28th United States Congress
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "redirect hatnote". Template:More footnotes needed Template:Infobox United States Congress The 28th 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, 1843, to March 4, 1845, during the third and fourth years of John Tyler's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1840 United States census. The Senate had a Whig majority, and the House had a Democratic majority. Template:TOCLimit
Major events
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- May 24, 1844: The first electrical telegram was sent by Samuel F. B. Morse from the U.S. Capitol to the B&O Railroad "outer depot" in Baltimore, Maryland, saying "What hath God wrought".
- December 4, 1844: U.S. presidential election, 1844: James K. Polk defeated Henry Clay
Major legislation
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- January 23, 1845: Presidential Election Day Act, ch. 1, 5 Stat. 721
- March 3, 1845: For the first time, Congress overrode a Presidential veto. An act relating to revenue cutters and steamers was thereby enacted as the last Act of the 28th Congress: session II, ch. 78, 5 Stat. 795.
Treaties
- July 3, 1844: Treaty of Wanghia which was signed with the Qing Empire.[1] The treaty established five U.S. treaty ports in China with extraterritoriality and was the first unequal treaty that the country imposed on the dynasty.
States admitted
- March 1, 1845: Resolution for the Annexation of Texas, 5 Stat. 797 (Admitted in the next Congress, December 29, 1845.)
- March 3, 1845: Florida admitted, 5 Stat. 742. The statute also allowed for the provisional admission of Iowa, pending a referendum in that state. (Admitted in the next Congress, December 28, 1846.)
Party summary
Senate
During this congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of Florida.
Template:US Congress party summary
House of Representatives
Following the 1840 United States census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats.[2] During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida.[3]
Template:US Congress party summary
Leadership
Senate
- President: Vacant
- President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum (W)
House of Representatives
- Speaker: John W. Jones (D)
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, 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 ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1846; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.
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House of Representatives
Representatives are listed by their district numbers.
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Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
- Replacements: 7
- Democrats (D): no net change
- Whigs (W): 1 seat net loss
- Law and Order (LO): 1 seat net gain
- Deaths: 3
- Resignations: 5
- Interim appointments: 1
- Total seats with changes: 10
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|-
| Tennessee
(1)
| Vacant
| Senator Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) resigned in 26th Congress.
Successor elected October 17, 1843.
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Ephraim H. Foster (W)
| Elected October 17, 1843
|-
| Tennessee
(2)
| Vacant
| Failure to elect.
Successor elected October 17, 1843.
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Spencer Jarnagin (W)
| Elected October 17, 1843
|-
| Maine
(1)
| Vacant
| Senator Reuel Williams (D) resigned in previous congress.
Successor elected December 4, 1843.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | John Fairfield (D)
| Elected December 4, 1843
|-
| Louisiana
(3)
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Alexander Porter (W)
| Elected but, due to ill health, never took his seat.
Incumbent died January 13, 1844.
Successor elected February 12, 1844.
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Henry Johnson (W)
| Elected February 12, 1844
|-
| Illinois
(2)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Samuel McRoberts (D)
| Died March 27, 1843.
Successor appointed December 4, 1843, to continue the term until an election.
Appointee was later elected, on an unknown date.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | James Semple (D)
| Seated December 4, 1843
|-
| Missouri
(3)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Lewis F. Linn (D)
| Died October 3, 1843.
Successor appointed October 14, 1843, to continue the term until an election.
Appointee was later elected, on an unknown date in 1843.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | David R. Atchison (D)
| Seated October 14, 1843
|-
| Rhode Island
(1)
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | William Sprague (W)
| Resigned January 17, 1844.
Successor elected January 25, 1844.
| Template:Party shading/Law and Order | John B. Francis (LO)
| Seated January 25, 1844
|-
| Alabama
(2)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | William R. King (D)
| Resigned April 15, 1844, after being appointed U.S. Minister to France.
Successor appointed April 22, 1844, to finish the term.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dixon H. Lewis (D)
| Seated April 22, 1844
|-
| New York
(1)
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (W)
| Resigned June 17, 1844, after being appointed Governor of Wisconsin Territory.
Successor was appointed November 30, 1945.
Appointee was later elected January 18, 1845.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Daniel S. Dickinson (D)
| Seated December 9, 1844
|-
| Arkansas
(2)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | William S. Fulton (D)
| Died August 15, 1844.
Successor elected November 8, 1844.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Chester Ashley (D)
| Seated November 8, 1844
|-
| New York
(3)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Silas Wright (D)
| Resigned November 26, 1844, after being elected Governor of New York.
Successor appointed November 30, 1945.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Henry A. Foster (D)
| Seated December 9, 1844
|-
| New York
(3)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Henry A. Foster (D)
| Appointee was not nominated for election.
Successor elected January 18, 1845.
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | John A. Dix (D)
| Seated January 27, 1845
|-
| South Carolina
(2)
| style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Daniel E. Huger (D)
| Resigned March 3, 1845
| Vacant
| Not filled this term
|-
| Florida
(1)
| colspan=2 | New state: Florida admitted to the Union March 3, 1845.
First Senator wasn't elected until the next Congress.
| Vacant
| Not filled this term
|-
| Florida
(2)
| colspan=2 | New state: Florida admitted to the Union March 3, 1845.
First Senator wasn't elected until the next Congress.
| Vacant
| Not filled this term
|}
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 14
- Democrats (D): 6 seat net loss
- Whigs (W): 6 seat net gain
- Deaths: 7
- Resignations: 7
- Contested election: 0
- Total seats with changes: 16
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Template:Ordinal US Congress change |- | Template:Ushr | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Barker Burnell (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died June 15, 1843 | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Joseph Grinnell (W) | Seated December 7, 1843 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Mark A. Cooper (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned June 26, 1843, to become candidate for Governor of Georgia | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Alexander H. Stephens (W) | Seated October 2, 1843 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | John B. Lamar (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 29, 1843 | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Absalom H. Chappell (W) | Seated October 2, 1843 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | John Millen (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 15, 1843 | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Duncan L. Clinch (W) | Seated February 15, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Henry A. Wise (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 12, 1844, after being appointed Minister to Brazil | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Thomas H. Bayly (D) | Seated May 6, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | William Wilkens (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 14, 1844, after being appointed United States Secretary of War | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Cornelius Darragh (W) | Seated March 26, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Thomas W. Gilmer (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 16, 1844, after being appointed United States Secretary of the Navy | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | William L. Goggin (W) | Seated April 25, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Henry Frick (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died March 1, 1844 | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | James Pollock (W) | Seated April 5, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Heman A. Moore (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 3, 1844 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Alfred P. Stone (D) | Seated October 8, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Dixon H. Lewis (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned April 22, 1844, after being appointed US Senator | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | William L. Yancey (D) | Seated December 2, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Pierre Bossier (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 24, 1844 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Isaac E. Morse (D) | Seated December 2, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Samuel Beardsley (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 29, 1844, after being appointed associate judge of New York Supreme Court | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Levi D. Carpenter (D) | Seated November 5, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Henry R. Brinkerhoff (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 30, 1844 | style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Edward S. Hamlin (W) | Seated October 8, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Almon H. Read (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died June 3, 1844 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | George Fuller (D) | Seated December 2, 1844 |- | Template:Ushr | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | David L. Yulee (D) | colspan=3 style="font-size:80%" | Seat was eliminated when Florida achieved statehood March 3, 1845 |- | nowrap | Template:Ushr | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845 | Vacant | Not filled this term |}
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
| Committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Foreign Relations | William S. Archer (W-VA) |
| Finance | George Evans (W-ME) |
| Commerce | Jabez W. Huntington (W-CT) |
| Manufactures | James F. Simmons (W-RI) |
| Agriculture | William Upham (W-VT) |
| Military Affairs | John J. Crittenden (W-KY) |
| Militia | Alexander Barrow (W-LA) |
| Naval Affairs | Richard H. Bayard (W-DE) |
| Public Lands | William Woodbridge (W-MI) |
| Private Land Claims | John Henderson (W-MS) |
| Indian Affairs | Albert S. White (W-IN) |
| Claims | Ephraim H. Foster (W-TN) |
| Revolutionary Claims | Spencer Jarnagin (W-TN) |
| Judiciary | John M. Berrien (W-GA) |
| Post Office and Post Roads | William D. Merrick (W-MD) |
| Roads and Canals | Augustus S. Porter (W-MI) |
| Pensions | Isaac C. Bates (W-MA) |
| District of Columbia | Jacob W. Miller (W-NJ) |
| Patents and the Patent Office | Samuel S. Phelps (W-VT) |
| Retrenchment | James T. Morehead (W-KY) |
| Public Buildings | William L. Dayton (W-NJ) |
| Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate | Benjamin Tappan (W-OH) |
| Printing | James F. Simmons (W-RI) |
| Engrossed Bills | Benjamin Tappan (W-OH) |
House of Representatives
| Committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Elections | Lucius Elmer (D-NJ) |
| Ways and Means | James I. McKay (D-NC) |
| Claims | Joseph Vance (W-OH) |
| Commerce | Isaac E. Holmes (D-SC) |
| Public Lands | John W. Davis (D-IN) |
| Post Office and Post Roads | George W. Hopkins (D-VA) |
| District of Columbia | John Campbell (D-SC) |
| Judiciary | William Wilkins (D-PA), until February 14, 1844 Romulus M. Saunders (D-NC), from February 14, 1844 |
| Revolutionary Claims | Richard D. Davis (D-NY) |
| Public Expenditures | James G. Clinton (D-NY) |
| Private Land Claims | Edward Cross (D-AR) |
| Manufacturers | Jacob Collamer (W-VT) |
| Agriculture | Edmund Deberry (D-NC) |
| Indian Affairs | Cave Johnson (D-TN) |
| Military Affairs | Hugh A. Haralson (D-GA) |
| Militia | Ezra Dean (D-OH) |
| Naval Affairs | Henry A. Wise (D-VA), until February 12, 1844 William Parmenter (D-MA), from February 12, 1844 |
| Foreign Affairs | Charles J. Ingersoll (D-PA) |
| Territories | Aaron V. Brown (D-TN) |
| Revolutionary Pensions | George O. Rathbun (D-NY), until 1844 David L. Seymour (D-NY), from 1844 |
| Invalid Pensions | Jacob Brinkerhoff (D-OH) |
| Roads and Canals | Robert D. Owen (D-IN) |
| Patents | Alexander Harper (D-OH) |
| Public Buildings and Grounds | Zadock Pratt (D-NY) |
| Revisals and Unfinished Business | Elisha R. Potter (LO-RI) |
| Expenditures in the Navy Department | Amasa Dana (D-NY) |
| Expenditures in the Post Office Department | Alexander Harper (W-OH) |
| Expenditures on the Public Buildings | Daniel P. King (W-MA) |
| Rules (select) | Henry A. Wise (D-VA) until February 12, 1844 John Quincy Adams (W-MA) from February 12, 1844 |
Joint committees
Employees
Senate
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Isaac S. Tinsley (Baptist), elected December 16, 1843
- William M. Daily (Methodist), from December 4, 1844
- Clerk: Matthew St. Clair Clarke, until December 7, 1843
- Caleb J. McNulty, elected December 7, 1843
- Benjamin B. French, elected January 18, 1845
- Doorkeeper: Jesse E. Dow, elected December 7, 1843
- Postmaster: William J. McCormick, until January 4, 1844
- John M. Johnson, from January 4, 1844
- Reading Clerks: Template:Data missing
- Sergeant at Arms: Eleazor M. Townsend, until December 8, 1843
- Newton Lane, from December 8, 1843
See also
- 1842 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 1844 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
Notes
References
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External links
- Statutes at Large, 1789-1875
- Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
- U.S. House of Representatives: House History
- U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists
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