31st United States Congress

The Thirty-first 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 1849 to March 3 1851, during the administration of U.S. President Zachary Taylor and the first months of the administration of his successor, U.S. President Millard Fillmore.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixth Census of the United States in 1840. The Senate had a Democratic majority, while there was a Democratic plurality in the House.

Dates of sessions

March 4 1849 - March 3 1851
*Special session of the Senate: March 5 1849 - March 23 1849
*First session: December 3 1849 - September 30 1850
*Second session: December 2 1850 - March 3 1851 — a lame duck sessionPrevious: 30th Congress • Next: 32nd Congress

Party summary

California was newly admitted to the Union and first represented as a state in this Congress.

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

*Democratic (D): 35 "(majority)"
*Whig (W): 25
*Free Soil (FS): 2TOTAL members: 62

House of Representatives

*Democratic (D): 113
*Whig (W): 108
*Free Soil (FS): 9
*American (A): 1
*Independent: 1
*vacant: 1TOTAL members: 233

Leadership

enate

* President: Millard Fillmore (W), until July 9 1850; vacant thereafter.
* President "pro tempore":
** David Atchison (D), until 1850-05-05
** William R. King (D), May 6 1850 – End

House of Representatives

*Speaker: Howell Cobb (D)

Major events

:"Main article: Events of 1849; Events of 1850; Events of 1851"
*March 4 1849 Zachary Taylor became President of the United States
*July 10 1850 Millard Fillmore became President of the United States

Major legislation

*September 9 1850 — Compromise of 1850, chs. 48-51, USStat|9|446-USStat|9|550
*September 18 1850 — Fugitive Slave Act, ch. 60, USStat|9|462
*September 29 1850 — Donation Land Claim Act, ch. 76, USStat|9|496

tates admitted and territories organized

*September 9 1850 — As part of the Compromise of 1850:
** Texas's borders were changed, ch. 48, USStat|9|448
** New Mexico Territory was organized, ch. 49, USStat|9|446
** California was admitted as a state into the Union, ch. 50, USStat|9|452
** Utah Territory was organized, ch. 51, USStat|9|553

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: 31st United States Congress - political parties":"See also: 31st United States Congress - State Delegations":"See also: United States House elections, 1848"

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 ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1854.:"See also: :"See also:

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise "at-large," are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

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.:"See also: :"See also:

Changes in membership

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

enate

*replacements: 5
** Democrats "(D) ": no net change
** Whigs " (W) ": no net change
*deaths: 1
*resignations: 3
*seats from newly admitted states: 2
*interim appointments: 4
*Total seats with changes: 8

House of Representatives

*replacements: 11
** Democrats " (D) ": 2 seat net gain
** Whigs " (W) ": 2 seat net loss
*deaths: 8
*resignations: 5
*contested election:1
*seats from newly admitted states: 2
*Total seats with changes: 16

Officers

enate

*Secretary: Asbury Dickens of North Carolina
*Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale of Virginia
*Chaplain:
** Henry Slicer, "Methodist"
** Clement M. Butler, ""Episcopalian"", elected January 9 1850

House of Representatives

*Clerk:
** Thomas J. Campbell of Tennessee, elected January 11 1850, died April 13 1850
** Richard M. Young of Illinois, elected April 17 1850
*Sergeant at Arms: Adam J. Glossbrenner of Pennsylvania, elected January 11 1850
*Doorkeeper: Robert E. Horner of New Jersey, removed May 27 1850
*Postmaster: John M. Johnson of Virginia, elected January 11 1850,
*Chaplain: Ralph Gurley, "Presbyterian"

Notes

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://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsllink.html Statutes at Large, 1789-1875]
* [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsjlink.html Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress]
* [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwhjlink.html#anchor2 House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress]
* [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]