34th United States Congress

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The Thirty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1855 to March 3, 1857, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President Franklin Pierce.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Seventh Census of the United States in 1850. The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House had an anti-Democratic, coalition majority.

[edit] Dates of sessions

March 4, 1855 - March 3, 1857

Previous congress: 33rd Congress
Next congress: 35th Congress

[edit] Major events

Main article: Events of 1855; Events of 1856; Events of 1857

[edit] Major legislation

Main article: List of United States federal legislation in the 34th Congress

[edit] 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.

[edit] Senate

TOTAL members: 62

[edit] House of Representatives

TOTAL members: 234

Note: The three parties that rivaled the Democrats formed a coalition government.

[edit] Leadership

[edit] Senate

[edit] House of Representatives

[edit] Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.

See also: 34th United States Congress - Political Parties
See also: 34th United States Congress - State Delegations
See also: United States House election, 1854

[edit] Senate

At this time, 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 reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1860.

 President pro tempore Jesse D. Bright
President pro tempore
Jesse D. Bright
 President pro tempore Charles E. Stuart
President pro tempore
Charles E. Stuart
 President pro tempore James M. Mason
President pro tempore
James M. Mason
Alabama
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin

[edit] House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

 Speaker of the House  Nathaniel P. Banks
Speaker of the House
Nathaniel P. Banks
Alabama
Arkansas
California [1]
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin

[edit] Delegates

Kansas Territory
Minnesota Territory
Nebraska Territory
New Mexico Territory
Oregon Territory
Utah Territory
  • A/L. John M. Bernhisel
Washington Territory

[edit] Changes in membership

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

See also: 34th United States Congress - Membership Changes

[edit] Senate

  • deaths: 1
  • resignations: 1
  • interim appointments: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 10

[edit] House of Representatives

  • deaths: 4
  • resignations: 5
  • contested election: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 10

[edit] Officers

[edit] Senate

[edit] House of Representatives

[edit] Other

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ all representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket

[edit] 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. 

[edit] External links

  • Statutes at Large, 1789-1875 [1]
  • Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress [2]
  • House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress [3]
  • Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress [4]
  • U.S. House of Representatives: Congressional History [5]
  • U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists [6]

Seal of the US Senate
United States Congress
SenateSenatorsSenate LeadersSenate CommitteesSenate Elections
HouseRepresentativesHouse LeadersHouse CommitteesHouse ElectionsHouse Districts
Seal of the US House
Congresses

1 (1789)
2 (1791)
3 (1793)
4 (1795)
5 (1797)
6 (1799)
7 (1801)
8 (1803)
9 (1805)
10 (1807)

11 (1809)
12 (1811)
13 (1813)
14 (1815)
15 (1817)
16 (1819)
17 (1821)
18 (1823)
19 (1825)
20 (1827)

21 (1829)
22 (1831)
23 (1833)
24 (1835)
25 (1837)
26 (1839)
27 (1841)
28 (1843)
29 (1845)
30 (1847)

31 (1849)
32 (1851)
33 (1853)
34 (1855)
35 (1857)
36 (1859)
37 (1861)
38 (1863)
39 (1865)
40 (1867)

41 (1869)
42 (1871)
43 (1873)
44 (1875)
45 (1877)
46 (1879)
47 (1881)
48 (1883)
49 (1885)
50 (1887)

51 (1889)
52 (1891)
53 (1893)
54 (1895)
55 (1897)
56 (1899)
57 (1901)
58 (1903)
59 (1905)
60 (1907)

61 (1909)
62 (1911)
63 (1913)
64 (1915)
65 (1917)
66 (1919)
67 (1921)
68 (1923)
69 (1925)
70 (1927)

71 (1929)
72 (1931)
73 (1933)
74 (1935)
75 (1937)
76 (1939)
77 (1941)
78 (1943)
79 (1945)
80 (1947)

81 (1949)
82 (1951)
83 (1953)
84 (1955)
85 (1957)
86 (1959)
87 (1961)
88 (1963)
89 (1965)
90 (1967)

91 (1969)
92 (1971)
93 (1973)
94 (1975)
95 (1977)
96 (1979)
97 (1981)
98 (1983)
99 (1985)
100 (1987)

101 (1989)
102 (1991)
103 (1993)
104 (1995)
105 (1997)
106 (1999)
107 (2001)
108 (2003)
109 (2005)
110 (2007)