7th United States Congress

United States Capitol in 1800

United States Capitol with "Brick Oven"

The Seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the United States national legislature, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1801 to March 3, 1803, during the first two years of the first administration of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the First Census of the United States in 1790. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority, except during the Special session of the Senate, when there was a Federalist majority in the Senate.

Dates of sessions

March 4, 1801–March 3, 1803

• Special session of the Senate: March 4, 1801 - March 5, 1801
• First session: December 7, 1801 - May 3, 1802
• Second session: December 6, 1802 - March 3, 1803 — a lame duck session

Previous congress: 6th Congress
Next congress: 8th Congress

Major events

Main article: Events of 1801; Events of 1802; Events of 1803

• March 4, 1801 – Thomas Jefferson became President of the United States.
• March 16, 1802 - West Point was established.
• February 24, 1803 - The Supreme Court of the United States, in Marbury v. Madison, established the principle of judicial review.
• French Revolutionary Wars (1797-1802) of the Second Coalition

Major legislation

Main article: List of United States federal legislation in the 7th Congress

• April 29 1802 - Judiciary Act of 1802, ch. 31, 2 Stat. 156
• April 30 1802 - Enabling Act of 1802, ch. 40, 2 Stat. 173
• November 29, 1802 - Ohio was admitted as a state to the Union. It was formerly a portion of the Northwest Territory.

Party summary

Senate

• Democratic-Republican: 17 (majority)
• Federalist: 15
• vacant: 2

TOTAL members: 34

House of Representatives

• Democratic-Republican: 68 (majority)
• Federalist: 38
• vacant: 1

TOTAL members: 107

Leadership

File:Bust AaronBurr.jpg

President of the Senate
Vice President
Aaron Burr

Senate

• Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
  • Aaron Burr, Democratic-Republican of New York.
• President pro tempore of the Senate:
  • Abraham Baldwin, Democratic-Republican of Georgia, first elected December 7, 1801
  • Stephen R. Bradley, Democratic-Republican of Vermont, first elected December 14, 1802

House of Representatives

• Speaker of the House
• Nathaniel Macon, Democratic-Republican of North Carolina, elected December 7, 1801

Members

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

See also: 7th United States Congress - Political Parties

See also: 7th United States Congress - State Delegations

See also: United States House election, 1800

Senate

At this time, 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 1802; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1806.

President pro tempore
Abraham Baldwin

President pro tempore
Stephen R. Bradley

Connecticut

• 1. James Hillhouse (Fed.)
• 3. Uriah Tracy (Fed.)

Delaware

• 2. William H. Wells (Fed.)
• 1. Samuel White (Fed.)

Georgia

• 2. Abraham Baldwin (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. James Jackson (Dem.-Rep.)

Kentucky

• 2. John Brown (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. John Breckinridge (Dem.-Rep.)

Maryland

• 1. John E. Howard (Fed.)
• 3. William Hindman (Fed.) …appointed to fill vacancy in class.

  Robert Wright (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, November 19, 1801.

Massachusetts

• 2. Dwight Foster (Fed.) …resigned March 2, 1803.
• 1. Jonathan Mason (Fed.)

New Hampshire

• 2. Samuel Livermore (Fed.) …resigned June 19, 1801.

  Simeon Olcott (Fed.) …elected to fill vacancy, June 17, 1801.

• 3. James Sheafe (Fed.) …resigned June 14, 1802.

  William Plumer (Fed.) …elected to fill vacancy, June 17, 1802.

New Jersey

• 2. Jonathan Dayton (Fed.)
• 1. Aaron Ogden (Fed.)

New York

• 1. Gouverneur Morris (Fed.)
• 3. John Armstrong, Jr. (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned February 5, 1802.

  DeWitt Clinton (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, February 9, 1802.

North Carolina

• 2. Jesse Franklin (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. David Stone (Dem.-Rep.)

Ohio

• 1. vacant
• 3. vacant

Pennsylvania

• 1. James Ross (Fed.)
• 3. John Peter G. Muhlenberg (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned June 30, 1801.

  George Logan (Dem.-Rep.) …appointed to fill vacancy, July 13, 1801, subsequently elected.

Rhode Island

• 1. Theodore Foster (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. Ray Greene (Fed.) …resigned March 5, 1801.

  Christopher Ellery (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, May 6, 1801.

South Carolina

• 2. Charles Pinckney (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned 1801.

  Thomas Sumter (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, December 15, 1801.

• 3. John Ewing Colhoun (Dem.-Rep.) …died October 26, 1802.

  Pierce Butler (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, November 4, 1802.

Tennessee

• 1. Joseph Anderson (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. William Cocke (Dem.-Rep.)

Vermont

• 3. Elijah Paine (Fed.) …resigned September 1, 1801.

  Stephen R. Bradley (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, October 15, 1801.

• 1. Nathaniel Chipman (Fed.)

Virginia

• 1. Stevens T. Mason (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. Wilson C. Nicholas (Dem.-Rep.)

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives known to have been elected statewide at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those known to have been elected from single member districts, are preceded by their district numbers. A district number with an "A/L" indicates more than one member may be elected from that district. The methodology used for the election of the others is undetermined.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

Speaker of the House
Nathaniel Macon

Connecticut

• 1. A/L. Benjamin Tallmadge (Fed.)
• 2. A/L. Calvin Goddard (Fed.) …elected to fill vacancy from the preceding Congress, seated December 7, 1801.
• 3. A/L. John C. Smith (Fed.)
• 4. A/L. Roger Griswold (Fed.)
• 5. A/L. Elias Perkins (Fed.)
• 6. A/L. John Davenport (Fed.)
• 7. A/L. Samuel W. Dana (Fed.)

Delaware

• A/L. James A. Bayard (Fed.)

Georgia

• 1. A/L. John Milledge (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned May 1802.

  Peter Early (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated January 10, 1803.

• 2. A/L. Benjamin Taliaferro (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned 1802.

  David Meriwether (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 6, 1802.

Kentucky

• 1. Thomas T. Davis (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. John Fowler (Dem.-Rep.)

Maryland

• 1. John Campbell (Fed.)
• 2. Richard Sprigg, Jr. (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned February 12, 1802.

  Walter Bowie (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated March 24, 1802.

• 3. Thomas Plater (Fed.)
• 4. Daniel Hiester (Dem.-Rep.)
• 5. Samuel Smith (Dem.-Rep.)
• 6. John Archer (Dem.-Rep.)
• 7. Joseph H. Nicholson (Dem.-Rep.)
• 8. John Dennis (Fed.)

Massachusetts

• 1. John Bacon (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. William Shepard (Fed.)
• 3. Ebenezer Mattoon (Fed.)
• 4. Levi Lincoln (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned March 5, 1801, before Congress assembled.

  Seth Hastings (Fed.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated January 11, 1802.

• 5. Lemuel Williams (Fed.)
• 6. Josiah Smith (Dem.-Rep.)
• 7. Phanuel Bishop (Dem.-Rep.)
• 8. William Eustis (Dem.-Rep.)
• 9. Joseph B. Varnum (Dem.-Rep.)
• 10. Nathan Read (Fed.)
• 11. Manasseh Cutler (Fed.)
• 12. Silas Lee (Fed.) …resigned August 20, 1801.

  Samuel Thatcher (Fed.) ...elected to fill vacancy, seated December 6, 1802.

• 13. Peleg Wadsworth (Fed.)
• 14. Richard Cutts (Dem.-Rep.)

New Hampshire

• 1. A/L. George B. Upham (Fed.)
• 2. A/L. Joseph Peirce (Fed.) …resigned 1802.

  Samuel Hunt (Fed.) ...elected to fill vacancy, seated December 6, 1802.

• 3. A/L. Samuel Tenney (Fed.)
• 4. A/L. Abiel Foster (Fed.)

New Jersey

• 1. A/L. John Condit (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. A/L. William Helms (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. A/L. Henry Southard (Dem.-Rep.)
• 4. A/L. James Mott (Dem.-Rep.)
• 5. A/L. Ebenezer Elmer (Dem.-Rep.)

New York

• 1. John Smith (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. Samuel L. Mitchill (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. Philip Van Cortlandt (Dem.-Rep.)
• 4. Lucas C. Elmendorf (Dem.-Rep.)
• 5. Thomas Tillotson (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned August 10, 1801, before Congress assembled.

  Theodorus Bailey (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1801.

• 6. John Bird (Fed.) …resigned July 25, 1801, before Congress assembled.

  John P. Van Ness (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1801, forfeited January 13, 1803.

• 7. David Thomas (Dem.-Rep.)
• 8. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (Fed.)
• 9. Benjamin Walker (Fed.)
• 10. Thomas Morris (Fed.)

North Carolina

• 1. Charles Johnson (Dem.-Rep.) …died July 23, 1802.

  Thomas Wynns (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1802.

• 2. Willis Alston (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. Robert Williams (Dem.-Rep.)
• 4. Richard Stanford (Dem.-Rep.)
• 5. Nathaniel Macon (Dem.-Rep.)
• 6. William H. Hill (Fed.)
• 7. William Barry Grove (Fed.)
• 8. Archibald Henderson (Fed.)
• 9. John Stanly (Fed.)
• 10. James Holland (Dem.-Rep.)

Ohio

• A/L.

Pennsylvania

• 1. Michael Leib (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. Thomas Boude (Fed.)
• 3. Joseph Hemphill (Fed.)
• 4. William Hoge (Dem.-Rep.)
• 5. Andrew Gregg (Dem.-Rep.)
• 6. Henry Woods (Fed.)
• 7. Robert Brown (Dem.-Rep.)
• 8. Joseph Hiester (Dem.-Rep.)
• 9. John A. Hanna (Dem.-Rep.)
• 10. William Jones (Dem.-Rep.)
• 11. John Stewart (Dem.-Rep.)
• 12. John Smilie (Dem.-Rep.)
• 13. Isaac Van Horne (Dem.-Rep.)

Rhode Island

• 1. A/L. Thomas Tillinghast (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. A/L. Joseph Stanton, Jr. (Dem.-Rep.)

South Carolina

• 1. William Butler, Sr. (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. Thomas Lowndes (Fed.)
• 3. Benjamin Huger (Fed.)
• 4. John Rutledge, Jr. (Fed.)
• 5. Thomas Moore (Dem.-Rep.)
• 6. Thomas Sumter (Dem.-Rep.) …resigned December 15, 1801.

  Richard Winn (Dem.-Rep.) …elected to fill vacancy, seated January 24, 1803.

Tennessee

• A/L. William Dickson (Dem.-Rep.)

Vermont

• 1. Israel Smith (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. Lewis R. Morris (Fed.)

Virginia

• 1. Matthew Clay (Dem.-Rep.)
• 2. John Dawson (Dem.-Rep.)
• 3. George Jackson (Dem.-Rep.)
• 4. David Holmes (Dem.-Rep.)
• 5. Edwin Gray (Dem.-Rep.)
• 6. Thomas Newton, Jr. (Dem.-Rep.)
• 7. John Smith (Dem.-Rep.)
• 8. Thomas Claiborne (Dem.-Rep.)
• 9. William B. Giles (Dem.-Rep.)
• 10. John Stratton (Fed.)
• 11. Anthony New (Dem.-Rep.)
• 12. John Taliaferro (Dem.-Rep.)
• 13. Philip R. Thompson (Dem.-Rep.)
• 14. Abram Trigg (Dem.-Rep.)
• 15. John Clopton (Dem.-Rep.)
• 16. Samuel J. Cabell (Dem.-Rep.)
• 17. John J. Trigg (Dem.-Rep.)
• 18. Richard Brent (Dem.-Rep.)
• 13. John Randolph (Dem.-Rep.)

Delegates

Mississippi Territory

• A/L. Thomas M. Greene (undetermined)

  Narsworthy Hunter (undetermined)

Northwest Territory

• A/L. Paul Fearing (Fed.)

Changes in Membership

See also: 7th United States Congress - Membership Changes

Senate

• Democratic-Republicans: 3 seats net gain
• Federalists: 4 seats net loss

• deaths: 0
• resignations: 9
• Total seats with changes: 9

House of Representatives

• Democratic-Republicans: no net change
• Federalists: no net change

• deaths: 3
• resignations: 6
• Total seats with changes: 9

Officers

Senate

• Secretary of the Senate:
  • Samuel A. Otis of Massachusetts elected April 8, 1789.
• Doorkeeper of the Senate:
  • James Mathers of New York, elected April 7, 1789.
• Chaplain of the Senate
  • The Rev. Thomas J. Claggett, Episcopalian, elected November 27, 1800.
  • The Rev. Edward Gantt, Episcopalian, elected December 9, 1801.

House of Representatives

• Clerk of the House:
  • John Beckley of Virginia, elected December 7, 1801.
• Sergeant at Arms of the House:
  • Joseph Wheaton of Rhode Island, elected December 7, 1801.
• Doorkeeper of the House:
  • Thomas Claxton, elected December 7, 1801.
• Chaplain of the House
  • The Rev. William Parkinson, Baptist, elected December 7, 1801.

Other

• Architect of the Capitol:
  • William Thornton

References

• Remini, Robert V. (2006). The House. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Library of Congress (2006). "Statutes at Large, 1789-1875". Retrieved 2006-07-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Library of Congress (2006). "Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress". Retrieved 2006-07-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Library of Congress (2006). "House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress". Retrieved 2006-07-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• U.S. Congress (2005). "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress". Retrieved 2006-07-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• U.S. House of Representatives (2006). "Congressional History". Retrieved 2006-07-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• U.S. Senate (2006). "Statistics and Lists". Retrieved 2006-07-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)