8th United States Congress

United States Capitol with "Brick Oven"

The Eighth 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 the first administration of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Second Census of the United States in 1800. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

1 Major events
2 Major legislation
3 Constitutional amendments
4 Treaties
5 States admitted and territories organized
6 Party summary
- 6.1 Senate
- 6.2 House of Representatives
7 Leadership
- 7.1 Senate
- 7.2 House of Representatives
8 Members
- 8.1 Senate
- 8.2 House of Representatives
9 Changes in membership
- 9.1 Senate
- 9.2 House of Representatives
10 Officers
- 10.1 Senate
- 10.2 House of Representatives
11 References
12 External links

Major events

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: United States presidential election, 1804: Incumbent Thomas Jefferson (DR) beat challenger Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (F)
March 1, 1805: Samuel Chase acquitted of impeachment charges by the U.S. Senate

Major legislation

Constitutional amendments

December 9, 1803: Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by Congress.
June 15, 1804: Twelfth Amendment was ratified by the states.

Treaties

October 20, 1803: Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

States admitted and territories organized

March 26, 1804: District of Louisiana.
January 11, 1805: Michigan Territory was organized.

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.

Senate

House of Representatives

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

Leadership

President of the Senate
Aaron Burr

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.

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.

Connecticut

1. James Hillhouse (F)
3. Uriah Tracy (F)

Delaware

2. William H. Wells (F), until November 6, 1804
- James A. Bayard (F), from November 13, 1804
1. Samuel White (F)

New Jersey

2. Jonathan Dayton (F)
1. John Condit (DR), from September 1, 1803

New York

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
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

North Carolina

2. Jesse Franklin (DR)
3. David Stone (DR)

Ohio

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

Pennsylvania

3. George Logan (DR)
1. Samuel Maclay (DR)

Rhode Island

2. Christopher Ellery (DR)
1. Samuel J. Potter (DR), until October 14, 1804
- Benjamin Howland (DR), from October 29, 1804

South Carolina

2. Thomas Sumter (DR)
3. Pierce Butler (DR), resigned November 21, 1804
- John Gaillard (DR), from December 6, 1804

Tennessee

1. Joseph Anderson (DR)
2. William Cocke (DR)

Vermont

3. Stephen R. Bradley (DR)
1. Israel Smith (DR)

Virginia

1. Stevens T. Mason (DR), until May 10, 1803
- John Taylor (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.

Connecticut

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Delaware

At-large. Caesar A. Rodney (DR)

Georgia

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

At-large. Joseph Bryan (DR)
At-large. Peter Early (DR)
At-large. Samuel Hammond (DR), until February 2, 1805, Vacant thereafter
At-large. David Meriwether (DR)

Kentucky

Maryland

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

1. John Campbell (F)
2. Walter Bowie (DR)
3. Thomas Plater (F)
4. Daniel Hiester (DR), until March 7, 1804
- Roger Nelson (DR), from November 6, 1804
5. William McCreery (DR)
5. Nicholas R. Moore (DR)
6. John Archer (DR)
7. Joseph H. Nicholson (DR)
8. John Dennis (F)

Massachusetts

1. William Eustis (DR)
2. Jacob Crowninshield (DR)
3. Manasseh Cutler (F)
4. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
5. Thomas Dwight (F)
6. Samuel Taggart (F)
7. Nahum Mitchell (F)
8. Lemuel Williams (F)
9. Phanuel Bishop (DR)
10. Seth Hastings (F)
11. William Stedman (F)
12. Thomson J. Skinner (DR), until August 10, 1804
- Simon Larned (DR), from November 5, 1804
13. Ebenezer Seaver (DR)
14. Richard Cutts (DR)
15. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
16. Samuel Thatcher (F)
17. Phineas Bruce (F)

New Hampshire

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New Jersey

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New York

1. John Smith (DR), until February 23, 1804
- Samuel Riker (DR), from November 5, 1804
2. Joshua Sands (F)
3. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR), until November 22, 1804
- George Clinton, Jr. (DR), from February 14, 1805
4. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)
5. Andrew McCord (DR)
6. Isaac Bloom (DR), until April 26, 1803
- Daniel C. Verplanck (DR), from October 17, 1803
7. Josiah Hasbrouck (DR), from October 17, 1803
8. Henry W. Livingston (F)
9. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (F)
George Tibbits (F)
11. Beriah Palmer (DR)
12. David Thomas (DR)
13. Thomas Sammons (DR)
14. Erastus Root (DR)
15. Gaylord Griswold (F)
16. John Paterson (DR)
17. Oliver Phelps (DR)

North Carolina

1. Thomas Wynns (DR)
2. Willis Alston (DR)
3. William Kennedy (DR)
4. William Blackledge (DR)
5. James Gillespie (DR), until January 11, 1805; vacant thereafter
6. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
7. Samuel D. Purviance (F)
8. Richard Stanford (DR)
9. Marmaduke Williams (DR)
10. Nathaniel Alexander (DR)
11. James Holland (DR)
12. Joseph Winston (DR)

Ohio

At-large. Jeremiah Morrow (DR), from October 17, 1803

Pennsylvania

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

1. Joseph Clay (DR)
1. Michael Leib (DR)
1. Jacob Richards (DR)
2. Robert Brown (DR)
2. Frederick Conrad (DR)
2. Isaac Van Horne (DR)
3. Isaac Anderson (DR)
3. Joseph Hiester (DR)
3. John Whitehill (DR)
4. David Bard (DR)
4. John A. Hanna (DR)
5. Andrew Gregg (DR)
6. John Stewart (DR)
7. John Rea (DR)
8. William Findley (DR)
9. John Smilie (DR)
10. William Hoge (DR), until October 15, 1804
- John Hoge (DR), from November 2, 1804
11. John B. C. Lucas (DR)

Rhode Island

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

At-large. Nehemiah Knight (DR)
At-large. Joseph Stanton, Jr. (DR)

South Carolina

Tennessee

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Vermont

Virginia

1. John G. Jackson (DR)
2. James Stephenson (F)
3. John Smith (DR)
4. David Holmes (DR)
5. Thomas Lewis, Jr. (F), until March 5, 1804
- Andrew Moore (DR), March 5, 1804 – August 11, 1804
- Alexander Wilson (DR), from December 4, 1804
6. Abram Trigg (DR)
7. Joseph Lewis, Jr. (F)
8. Walter Jones (DR)
9. Philip R. Thompson (DR)
10. John Dawson (DR)
11. Anthony New (DR)
12. Thomas Griffin (F)
13. John J. Trigg (DR), until May 17, 1804
- Christopher H. Clark (DR), from November 5, 1804
14. Matthew Clay (DR)
15. John Randolph (DR)
16. John W. Eppes (DR)
17. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
18. Peterson Goodwyn (DR)
19. Edwin Gray (DR)
20. Thomas Newton, Jr. (DR)
21. Thomas M. Randolph (DR)
22. John Clopton (DR)

Non-voting members

Mississippi Territory. William Lattimore

Changes in membership

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

Senate

|- | Ohio
(1) | Vacant | style="font-size:80%" | Failure to elect | style="background:#AACC99" | John Smith (DR) | Seated April 1, 1803 |- | Ohio
(3) | Vacant | style="font-size:80%" | Failure to elect | style="background:#AACC99" | Thomas Worthington (DR) | Seated April 1, 1803 |- | New Jersey
(1) | Vacant | style="font-size:80%" | Failure to elect | style="background:#AACC99" | John Condit (DR) | Seated September 1, 1803 |- | Virginia
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | Stevens T. Mason (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Died May 10, 1803 | style="background:#AACC99" | John Taylor (DR) | Appointed June 4, 1803 |- | New York
(3) | style="background:#AACC99" | DeWitt Clinton (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned November 4, 1803 to become Mayor of New York City | style="background:#AACC99" | John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | Appointed December 7, 1803 |- | Virginia
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | John Taylor (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Successor elected December 7, 1803 | style="background:#AACC99" | Abraham B. Venable (DR) | Elected December 7, 1803 |- | New York
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | Theodorus Bailey (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned January 16, 1804 to become Postmaster of New York City | style="background:#AACC99" | John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | Seated February 25, 1804 |- | New York
(3) | style="background:#AACC99" | John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Successor elected February 23, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | John Smith (DR) | Elected February 23, 1804 |- | Virginia
(2) | style="background:#AACC99" | Wilson C. Nicholas (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned May 22, 1804 to become Collector of Port of Norfolk | style="background:#AACC99" | Andrew Moore (DR) | Appointed August 11, 1804 |- | Virginia
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | Abraham B. Venable (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned June 7, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | William B. Giles (DR) | Appointed August 11, 1804 |- | New York
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | John Armstrong, Jr. (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned June 30, 1804 after being appointed Minister to France | style="background:#AACC99" | Samuel Latham Mitchill (DR) | Seated November 23, 1804 |- | Rhode Island
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | Samuel J. Potter (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 14, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | Benjamin Howland (DR) | Seated October 29, 1804 |- | Delaware
(2) | style="background-color:#E6E6AA" | William H. Wells (F) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned November 6, 1804 | style="background-color:#E6E6AA" | James A. Bayard (F) | Seated November 13, 1804 |- | South Carolina
(3) | style="background:#AACC99" | Pierce Butler (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned November 21, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | John Gaillard (DR) | Seated December 6, 1804 |- | Virginia
(1) | style="background:#AACC99" | William B. Giles (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Successor elected December 4, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | Andrew Moore (DR) | Elected December 4, 1804 |- | Virginia
(2) | style="background:#AACC99" | Andrew Moore (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Successor elected December 4, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | William B. Giles (DR) | Elected December 4, 1804 |}

House of Representatives

|- | New York
7th | Vacant | style="font-size:80%" | John Cantine (DR) was elected, but resigned before the Congress began. | style="background:#AACC99" | Josiah Hasbrouck (DR) | October 17, 1803 |- | New York
6th | style="background:#AACC99" | Isaac Bloom (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 26, 1803 | style="background:#AACC99" | Daniel C. Verplanck (DR) | October 17, 1803 |- | New York
1st | style="background:#AACC99" | John Smith (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 23, 1804 after being elected to US Senate | style="background:#AACC99" | Samuel Riker (DR) | November 5, 1804 |- | Virginia
5th | style="background-color:#E6E6AA" | Thomas Lewis, Jr. (F) | style="font-size:80%" | Lost contested election March 5, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | Andrew Moore (DR) | March 5, 1804 |- | Maryland
4th | style="background:#AACC99" | Daniel Hiester (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Died March 7, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | Roger Nelson (DR) | November 6, 1804 |- | Virginia
13th | style="background:#AACC99" | John J. Trigg (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Died May 17, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | Christopher H. Clark (DR) | November 5, 1804 |- | Massachusetts
12th | style="background:#AACC99" | Thomson J. Skinner (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned August 10, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | Simon Larned (DR) | November 5, 1804 |- | Virginia
5th | style="background:#AACC99" | Andrew Moore (DR) | style="font-size:80%" |Resigned August 11, 1804 after being appointed to US Senate | style="background:#AACC99" | Alexander Wilson (DR) | December 4, 1804 |- | Pennsylvania
10th | style="background:#AACC99" | William Hoge (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned October 15, 1804 | style="background:#AACC99" | John Hoge (DR) | November 2, 1804 |- | New York
3rd | style="background:#AACC99" | North Carolina
5th | style="background:#AACC99" | Georgia
At-large | style="background:#AACC99" | Samuel Hammond (DR) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 2, 1805 after becoming Civil and Military Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory | Vacant | Not filled for remainder of term |}

Officers

Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin H. Latrobe, appointed March 6, 1803

Senate

Secretary: Samuel A. Otis of Massachusetts, elected April 8, 1789
Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers of New York, elected April 7, 1789
Chaplain:
- Edward Gantt, Episcopalian
- Alexander T. McCormick, Episcopalian, elected November 7, 1804

House of Representatives

Clerk: John Beckley of Virginia, elected October 17, 1803
Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton of Rhode Island, elected October 17, 1803
Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton, elected October 17, 1803
Chaplain:
- William Parkinson, Baptist
- The Rev. James Laurie, Presbyterian, elected November 5, 1804

References

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

8th United States Congress