15th United States Congress
The 15th 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 the Old Brick Capitol in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1817, to March 4, 1819, during the first two years of James Monroe's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Third Census of the United States in 1810. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.
| 15th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
14th ← → 16th | |
 The Old Brick Capitol, the temporary Capitol while the U.S. Capitol was being renovated after the Burning of Washington. (pictured here around 1861 in use as a Civil War prison) | |
| March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1819 | |
| Senate President | Daniel D. Tompkins (DR) |
| Senate President pro tem | James Barbour (DR) |
| House Speaker | Henry Clay (DR) |
| Members | 42 senators 185 members of the House 3 non-voting delegates |
| Senate Majority | Democratic-Republican |
| House Majority | Democratic-Republican |
| Sessions | |
| Special: March 4, 1817 – March 6, 1817 1st: December 1, 1817 – April 20, 1818 2nd: November 16, 1818 – March 3, 1819 | |
Major events
- March 4, 1817: James Monroe became President of the United States
- July 4, 1817: Construction on the Erie Canal began
- November 20, 1817: The first Seminole War began in Florida
- January 2, 1819: The Panic of 1819, the first major financial crisis in the United States, began.
- February 2, 1819: Dartmouth College v. Woodward: Supreme Court allowed Dartmouth to keep its charter and remain a private institution.
Treaties
- April 29, 1817: Rush–Bagot Treaty signed between the U.S. and the United Kingdom
- October 20, 1818: Treaty of 1818 between the U.S. and the United Kingdom established the northern boundary as the 49th parallel from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, also creating the Northwest Angle.
- February 22, 1819: Adams-Onís Treaty: Spain ceded Florida to the United States
States admitted and territories created
- December 10, 1817: Mississippi admitted as the 20th state
- December 3, 1818: Illinois admitted as the 21st state
- March 2, 1819: Arkansas Territory was created, 3 Stat. 493; it was formerly part of the Missouri 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 Senate seats were added for each of the new states of Mississippi and Illinois.
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic- Republican (DR) |
Federalist (F) | |||
| End of previous congress | 25 | 13 | 38 | 0 |
| Begin | 25 | 13 | 38 | 0 |
| End | 28 | 12 | 40 | 2 |
| Final voting share | 70.0% | 30.0% | ||
| Beginning of next congress | 29 | 9 | 38 | 4 |
House of Representatives
During this congress, one House seat was added for each of the new states of Mississippi and Illinois.
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic- Republican (DR) |
Federalist (F) | |||
| End of previous congress | 136 | 46 | 182 | 1 |
| Begin | 141 | 39 | 180 | 3 |
| End | 144 | 40 | 184 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 78.3% | 21.7% | ||
| Beginning of next congress | 158 | 25 | 183 | 2 |
Leadership
President of the Senate
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Senate
- President: Daniel D. Tompkins (DR)
- President pro tempore:
- John Gaillard (DR), elected March 4, 1817
- James Barbour (DR), elected February 15, 1819
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 1820; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1822; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1818.
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New Hampshire
|
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
|
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
ConnecticutAll representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
DelawareBoth representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
GeorgiaAll representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
MarylandThe 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New HampshireAll representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
New JerseyAll representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
New YorkThere were six plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, 12th, 15th, 20th & 21st, each had two representatives.
|
North Carolina
Ohio
PennsylvaniaThere were six plural districts, the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th & 10th had two representatives each, the 1st had four representatives.
Rhode IslandBoth representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket. South Carolina
Tennessee
VermontAll representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
Virginia
Non-voting members
|
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
| State (class) |
Vacator | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[lower-alpha 1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire (3) |
Jeremiah Mason (F) | Resigned June 16, 1817 | Clement Storer (DR) | Seated June 27, 1817 |
| Vermont (3) |
Dudley Chase (DR) | Resigned November 3, 1817, to become Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court | James Fisk (DR) | Seated November 4, 1817 |
| Louisiana (2) |
William C. C. Claiborne (DR) | Died November 23, 1817 | Henry Johnson (DR) | Seated January 12, 1818 |
| Mississippi (1) |
New seats | Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817 | Walter Leake (DR) | Installed December 10, 1817 |
| Mississippi (2) |
Thomas H. Williams (DR) | |||
| Vermont (3) |
James Fisk (DR) | Resigned January 8, 1818, to become Vermont Collector of Customs. Winner elected October 20, 1818. |
William A. Palmer (DR) | Seated October 20, 1818 |
| Tennessee (1) |
George W. Campbell (DR) | Resigned April 20, 1818, to become Ambassador to Russia | John Eaton (DR) | Seated September 5, 1818 |
| Massachusetts (1) |
Eli P. Ashmun (F) | Resigned May 10, 1818. Winner elected June 5, 1818. |
Prentiss Mellen (F) | Seated June 5, 1818 |
| Georgia (2) |
George Troup (DR) | Resigned September 23, 1818, to run for Governor of Georgia. Winner elected September 23, 1818. |
John Forsyth (DR) | Seated November 23, 1818 |
| Illinois (2) |
New seats | Illinois was admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818. | Jesse B. Thomas (DR) | Installed December 3, 1818 |
| Illinois (3) |
Ninian Edwards (DR) | |||
| Georgia (2) |
John Forsyth (DR) | Resigned February 17, 1819, to become U.S. Minister to Spain. Winner was elected in the next Congress. |
Not filled until next Congress | |
| Kentucky (2) |
John J. Crittenden (DR) | Resigned March 3, 1819, to return to private practice. Winner was elected in the next Congress. | ||
House of Representatives
| District | Vacator | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[lower-alpha 1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York 4 | Vacant | Member-elect Henry B. Lee died before this Congress began | James Tallmadge, Jr. (DR) | Seated June 6, 1817 |
| Missouri Territory at-large | Vacant | Seat remained vacant from March 4, 1817, to August 4, 1817 | John Scott | Seated August 4, 1817 |
| Pennsylvania 10 | Vacant | Member-elect David Scott resigned before this Congress began | John Murray (DR) | Seated October 14, 1817 |
| North Carolina 7 | Vacant | Member-elect Alexander McMillan died before this Congress began | James Stewart (F) | Seated January 5, 1818 |
| South Carolina 6 | John C. Calhoun (DR) | Resigned November 3, 1817, after being appointed United States Secretary of War | Eldred Simkins (DR) | Seated January 24, 1818 |
| Mississippi Territory at-large | Vacant | Seat remained vacant until Mississippi was admitted to the Union December 10, 1817 | George Poindexter (DR) | Seated December 10, 1817 |
| Mississippi at-large | ||||
| Connecticut at-large | Uriel Holmes (F) | Resigned sometime in 1818 | Sylvester Gilbert (DR) | Seated November 16, 1818 |
| North Carolina 11 | Daniel Forney (DR) | Resigned sometime in 1818 | William Davidson (F) | Seated December 2, 1818 |
| Alabama Territory at-large | Vacant | The first delegate from this new territory was not seated until January 29, 1818. | John Crowell | Seated January 29, 1818 |
| Massachusetts 20 | Albion K. Parris (DR | Resigned February 3, 1818 | Enoch Lincoln (DR) | Seated November 4, 1818 |
| Virginia 19 | Peterson Goodwyn (DR) | Died February 21, 1818 | John Pegram (DR) | Seated April 21, 1818 |
| Pennsylvania 6 | John Ross (DR) | Resigned February 24, 1818, to become President Judge of Pennsylvania's 7th Judicial Circuit | Thomas J. Rogers (DR) | Seated March 3, 1818 |
| Louisiana at-large | Thomas B. Robertson (DR) | Resigned April 20, 1818 | Thomas Butler (DR) | Seated November 16, 1818 |
| Pennsylvania 4 | Jacob Spangler (DR) | Resigned April 20, 1818 | Jacob Hostetter (DR) | Seated November 16, 1818 |
| Pennsylvania 6 | Samuel D. Ingham (DR) | Resigned July 6, 1818 | Samuel Moore (DR) | Seated October 13, 1818 |
| Georgia at-large | John Forsyth (DR) | Resigned November 23, 1818, after being elected to the U.S. Senate | Robert R. Reid (DR) | Seated February 18, 1819 |
| Illinois Territory at-large | Nathaniel Pope | Pope's term ended November 30, 1818, and the seat remained vacant until Illinois was admitted to the Union December 3, 1818 | John McLean (DR) | Seated December 3, 1818 |
| Illinois at-large | ||||
| North Carolina 10 | George Mumford (DR) | Died December 31, 1818 | Charles Fisher (DR) | Seated February 11, 1819 |
| Vermont at-large | Heman Allen (DR) | resigned April 20, 1818 | Vacant |
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Abner Lacock)
- Claims (Chairman: Jonathan Roberts then Robert Henry Goldsborough)
- Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Nathan Sanford)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: Robert Henry Goldsborough)
- Engrossed Bills (Chairman: John J. Crittenden)
- Finance (Chairman: George W. Campbell then John Wayles Eppes)
- Foreign Relations (Chairman: James Barbour then Nathaniel Macon)
- Indian Title to Certain Lands (Select)
- Judiciary (Chairman: John J. Crittenden then James Burrill, Jr.)
- Military Affairs (Chairman: George M. Troup then John Williams)
- Militia (Chairman: Clement Storer then Benjamin Ruggles)
- Mississippi's Admission to the Union (Select)
- Naval Affairs (Chairman: Charles Tait then Nathan Sanford)
- Pensions (Chairman: James Noble then Abner Lacock)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: James J. Wilson then Montfort Stokes)
- Public Lands (Chairman: Jeremiah Morrow)
- Seminole War (Select)
- Slave Trade (Select)
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts (Chairman: Peter Little)
- Alabama's Admission to the Union (Select)
- Arkansas Territory (Select)
- Bank of the United States (Select)
- Claims (Chairman: Lewis Williams)
- Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas Newton, Jr.)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: John C. Herbert)
- Elections (Chairman: John W. Taylor)
- Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: James Pleasants)
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: Samuel D. Ingham)
- Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: John Forsyth)
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: William Lowndes)
- Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: Richard M. Johnson)
- Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: Henry S. Tucker)
- Judiciary (Chairman: Hugh Nelson)
- Pensions and Revolutionary War Claims (Chairman: John Rhea)
- Private Land Claims (Chairman: Samuel Herrick then George Robertson)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Samuel D. Ingham then Arthur Livermore)
- Public Expenditures (Chairman: Joseph Desha)
- Public Lands (Chairman: Thomas B. Robertson then George Poindexter)
- Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: John Savage then John W. Taylor)
- Rules (Select)
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Ways and Means (Chairman: William Lowndes then Samuel Smith)
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
- The Library (Chairman: N/A)
Employees
Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin H. Latrobe, resigned November 20, 1817
- Charles Bulfinch, appointed January 8, 1818
- Librarian of Congress: George Watterston
Senate
- Chaplain: Sereno Edwards Dwight, Congregationalist, until December 9, 1817
- William D. Hawley, Episcopalian, elected December 9, 1817
- John Clark, Presbyterian, elected November 19, 1818
- Secretary: Charles Cutts
- Sergeant at Arms: Mountjoy Bayly
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Burgiss Allison (Baptist)
- Clerk: Thomas Dougherty
- Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
- Reading Clerks: [data unknown/missing]
- Sergeant at Arms: Thomas Dunn
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See also
- 1816 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 1818 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
Notes
- This is the date the member was seated or an oath administered, not necessarily the same date her/his service began.
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.
External links
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