53rd United States Congress


The 53rd 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, 1893, to March 4, 1895, during the first two years of Grover Cleveland's second presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1890 United States census.
The Democrats maintained their majority in the House and won back control of the Senate. With Grover Cleveland being sworn in on March 4, 1893, for his second stint as president, this also gave the Democrats an overall federal government trifecta for the first time since the establishment of the Republican Party in 1854.

Major events

Major legislation

Party summary

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.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class and Members of the House 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, facing re-election in 1898; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, facing re-election in 1894; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1896.

Georgia">List of United States senators from Georgia">Georgia


Maine">List of United States senators from Maine">Maine


Nebraska">List of United States senators from Nebraska">Nebraska


Oregon">List of United States senators from Oregon">Oregon


Virginia">List of United States senators from Virginia">Virginia


House of Representatives

Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia


Maine">List of United States representatives from Maine">Maine


Nebraska">List of United States representatives from Nebraska">Nebraska


Oregon">List of United States representatives from Oregon">Oregon


South Dakota">List of United States representatives from South Dakota">South Dakota

Both representatives were elected at-large statewide on a general ticket.

Washington">List of United States representatives from Washington">Washington

Both representatives were elected at-large statewide on a general ticket.

Changes in membership

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

Senate

  • Replacements: 6
  • * Democratic: no net change
  • * Republican: no net change
  • * Liberal Republican: 1 seat net loss
  • Deaths: 4
  • Resignations: 8
  • Interim appointments: 2
  • Total seats with changes: 12
State
Vacated byReason for vacancySubsequentDate of successor's installation
Montana
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
Successor elected January 16, 1895.		Lee Mantle January 16, 1895
Wyoming
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
Successor was elected January 23, 1895.		Clarence D. Clark January 23, 1895
Washington
VacantLegislature had failed to elect.
John Allen was appointed to serve until March 20, 1893, but the Senate rejected his credentials.
Successor elected February 1, 1895.		John L. Wilson February 19, 1895
California
Leland Stanford Died June 21, 1893.
Successor was appointed July 26, 1893, and elected January 23, 1895.		George C. Perkins July 26, 1893
Mississippi
Edward C. Walthall Resigned January 24, 1894, due to ill health.
Successor was [United States Senate special election in List of United States senators from Mississippi|Mississippi, 1894|elected].		Anselm J. McLaurin February 27, 1894
Louisiana
Edward D. White Resigned March 12, 1894, to become Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Successor was appointed March 12, 1894, and subsequently elected May 23, 1894.		Newton C. Blanchard March 12, 1894
Georgia
Alfred H. Colquitt Died March 26, 1894.
Successor was appointed April 2, 1894, and subsequently elected November 7, 1894.		Patrick Walsh April 2, 1894
North Carolina
Zebulon B. Vance Died April 14, 1894.
Successor was appointed.		Thomas J. Jarvis April 19, 1894
Michigan
Francis B. Stockbridge Died April 30, 1894.
Successor was appointed.		John Patton Jr. May 5, 1894
Michigan
John Patton Jr. Successor was elected January 14, 1895.Julius C. Burrows January 24, 1895
North Carolina
Thomas J. Jarvis Successor was elected January 23, 1895.Jeter C. Pritchard January 23, 1895

House of Representatives

  • Replacements: 22
  • * Democratic: 2 seat net gain
  • * Republican: 2 seat net loss
  • Deaths: 11
  • Resignations: 13
  • Contested election: 3
  • '''Total seats with changes: 30'''

Committees

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Caucuses

Employees

Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States">Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives