20th United States Congress

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20th United States Congress
19th ←
→ 21st
USCapitol1827A.gif
United States Capitol (1827)
March 4, 1827 – March 4, 1829
Members48 senators
213 representatives
3 non-voting delegates
Senate MajorityJacksonian
Senate PresidentJohn C. Calhoun (J)
House MajorityJacksonian
House SpeakerAndrew Stevenson (J)
Sessions
1st: December 3, 1827 – May 26, 1828
2nd: December 1, 1828 – March 3, 1829

The 20th 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, 1827, to March 4, 1829, during the third and fourth years of John Quincy Adams's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Fourth Census of the United States in 1820. Both chambers had a Jacksonian majority.

Major events[]

Main articles: 1827 in the United States, 1828 in the United States, and 1829 in the United States
  • December 3, 1828: U.S. presidential election, 1828: Challenger Andrew Jackson beat incumbent John Quincy Adams and was elected President of the United States

Major legislation[]

Main article: List of United States federal legislation § 20th United States Congress
  • May 24, 1828: Tariff of Abominations, ch. 111, 4 Stat. 308

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[]

Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
National
Republican
(NR) 		Jacksonian
(J)
End of previous congress 23 25 48 0
Begin 20 27 47 1
End 21 26
Final voting share 44.7% 55.3%
Beginning of next congress 22 26 48 0

House of Representatives[]

Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
National
Republican
(NR) 		Jacksonian
(J)		Other
End of previous congress 111 102 0 213 0
Begin 99 113 0 212 1
End
Final voting share 46.7% 53.3% 0.0%
Beginning of next congress 71 136 4[a] 211 2

Leadership[]

President of the Senate John C. Calhoun
Senate President pro tempore Samuel Smith
Speaker Andrew Stevenson

Senate[]

House of Representatives[]

  • Speaker: Andrew Stevenson (J)

Members[]

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class and members of the House 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 began with this Congress, facing re-election in 1832; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1828; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1830.

House of Representatives[]

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

Alabama[]

▌1. Gabriel Moore (J)
▌2. John McKee (J)
▌3. George W. Owen (J)

Connecticut[]

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

▌At-large. John Baldwin (NR)
▌At-large. Noyes Barber (NR)
▌At-large. Ralph I. Ingersoll (NR)
▌At-large. Orange Merwin (NR)
▌At-large. Elisha Phelps (NR)
▌At-large. David Plant (NR)

Delaware[]

▌At-large. Kensey Johns Jr. (NR), from October 2, 1827

Georgia[]

Two representatives replacing those who had resigned were elected statewide on a general ticket.

▌1. Edward F. Tattnall (J), until sometime in 1827
▌George R. Gilmer (J), from October 1, 1827
▌2. John Forsyth (J), until November 7, 1827
▌Richard Henry Wilde (J), from November 17, 1827
▌3. Wiley Thompson (J)
▌4. Wilson Lumpkin (J)
▌5. Charles E. Haynes (J)
▌6. Tomlinson Fort (J)
▌7. John Floyd (J)

Illinois[]

▌At-large. Joseph Duncan (J)

Indiana[]

▌1. Thomas H. Blake (NR)
▌2. Jonathan Jennings (NR)
▌3. Oliver H. Smith (J)

Kentucky[]

▌1. Henry Daniel (J)
▌2. Thomas Metcalfe (NR), until June 1, 1828
▌John Chambers (NR), from December 1, 1828
▌3. James Clark (NR)
▌4. Robert P. Letcher (NR)
▌5. Robert L. McHatton (J)
▌6. Joseph Lecompte (J)
▌7. Thomas P. Moore (J)
▌8. Richard A. Buckner (NR)
▌9. Charles A. Wickliffe (J)
▌10. Joel Yancey (J)
▌11. William S. Young (NR), until September 20, 1827
▌John Calhoon (NR), November 5, 1827 – November 7, 1827
▌Thomas Chilton (J), from December 22, 1827
▌12. Chittenden Lyon (J)

Louisiana[]

▌1. Edward Livingston (J)
▌2. Henry H. Gurley (NR)
▌3. William L. Brent (NR)

Maine[]

▌1. William Burleigh (NR), until July 2, 1827
▌Rufus McIntire (J), from September 10, 1827
▌2. John Anderson (J)
▌3. Joseph F. Wingate (NR)
▌4. Peleg Sprague (NR)
▌5. James W. Ripley (J)
▌6. Jeremiah O'Brien (NR)
▌7. Samuel Butman (NR)

Maryland[]

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

▌1. Clement Dorsey (NR)
▌2. John C. Weems (J)
▌3. George C. Washington (NR)
▌4. Michael C. Sprigg (J)
▌5. John Barney (NR)
▌5. Peter Little (NR)
▌6. Levin Gale (J)
▌7. John L. Kerr (NR)
▌8. Ephraim K. Wilson (NR)

Massachusetts[]

▌1. Daniel Webster (NR), until May 30, 1827
▌Benjamin Gorham (NR), from July 23, 1827
▌2. Benjamin W. Crowninshield (NR)
▌3. John Varnum (NR)
▌4. Edward Everett (NR)
▌5. John Davis (NR)
▌6. John Locke (NR)
▌7. Samuel C. Allen (NR)
▌8. Isaac C. Bates (NR)
▌9. Henry W. Dwight (NR)
▌10. John Bailey (NR)
▌11. Joseph Richardson (NR)
▌12. James L. Hodges (NR)
▌13. John Reed Jr. (NR)

Mississippi[]

▌At-large. William Haile (J), until September 12, 1828
▌Thomas Hinds (J), from October 21, 1828

Missouri[]

▌At-large. Edward Bates (NR)

New Hampshire[]

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

▌At-large. David Barker Jr. (NR)
▌At-large. Ichabod Bartlett (NR)
▌At-large. Titus Brown (NR)
▌At-large. Jonathan Harvey (J)
▌At-large. Joseph Healy (NR)
▌At-large. Thomas Whipple Jr. (NR)

New Jersey[]

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

▌At-large. Lewis Condict (NR)
▌At-large. George Holcombe (J), until January 14, 1828
▌James F. Randolph (NR), from December 1, 1828
▌At-large. Isaac Pierson (NR)
▌At-large. Samuel Swan (NR)
▌At-large. Hedge Thompson (NR), until July 23, 1828
▌Thomas Sinnickson (NR), from December 1, 1828
▌At-large. Ebenezer Tucker (NR)

New York[]

There were three plural districts: the 20th & 26th had two representatives each, and the 3rd had three representatives.

▌1. Silas Wood (NR)
▌2. John J. Wood (J)
▌3. Churchill C. Cambreleng (J)
▌3. Jeromus Johnson (J)
▌3. Gulian C. Verplanck (J)
▌4. Aaron Ward (NR)
▌5. Thomas J. Oakley (J), until May 9, 1828
▌Thomas Taber II (J), from November 5, 1828
▌6. John Hallock Jr. (J)
▌7. George O. Belden (J)
▌8. James Strong (NR)
▌9. John D. Dickinson (NR)
▌10. Stephen Van Rensselaer (NR)
▌11. Selah R. Hobbie (J)
▌12. John I. De Graff (J)
▌13. Samuel Chase (NR)
▌14. Henry R. Storrs (NR)
▌15. Michael Hoffman (J)
▌16. Henry Markell (NR)
▌17. John W. Taylor (NR)
▌18. Henry C. Martindale (NR)
▌19. Richard Keese (J)
▌20. Rudolph Bunner (J)
▌20. Silas Wright Jr. (J), until February 16, 1829, vacant thereafter
▌21. John C. Clark (J)
▌22. John G. Stower (J)
▌23. Jonas Earll Jr. (J)
▌24. Nathaniel Garrow (J)
▌25. David Woodcock (NR)
▌26. Dudley Marvin (NR)
▌26. John Maynard (NR)
▌27. Daniel D. Barnard (NR)
▌28. John Magee (J)
▌29. David E. Evans (J), until May 2, 1827
▌Phineas L. Tracy (NR), from November 5, 1827
▌30. Daniel G. Garnsey (J)

North Carolina[]

▌1. Lemuel Sawyer (J)
▌2. Willis Alston (J)
▌3. Thomas H. Hall (J)
▌4. John H. Bryan (NR)
▌5. Gabriel Holmes (J)
▌6. Daniel Turner (J)
▌7. John Culpepper (NR)
▌8. Daniel L. Barringer (J)
▌9. Augustine H. Shepperd (J)
▌10. John Long (NR)
▌11. Henry W. Connor (J)
▌12. Samuel P. Carson (J)
▌13. Lewis Williams (NR)

Ohio[]

▌1. James Findlay (J)
▌2. John Woods (NR)
▌3. William McLean (NR)
▌4. Joseph Vance (NR)
▌5. William Russell (J)
▌6. William Creighton Jr. (NR), until sometime in 1828
▌Francis S. Muhlenberg (NR), from December 19, 1828
▌7. Samuel F. Vinton (NR)
▌8. William Wilson (NR), until June 6, 1827
▌William Stanbery (J), from October 9, 1827
▌9. Philemon Beecher (NR)
▌10. John Davenport (NR)
▌11. John C. Wright (NR)
▌12. John Sloane (NR)
▌13. Elisha Whittlesey (NR)
▌14. Mordecai Bartley (NR)

Pennsylvania[]

There were six plural districts: the 7th, 8th, 11th & 16th had two representatives each, and the 4th & 9th had three representatives each.

▌1. Joel B. Sutherland (J)
▌2. John Sergeant (NR)
▌3. Daniel H. Miller (J)
▌4. Samuel Anderson (NR)
▌4. James Buchanan (J)
▌4. Charles Miner (NR)
▌5. John B. Sterigere (J)
▌6. Innis Green (J)
▌7. William Addams (J)
▌7. Joseph Fry Jr. (J)
▌8. Samuel D. Ingham (J)
▌8. George Wolf (J)
▌9. George Kremer (J)
▌9. Samuel McKean (J)
▌9. Espy Van Horne (J)
▌10. Adam King (J)
▌11. William Ramsey (J)
▌11. James Wilson (NR)
▌12. John Mitchell (J)
▌13. Chauncey Forward (J)
▌14. Andrew Stewart (NR)
▌15. Joseph Lawrence (NR)
▌16. Robert Orr Jr. (J)
▌16. James S. Stevenson (J)
▌17. Richard Coulter (J)
▌18. Stephen Barlow (J)

Rhode Island[]

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

▌At-large. Tristam Burges (NR)
▌At-large. Dutee J. Pearce (NR)

South Carolina[]

▌1. William Drayton (J)
▌2. James Hamilton Jr. (J)
▌3. Thomas R. Mitchell (J)
▌4. William D. Martin (J)
▌5. George McDuffie (J)
▌6. Warren R. Davis (J)
▌7. William T. Nuckolls (J)
▌8. John Carter (J)
▌9. Starling Tucker (J)

Tennessee[]

▌1. John Blair (J)
▌2. Pryor Lea (J)
▌3. James C. Mitchell (J)
▌4. Jacob C. Isacks (J)
▌5. Robert Desha (J)
▌6. James K. Polk (J)
▌7. John Bell (J)
▌8. John H. Marable (J)
▌9. Davy Crockett (J)

Vermont[]

▌1. Jonathan Hunt (NR)
▌2. Rollin C. Mallary (NR)
▌3. George E. Wales (NR)
▌4. Benjamin Swift (NR)
▌5. Daniel A. A. Buck (NR)

Virginia[]

▌1. Thomas Newton Jr. (NR)
▌2. James Trezvant (J)
▌3. William S. Archer (J)
▌4. Mark Alexander (J)
▌5. John Randolph (J)
▌6. Thomas Davenport (J)
▌7. Nathaniel H. Claiborne (J)
▌8. Burwell Bassett (J)
▌9. Andrew Stevenson (J)
▌10. William C. Rives (J)
▌11. Philip P. Barbour (J)
▌12. John Roane (J)
▌13. John Taliaferro (NR)
▌14. Charles F. Mercer (NR)
▌15. John S. Barbour (J)
▌16. William Armstrong (NR)
▌17. Robert Allen (J)
▌18. Isaac Leffler (NR)
▌19. William McCoy (J)
▌20. John Floyd (J)
▌21. Lewis Maxwell (NR)
▌22. Alexander Smyth (J)

Non-voting members[]

▌Arkansas Territory. Henry W. Conway, until November 9, 1827
▌Ambrose H. Sevier, from February 13, 1828
▌Florida Territory. Joseph M. White
▌Michigan Territory. Austin E. Wing (NR)

Changes in membership[]

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

Senate[]

  • Replacements: 6
    • National Republican (NR): no net change
    • Jacksonian (J): no net change
  • Deaths: 0
  • Resignations: 7
  • Interim appointments: 0
  • Total seats with changes: 8
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]
Massachusetts
(1) 		Vacant Seat remained vacant because legislature had failed to elect.
Winner was elected June 8, 1827. 		Daniel Webster (NR) Installed December 17, 1827
Ohio
(3) 		William Henry Harrison (NR) Resigned May 20, 1828, to become U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary to Gran Colombia.
A special election was held December 10, 1828. 		Jacob Burnet (NR) Installed December 10, 1828
Maine
(1) 		Albion K. Parris (J) Resigned August 26, 1828, after being appointed to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
A special election was held January 15, 1829. 		John Holmes (NR) Installed January 15, 1829
Georgia
(2) 		Thomas W. Cobb (J) Resigned before November 7, 1828.
A special election was held November 7, 1828. 		Oliver H. Prince (J) Installed November 7, 1828
North Carolina
(3) 		Nathaniel Macon (J) Resigned November 14, 1828.
A special election was held December 15, 1828. 		James Iredell Jr. (J) Installed December 15, 1828
New York
(1) 		Martin Van Buren (J) Resigned December 20, 1828, to become Governor of New York.
A special election was held January 15, 1829. 		Charles E. Dudley (J) Installed January 15, 1829
New Jersey
(1) 		Ephraim Bateman (NR) Resigned January 12, 1829, due to failing health.
A special election was held January 30, 1829. 		Mahlon Dickerson (J) Installed January 30, 1829
New Jersey
(2) 		Mahlon Dickerson (J) Resigned January 30, 1829, after being elected to New Jersey's Class 1 U.S. Senate seat. Vacant Not filled in this Congress

House of Representatives[]

  • Replacements: 9
    • National Republican (NR): 1-seat net loss
    • Jacksonian (J): 1-seat net gain
  • Deaths: 5
  • Resignations: 9
  • Contested election: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 15
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]
Georgia's 1st Edward F. Tattnall (J) Resigned some time in 1827 before the assembling of Congress George R. Gilmer (J) Seated October 1, 1827
Delaware at-large Vacant Louis McLane (J) resigned despite winning reelection in 1826 after being elected to the US Senate. Kensey Johns Jr. (NR) Seated October 2, 1827
New York's 29th David E. Evans (J) Resigned May 2, 1827 Phineas L. Tracy (NR) Seated November 5, 1827
Massachusetts's 1st Daniel Webster (NR) Resigned May 30, 1827, to run for the US Senate Benjamin Gorham (NR) Seated July 23, 1827
Ohio's 8th William Wilson (NR) Died June 6, 1827 William Stanbery (J) Seated October 9, 1827
Maine's 1st William Burleigh (NR) Died July 2, 1827 Rufus McIntire (J) Seated September 10, 1827
Kentucky's 11th William S. Young (NR) Died September 20, 1827 John Calhoon (NR) Seated November 5, 1827
Kentucky's 11th John Calhoon (NR) Resigned November 7, 1827, to avoid an election dispute Thomas Chilton (J) Seated December 22, 1827
Georgia's 2nd John Forsyth (J) Resigned November 7, 1827, after being elected Governor of Georgia Richard H. Wilde (J) Seated November 17, 1827
Arkansas Territory at-large Henry W. Conway Died November 9, 1827 Ambrose H. Sevier Seated February 13, 1828
New Jersey at-large George Holcombe (J) Died January 14, 1828 James F. Randolph (NR) Seated December 1, 1828
New York's 5th Thomas J. Oakley (J) Resigned May 9, 1828, after being appointed judge of the Thomas Taber II (J) Seated November 5, 1828
Kentucky's 2nd Thomas Metcalfe (NR) Resigned June 1, 1828, after being elected Governor of Kentucky John Chambers (NR) Seated December 1, 1828
New Jersey at-large Hedge Thompson (NR) Died July 23, 1828 Thomas Sinnickson (NR) Seated December 1, 1828
Mississippi at-large William Haile (J) Resigned September 12, 1828 Thomas Hinds (J) Seated October 21, 1828
Ohio's 6th William Creighton Jr. (NR) Resigned before December 19, 1828, after being nominated as a judge to district court Francis S. Muhlenberg (NR) Seated December 19, 1828
New York's 20th Silas Wright (J) Resigned February 16, 1829 Vacant Not filled this Congress

Committees[]

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate[]

  • Agriculture (Chairman: John Branch)
  • (Select)
  • Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Elias Kane)
  • Claims (Chairman: Benjamin Ruggles)
  • Commerce (Chairman: Levi Woodbury)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: John Eaton)
  • Engrossed Bills (Chairman: William Marks)
  • Finance (Chairman: Samuel Smith)
  • Foreign Relations (Chairman: Nathaniel Macon then Littleton Tazewell)
  • (Select)
  • Indian Affairs (Chairman: Thomas Hart Benton then Hugh Lawson White)
  • Judiciary (Chairman: Martin Van Buren then John M. Berrien)
  • Manufactures (Chairman: Samuel Smith)
  • Military Affairs (Chairman: William Henry Harrison then Thomas Hart Benton)
  • Militia (Chairman: John Chandler)
  • Naval Affairs (Chairman: Robert Y. Hayne)
  • Pensions (Chairman: James Noble)
  • Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Richard M. Johnson)
  • Private Land Claims (Chairman: William Smith)
  • Public Lands (Chairman: David Barton)
  • (Select)
  • (Select) (Chairman: William Hendricks)
  • Tariff Regulation (Select)
  • (Select)
  • Whole

House of Representatives[]

  • Accounts (Chairman: Samuel C. Allen)
  • Agriculture (Chairman: Stephen Van Rensselaer)
  • (Select)
  • (Select)
  • Claims (Chairman: Lewis Williams)
  • Commerce (Chairman: Churchill C. Cambreleng)
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: Mark Alexander)
  • Elections (Chairman: John Sloane)
  • Ethics (Chairman: N/A)
  • Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: Peter Little)
  • Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: Gabriel Holmes)
  • Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: John Blair)
  • Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: Thomas H. Hall)
  • Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: Charles Eaton Haynes)
  • Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: Michael C. Sprigg)
  • Foreign Affairs (Chairman: Edward Everett)
  • Indian Affairs (Chairman: William McLean)
  • Judiciary (Chairman: Philip P. Barbour)
  • Manufactures (Chairman: Rollin C. Mallary)
  • Military Affairs (Chairman: James Hamilton Jr.)
  • Military Pensions (Chairman: Tristam Burges)
  • Naval Affairs (Chairman: Michael Hoffman)
  • Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Samuel D. Ingham then Samuel McKean)
  • Private Land Claims (Chairman: Richard Aylett Buckner)
  • Public Expenditures (Chairman: Jeromus Johnson)
  • Public Lands (Chairman: Jacob C. Isacks)
  • Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Dutee J. Pearce)
  • Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: George Wolf)
  • Rules (Select)
  • Standards of Official Conduct
  • Territories (Chairman: James Strong)
  • Ways and Means (Chairman: George McDuffie)
  • Whole

Joint committees[]

  • Enrolled Bills
  • The Library

Employees[]

Legislative branch agency directors[]

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

Senate[]

House of Representatives[]

  • Chaplain: Reuben Post (Presbyterian)
  • Clerk: Matthew St. Clair Clarke
  • Doorkeeper:
  • Reading Clerks:[data unknown/missing]
  • Sergeant at Arms:

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Anti-Masonic
  2. ^ 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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