5th United States Congress

5th United States Congress

Congress Hall (2007)

Duration: March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799

Senate President:

Thomas Jefferson

Senate Pres. pro tem:

William Bradford
Jacob Read
Theodore Sedgwick
John Laurance
James Ross

House Speaker:

Jonathan Dayton

Members:

32 Senators
106 Representatives

Senate Majority:

Federalist

House Majority:

Federalist

Sessions

Special: March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1797
1st: May 15, 1797 – July 10, 1797
2nd: November 13, 1797 – July 16, 1798
Special: July 17, 1798 – July 19, 1798
3rd: December 3, 1798 – March 3, 1799

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The Fifth 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 at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1799, during the first two years of John Adams's presidency.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the First Census of the United States in 1790. Both chambers had a Federalist majority.

1 Major events
2 Major legislation
3 Territories organized
4 Treaties ratified
5 Party summary
- 5.1 Senate
- 5.2 House of Representatives
6 Leadership
- 6.1 Senate
- 6.2 House of Representatives
7 Members
- 7.1 Senate
- 7.2 House of Representatives
8 Changes in membership
- 8.1 Senate
- 8.2 House of Representatives
9 Employees
- 9.1 Senate
- 9.2 House of Representatives
10 References
11 External links

Major events

Main articles: 1797 in the United States, 1798 in the United States, and 1799 in the United States

March 4, 1797 – John Adams and Thomas Jefferson became President and Vice President of the United States
July 8, 1797 - The Senate expelled Tennessee Senator William Blount for conspiring with the British
July 11, 1798 - The United States Marine Corps was established
XYZ Affair in the U.S., followed by naval skirmishes but no war is declared

Major legislation

Main article: List of United States federal legislation#5th United States Congress

April 30, 1798: The U.S. Department of the Navy was established, Sess. 2, ch. 35, 1 Stat. 553
June 18, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization") (Naturalization Act of 1798), Sess. 2, ch. 54, 1 Stat. 566
June 25, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act concerning Aliens"), Sess. 2, ch. 58, 1 Stat. 570
July 6, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act respecting Alien Enemies"), Sess. 2, ch. 66, 1 Stat. 577
July 9, 1798: Act Further to Protect the Commerce of the United States, Sess. 2, ch. 68, 1 Stat. 578
July 11, 1798: The United States Marine Corps was established, Sess. 2, ch. 72, 1 Stat. 594
July 14, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States") (Sedition Act), Sess. 2, ch. 74, 1 Stat. 596
July 16, 1798: Marine Hospital Service Act ("An Act for the relief of sick and disabled Seamen"), Sess. 2, ch. 77, 1 Stat. 605

Territories organized

April 7, 1798 - Mississippi Territory was organized, Sess. 2, ch. 28, 1 Stat. 549. It was formerly a portion of Georgia and South Carolina

Treaties ratified

June 7, 1797: Treaty of Tripoli between the United States and Tripoli.^[1]
July 7, 1797: Existing treaties with France were rescinded, Sess. 2, ch. 67, 1 Stat. 578

Party summary

Details on changes are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

	Party (Shading shows control)		Total	Vacant

	Democratic- Republican (DR)	Federalist (F)
End of the previous congress	11	21	32	0

Begin	9	21	30	1
End	9	22	31	1
Final voting share	29.0%	71.0%

Beginning of the next congress	9	22	31	1

House of Representatives

	Party (Shading shows control)		Total	Vacant

	Democratic- Republican (DR)	Federalist (F)
End of the previous congress	59	47	106	0

Begin	49	57	106	0
End	50	56	106	0
Final voting share	47.2%	52.8%

Beginning of the next congress	46	60	106	0

Leadership

Senate

President: Thomas Jefferson (DR)
President pro tempore: William Bradford (F), elected July 6, 1797
- Jacob Read (F), elected November 22, 1797
- Theodore Sedgwick (F), elected June 27, 1798
- John Laurance (F), elected December 6, 1798
- James Ross (F), elected March 1, 1799

House of Representatives

Speaker: Jonathan Dayton (F)

Members

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

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 in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1802; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1798; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1800.

Connecticut

1. James Hillhouse (F)
3. Uriah Tracy (F)

Delaware

2. John Vining (F), until January 19, 1798
- Joshua Clayton (F), from January 19, 1798 until August 11, 1798
- William H. Wells (F), from January 17, 1799
1. Henry Latimer (F)

Georgia

3. James Gunn (F)
2. Josiah Tattnall (DR)

Kentucky

2. John Brown (DR)
3. Humphrey Marshall (F)

Maryland

3. John Henry (F), until December 10, 1797
- James Lloyd (F), from December 11, 1797
1. John Eager Howard (F)

Massachusetts

1. Benjamin Goodhue (F)
2. Theodore Sedgwick (F)

New Hampshire

3. John Langdon (DR)
2. Samuel Livermore (F)

New Jersey

1. John Rutherfurd (F), until November 26, 1798
- Franklin Davenport (F), from December 5, 1798
2. Richard Stockton (F)

New York

3. John Laurance (F)
1. Philip Schuyler (F), until January 3, 1798
- John Sloss Hobart (F), from January 11, 1798 until April 16, 1798
- William North (F), from May 5, 1798 until August 17, 1798
- James Watson (F), from August 17, 1798

North Carolina

2. Alexander Martin (DR)
3. Timothy Bloodworth (DR)

Pennsylvania

1. James Ross (F)
3. William Bingham (F)

Rhode Island

1. Theodore Foster (F)
2. William Bradford (F), until October ????, 1797
- Ray Greene (F), from November 13, 1797

South Carolina

3. Jacob Read (F)
2. John Hunter (DR) until November 26, 1798
- Charles Pinckney (DR), from December 6, 1798

Tennessee

2. William Blount (DR), until July 8, 1797
- Joseph Anderson (DR), from September 26, 1797
1. William Cocke (DR), from May 15, 1797 until September 26, 1797
- Andrew Jackson (DR), from September 26, 1797 until April ????, 1798
- Daniel Smith (DR), from October 6, 1798

Vermont

3. Elijah Paine (F)
1. Isaac Tichenor (F), until October 17, 1797
- Nathaniel Chipman (F), from October 17, 1797

Virginia

2. Henry Tazewell (DR), until January 24, 1799
1. Stevens T. Mason (DR)

House of Representatives

Connecticut

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

At-large. John Allen (F)
At-large. Joshua Coit (F), until September 5, 1798
- Jonathan Brace (F), from December 3, 1798
At-large. Samuel W. Dana (F)
At-large. James Davenport (F), until August 3, 1797
- William Edmond (F), from November 13, 1797
At-large. Chauncey Goodrich (F)
At-large. Roger Griswold (F)
At-large. Nathaniel Smith (F)

Delaware

At-large. James A. Bayard (F)

Georgia

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

At-large. Abraham Baldwin (DR)
At-large. John Milledge (DR)

Kentucky

1. Thomas T. Davis (DR)
2. John Fowler (DR)

Maryland

Massachusetts

1. Thomson J. Skinner (DR)
2. William Shepard (F)
3. Samuel Lyman (F)
4. Dwight Foster (F)
5. Nathaniel Freeman, Jr. (DR)
6. John Reed, Sr. (F)
7. Stephen Bullock (F)
8. Harrison Gray Otis (F)
9. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
10. Samuel Sewall (F)
11. Theophilus Bradbury (F), until July 24, 1797
- Bailey Bartlett (F), from November 27, 1797
12. Isaac Parker (F)
13. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
14. George Thatcher (F)

New Hampshire

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

At-large. Abiel Foster (F)
At-large. Jonathan Freeman (F)
At-large. William Gordon (F)
At-large. Jeremiah Smith (F), until July 26, 1797
- Peleg Sprague (F), from December 15, 1797

1. Joseph McDowell (DR)
2. Matthew Locke (DR)
3. Robert Williams (DR)
4. Richard Stanford (DR)
5. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
6. James Gillespie (DR)
7. William Barry Grove (F)
8. Dempsey Burges (DR)
9. Thomas Blount (DR)
10. Nathan Bryan (DR), until June 4, 1798
- Richard Dobbs Spaight (DR), from December 10, 1798

Pennsylvania

The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.

1. John Swanwick (DR), until August 1, 1798
- Robert Waln (F), from December 3, 1798
2. Blair McClenachan (DR)
3. Richard Thomas (F)
4. John Chapman (F)
4. Samuel Sitgreaves (F), until 1798
- Robert Brown (DR), from December 4, 1798
5. George Ege (F), until October 1797
- Joseph Hiester (DR), from December 1, 1797
6. John A. Hanna (DR)
7. John Wilkes Kittera (F)
8. Thomas Hartley (F)
9. Andrew Gregg (DR)
10. David Bard (DR)
11. William Findley (DR)
12. Albert Gallatin (DR)

Rhode Island

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

At-large. Christopher G. Champlin (F)
At-large. Elisha R. Potter (F), until 1797
- Thomas Tillinghast (F), from November 13, 1797

South Carolina

1. William L. Smith (F), until July 10, 1797
- Thomas Pinckney (F), from November 23, 1797
2. John Rutledge, Jr. (F)
3. Lemuel Benton (DR)
4. Thomas Sumter (DR)
5. Robert Goodloe Harper (F)
6. William Smith (DR)

Tennessee

At-large. Andrew Jackson (DR), until September, 1797
- William C. C. Claiborne (DR), November 23, 1797 - End

Vermont

1. Matthew Lyon (DR)
2. Lewis R. Morris (F)

Virginia

1. Daniel Morgan (F)
2. David Holmes (DR)
3. James Machir (F)
4. Abram Trigg (DR)
5. John J. Trigg (DR)
6. Matthew Clay (DR)
7. Abraham B. Venable (DR)
8. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
9. William Giles (DR), until October 2, 1798
- Joseph Eggleston (DR), from December 3, 1798
10. Carter B. Harrison (DR)
11. Josiah Parker (F)
12. Thomas Evans (F)
13. John Clopton (DR)
14. Samuel J. Cabell (DR)
15. John Dawson (DR)
16. Anthony New (DR)
17. Richard Brent (DR)
18. John Nicholas (DR)
19. Walter Jones (DR)

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress

Senate

There were 9 resignations, 2 deaths, 1 expulsion, 1 late selection, and 2 elections to replace appointees. Neither party had a net gain of seats.

State (class)	Former senator	Reason for change	Successor	Date of successor's installation
Tennessee (1)	Vacant	Tennessee failed to elect a Senator on time	William Cocke (DR)	Appointed May 15, 1797
Tennessee (2)	William Blount (DR)	Expelled July 8, 1797	Joseph Anderson (DR)	Elected September 26, 1797
Tennessee (1)	William Cocke (DR)	Interim appointment until September 26, 1797	Andrew Jackson (DR)	Elected September 26, 1797
Rhode Island (2)	William Bradford (F)	Resigned sometime in October, 1797	Ray Greene (F)	Elected November 13, 1797
Vermont (1)	Isaac Tichenor (F)	Resigned October 17, 1797	Nathaniel Chipman (F)	Elected October 17, 1797
Maryland (3)	John Henry (F)	Resigned December 10, 1797	James Lloyd (F)	Elected December 11, 1797
New York (1)	Philip John Schuyler (F)	Resigned January 3, 1798	John Sloss Hobart (F)	Elected January 11, 1798
Delaware (2)	John Vining (F)	Resigned January 19, 1798	Joshua Clayton (F)	Elected January 19, 1798
Tennessee (1)	Andrew Jackson (DR)	Resigned sometime in April, 1798	Daniel Smith (DR)	Appointed October 6, 1798
New York (1)	John Sloss Hobart (F)	Resigned April 16, 1798	William North (F)	Appointed May 5, 1798
Delaware (2)	Joshua Clayton (F)	Died August 11, 1798	William H. Wells (F)	Elected January 17, 1799
New York (1)	William North (F)	Interim appointment until August 17, 1798	James Watson (F)	Elected August 17, 1798
New Jersey (1)	John Rutherfurd (F)	Resigned November 26, 1798	Franklin Davenport (F)	Appointed December 5, 1798
South Carolina (2)	John Hunter (DR)	Resigned November 26, 1798	Charles Pinckney (DR)	Elected December 6, 1798
Virginia (2)	Henry Tazewell (DR)	Died January 24, 1799	Vacant	Not filled in this Congress

House of Representatives

There were 8 resignations and 3 deaths. The Federalists had a 1 seat net loss and the Democratic-Republicans had a 1 seat net gain.

Main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives

District	Vacator	Reason for change	Successor	Date of successor's installation
Rhode Island At-large	Elisha Potter (F)	Resigned sometime in 1797	Thomas Tillinghast (F)	Seated November 13, 1797
South Carolina 1st	William L. Smith (F)	Resigned July 10, 1797	Thomas Pinckney (F)	Seated November 23, 1797
Massachusetts 11th	Theophilus Bradbury (F)	Resigned July 24, 1797	Bailey Bartlett (F)	Seated November 27, 1797
New Hampshire At-large	Jeremiah Smith (F)	Resigned July 26, 1797	Peleg Sprague (F)	Seated December 15, 1797
Connecticut At-large	James Davenport (F)	Died August 3, 1797	William Edmond (F)	Seated November 13, 1797
Tennessee At-large	Andrew Jackson (DR)	Resigned sometime in September, 1797 to become U.S. Senator	William C.C. Claiborne (DR)	Seated November 23, 1797
Pennsylvania 5th	George Ege (F)	Resigned sometime in October, 1797	Joseph Hiester (DR)	Seated December 1, 1797
Pennsylvania 4th	Samuel Sitgreaves (F)	Resigned sometime in 1798	Robert Brown (DR)	Seated December 4, 1798
North Carolina 10th	Nathan Bryan (DR)	Died June 4, 1798	Richard Dobbs Spaight (DR)	Seated December 10, 1798
Pennsylvania 1st	John Swanwick (DR)	Died August 1, 1798	Robert Waln (F)	Seated December 3, 1798
Connecticut At-large	Joshua Coit (F)	Died September 5, 1798	Jonathan Brace (F)	Seated December 3, 1798
Virginia 9th	William Giles (DR)	Resigned October 2, 1798	Joseph Eggleston (DR)	Seated December 3, 1798

Employees

Architect of the Capitol: William Thornton

Senate

Secretary: Samuel A. Otis of Massachusetts, elected April 8, 1789
Doorkeeper: James Mathers of New York, elected April 7, 1789
Chaplain: William White, Episcopalian, elected December 9, 1790

House of Representatives

Clerk: Jonathan W. Condy of Pennsylvania, elected May 15, 1797
Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton of Rhode Island, elected May 15, 1797
Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton, elected May 15, 1797
Chaplain: Ashbel Green, Presbyterian, elected May 15, 1797

References

^ "Executive Journal (Fourteenth session)". Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America. Library of Congress. June 7, 1797. p. 244. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llej&fileName=001/llej001.db&recNum=250&itemLink=r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28ej001376%29%29:%230010247&linkText=1.

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.