User:Stilltim/congress - 26th United States Congress - general

United States Capitol

The Twenty-sixth 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, 1839 to March 3, 1841, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President Martin Van Buren.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Fifth Census of the United States in 1830. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.

See also: 26th Congress - state detail

Dates of sessions

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March 4, 1839 - March 3, 1841

  • First session: December 2, 1839 - July 21, 1840
  • Second session: December 7, 1840 - March 3, 1841 — a lame duck session

Previous congress: 25th Congress - general
Next congress: 27th Congress - general

Party summary

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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.

Senate

TOTAL members: 52

House of Representatives

TOTAL members: 242

Leadership

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President of the Senate
Vice President
Richard M. Johnson
Senate
House of Representatives

Major events

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Main article: Events of 1839; Events of 1840; Events of 1841

Major legislation

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Main article: List of United States federal legislation in the 26th Congress

Membership highlights by chamber

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

Senate

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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 with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1840; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1842.

See also: Category:United States Senators
See also: Category:United States congressional delegations by state
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
 
President pro tempore
William R. King

House of Representatives

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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.

See also: Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives
See also: Category:United States congressional delegations by state
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut [1]
Delaware
Georgia [2]
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland [3]
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi [4]
Missouri [5]
New Hampshire [6]
New Jersey [7]
New York [8]
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania [9]
Rhode Island [10]
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
 
Speaker of the House
Robert M.T. Hunter

Delegates

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Florida Territory
Iowa Territory
Wisconsin Territory

Changes in membership

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

Senate
  • replacements: 8
  • deaths: 3
  • resignations: 6
  • interim appointments: 0
  • Total seats with changes: 12
House of Representatives

Officers

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Senate
House of Representatives

Notes

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  1. ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
  2. ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
  3. ^ The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.
  4. ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
  5. ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
  6. ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
  7. ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
  8. ^ There were four plural districts, the 8th, 17th, 22nd & 23rd had two representatives each, the 3rd had four representatives.
  9. ^ There were two plural districts, the 2nd had two representatives, the 4th had three representatives.
  10. ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

References

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  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
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