12th United States Congress

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12th United States Congress
11th ←
→ 13th
USCapitol1800.jpg
United States Capitol (1800)

March 4, 1811 – March 4, 1813
Members36 senators
143 representatives
5 non-voting delegates
Senate MajorityDemocratic-Republican
Senate PresidentGeorge Clinton (DR)
(until April 20, 1812)
Vacant
(from April 20, 1812)
House MajorityDemocratic-Republican
House SpeakerHenry Clay (DR)
Sessions
1st: November 4, 1811 – July 6, 1812
2nd: November 2, 1812 – March 3, 1813

The 12th 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, 1811, to March 4, 1813, during the third and fourth years of James Madison's presidency. 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.

Major events[]

  • November 6, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh's forces
  • December 16, 1811: New Madrid earthquake
  • April 4, 1812: President Madison enacted a 90-day embargo on trade with the United Kingdom
  • April 20, 1812: Vice President George Clinton died
  • June 18, 1812: War of 1812: United States declared war on Great Britain
  • August 16, 1812: War of 1812: Detroit surrendered to the British.
  • October 13, 1812: War of 1812: the Battle of Queenston Heights
  • November 5, 1812: Elections of 1812:
    • 1812 United States presidential election: Incumbent James Madison beat DeWitt Clinton.
    • United States Senate elections, 1812 and 1813
    • United States House of Representatives elections, 1812 and 1813

Major legislation[]

States admitted and territories organized[]

  • April 30, 1812: Louisiana was admitted as a state into the Union. It was formerly known as the Territory of Orleans
  • June 4, 1812: Missouri Territory was organized. It was formerly known as Louisiana Territory
Senate President
George Clinton
Senate President pro tempore
William H. Crawford
House Speaker
Henry Clay

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 new Senate seats were added for the new state of Louisiana.

Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic-
Republican

(DR)
Federalist
(F)
End of previous congress 26 8 34 0
Begin 26 7 33 1
End 29 360
Final voting share 80.6% 19.4%
Beginning of next congress 27 6 33 3

House of Representatives[]

During this congress, one new House seat was added for the new state of Louisiana.

Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic-
Republican

(DR)
Federalist
(F)
End of previous congress 95 46 141 1
Begin 106 36 142 0
End1
Final voting share 74.6% 25.4%
Beginning of next congress 108 68 176 6

Leadership[]

Senate[]

  • President: George Clinton (DR), until April 20, 1812; vacant thereafter.
  • President pro tempore: William H. Crawford (DR)

House of Representatives[]

  • Speaker: Henry Clay (DR)

Members[]

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, 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 in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1814; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1816; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1812

House of Representatives[]

The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Changes in membership[]

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

Senate[]

  • Replacements: 1
    • Democratic-Republicans: no net change
    • Federalists: no net change
  • Deaths: 0
  • Resignations: 4
  • Interim appointments: 1
  • Seats of newly admitted states: 2
  • Vacancies:1
  • Total seats with changes: 6
State
(class)
Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[a]
Massachusetts
(2)
Vacant Legislature elected late.
Successor elected June 29, 1811.
Joseph B. Varnum (DR) June 29, 1811
Rhode Island
(1)
Christopher G. Champlin (F) Resigned October 2, 1811
Successor elected October 28, 1811.
William Hunter (F) October 28, 1811
Tennessee
(2)
Jenkin Whiteside (DR) Resigned October 8, 1811.
Successor elected October 8, 1811.
George W. Campbell (DR) October 8, 1811
Louisiana
(3)
New seat Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.
Inaugural Senator elected September 3, 1812, for the term ending March 4, 1813.
Allan B. Magruder (DR) September 3, 1812
Louisiana
(2)
New seat Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.
Inaugural Senator elected September 3, 1812, for the term ending March 4, 1817.
Jean Noel Destréhan (DR) September 3, 1812
Jean N. Destréhan (DR) Resigned October 1, 1812, without having qualified.
Successor appointed October 8, 1812, to continue the term ending March 4, 1817.
Thomas Posey (DR) October 8, 1812
Thomas Posey (DR) Appointee lost election to finish the term.
Successor elected February 4, 1813.
James Brown (DR) February 5, 1813

House of Representatives[]

  • Replacements: 3
    • Democratic-Republicans: no net change
    • Federalists: no net change
  • Deaths: 2
  • Resignations: 5
  • Contested election: 1
  • Seats of newly admitted states: 1
  • Vacancies: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 10
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[a]
Maryland
6th
John Montgomery (DR) Resigned April 29, 1811, to become attorney General of Maryland Stevenson Archer (DR) Seated October 26, 1811
Massachusetts
4th
Joseph B. Varnum (DR) Resigned June 29, 1811, to become U.S. Senator William M. Richardson (DR) Seated November 4, 1811
Virginia
8th
John Hungerford (DR) Lost contested election November 29, 1811 John Taliaferro (DR) Seated November 29, 1811
Massachusetts
17th
Barzillai Gannett (DR) Resigned sometime in 1812 before April 6 ([data unknown/missing]) Francis Carr (DR) Seated April 6, 1812
North Carolina
3rd
Thomas Blount (DR) Died February 7, 1812 William Kennedy (DR) Seated January 30, 1813
Orleans Territory Julien de Lallande Poydras had resigned in the previous Congress, and the seat remained vacant until the territory became the state of Louisiana on April 30, 1812 Thomas B. Robertson (DR) Seated April 30, 1812
Louisiana
at-large
New York
6th
Robert Le Roy Livingston (F) Resigned May 6, 1812 Thomas P. Grosvenor (F) Seated January 29, 1813
Georgia
at-large
Howell Cobb (DR) Resigned sometime before October 1812 ([data unknown/missing]) William Barnett (DR) Seated October 5, 1812
Missouri Territory Territory delegate seat established Edward Hempstead Seated November 9, 1812
Illinois Territory Territory delegate seat established Shadrach Bond Seated December 3, 1812
Pennsylvania
9th
John Smilie (DR) Died December 30, 1812 Vacant Not filled until next Congress

Committees[]

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate[]

House of Representatives[]

  • Accounts (Chairman: Charles Turner Jr.)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • Claims (Chairman: Burwell Bassett then Thomas Gholson Jr.)
  • Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas Newton Jr.)
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: Joseph Lewis Jr.)
  • Elections (Chairman: William Findley)
  • Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: John Rhea)
  • Public Lands (Chairman: Jeremiah Morrow)
  • Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Adam Seybert then Burwell Bassett)
  • Rules (Select)
  • Standards of Official Conduct
  • Ways and Means (Chairman: Ezekiel Bacon then Langdon Cheves)
  • Whole

Joint committees[]

  • Enrolled Bills (Chairman:[data unknown/missing])
  • The Library (Chairman: N/A)

Employees[]

Legislative branch agency directors[]

  • Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin Latrobe, until July 1, 1811; vacant thereafter
  • Librarian of Congress: Patrick Magruder

Senate[]

  • Chaplain: Walter D. Addison (Presbyterian), until November 13, 1811
    • John Brackenridge (Presbyterian), from November 13, 1811
  • Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
  • Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers, died
    • , elected November 6, 1811

House of Representatives[]

  • Chaplain: Jesse Lee (Methodist), until November 13, 1811
    • (Methodist), elected November 13, 1811
    • Jesse Lee (Methodist), elected November 2, 1812
  • Clerk: Patrick Magruder
  • Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
  • Reading Clerks:[data unknown/missing]
  • Sergeant at Arms:

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References[]

  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

External links[]

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