47th United States Congress

The 47th 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, 1881, to March 4, 1883, during the six months of James Garfield's presidency, and the first year and a half of Chester Arthur's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1870 United States census. The House had a Republican majority; the Senate was evenly divided for the first time ever, with no vice president to break ties for most of this term.[1]

47th United States Congress
46th ←
→ 48th
United States Capitol (1877)
March 4, 1881 – March 4, 1883
Members76 senators
293 representatives
8 non-voting delegates
Senate majoritySplit[1]
Senate PresidentChester A. Arthur (R)
(until September 19, 1881)
Vacant
(from September 19, 1881)
House majorityRepublican
House SpeakerJ. Warren Keifer (R)
Sessions
Special: March 4, 1881 – May 20, 1881
Special: October 10, 1881 – October 29, 1881
1st: December 5, 1881 – August 8, 1882
2nd: December 4, 1882 – March 3, 1883

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.

Senate
Party
(Shading indicates party control)
 Total
Democratic
(D)		 Independent
(I)		 Readjuster
(RA)		 Republican
(R)		 Vacant
End of
previous Congress		 42 1 0 32 75 1
Begin 37 1 1 36 75 1
March 5, 1881[lower-alpha 1] 35 74 2
March 7, 1881[lower-alpha 2] 33 72 4
March 8, 1881[lower-alpha 3] 34 73 3
March 12, 1881[lower-alpha 4] 35 74 2
March 14, 1881[lower-alpha 5] 36 75 1
March 18, 1881[lower-alpha 6] 37 1 1[lower-alpha 7] 37 76 0
May 16, 1881[lower-alpha 8] 37 1 1 35 74 2
July 27, 1881[lower-alpha 9] 36 75 1
August 2, 1881[lower-alpha 10] 37 1 1 37 76 0
September 13, 1881[lower-alpha 11] 36 75 1
October 5, 1881[lower-alpha 12] 1[lower-alpha 13] 37 76 0
November 15, 1881[lower-alpha 14]
April 17, 1882[lower-alpha 15]
August 16, 1882[lower-alpha 16] 36 75 1
November 15, 1882[lower-alpha 17] 37 76 0
January 27, 1883[lower-alpha 18]
Final voting share 48.7% 1.3% 1.3% 48.7%
Beginning of the
next Congress		 36 0 2 38 76 0

House of Representatives
Party
(Shading indicates party control)
 Total
Democratic
(D)		 Independent
Democrat
(ID)		 Independent
(I)		 Greenback
(GB)		 Independent
Republican
(IR)		 Republican
(R)		 Vacant
End of
previous Congress		 146 4 1 11 0 129 291 2
Begin 134 1 1 9 0 146 291 2
March 17, 1881[lower-alpha 19] 145 290 3
March 21, 1881[lower-alpha 20] 144 289 4
April 5, 1881[lower-alpha 21] 145 290 3
April 26, 1881[lower-alpha 22] 133 289 4
June 9, 1881[lower-alpha 23] 134 290 3
July 26, 1881[lower-alpha 24] 144 289 4
July 29, 1881[lower-alpha 25] 143 288 5
September 12, 1881[lower-alpha 26] 144 289 4
October 5, 1881[lower-alpha 27] 143 288 5
November 8, 1881[lower-alpha 28] 135 145 291 2
December 5, 1881[lower-alpha 29] 136 146 293 0
April 8, 1882[lower-alpha 30] 135 292 1
April 29, 1882[lower-alpha 31] 134 147
May 31, 1882[lower-alpha 32] 133 1
June 1, 1882[lower-alpha 33] 132 148
June 3, 1882[lower-alpha 34] 131 10
June 29, 1882[lower-alpha 35] 147 291 2
July 19, 1882[lower-alpha 36] 130 148
July 20, 1882[lower-alpha 37] 129 290 3
October 12, 1882[lower-alpha 38] 9 289 4
November 4, 1882[lower-alpha 39] 128 288 5
November 7, 1882[lower-alpha 40] 129 149 290 3
November 30, 1882[lower-alpha 41] 148 289 4
December 4, 1882[lower-alpha 42] 130 290 3
December 15, 1882[lower-alpha 43] 149 291 2
December 16, 1882[lower-alpha 44] 148 290 3
January 2, 1883[lower-alpha 45] 149 291 2
January 15, 1883[lower-alpha 46] 131 292 1
January 17, 1883[lower-alpha 47] 150 293 0
January 18, 1883 [lower-alpha 48] 130 292 1
March 2, 1883[lower-alpha 49] 129 151
March 3, 1883[lower-alpha 50] 130 150
Final voting share 44.5% 0.3% 0.3% 3.1% 0.3% 51.4%  
Beginning of the next Congress 196 3 6 2 1 117 325 1

Leadership

Senate
President of the Senate
Chester A. Arthur (R)

House of Representatives
House seats by party holding plurality in state
  80+% to 100% Democratic
  80+% to 100% Republican
  60+% to 80% Democratic
  60+% to 80% Republican
  Up to 60% Democratic
  Up to 60% Republican

Major events
Main articles: 1881 in the United States, 1882 in the United States, and 1883 in the United States

Major legislation
Main article: List of United States federal legislation in the 47th Congress

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.

House of Representatives

Members' names are preceded by their district numbers.

Changes in membership

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

Senate
See also: List of special elections to the United States Senate
  • Deaths: 2
  • Resignations: 8
  • Interim appointments: 1
  • Total replacements: 8
  • Total seats with changes: 10
Senate changes
State
(class)		 Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[lower-alpha 51]
Wisconsin (3) Vacant Senator Matthew H. Carpenter died in the previous congress.
Successor elected March 14, 1881.		 Angus Cameron (R) March 14, 1881
Maine (2) James G. Blaine (R) Resigned March 5, 1881, to become U.S. Secretary of State.
Successor elected March 18, 1881.		 William P. Frye (R) March 18, 1881
Iowa (2) Samuel J. Kirkwood (R) Resigned March 7, 1881, to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
Successor appointed March 8, 1881, to continue the term.
Appointee elected January 25, 1882, to finish the term.		 James W. McDill (R) March 8, 1881
Minnesota (2) William Windom (R) Resigned March 7, 1881, to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
Successor appointed March 12, 1881, to continue the term.		 Alonzo J. Edgerton (R) March 12, 1881
New York (1) Thomas C. Platt (R) Resigned May 16, 1881, as a protest against federal appointments made in New York.
Successor elected October 11, 1881.		 Warner Miller (R) July 27, 1881
New York (3) Roscoe Conkling (R) Resigned May 16, 1881, as a protest against federal appointments made in New York.
Successor elected October 11, 1881.		 Elbridge G. Lapham (R) August 2, 1881
Rhode Island (1) Ambrose Burnside (R) Died September 13, 1881.
Successor elected October 5, 1881.		 Nelson W. Aldrich (R) October 5, 1881
Minnesota (2) Alonzo J. Edgerton (R) Interim appointee replaced by successor elected October 30, 1881. William Windom (R) November 15, 1881
Colorado (2) Henry M. Teller (R) Resigned April 17, 1882, to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
Successor appointed April 17, 1882.		 George M. Chilcott (R) April 17, 1882
Georgia (2) Benjamin H. Hill (D) Died August 16, 1882.
Successor elected November 15, 1882.		 M. Pope Barrow (D) November 15, 1882
Colorado (2) George M. Chilcott (R) Interim appointee replaced by successor elected January 27, 1883. Horace Tabor (R) January 27, 1883

House of Representatives
See also: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives
  • Deaths: 6
  • Resignations: 9
  • Contested elections: 8
  • Total replacements: 14
  • Total seats with changes: 22
House changes
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[lower-alpha 51]
Michigan 7 Vacant Rep. Omar D. Conger resigned during previous congress John T. Rich (R) April 5, 1881
New York 9 Vacant Rep. Fernando Wood elected but died before Congress convened John Hardy (D) December 5, 1881
Maine 2 William P. Frye (R) Resigned March 17, 1881 when elected U.S. Senator. Nelson Dingley Jr. (R) September 12, 1881
New York 11 Levi P. Morton (R) Resigned March 21, 1881 to become U.S. Minister to France. Roswell P. Flower (D) November 8, 1881
South Carolina 2 Michael P. O'Connor (D) Died April 26, 1881, during a contested election. Dibble presented credentials to replace him due to his death. Samuel Dibble (D) June 9, 1881
New York 22 Warner Miller (R) Resigned July 26, 1881 when elected U.S. Senator. Charles R. Skinner (R) November 8, 1881
New York 27 Elbridge G. Lapham (R) Resigned July 29, 1881 when elected U.S. Senator. James W. Wadsworth (R) November 8, 1881
Rhode Island 1 Nelson W. Aldrich (R) Resigned October 5, 1881 when elected U.S. Senator.
Successor elected November 22, 1881.		 Henry J. Spooner (R) December 5, 1881
Missouri 2 Thomas Allen (D) Died April 8, 1882 James H. McLean (R) December 15, 1882
Mississippi 6 James R. Chalmers (D) Lost contested election April 29, 1882 John R. Lynch (R) April 29, 1882
South Carolina 2 Samuel Dibble (D) Lost contested election May 31, 1882, during an election originally contested with Michael P. O'Connor. Dibble presented credentials to replace him until Mackey was determined to be the victor under terms of the original election. Edmund W. M. Mackey (IR) May 31, 1882
Florida 2 Jesse J. Finley (D) Lost contested election June 1, 1882 Horatio Bisbee Jr. (R) June 1, 1882
Alabama 8 Joseph Wheeler (D) Lost contested election June 3, 1882 William M. Lowe (GB) June 3, 1882
Illinois 5 Robert M. A. Hawk (R) Died June 29, 1882 Robert R. Hitt (R) November 7, 1882
South Carolina 5 George D. Tillman (D) Lost contested election July 19, 1882 Robert Smalls (R) July 19, 1882
Alabama 4 Charles M. Shelley (D) Election contested by James Q. Smith.
Seat declared vacant July 20, 1882.
Shelley re-elected to fill seat.		 Charles M. Shelley (D) November 7, 1882
Alabama 8 William M. Lowe (GB) Died October 12, 1882 Joseph Wheeler (D) January 15, 1883
Georgia 8 Alexander H. Stephens (D) Resigned November 4, 1882 when elected Governor of Georgia. Seaborn Reese (D) December 4, 1882
Ohio 16 Jonathan T. Updegraff (R) Died November 30, 1882 Joseph D. Taylor (R) January 2, 1883
Indiana 9 Godlove S. Orth (R) Died December 16, 1882 Charles T. Doxey (R) January 17, 1883
North Carolina 3 John W. Shackelford (D) Died January 18, 1883 Vacant Not filled this term
Missouri 3 Richard G. Frost (D) Lost contested election March 2, 1883 Gustavus Sessinghaus (R) March 2, 1883
Iowa 6 Marsena E. Cutts (R) Lost election contest March 3, 1883 John C. Cook (D) March 3, 1883

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders for members of the House and Senate committees can be found through the Official Congressional Directory at the bottom of this article. The directory after the pages of terms of service lists committees of the Senate, House (Standing with Subcommittees, Select and Special) and Joint and, after that, House/Senate committee assignments. On the committees section of the House and Senate in the Official Congressional Directory, the committee's members on the first row on the left side shows the chairman of the committee and on the right side shows the ranking member of the committee.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Caucuses

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives

See also

Notes
  1. In Maine: James G. Blaine (R) resigned to become Secretary of State.
  2. In Iowa: Samuel J. Kirkwood (R) resigned to become Secretary of the Interior. In Minnesota: William Windom (R) resigned to become Secretary of the Treasury.
  3. In Iowa: James W. McDill (R) was appointed to finish Samuel J. Kirkwood's term.
  4. In Minnesota: Alonzo J. Edgerton (R) was appointed to finish William Windom's term.
  5. In Wisconsin: Angus Cameron (R) was elected to finish the term of Matthew H. Carpenter (R), who had died the previous month.
  6. In Maine: William P. Frye (R) was elected to finish James G. Blaine's term.
  7. William Mahone caucused with Republicans beginning on March 14, 1881. Vice President Chester A. Arthur (R) held the tie-breaking vote.
  8. In New York: Roscoe Conkling (R) and Thomas C. Platt (R) resigned as a protest against federal patronage appointments made in New York.
  9. In New York: Warner Miller (R) was elected to finish the term of Thomas C. Platt (R).
  10. In New York: Elbridge G. Lapham (R) was elected to finish the term of Roscoe Conkling (R).
  11. In Rhode Island: Ambrose Burnside (R) died.
  12. In Rhode Island: Nelson W. Aldrich (R) was elected to finish Ambrose Burnside's term. With Arthur having assumed the Presidency after James A. Garfield's assassination, there was no tie-breaking vote. Independent David Davis was elected president pro tempore and both parties agreed to perpetuate the organizational status quo. Leadership of the Senate committees remained in Republican hands, while the Democrats continued to control the offices of Secretary and Sergeant at Arms.
  13. Independent David Davis did not caucus with the Republicans, but was elected president pro tempore in a compromise that allowed Republican control of the committees.
  14. In Minnesota: William Windom (R) was elected to succeed interim appointee Alonzo J. Edgerton (R).
  15. In Colorado: Henry M. Teller (R) resigned to become Secretary of the Interior. His successor, George M. Chilcott (R), was seated the same day.
  16. In Georgia: Benjamin Harvey Hill (D) died.
  17. In Georgia: Middleton P. Barrow (D) was elected to finish the term of Benjamin Harvey Hill (D).
  18. In Colorado: Horace Tabor (R) was elected to succeed interim appointee George M. Chilcott (R).
  19. In Maine's 2nd district: William P. Frye (R) resigned when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
  20. In New York's 11th district: Levi P. Morton (R) resigned when he was appointed U.S. Minister to France.
  21. In Michigan's 7th district: John Treadway Rich (R) was elected to replace Omar D. Conger (R). Conger had been reelected in 1880 but did not take his seat because he had been elected to the U.S. Senate.
  22. In South Carolina's 2nd district: Michael P. O'Connor (D) died. He had been seated at the opening of Congress, but his election was still being contested when he died.
  23. In South Carolina's 2nd district: Samuel Dibble (D) was elected to fill the vacancy created by the death of Michael P. O'Connor (D). The seat was the subject of an election contest, which was eventually resolved in favor of the Republican, Edmund W. M. Mackey, meaning that this vacancy never properly existed.
  24. In New York's 22nd district: Warner Miller (R) resigned when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
  25. In New York's 27th district: Elbridge G. Lapham (R) resigned when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
  26. In Maine's 2nd district: Samuel Dibble (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when William P. Frye (R) resigned to enter the U.S. Senate.
  27. In Rhode Island's 1st district: Nelson W. Aldrich (R) resigned when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
  28. In New York's 11th district: Roswell P. Flower (D) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Levi P. Morton (R) resigned to become U.S. Minister to France. In New York's 22nd district: Charles R. Skinner (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Warner Miller (R) resigned to enter the U.S. Senate. In New York's 27th district: James Wolcott Wadsworth (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Elbridge G. Lapham (R) resigned to enter the U.S. Senate.
  29. In New York's 9th district: John Hardy (D) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Fernando Wood (D) died before Congress convened. In Rhode Island's 1st district: Charles R. Skinner (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Nelson W. Aldrich (R) resigned to enter the U.S. Senate.
  30. In Missouri's 2nd district: Thomas Allen (D) died.
  31. In Mississippi's 6th district: James Ronald Chalmers (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, John R. Lynch (R).
  32. In South Carolina's 2nd district: Samuel Dibble (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, Edmund W. M. Mackey (IR).
  33. In Florida's 2nd district: Jesse J. Finley (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, Horatio Bisbee Jr. (R).
  34. In Alabama's 8th district: Joseph Wheeler (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, William M. Lowe (G).
  35. In Illinois's 5th district: Robert M. A. Hawk (R) died.
  36. In South Carolina's 5th district: George D. Tillman (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, Robert Smalls (R).
  37. In South Carolina's 5th district: Charles M. Shelley (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now declared vacant and called for a new election.
  38. In Alabama's 8th district: William M. Lowe (G) died.
  39. In Georgia's 8th district: Alexander H. Stephens (D) resigned when he was elected Governor of Georgia.
  40. In Illinois's 5th district: Robert R. Hitt (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Robert M. A. Hawk (R) died. In South Carolina's 5th district: Charles M. Shelley (D) was elected to fill the vacancy created when the house voided his previous election.
  41. In Ohio's 16th district: Jonathan T. Updegraff (R) died.
  42. In Georgia's 8th district: Seaborn Reese (D) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Alexander H. Stephens (D) was elected Governor of Georgia.
  43. In Missouri's 2nd district: James Henry McLean (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Thomas Allen (D) died.
  44. In Indiana's 9th district: Godlove Stein Orth (R) died.
  45. In Ohio's 16th district: Joseph D. Taylor (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Jonathan T. Updegraff (R) died.
  46. In Alabama's 8th district: Joseph Wheeler (D) was elected to fill the vacancy created when William M. Lowe (G) died.
  47. In Indiana's 9th district: Charles T. Doxey (R) was elected to fill the vacancy created when Godlove Stein Orth (R) died.
  48. In North Carolina's 3rd district: John Williams Shackelford (D) died.
  49. In Missouri's 3rd district: Richard Graham Frost (D) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, Gustavus Sessinghaus] (R).
  50. In Iowa's 6th district: Marsena E. Cutts (R) had been seated pending the resolution of an election dispute, which the House now decided in favor of his opponent, John C. Cook] (D).
  51. When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References
  1. "The Great Senate Deadlock of 1881". Senate.gov. US Senate. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  • 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.
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