16th United States Congress

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16th United States Congress
15th ←
→ 17th
USCapitol1827A.gif
United States Capitol (1827)
March 4, 1819 – March 4, 1821
Members46 senators
186 representatives
3 non-voting delegates
Senate MajorityDemocratic-Republican
Senate PresidentDaniel D. Tompkins (DR)
House MajorityDemocratic-Republican
House SpeakerHenry Clay (DR)
John W. Taylor (DR)
Sessions
1st: December 6, 1819 – May 15, 1820
2nd: November 13, 1820 – March 3, 1821

The 16th 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, 1819, to March 4, 1821, during the third and fourth years of James Monroe's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Third Census of the United States in 1810. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

President pro tempore of the Senate James Barbour
Speaker of the House Henry Clay

Major events[]

Main articles: 1819 in the United States, 1820 in the United States, and 1821 in the United States
  • A "speech for Buncombe County, North Carolina" given by North Carolina representative Felix Walker in 1820 was credited with introducing into the language the term "bunkum".[1]
  • March 6, 1819: McCulloch v. Maryland: Supreme Court ruled that the Bank of the United States is constitutional.
  • July 3, 1820: United States House of Representatives elections, 1820 began in Louisiana
  • August 7, 1820: 1820 United States Census conducted, eventually determining a population of 9,638,453, of which 1,538,022 were slaves.
  • December 3, 1820: U.S. presidential election, 1820: James Monroe was re-elected, virtually unopposed.

Major legislation[]

Main article: List of United States federal legislation § 16th United States Congress
  • March 6, 1820: Missouri Compromise, Sess. 1, ch. 22, 3 Stat. 545
  • April 24, 1820: Land Act of 1820, Sess. 1, ch. 51, 3 Stat. 566

Proposed but not enacted[]

  • Tallmadge Amendment would allow Missouri into the Union as a slave state, but would also implement gradual emancipation in Missouri. The amendment passed the House of Representatives, but not the Senate. The Tallmadge Amendment led to the passage of the Missouri Compromise.

Treaties[]

  • February 22, 1819: Adams-Onís Treaty (Transcontinental Treaty of 1819): Spain ceded Florida to the United States.

States admitted[]

  • December 14, 1819: Alabama was admitted as the 22nd state, 3 Stat. 492.
  • March 15, 1820: Maine was admitted as the 23rd state. It was formerly the District of Maine, part of Massachusetts, 3 Stat. 544.

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 Senate seats were added for each of the new states of Alabama and Maine.

Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
Democratic-
Republican
(DR) 		Federalist
(F)
End of previous congress 28 12 40 2
Begin 29 9 38 4
End 38 8 460
Final voting share 82.6% 17.4%
Beginning of next congress 40 4 44 2

House of Representatives[]

During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Alabama and one seat was reapportioned from Massachusetts to the new state of Maine. For the beginning of the next congress, six more seats from Massachusetts would be reapportioned to Maine.

Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
Democratic-
Republican
(DR) 		Federalist
(F)
End of previous congress 146 39 185 0
Begin 155 28 183 2
End 27 1825
Final voting share 85.2% 14.8%
Beginning of next congress 150 31 181 5

Leadership[]

President of the Senate Daniel D. Tompkins

Senate[]

  • President: Daniel D. Tompkins (DR)
  • President pro tempore: James Barbour, (DR), until December 26, 1819
    • John Gaillard, (DR), elected January 25, 1820

House of Representatives[]

  • Speaker: Henry Clay (DR), until October 28, 1820
    • John Taylor, (DR), elected November 15, 1820

Members[]

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class and representatives are listed by district.

Skip to House of Representatives, below

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 ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1820; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1822; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1824.

House of Representatives[]

Changes in membership[]

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

Senate[]

There were 5 resignations, 2 deaths, 2 vacancies before the Congress, and 4 new seats. The Democratic-Republicans had a 7-seat net gain and the Federalists had a 1-seat net loss.

See also: List of special elections to the United States Senate
State
(class) 		Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[b]
Georgia
(2) 		Vacant John Forsyth had resigned before the beginning of the Congress. Freeman Walker (DR) Elected November 6, 1819
Kentucky
(2) 		Vacant John J. Crittenden had resigned before the beginning of the Congress. Richard Mentor Johnson (DR) Elected December 10, 1819
Maryland
(3) 		Vacant Legislature did not elect until after the term began. Edward Lloyd (DR) Elected December 14, 1819, and qualified December 21, 1819
New York
(3) 		Vacant Legislature failed to elect, held late election. Rufus King (F) Elected January 8, 1820, and qualified January 25, 1820
Maryland
(1) 		Alexander C. Hanson (F) Died April 23, 1819 William Pinkney (DR) Elected December 21, 1819
Virginia
(2) 		John W. Eppes (DR) Resigned December 4, 1819 James Pleasants (DR) Elected December 10, 1819
Alabama
(2) 		New seats Alabama was admitted to the Union December 14, 1819. John W. Walker (DR) Elected December 14, 1819
Alabama
(3) 		William R. King (DR) Elected December 14, 1819
Maine
(2) 		New seats Maine was admitted to the Union March 15, 1820. John Holmes (DR) Elected June 13, 1820
Maine
(1) 		John Chandler (DR) Elected June 14, 1820
Massachusetts
(1) 		Prentiss Mellen (F) Resigned May 15, 1820 Elijah H. Mills (F) Elected June 12, 1820
Mississippi
(1) 		Walter Leake (DR) Resigned May 15, 1820, after becoming US Marshal for Mississippi David Holmes (DR) Appointed August 30, 1820
Kentucky
(3) 		William Logan (DR) Resigned May 28, 1820, to run for Governor of Kentucky Isham Talbot (DR) Elected October 19, 1820
Rhode Island
(2) 		James Burrill Jr. (F) Died December 25, 1820 Nehemiah R. Knight (DR) Elected January 9, 1821
New Jersey
(1) 		James J. Wilson (DR) Resigned January 8, 1821 Samuel L. Southard (DR) Appointed January 26, 1821

House of Representatives[]

Main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives

There were 13 resignations, 5 deaths, 2 contested elections, and 2 new seats. The Democratic-Republicans had a 1-seat net gain and the Federalists had no net change.

Main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[b]
North Carolina
2nd 		Vacant Hutchins G. Burton (DR) Seated December 6, 1819
Alabama Territory Vacant Seat remained vacant until statehood John Crowell (DR) Seated December 14, 1819
Alabama
at-large
Arkansas Territory Vacant Arkansas Territory organized July 4, 1819 James W. Bates Seated December 21, 1819
New York
1st 		Vacant Contested election. Representative-elect Ebenezer Sage never qualified. James Guyon Jr. (DR) Seated January 14, 1820
New Jersey
at-large 		John Condit (DR) Resigned November 4, 1819 Charles Kinsey (DR) Seated February 16, 1820
Virginia 17th James Pleasants (DR) Resigned December 14, 1819 William S. Archer (DR) Seated January 18, 1820
Vermont 1st Orsamus C. Merrill (DR) Contested election, served until January 12, 1820 Rollin C. Mallary (DR) Seated January 13, 1820
Virginia 20th James Johnson (DR) Resigned February 1, 1820 John C. Gray (DR) Seated November 13, 1820
Virginia 10th George F. Strother (DR) Resigned February 10, 1820 Thomas L. Moore (DR) Seated November 13, 1820
Kentucky
6th 		David Walker (DR) Died March 1, 1820 Francis Johnson (DR) Seated November 13, 1820
Massachusetts
14th 		John Holmes (DR) Resigned March 15, 1820, to become U.S. Senator from Maine. District moved to Maine District inactive until 1903
Maine
at-large 		New seat Massachusetts's 14th district became Maine's at-large district Joseph Dane (F) Seated November 6, 1820
Massachusetts
1st 		Jonathan Mason (F) Resigned May 15, 1820 Benjamin Gorham (DR) Seated November 27, 1820
Pennsylvania
5th 		David Fullerton (DR) Resigned May 15, 1820 Thomas G. McCullough (F) Seated November 13, 1820
Massachusetts
13th 		Edward Dowse (DR) Resigned May 26, 1820 William Eustis (DR)
Kentucky
9th 		Tunstall Quarles (DR) Resigned June 15, 1820 Thomas Montgomery (DR)
Virginia 1st James Pindall (F) Resigned July 26, 1820 Edward B. Jackson (DR)
Massachusetts
8th 		Zabdiel Sampson (DR) Resigned July 26, 1820 Aaron Hobart (DR) Seated December 18, 1820
Michigan Territory William Woodbridge Resigned August 9, 1820 Solomon Sibley Seated November 20, 1820
Pennsylvania
7th 		Joseph Hiester (DR) Resigned sometime in December 1820 Daniel Udree (DR) Seated January 8, 1821
Rhode Island
at-large 		Nathaniel Hazard (DR) Died December 17, 1820 Vacant Not filled in this Congress
North Carolina
4th 		Jesse Slocumb (F) Died December 20, 1820 William S. Blackledge (DR) Seated February 7, 1821
New Jersey
at-large 		John Linn (DR) Died January 5, 1821 Vacant Not filled in this Congress
Delaware
at-large 		Willard Hall (DR) Resigned January 22, 1821 Vacant Not filled in this Congress
Virginia 14th William A. Burwell (DR) Died February 16, 1821 Vacant Not filled in this Congress

Committees[]

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate[]

  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Jonathan Roberts)
  • Claims (Chairman: Jonathan Roberts then James J. Wilson)
  • Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Nathan Sanford then Mahlon Dickerson)
  • (Select)
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: Outerbridge Horsey)
  • Engrossed Bills (Chairman: Prentiss Mellen)
  • Finance (Chairman: Nathan Sanford)
  • Foreign Relations (Chairman: James Brown then James Barbour)
  • Indian Affairs (Chairman: David Holmes)
  • Judiciary (Chairman: )
  • (Select)
  • Military Affairs (Chairman: John Williams)
  • Militia (Chairman: James Noble)
  • (Select)
  • Naval Affairs (Chairman: James Pleasants)
  • Pensions (Chairman: Nicholas Van Dyke then James Noble)
  • Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Montfort Stokes)
  • (Select)
  • Public Lands (Chairman: Thomas Hill Williams then Jesse B. Thomas)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • (Select) (Chairman: Rufus King)
  • Whole

House of Representatives[]

  • Accounts (Chairman: James S. Smith)
  • Agriculture (Chairman: Thomas Forrest)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • Claims (Chairman: Lewis Williams)
  • Commerce (Chairman: Thomas Newton Jr.)
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: Joseph Kent)
  • Elections (Chairman: John W. Taylor then David Trimble)
  • Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: Stevenson Archer)
  • Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: Arthur Livermore)
  • Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: John Holmes)
  • Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: David Trimble)
  • Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: Henry Brush)
  • Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: Henry Meigs)
  • Judiciary (Chairman: John Sergeant)
  • Manufactures (Chairman: Henry Baldwin)
  • (Chairman: John Rhea)
  • Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Arthur Livermore)
  • Private Land Claims (Chairman: John W. Campbell)
  • Public Expenditures (Chairman: Eldred Simkins)
  • Public Lands (Chairman: Richard C. Anderson)
  • Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Marcus Morton)
  • Rules (Select)
  • Standards of Official Conduct
  • Ways and Means (Chairman: Samuel Smith)
  • Whole

Joint committees[]

  • Enrolled Bills
  • The Library

Officers[]

Legislative branch agency directors[]

  • Architect of the Capitol: Charles Bulfinch
  • Librarian of Congress: George Watterston

Senate[]

House of Representatives[]

  • Chaplain: Burgiss Allison (Baptist), until November 16, 1820
    • John N. Campbell (Presbyterian), elected November 16, 1820
  • Clerk:
  • Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
  • Reading Clerks:[data unknown/missing]
  • Sergeant at Arms:

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Joseph Dane (Maine) was elected November 7, 1820.
  2. ^ a b When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References[]

  1. ^ "debunk". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth edition. Houghton Mifflin. 2000. Archived from the original on 2008-04-06. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  • 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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