricks (DR)

. David Trimble (DR)

. Henry Clay (DR)

. Richard M. Johnson (DR)

. Joseph Desha (DR)

. Anthony New (DR)

. David Walker (DR)

. George Robertson (DR)

. Richard C. Anderson Jr. (DR)

. Tunstal Quarles (DR)

. Thomas Speed (DR)

. Thomas B. Robertson (DR), until April 20, 1818

Thomas Butler (DR), from November 16, 1818

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

. Philip Stuart (F)

. John C. Herbert (F)

. George Peter (F)

. Samuel Ringgold (DR)

. Peter Little (DR)

. Samuel Smith (DR)

. Philip Reed (DR)

. Thomas Culbreth (DR)

. Thomas Bayly (F)

. Jonathan Mason (F)

. Nathaniel Silsbee (DR)

. Jeremiah Nelson (F)

. Timothy Fuller (DR)

. Elijah H. Mills (F)

. Samuel C. Allen (F)

. Henry Shaw (DR)

. Zabdiel Sampson (DR)

. Walter Folger Jr. (DR)

. Marcus Morton (DR)

. Benjamin Adams (F)

. Solomon Strong (F)

. Nathaniel Ruggles (F)

. John Holmes (DR)

. Ezekiel Whitman (F)

. Benjamin Orr (F)

. John Wilson (F)

. Thomas Rice (F)

. Joshua Gage (DR)

. Albion K. Parris (DR), until February 3, 1818

Enoch Lincoln (DR), from November 4, 1818

. George Poindexter (DR), from December 10, 1817

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Josiah Butler (DR)

. Clifton Clagett (DR)

. Salma Hale (DR)

. Arthur Livermore (DR)

. John F. Parrott (DR)

. Nathaniel Upham (DR)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Ephraim Bateman (DR)

. Benjamin Bennet (DR)

. Joseph Bloomfield (DR)

. Charles Kinsey (DR)

. John Linn (DR)

. Henry Southard (DR)

There were six plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, 12th, 15th, 20th & 21st, each had two representatives.

. Tredwell Scudder (DR)

. George Townsend (DR)

. William Irving (DR)

. Peter H. Wendover (DR)

. Caleb Tompkins (DR)

. James Tallmadge Jr. (DR), from December 1, 1817

. Philip J. Schuyler (F)

. James W. Wilkin (DR)

. Josiah Hasbrouck (DR)

. Dorrance Kirtland (DR)

. Rensselaer Westerlo (F)

. John P. Cushman (F)

. John W. Taylor (DR)

. John Palmer (DR)

. John Savage (DR)

. Thomas Lawyer (DR)

. John Herkimer (DR)

. John R. Drake (DR)

. Isaac Williams Jr. (DR)

. Henry R. Storrs (F)

. Thomas H. Hubbard (DR)

. David A. Ogden (F)

. James Porter (DR)

. Oliver C. Comstock (DR)

. Daniel Cruger (DR)

. Benjamin Ellicott (DR)

. John C. Spencer (DR)

. Lemuel Sawyer (DR)

. Joseph H. Bryan (DR)

. Thomas H. Hall (DR)

. Jesse Slocumb (F)

. James Owen (DR)

. Weldon N. Edwards (DR)

.James Stewart (F), from January 5, 1818

. James S. Smith (DR)

. Thomas Settle (DR)

. George Mumford (DR), until December 31, 1818

Charles Fisher (DR), from February 11, 1819

. Daniel M. Forney (DR), until 1818

William Davidson (F), from December 2, 1818

. Felix Walker (DR)

. Lewis Williams (DR)

. William Henry Harrison (DR)

. John W. Campbell (DR)

. Levi Barber (DR)

. Samuel Herrick (DR)

. Philemon Beecher (F)

. Peter Hitchcock (DR)

There were six plural districts, the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th & 10th had two representatives each, the 1st had four representatives.

. William Anderson (DR)

. Joseph Hopkinson (F)

. John Sergeant (F)

. Adam Seybert (DR)

. Isaac Darlington (F)

. Levi Pawling (F)

. James M. Wallace (DR)

. John Whiteside (DR)

. Jacob Spangler (DR), until April 20, 1818

Jacob Hostetter (DR), from November 16, 1818

. Andrew Boden (DR)

. William Maclay (DR)

. Samuel D. Ingham (DR), until July 6, 1818

Samuel Moore (DR), from October 13, 1818

. John Ross (DR), until February 24, 1818

Thomas J. Rogers (DR), from March 3, 1818

. Joseph Hiester (DR)

. Alexander Ogle (DR)

. William P. Maclay (DR)

. John Murray (DR), from October 14, 1817

. William Wilson (DR)

. David Marchand (DR)

. Thomas Patterson (DR)

. Christian Tarr (DR)

. Henry Baldwin (DR)

. Robert Moore (DR)

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. John L. Boss Jr. (F)

. James B. Mason (F)

. Henry Middleton (DR)

. William Lowndes (DR)

. James Ervin (DR)

. Joseph Bellinger (DR)

. Starling Tucker (DR)

. John C. Calhoun (DR), until November 3, 1817

Eldred Simkins (DR), from January 24, 1818

. Elias Earle (DR)

. Wilson Nesbitt (DR)

. Stephen D. Miller (DR)

. John Rhea (DR)

. William G. Blount (DR)

. Francis Jones (DR)

. Samuel Hogg (DR)

. Thomas Claiborne (DR)

. George W. L. Marr (DR)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Heman Allen (DR), until April 20, 1818; vacant thereafter

. Samuel C. Crafts (DR)

. William Hunter (DR)

. Orsamus C. Merrill (DR)

. Charles Rich (DR)

. Mark Richards (DR)

. James Pindall (F)

. Edward Colston (F)

. Henry St. George Tucker (DR)

. William McCoy (DR)

. John Floyd (DR)

. Alexander Smyth (DR)

. Ballard Smith (DR)

. Charles F. Mercer (F)

. William Lee Ball (DR)

. George F. Strother (DR)

. Philip P. Barbour (DR)

. Robert S. Garnett (DR)

. Burwell Bassett (DR)

. William A. Burwell (DR)

. William J. Lewis (DR)

. Archibald Austin (DR)

. James Pleasants (DR)

. Thomas M. Nelson (DR)

. Peterson Goodwyn (DR), until February 21, 1818

John Pegram (DR), from April 21, 1818

. James Johnson (DR)

. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)

. Hugh Nelson (DR)

. John Tyler (DR)

Non-voting members

. John Crowell, from January 29, 1818

. Nathaniel Pope, until November 30, 1818, vacant thereafter

. Vacant until statehood December 10, 1817

. John Scott, from August 4, 1817

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.

|-| New Hampshire
(3)| | Jeremiah Mason (F)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned June 16, 1817| | Clement Storer (DR)| Seated June 27, 1817|-| Vermont
(3)| | Dudley Chase (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned November 3, 1817, to become Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court| | James Fisk (DR)| Seated November 4, 1817|-| Louisiana
(2)| | William C. C. Claiborne (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Died November 23, 1817| | Henry Johnson (DR)| Seated January 12, 1818|-| Mississippi
(1)| rowspan=2 | New seats| rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817| | Walter Leake (DR)| rowspan=2 | Installed December 10, 1817|-| Mississippi
(2)| | Thomas H. Williams (DR)|-| Vermont
(3)| | James Fisk (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned January 8, 1818, to become Vermont Collector of Customs.
Winner elected October 20, 1818.| | William A. Palmer (DR)| Seated October 20, 1818|-| Tennessee
(1)| | George W. Campbell (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned April 20, 1818, to become Ambassador to Russia| | John Eaton (DR)| Seated September 5, 1818|-| Massachusetts
(1)| | Eli P. Ashmun (F)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned May 10, 1818.
Winner elected June 5, 1818.| | Prentiss Mellen (F)| Seated June 5, 1818|-| Georgia
(2)| | George Troup (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned September 23, 1818, to run for Governor of Georgia.
Winner elected September 23, 1818.| | John Forsyth (DR)| Seated November 23, 1818|-| Illinois
(2)| rowspan=2 | New seats| rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | Illinois was admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818.| | Jesse B. Thomas (DR)| rowspan=2 | Installed December 3, 1818|-| Illinois
(3)| | Ninian Edwards (DR)|-| Georgia
(2)| | John Forsyth (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 17, 1819, to become U.S. Minister to Spain.
Winner was elected in the next Congress.| colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Not filled until next Congress|-| Kentucky
(2)| | John J. Crittenden (DR)| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned March 3, 1819, to return to private practice.
Winner was elected in the next Congress.|}

House of Representatives

See main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives.

|-| nowrap | | Vacant| Member-elect Henry B. Lee died before this Congress began| | James Tallmadge Jr. (DR)| Seated June 6, 1817

|-| | Vacant| Seat remained vacant from March 4, 1817, to August 4, 1817| John Scott| Seated August 4, 1817

|-| | Vacant| Member-elect David Scott resigned before this Congress began| | John Murray (DR)| Seated October 14, 1817

|-| | Vacant| Member-elect Alexander McMillan died before this Congress began| | James Stewart (F)| Seated January 5, 1818

|-| | | John C. Calhoun (DR)| Resigned November 3, 1817, after being appointed United States Secretary of War| | Eldred Simkins (DR)| Seated January 24, 1818

|-| | rowspan=2 | Vacant| rowspan=2 | Seat remained vacant until Mississippi was admitted to the Union December 10, 1817| rowspan=2 | George Poindexter (DR)| rowspan=2 | Seated December 10, 1817

|-|

|-| | | Uriel Holmes (F)| Resigned sometime in 1818| | Sylvester Gilbert (DR)| Seated November 16, 1818

|-| | | Daniel Forney (DR)| Resigned sometime in 1818| | William Davidson (F)| Seated December 2, 1818

|-| | Vacant| The first delegate from this new territory was not seated until January 29, 1818.| John Crowell| Seated January 29, 1818

|-| | | Albion K. Parris (DR| Resigned February 3, 1818| | Enoch Lincoln (DR)| Seated November 4, 1818

|-| | | Peterson Goodwyn (DR)| Died February 21, 1818| | John Pegram (DR)| Seated April 21, 1818

|-| | | John Ross (DR)| Resigned February 24, 1818, to become President Judge of Pennsylvania's 7th Judicial Circuit| | Thomas J. Rogers (DR)| Seated March 3, 1818

|-| | | Thomas B. Robertson (DR)| Resigned April 20, 1818| | Thomas Butler (DR)| Seated November 16, 1818

|-| | | Jacob Spangler (DR)| Resigned April 20, 1818| | Jacob Hostetter (DR)| Seated November 16, 1818

|-| | | Samuel D. Ingham (DR)| Resigned July 6, 1818| | Samuel Moore (DR)| Seated October 13, 1818

|-| | | John Forsyth (DR)| Resigned November 23, 1818, after being elected to the U.S. Senate| | Robert R. Reid (DR)| Seated February 18, 1819

|-| | rowspan=2 | Nathaniel Pope| rowspan=2 | Pope's term ended November 30, 1818, and the seat remained vacant until Illinois was admitted to the Union December 3, 1818| rowspan=2 | John McLean (DR)| rowspan=2 | Seated December 3, 1818

|-|

|-| | | George Mumford (DR)| Died December 31, 1818| | Charles Fisher (DR)| Seated February 11, 1819

|-| | | Heman Allen (DR)| resigned April 20, 1818| Vacant

|}

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

Benjamin H. Latrobe, resigned November 20, 1817

George Watterston

Senate

Sereno Edwards Dwight, Congregationalist, until December 9, 1817

Charles Cutts

Mountjoy Bayly

House of Representatives

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. The American Response to Canada Since 1776 by Gordon T. Stewart
  2. John Quincy Adams: Policymaker for the Union by James E. Lewis Jr.
  3. The Undefended Border: The Myth and the Reality by Charles Perry Stacey, Canadian Historical Association, 1967
  4. The American Entente by Robert Balmain Moway pg. 41-45
  5. America in the French mind during the Bourbon Restoration by John deWitt MacBride 1955 pg. 45-46