12th United States Congress explained

The 12th 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, 1811, to March 4, 1813, during the third and fourth years of James Madison's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1800 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Major events

See main article: 1811 in the United States, 1812 in the United States, 1813 in the United States and Origins of the War of 1812.

• November 6, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh's forces
• December 16, 1811: New Madrid earthquake
• April 4, 1812: President Madison enacted a 90-day embargo on trade with the United Kingdom
• April 20, 1812: Vice President George Clinton died
• June 18, 1812: War of 1812: United States declared war on Great Britain
• August 16, 1812: War of 1812: Detroit surrendered to the British.
• October 13, 1812: War of 1812: the Battle of Queenston Heights
• November 5, 1812: Elections of 1812:
  • 1812 United States presidential election: Incumbent James Madison beat DeWitt Clinton.
  • United States Senate elections, 1812 and 1813
  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1812 and 1813

States admitted and territories organized

• April 30, 1812: Louisiana was admitted as a state into the Union. It was formerly known as the Territory of Orleans
• June 4, 1812: Missouri Territory was organized. It was formerly known as Louisiana Territory

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 new Senate seats were added for the new state of Louisiana.

House of Representatives

During this congress, one new House seat was added for the new state of Louisiana.

Leadership

Senate

• President

George Clinton (DR), until April 20, 1812; vacant thereafter.

• President pro tempore

William H. Crawford (DR)

House of Representatives

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Henry Clay Democratic-Republican

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 began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1814; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1816; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1812

Skip to House of Representatives, below

1. Samuel W. Dana (F)

3. Chauncey Goodrich (F)

1. Outerbridge Horsey (F)

2. James A. Bayard (F)

2. William H. Crawford (DR)

3. Charles Tait (DR)

2. George M. Bibb (DR)

3. John Pope (DR)

2. Jean N. Destréhan (DR), September 3, 1812 – October 1, 1812

Thomas Posey (DR), October 8, 1812 – February 4, 1813

James Brown (DR), from February 5, 1813

3. Allan B. Magruder (DR), from September 3, 1812

1. Samuel Smith (DR)

3. Philip Reed (DR)

1. James Lloyd (F)

2. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR), from June 29, 1811

2. Nicholas Gilman (DR)

3. Charles Cutts (F)

1. John Lambert (DR)

2. John Condit (DR)

1. Obadiah German (DR)

3. John Smith (DR)

2. James Turner (DR)

3. Jesse Franklin (DR)

1. Thomas Worthington (DR)

3. Alexander Campbell (DR)

1. Michael Leib (DR)

3. Andrew Gregg (DR)

1. Christopher G. Champlin (F), until October 2, 1811

William Hunter (F), from October 28, 1811

2. Jeremiah B. Howell (DR)

2. John Taylor (DR)

3. John Gaillard (DR)

1. Joseph Anderson (DR)

2. Jenkin Whiteside (DR), until October 8, 1811

George W. Campbell (DR), from October 8, 1811

1. Jonathan Robinson (DR)

3. Stephen R. Bradley (DR)

1. Richard Brent (DR)

2. William B. Giles (DR)

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Epaphroditus Champion (F)

. John Davenport (F)

. Lyman Law (F)

. Jonathan O. Moseley (F)

. Timothy Pitkin (F)

. Lewis B. Sturges (F)

. Benjamin Tallmadge (F)

. Henry M. Ridgely (F)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. William W. Bibb (DR)

. Howell Cobb (DR), until before October, 1812

William Barnett (DR), from October 5, 1812

. Bolling Hall (DR)

. George M. Troup (DR)

. Anthony New (DR)

. Samuel McKee (DR)

. Stephen Ormsby (DR)

. Richard M. Johnson (DR)

. Henry Clay (DR)

. Joseph Desha (DR)

. Thomas B. Robertson (DR), from December 23, 1812 (newly admitted state)

The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.

. Philip Stuart (F)

. Joseph Kent (DR)

. Philip B. Key (F)

. Samuel Ringgold (DR)

. Peter Little (DR)

. Alexander McKim (DR)

. John Montgomery (DR), until April 29, 1811

Stevenson Archer (DR), from October 26, 1811

. Robert Wright (DR)

. Charles Goldsborough (F)

. Josiah Quincy (F)

. William Reed (F)

. Leonard White (F)

. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR), until June 29, 1811

William M. Richardson (DR), from November 4, 1811

. William Ely (F)

. Samuel Taggart (F)

. Charles Turner Jr. (DR)

. Isaiah L. Green (DR)

. Laban Wheaton (F)

. Elijah Brigham (F)

. Abijah Bigelow (F)

. Ezekiel Bacon (DR)

. Ebenezer Seaver (DR)

. Richard Cutts (DR)

. William Widgery (DR)

. Peleg Tallman (DR)

. Barzillai Gannett (DR), until sometime in 1812 before April 6

Francis Carr (DR), from April 6, 1812

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Josiah Bartlett Jr. (DR)

. Samuel Dinsmoor (DR)

. Obed Hall (DR)

. John A. Harper (DR)

. George Sullivan (F)

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Adam Boyd (DR)

. Lewis Condict (DR)

. Jacob Hufty (DR)

. George C. Maxwell (DR)

. James Morgan (DR)

. Thomas Newbold (DR)

There were two plural districts, the 2nd & 6th each had two representatives.

. Ebenezer Sage (DR)

. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)

. William Paulding Jr. (DR)

. Pierre Van Cortlandt Jr. (DR)

. James Emott (F)

. Thomas B. Cooke (DR)

. Asa Fitch (F)

. Robert Le Roy Livingston (F), until May 6, 1812

Thomas P. Grosvenor (F) from January 29, 1813

. Harmanus Bleecker (F)

. Benjamin Pond (DR)

. Thomas Sammons (DR)

. Silas Stow (DR)

. Thomas R. Gold (F)

. Arunah Metcalf (DR)

. Uri Tracy (DR)

. Daniel Avery (DR)

. Peter B. Porter (DR)

. Lemuel Sawyer (DR)

. Willis Alston (DR)

. Thomas Blount (DR), until February 7, 1812

William Kennedy (DR), from January 30, 1813

. William Blackledge (DR)

. William R. King (DR)

. Nathaniel Macon (DR)

. Archibald McBryde (F)

. Richard Stanford (DR)

. James Cochran (DR)

. Joseph Pearson (F)

. Israel Pickens (DR)

. Meshack Franklin (DR)

. Jeremiah Morrow (DR)

There were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives.

. William Anderson (DR)

. James Milnor (F)

. Adam Seybert (DR)

. Robert Brown (DR)

. Jonathan Roberts (DR)

. William Rodman (DR)

. Roger Davis (DR)

. John M. Hyneman (DR)

. Joseph Lefever (DR)

. David Bard (DR)

. Robert Whitehill (DR)

. George Smith (DR)

. William Crawford (DR)

. William Piper (DR)

. William Findley (DR)

. John Smilie (DR), until December 30, 1812, vacant thereafter

. Aaron Lyle (DR)

. Abner Lacock (DR)

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Richard Jackson Jr. (F)

. Elisha R. Potter (F)

. Langdon Cheves (DR)

. William Butler Sr. (DR)

. David R. Williams (DR)

. William Lowndes (DR)

. Richard Winn (DR)

. John C. Calhoun (DR)

. Thomas Moore (DR)

. Elias Earle (DR)

. John Rhea (DR)

. John Sevier (DR)

. Felix Grundy (DR)

. Samuel Shaw (DR)

. William Strong (DR)

. James Fisk (DR)

. Martin Chittenden (F)

. Thomas Wilson (F)

. John Baker (F)

. John Smith (DR)

. William McCoy (DR)

. James Breckinridge (F)

. Daniel Sheffey (F)

. Joseph Lewis Jr. (F)

. John P. Hungerford (DR), until November 29, 1811

John Taliaferro (DR), from November 29, 1811

. Aylett Hawes (DR)

. John Dawson (DR)

. John Roane (DR)

. Burwell Bassett (DR)

. William A. Burwell (DR)

. Matthew Clay (DR)

. John Randolph (DR)

. James Pleasants (DR)

. Thomas Gholson Jr. (DR)

. Peterson Goodwyn (DR)

. Edwin Gray (DR)

. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)

. Hugh Nelson (DR)

. John Clopton (DR)

Non-voting members

. Shadrack Bond, from December 3, 1812

. Jonathan Jennings

. George Poindexter

. Edward Hempstead, from November 9, 1812

, vacant until April 29, 1812

Changes in membership

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

Senate

• Replacements: 1
  • Democratic-Republicans: no net change
  • Federalists: no net change
• Deaths: 0
• Resignations: 4
• Interim appointments: 1
• Seats of newly admitted states: 2
• Vacancies:1
• Total seats with changes: 6

See also: List of special elections to the United States Senate.

|-| Massachusetts
(2)| Vacant| Legislature elected late.
Successor elected June 29, 1811.| | Joseph B. Varnum (DR)| June 29, 1811

|-| Rhode Island
(1)| | Christopher G. Champlin (F)| Resigned October 2, 1811
Successor elected October 28, 1811.| | William Hunter (F)| October 28, 1811

|-| Tennessee
(2)| | Jenkin Whiteside (DR)| Resigned October 8, 1811.
Successor elected October 8, 1811.| | George W. Campbell (DR)| October 8, 1811

|-| Louisiana
(3)| New seat| Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.
Inaugural Senator elected September 3, 1812, for the term ending March 4, 1813.| | Allan B. Magruder (DR)| September 3, 1812

|-| rowspan=3 | Louisiana
(2)| New seat| Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812.
Inaugural Senator elected September 3, 1812, for the term ending March 4, 1817.| | Jean Noel Destréhan (DR)| September 3, 1812

|-| | Jean N. Destréhan (DR)| Resigned October 1, 1812, without having qualified.
Successor appointed October 8, 1812, to continue the term ending March 4, 1817.| | Thomas Posey (DR)| October 8, 1812

|-| | Thomas Posey (DR)| Appointee lost election to finish the term.
Successor elected February 4, 1813.| | James Brown (DR)| February 5, 1813

|}

House of Representatives

• Replacements: 3
  • Democratic-Republicans: no net change
  • Federalists: no net change
• Deaths: 2
• Resignations: 5
• Contested election: 1
• Seats of newly admitted states: 1
• Vacancies: 1
• Total seats with changes: 10

See main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives.

|-| | | John Montgomery (DR)| Resigned April 29, 1811, to become attorney General of Maryland| | Stevenson Archer (DR)| Seated October 26, 1811|-| | | Joseph B. Varnum (DR)| Resigned June 29, 1811, to become U.S. Senator| | William M. Richardson (DR)| Seated November 4, 1811|-| | | John Hungerford (DR)| Lost contested election November 29, 1811| | John Taliaferro (DR)| Seated November 29, 1811|-| | | Barzillai Gannett (DR)| Resigned sometime in 1812 before April 6 | | Francis Carr (DR)| Seated April 6, 1812|-| | | Thomas Blount (DR)| Died February 7, 1812| | William Kennedy (DR)| Seated January 30, 1813|-| | colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Julien de Lallande Poydras had resigned in the previous Congress, and the seat remained vacant until the territory became the state of Louisiana on April 30, 1812| rowspan=2 | Thomas B. Robertson (DR)| rowspan=2 | Seated April 30, 1812|-|

|-| | | Robert Le Roy Livingston (F)| Resigned May 6, 1812| | Thomas P. Grosvenor (F)| Seated January 29, 1813|-| | | Howell Cobb (DR)| Resigned sometime before October 1812 | | William Barnett (DR)| Seated October 5, 1812|-| | colspan=2 | Territory delegate seat established| Edward Hempstead| Seated November 9, 1812|-| | colspan=2 | Territory delegate seat established| Shadrach Bond| Seated December 3, 1812|-| | | John Smilie (DR)| Died December 30, 1812| Vacant| Not filled until next Congress|}

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

• Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Michael Leib)
• Engrossed Bills (Chairman: Nicholas Gilman)
  • National University Whole

House of Representatives

• Accounts (Chairman: Charles Turner Jr.)
• Apportionment of Representatives (Select)
• Bankruptcy (Select)
• Claims (Chairman: Burwell Bassett then Thomas Gholson Jr.)
• Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas Newton Jr.)
• District of Columbia (Chairman: Joseph Lewis Jr.)
• Elections (Chairman: William Findley)
• Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: John Rhea)
• Public Lands (Chairman: Jeremiah Morrow)
• Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Adam Seybert then Burwell Bassett)
• Rules (Select)
  • Standards of Official Conduct Ways and Means (Chairman: Ezekiel Bacon then Langdon Cheves)
• Whole

Joint committees

• Enrolled Bills (Chairman:)
• The Library (Chairman: N/A)

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

• Architect of the Capitol

Benjamin Latrobe, until July 1, 1811; vacant thereafter

• Librarian of Congress

Patrick Magruder

Senate

• Chaplain

Walter D. Addison (Presbyterian), until November 13, 1811

• • John Brackenridge (Presbyterian), from November 13, 1811
• Secretary

Samuel A. Otis

• Sergeant at Arms

James Mathers, died

• • Mountjoy Bayly, elected November 6, 1811

House of Representatives

• Chaplain

Jesse Lee (Methodist), until November 13, 1811

• • Nicholas Snethen (Methodist), elected November 13, 1811
  • Jesse Lee (Methodist), elected November 2, 1812
• Clerk

Patrick Magruder

• Doorkeeper

Thomas Claxton

• Reading Clerks

• Sergeant at Arms

Thomas Dunn

See also

• 1810 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
  • 1810–11 United States Senate elections
  • 1810–11 United States House of Representatives elections
• United States elections, 1812 (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
  • 1812 United States presidential election
  • 1812–13 United States Senate elections
  • 1812–13 United States House of Representatives elections

References

• Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. 1989. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.
• Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. 1982. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.

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