44th United States Congress

The Forty-fourth 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 1875 to March 3 1877, during the last two years of the second administration of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Ninth Census of the United States in 1870. The Senate had a Republican majority, and the House had a Democratic majority.

Dates of sessions

March 4 1875 - March 3 1877
*Special Session of the Senate: March 5 1875 – March 24 1875
*First session: December 6 1875 - August 15 1876
*Second session: December 4 1876 - March 3 1877 — a lame duck sessionPrevious: 43rd Congress • Next: 45th Congress

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.

enate

*Republican "(R)": 46 "(majority)"
*Democratic "(D)": 28
*Independent Republican "(IR)": 1
*vacant: 1TOTAL members: 76

House of Representatives

*Democratic "(D)": 182 "(majority)"
*Republican "(R)": 103
*Independent Democratic "(ID)": 1
*Independent Republican "(IR)": 3
*Independent "(I)": 4TOTAL members: 293

Leadership

:Senate
*Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
** Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts, died November 22 1875, vacant thereafter.
*President pro tempore of the Senate:
** Thomas W. Ferry, "Republican" of Michigan, first elected March 10 1875.:House of Representatives
*Speaker of the House
** Michael C. Kerr, "Democratic" of Indiana, elected December 6, 1875, died August 19 1876.
** Samuel J. Randall, "Democratic" of Pennsylvania, elected December 4 1876.

Major events

* 1876-06-25: Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn
* 1876-07-04: United States Centennial
*The Grange shifts from an apolitical farmer's organization to lobbying in 1876. Goals include a repeal of the railroad property tax exemption, lower interest rates, better schools, and cheaper bread, coal and clothing.
* 1876-11-07: United States general elections, 1876, including
** The disputed Presidential election of 1876. is settled with the Compromise of 1877 which ended Reconstruction.

Major legislation

tates admitted

*August 1 1876 — Colorado was admitted as a state into the Union.

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: 44th United States Congress - political parties":"See also: 44th United States Congress - State Delegations":"See also: United States House elections, 1874"

enate

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 this Congress, requiring reelection in 1880; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1876; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1878.:"See also: :"See also:

Officers

References

*cite book|title = The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress|last = Martis|first = Kenneth C.|authorlink =|coauthors =|year = 1989|publisher = Macmillan Publishing Company|location = New York|id =
*cite book|title = The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts|last = Martis|first = Kenneth C.|authorlink =|coauthors =|year = 1982|publisher = Macmillan Publishing Company|location = New York|id =

External links

* [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/hd108-222/index.html Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress]
* [http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/index.html U.S. House of Representatives: House History]
* [http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/stats_and_lists.htm U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists]