31st United States Congress
The 31st 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, 1849, to March 4, 1851, during the 16 months of the Zachary Taylor presidency and the first eight months of the administration of Millard Fillmore's. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixth Census of the United States in 1840. The Senate had a Democratic majority, while there was a Democratic plurality in the House.
Major events
- March 4, 1849: Zachary Taylor became President of the United States
- December 22, 1849: Howell Cobb is elected Speaker after sixty-three ballots, the second-longest election for the position ever held.
- March 7, 1850: Senator Daniel Webster gave his "Seventh of March" speech in which he endorsed the Compromise of 1850 to prevent a possible civil war
- July 9, 1850: President Taylor died and Vice President Millard Fillmore became President.
Major legislation
- September 9, 1850: Compromise of 1850, sess. 1, chs. 48-51, -
- September 18, 1850: Fugitive Slave Act, sess. 1, ch. 60,
- September 20, 1850: "An Act to suppress the Slave Trade in the District of Columbia," sess. 1, ch. 63,
- September 29, 1850: Donation Land Claim Act, sess. 1, ch. 76,
States admitted and territories organized
- September 9, 1850 — As part of the Compromise of 1850:
- * Texas's borders were changed, ch. 49,
- * New Mexico Territory was organized, ch. 49,
- * California was admitted as a state into the Union, ch. 50,
- * Utah Territory was organized, ch. 51,
Party summary
Senate
During this Congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of California.House of Representatives
During this Congress, two House seats were added for the new state of California.Leadership
Senate
- President: Millard Fillmore, until July 9, 1850; vacant thereafter.
- President pro tempore: David Atchison, until May 5, 1850
- * William R. King, from May 6, 1850
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Howell Cobb
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: James Thompson
Members
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, facing re-election in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1854.[List of [United States Senators from Alabama|Alabama]]
- 2. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, until November 30, 1849
- * Jeremiah Clemens, from November 30, 1849
- 3. William R. D. King
Arkansas">List of United States Senators from Arkansas">Arkansas
- 2. William K. Sebastian
- 3. Solon Borland
California">List of United States Senators from California">California
- 1. John C. Frémont, from September 10, 1850
- 3. William M. Gwin, from September 10, 1850
Connecticut">List of United States Senators from Connecticut">Connecticut
- 1. Roger S. Baldwin
- 3. Truman Smith
Delaware">List of United States Senators from Delaware">Delaware
- 1. John Wales
- 2. Presley Spruance
Florida">List of United States Senators from Florida">Florida
- 1. David Levy Yulee
- 3. Jackson Morton
Georgia">List of United States Senators from Georgia">Georgia
- 2. John Macpherson Berrien
- 3. William C. Dawson
Illinois">List of United States Senators from Illinois">Illinois
- 2. Stephen A. Douglas
- 3. James Shields, until March 6, 1849
- * James Shields, from December 3, 1849
Indiana">List of United States Senators from Indiana">Indiana
- 1. Jesse D. Bright
- 3. James Whitcomb
Iowa">List of United States Senators from Iowa">Iowa
- 2. George Wallace Jones
- 3. Augustus C. Dodge
Kentucky">List of United States Senators from Kentucky">Kentucky
- 2. Joseph R. Underwood
- 3. Henry Clay
Louisiana">List of United States Senators from Louisiana">Louisiana
- 2. Solomon W. Downs
- 3. Pierre Soulé
Maine">List of United States Senators from Maine">Maine
- 1. Hannibal Hamlin
- 2. James W. Bradbury
Maryland">List of United States Senators from Maryland">Maryland
- 1. Reverdy Johnson, until March 7, 1849
- * David Stewart, from December 6, 1849, until January 12, 1850
- * Thomas Pratt, from January 12, 1850
- 3. James Pearce
Massachusetts">List of United States Senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
- 1. Daniel Webster, until July 22, 1850
- * Robert C. Winthrop, from July 30, 1850, until February 1, 1851
- * Robert J. Rantoul, Jr., from February 1, 1851
- 2. John Davis
Michigan">List of United States Senators from Michigan">Michigan
- 1. Lewis Cass
- 2. Alpheus Felch
Mississippi">List of United States Senators from Mississippi">Mississippi
- 1. Jefferson Davis
- 2. Henry S. Foote
Missouri">List of United States Senators from Missouri">Missouri
- 1. Thomas H. Benton
- 3. David R. Atchison
New Hampshire">List of United States Senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
- 2. John P. Hale
- 3. Moses Norris, Jr.
New Jersey">List of United States Senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
- 1. William L. Dayton
- 2. Jacob W. Miller
New York">List of United States Senators from New York">New York
- 1. Daniel S. Dickinson
- 3. William H. Seward
North Carolina">List of United States Senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
- 2. Willie P. Mangum
- 3. George E. Badger
Ohio">List of United States Senators from Ohio">Ohio
- 1. Thomas Corwin, until July 20, 1850
- * Thomas Ewing, from July 20, 1850
- 3. Salmon P. Chase
Pennsylvania">List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
- 1. Daniel Sturgeon
- 3. James Cooper
Rhode Island">List of United States Senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
- 1. Albert C. Greene
- 2. John H. Clarke
South Carolina">List of United States Senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
- 2. John C. Calhoun, until March 31, 1850
- * Franklin H. Elmore, from April 11, 1850, until May 29, 1850
- * Robert W. Barnwell, from June 4, 1850, until December 18, 1850
- * R. Barnwell Rhett, from December 18, 1850
- 3. Andrew Butler
Tennessee">List of United States Senators from Tennessee">Tennessee
- 1. Hopkins L. Turney
- 2. John Bell
Texas">List of United States Senators from Texas">Texas
- 1. Thomas J. Rusk
- 2. Samuel Houston
Vermont">List of United States Senators from Vermont">Vermont
- 1. Samuel S. Phelps
- 3. William Upham
Virginia">List of United States Senators from Virginia">Virginia
- 1. James M. Mason
- 2. Robert M. T. Hunter
Wisconsin">List of United States Senators from Wisconsin">Wisconsin
- 1. Henry Dodge
- 3. Isaac P. Walker
House of Representatives
[List of [United States Representatives from Alabama|Alabama]]
- . William J. Alston
- . Henry W. Hilliard
- . Sampson W. Harris
- . Samuel W. Inge
- . David Hubbard
- . Williamson R. W. Cobb
- . Franklin W. Bowdon
Arkansas">List of United States Representatives from Arkansas">Arkansas
- . Robert W. Johnson
California">List of United States Representatives from California">California
- . Edward Gilbert, from September 11, 1850
- . George W. Wright, from September 11, 1850
Connecticut">List of United States Representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut
- . Loren P. Waldo
- . Walter Booth
- . Chauncey F. Cleveland
- . Thomas B. Butler
Delaware">List of United States Representatives from Delaware">Delaware
- . John W. Houston
Florida">List of United States Representatives from Florida">Florida
- . Edward C. Cabell
Georgia">List of United States Representatives from Georgia">Georgia
- . Thomas B. King, until March 3, 1850
- * Joseph W. Jackson, from March 4, 1850
- . Marshall J. Wellborn
- . Allen F. Owen
- . Hugh A. Haralson
- . Thomas C. Hackett
- . Howell Cobb
- . Alexander Stephens
- . Robert Toombs
Illinois">List of United States Representatives from Illinois">Illinois
- . William H. Bissell
- . John A. McClernand
- . Timothy R. Young
- . John Wentworth
- . William A. Richardson
- . Edward D. Baker
- . Thomas L. Harris
Indiana">List of United States Representatives from Indiana">Indiana
- . Nathaniel Albertson
- . Cyrus L. Dunham
- . John L. Robinson
- . George W. Julian
- . William J. Brown
- . Willis A. Gorman
- . Edward W. McGaughey
- . Joseph E. McDonald
- . Graham N. Fitch
- . Andrew J. Harlan
Iowa">List of United States Representatives from Iowa">Iowa
- . William Thompson, until June 29, 1850
- * Daniel F. Miller, from December 20, 1850
- . Shepherd Leffler
Kentucky">List of United States Representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
- . Linn Boyd
- . James L. Johnson
- . Finis E. McLean
- . George Caldwell
- . John B. Thompson
- . Daniel Breck
- . Humphrey Marshall
- . Charles S. Morehead
- . John C. Mason
- . Richard H. Stanton
Louisiana">List of United States Representatives from Louisiana">Louisiana
- . Emile La Sére
- . Charles M. Conrad, until August 17, 1850
- * Henry A. Bullard, from December 5, 1850
- . John H. Harmanson, until October 24, 1850
- * Alexander G. Penn, from December 30, 1850
- . Isaac E. Morse
Maine">List of United States Representatives from Maine">Maine
- . Elbridge Gerry
- . Nathaniel Littlefield
- . John Otis
- . Rufus K. Goodenow
- . Cullen Sawtelle
- . Charles Stetson
- . Thomas J. D. Fuller
Maryland">List of United States Representatives from Maryland">Maryland
- . Richard Bowie
- . William T. Hamilton
- . Edward Hammond
- . Robert M. McLane
- . Alexander Evans
- . John B. Kerr
Massachusetts">List of United States Representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
- . Robert C. Winthrop, until July 30, 1850
- * Samuel Atkins Eliot, from August 22, 1850
- . Daniel P. King, until July 25, 1850
- . James H. Duncan
- . vacant
- . Charles Allen
- . George Ashmun
- . Julius Rockwell
- . Horace Mann
- . Orin Fowler
- . Joseph Grinnell
Michigan">List of United States Representatives from Michigan">Michigan
- . Alexander W. Buel
- . William Sprague
- . Kinsley S. Bingham
Mississippi">List of United States Representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi
- . Jacob Thompson
- . Winfield S. Featherston
- . William McWillie
- . Albert G. Brown
Missouri">List of United States Representatives from Missouri">Missouri
- . James B. Bowlin
- . William V. Bay
- . James S. Green
- . Willard P. Hall
- . John S. Phelps
New Hampshire">List of United States Representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
- . Amos Tuck
- . Charles H. Peaslee
- . James Wilson, until September 9, 1850
- * George W. Morrison, from October 8, 1850
- . Harry Hibbard
New Jersey">List of United States Representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
- . Andrew K. Hay
- . William A. Newell
- . Isaac Wildrick
- . John Van Dyke
- . James G. King
New York">List of United States Representatives from New York">New York
- . John A. King
- . David A. Bokee
- . J. Phillips Phoenix
- . Walter Underhill
- . George Briggs
- . James Brooks
- . William Nelson
- . Ransom Halloway
- . Thomas McKissock
- . Herman D. Gould
- . Peter H. Silvester
- . Gideon Reynolds
- . John L. Schoolcraft
- . George R. Andrews
- . John R. Thurman
- . Hugh White
- . Henry P. Alexander
- . Preston King
- . Charles E. Clarke
- . Orsamus B. Matteson
- . Hiram Walden
- . Henry Bennett
- . William Duer
- . Daniel Gott
- . Harmon S. Conger
- . William T. Jackson
- . William A. Sackett
- . Abraham M. Schermerhorn
- . Robert L. Rose
- . David Rumsey, Jr.
- . Elijah Risley
- . Elbridge G. Spaulding
- . Harvey Putnam
- . Lorenzo Burrows
North Carolina">List of United States Representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
- . Thomas L. Clingman
- . Joseph P. Caldwell
- . Edmund Deberry
- . Augustine H. Shepperd
- . Abraham W. Venable
- . John R. J. Daniel
- . William S. Ashe
- . Edward Stanly
- . David Outlaw
Ohio">List of United States Representatives from Ohio">Ohio
- . David T. Disney
- . Lewis D. Campbell
- . Robert C. Schenck
- . Moses B. Corwin
- . Emery D. Potter
- . Rodolphus Dickinson, until March 20, 1849
- * Amos E. Wood, from December 3, 1849, until November 19, 1850
- * John Bell, from January 7, 1851
- . Jonathan D. Morris
- . John L. Taylor
- . Edson B. Olds
- . Charles Sweetser
- . John K. Miller
- . Samuel F. Vinton
- . William A. Whittlesey
- . Nathan Evans
- . William F. Hunter
- . Moses Hoagland
- . Joseph Cable
- . David K. Cartter
- . John Crowell
- . Joshua R. Giddings
- . Joseph M. Root
Pennsylvania">List of United States Representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
- . Lewis C. Levin
- . Joseph R. Chandler
- . Henry D. Moore
- . John Robbins, Jr.
- . John Freedley
- . Thomas Ross
- . Jesse C. Dickey
- . Thaddeus Stevens
- . William Strong
- . Milo M. Dimmick
- . Chester P. Butler, until October 5, 1850
- * John Brisbin, from November 13, 1850
- . David Wilmot
- . Joseph Casey
- . Charles W. Pitman
- . Henry Nes, until September 10, 1850
- * Joel B. Danner, from December 2, 1850
- . James X. McLanahan
- . Samuel Calvin
- . Andrew J. Ogle
- . Job Mann
- . Robert R. Reed
- . Moses Hampton
- . John W. Howe
- . James Thompson
- . Alfred Gilmore
Rhode Island">List of United States Representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
- . George G. King
- . Nathan F. Dixon, Jr.
South Carolina">List of United States Representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
- . Daniel Wallace
- . James L. Orr
- . Joseph A. Woodward
- . John McQueen
- . Armistead Burt
- . Isaac E. Holmes
- . William F. Colcock
Tennessee">List of United States Representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee
- . Andrew Johnson
- . Albert G. Watkins
- . Josiah M. Anderson
- . John H. Savage
- . George W. Jones
- . James H. Thomas
- . Meredith P. Gentry
- . Andrew Ewing
- . Isham G. Harris
- . Frederick P. Stanton
- . Christopher H. Williams
Texas">List of United States Representatives from Texas">Texas
- . David S. Kaufman, until January 31, 1851
- . Volney E. Howard
Vermont">List of United States Representatives from Vermont">Vermont
- . William Henry
- . William Hebard
- . George P. Marsh, until May 29, 1849
- * James Meacham, from December 3, 1849
- . Lucius B. Peck
Virginia">List of United States Representatives from Virginia">Virginia
- . John S. Millson
- . Richard K. Meade
- . Thomas H. Averett
- . Thomas S. Bocock
- . Paulus Powell
- . James Seddon
- . Thomas H. Bayly
- . Alexander Holladay
- . Jeremiah Morton
- . Richard Parker
- . James McDowell
- . Henry A. Edmundson
- . LaFayette McMullen
- . James M. H. Beale
- . Alexander Newman, until September 8, 1849
- * Thomas Haymond, from November 8, 1849
Wisconsin">List of United States Representatives from Wisconsin">Wisconsin
- . Charles Durkee
- . Orasmus Cole
- . James D. Doty
Non-voting members
- . Henry H. Sibley, from July 7, 1849
- . Samuel Thurston
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.Senate
- replacements: 5
- * Democrats : no net change
- * Whigs : no net change
- deaths: 1
- resignations: 3
- seats from newly admitted states: 2
- interim appointments: 4
- Total seats with changes: 8
House of Representatives
- replacements: 11
- * Democrats : 2 seat net gain
- * Whigs : 2 seat net loss
- deaths: 8
- resignations: 5
- contested election:1
- seats from newly admitted states: 2
- Total seats with changes: 16
Committees
Senate
- Agriculture
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- California's Admission to the Union
- Claims
- Commerce
- Disorder in the Senate of April 17, 1850
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
- District of Columbia
- Eligibility of James Shields
- Finance
- Foreign Relations
- French Spoilations
- Indian Affairs
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Mexican Boundary Commission
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Ordnance and War Ships
- Patents and the Patent Office
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Retrenchment
- Revolutionary Claims
- Roads and Canals
- Seventh Census
- Settlement of the Slavery Question
- Tariff Regulation
- Territories
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Bounty Land Act of 1850
- Claims
- Commerce
- District of Columbia
- Elections
- Engraving
- Expenditures in the Navy Department
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Expenditures on Public Buildings
- Foreign Affairs
- Indian Affairs
- Invalid Pensions
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Private Land Claims
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Expenditures
- Public Lands
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Revolutionary Claims
- Revolutionary Pensions
- Roads and Canals
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
- The Library
- The Printing
Caucuses
- Democratic
- Democratic
Employees
- Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan
Senate
- Chaplain: Henry Slicer, until January 9, 1850
- * Clement M. Butler, elected January 9, 1850
- Secretary: Asbury Dickins
- Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Ralph Gurley
- Clerk: Thomas J. Campbell, died April 13, 1850
- * Richard M. Young, elected April 17, 1850
- Doorkeeper: Robert E. Horner
- Postmaster: John M. Johnson
- Reading Clerks:
- Sergeant at Arms: Nathan Sargent, until January 15, 1850
- * Adam J. Glossbrenner, from January 15, 1850