17th United States Congress

The 17th 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. While its term was officially March 4, 1821, to March 4, 1823, during the fifth and sixth years of James Monroe's presidency, its first session began on December 3, 1821, ending on May 8, 1822, and its second session began on December 2, 1822, to March 3, 1823. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1810 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

17th United States Congress
16th 
 18th

March 4, 1821 – March 4, 1823
Members48 senators
187 representatives
3 non-voting delegates
Senate majorityDemocratic-Republican
Senate PresidentDaniel D. Tompkins (DR)
House majorityDemocratic-Republican
House SpeakerPhilip P. Barbour (DR)
Sessions
1st: December 3, 1821 – May 8, 1822
2nd: December 2, 1822 – March 3, 1823

The members William Smith, John Gaillard, Joseph Gist, John Wilson, George McDuffie, Starling Tucker, James Overstreet, Thomas R. Mitchell, William Lowndes, Joel Roberts Poinsett, and James Blair were described as being "outspokenly pro-British" in their outlook. All of whom signed a "letter of brotherhood and solidarity" addressed to British Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool and the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh in 1822. The same letter harshly condemned the actions of France and specifically those of King Louis XVIII.[1]

Major events

Major legislation

States admitted and territories organized

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 the new state of Missouri.

Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic-
Republican

(DR)
Federalist
(F)
End of previous congress 38 8 46 0
Begin 39 4 43 3
End 43 471
Final voting share 91.5% 8.5%
Beginning of next congress 42 3 45 3

House of Representatives

For the beginning of this congress, six seats from Massachusetts were reapportioned to the new state of Maine (one seat had already moved during the previous congress), 3 Stat. 555. During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Missouri, 3 Stat. 547.

Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic-
Republican

(DR)
Federalist
(F)
End of previous congress 159 24 183 3
Begin 150 31 181 5
End 154 1852
Final voting share 83.2% 16.8%
Beginning of next congress 188 24 212 1

Leadership

President of the Senate
Daniel D. Tompkins

Senate

House of Representatives

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 began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1826; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1822; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1824.

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: 5
  • Deaths: 2
  • Resignations: 6
  • Seats of newly admitted states: 2
  • Vacancies: 3
  • Total seats with changes: 12
Senate changes
State
(class)
Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[lower-alpha 2]
Tennessee
(1)
Vacant Legislature failed to re-elect John Eaton (DR). Late election held. John Eaton (DR) Elected September 27, 1821
Pennsylvania
(1)
Vacant Seat remained vacant at end of previous Congress William Findlay (DR) Elected December 10, 1821
Delaware
(1)
Vacant Seat remained vacant at end of previous Congress Caesar A. Rodney (DR) Elected January 24, 1822
Georgia
(2)
Freeman Walker (DR) Resigned August 6, 1821 Nicholas Ware (DR) Elected November 10, 1821
Missouri
(1)
New seats Missouri was admitted to the Union. Thomas Hart Benton (DR) Elected August 10, 1821
Missouri
(3)
David Barton (DR) Elected August 10, 1821
Ohio
(3)
William A. Trimble (DR) Died December 13, 1821 Ethan Allen Brown (DR) Elected January 3, 1822
Maryland
(1)
William Pinkney (DR) Died February 25, 1822 Samuel Smith (DR) Elected December 17, 1822
Massachusetts
(2)
Harrison Gray Otis (F) Resigned May 30, 1822, to run for Mayor of Boston James Lloyd (F) Elected June 5, 1822
Alabama
(3)
John W. Walker (DR) Resigned December 12, 1822, due to failing health William Kelly (DR) Elected December 12, 1822
Virginia
(2)
James Pleasants (DR) Resigned December 15, 1822, after being elected Governor of Virginia John Taylor (DR) Elected December 18, 1822
Delaware
(1)
Caesar A. Rodney (DR) Resigned January 29, 1823, to accept a diplomatic appointment Vacant Not filled in this Congress

House of Representatives

  • Replacements: 13
  • Deaths: 5
  • Resignations: 15
  • Contested election: 2
  • Seats of newly admitted states: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 23
House changes
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[lower-alpha 2]
Tennessee
6th
Vacant Rep. Henry Hunter Bryan was re-elected but did not take his seat Vacant
Ohio
4th
Vacant Rep.-elect John C. Wright resigned his seat in the next Congress on March 3, 1821 David Chambers (DR) Seated December 3, 1821
Pennsylvania
5th
Vacant Rep.-elect James Duncan resigned before Congress met John Findlay (DR) Seated December 12, 1821
Pennsylvania
10th
Vacant Rep.-elect William Cox Ellis resigned before Congress met Thomas Murray Jr. (DR) Seated December 12, 1821
New York
1st
Vacant Credentials for Peter Sharpe were issued by the Secretary of State of New York, but Sharpe never claimed or took the seat, Sharpe's election was contested by Colden, see United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1821 Cadwallader D. Colden (F) Seated December 12, 1821
Kentucky
7th
George Robertson (DR) resigned before Congress met John S. Smith (DR) Seated December 3, 1821
Missouri Territory
at-large
Vacant Missouri was admitted to the Union on August 10, 1821 John Scott (DR) Seated December 3, 1821
Missouri
at-large
New York
6th
Vacant Selah Tuthill (DR) was elected after the Congress term had already begun, and died on September 7, 1821, before Congress met. It is uncertain whether credentials were ever issued for Tuthill. Charles Borland Jr. (DR) Seated December 3, 1821
Kentucky
8th
Wingfield Bullock (DR) Died October 13, 1821, before Congress met James D. Breckinridge (DR) Seated January 2, 1822
New York
9th
Solomon Van Rensselaer (F) Resigned January 14, 1822, upon appointment as Postmaster of Albany Stephen Van Rensselaer (F) Seated March 12, 1822
Delaware
at-large
Caesar A. Rodney (DR) Resigned on January 24, 1822, after being elected to the US Senate Daniel Rodney (F) Seated December 2, 1822
Maryland
6th
Jeremiah Cosden (DR) Cosden's election was contested by Reed Philip Reed (DR) Seated March 19, 1822
Pennsylvania
1st
William Milnor (F) Resigned on May 8, 1822, to run for Mayor of Philadelphia Thomas Forrest (F) Seated December 2, 1822
Pennsylvania
14th
Henry Baldwin (DR) Resigned on May 8, 1822 Walter Forward (DR) Seated December 2, 1822
South Carolina
9th
James Blair (DR) Resigned on May 8, 1822 John Carter (DR) Seated December 11, 1822
South Carolina
2nd
William Lowndes (DR) Resigned on May 8, 1822 James Hamilton Jr. (DR) Seated January 6, 1823
Pennsylvania
6th
Samuel Moore (DR) Resigned on May 20, 1822 Samuel D. Ingham (DR) Seated December 2, 1822
South Carolina
4th
James Overstreet (DR) Died May 24, 1822 Andrew R. Govan (DR) Seated December 4, 1822
Maine
2nd
Ezekiel Whitman (F) Resigned on June 1, 1822, after becoming a judge of a Court of Common Pleas in Maine Mark Harris (DR) Seated December 2, 1822
Indiana
at-large
William Hendricks (DR) Resigned on July 25, 1822, after his election as Governor of Indiana Jonathan Jennings (DR) Seated December 2, 1822
Virginia
2nd
Thomas Van Swearingen (F) Died on August 19, 1822 James Stephenson (F) Seated December 2, 1822
Florida Territory
at-large
Vacant Florida Territory was organized on March 30, 1822 Joseph M. Hernández Seated January 3, 1823
Pennsylvania
7th
Ludwig Worman (F) Died October 17, 1822 Daniel Udree (DR) Seated December 23, 1822
Maryland
5th
Samuel Smith (DR) Resigned on December 17, 1822, after his election to the US Senate Isaac McKim (DR) Seated January 8, 1823
Virginia
22nd
Hugh Nelson (DR) Resigned on January 14, 1823, upon appointment as Minister to Spain Vacant

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives

See also

Notes

  1. Selah Tuthill (DR) was elected in New York's 6th district late in April 1821 and died September 7, 1821 before Congress convened. It is unclear if/when he received his credentials.
  2. When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References

  1. Letter: Erskine College, [Due West, South Carolina], to John K. Gaillard, Double Branches, Anderson District, [South Carolina] by W. A. Thomson, 1849
  2. "President James Monroe, 1821". Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Archived from the original on 20 January 2009. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  3. "EATON, John Henry, (1790-1856)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved June 9, 2015.

Bibliography

  • 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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