41st United States Congress

The 41st 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, 1869, to March 4, 1871, during the first two years of Ulysses S. Grant's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1860 [United States census]. Both chambers had a Republican majority.

Major events

March 4, 1869: Ulysses Grant became President of the United States
March 4, 1869: Carl Schurz R-Missouri became the first German American to serve in the United States Senate
May 10, 1869: Golden spike marked the completion of the First transcontinental railroad in Promontory, Utah
December 10, 1869: Wyoming Territory gave women the right to vote, one of the first such laws in the world
February 12, 1870: Utah Territory gave women the right to vote
February 25, 1870: Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African American in the U.S. Congress

Major legislation

March 18, 1869: Public Credit Act of 1869, Sess. 1, ch. 1,
April 10, 1869: Judiciary Act of 1869, Sess. 1, ch. 22,
May 31, 1870: Enforcement Act of 1870, Sess. 2, ch. 114,
June 22, 1870: An Act to establish the Department of Justice, Sess. 2, ch. 150,
June 29, 1870: An Act to reorganize the Marine Hospital Service, Sess. 2, ch. 169,
July 12, 1870: Currency Act of 1870, Sess. 2, ch. 252,
July 14, 1870: Funding Act of 1870, Sess. 2, ch. 256,
February 21, 1871: District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871, Sess. 3, ch. 62,,

Constitutional amendments

February 3, 1870: Fifteenth Amendment to [the United States Constitution|Fifteenth Amendment] was ratified by the requisite number of states to become part of the Constitution

States readmitted

January 26, 1870: Virginia rejoined the Union
February 23, 1870: Mississippi rejoined the Union
March 30, 1870: Texas rejoined the Union
July 15, 1870: Georgia rejoined the Union, the last former Confederate state to be readmitted

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.
During this Congress, Virginia, Mississippi, Texas, and Georgia were readmitted to representation.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed then by class and representatives are listed then 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 1874; "Class 2" meant their term ended in this Congress, facing re-election in 1870; and "Class 3" meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1872.

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

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

New Jersey">List of United States senators from New Jersey">New Jersey

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

House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

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

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

New Jersey">List of United States representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey

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

Changes in membership

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

Senate

Replacements: 6
* Democratic: 1 seat net gain
* Republican: 1 seat net loss
Deaths: 2
Resignations:2
Interim appointments: 2
Seats of newly re-admitted states: 8
'''Total seats with changes: 14'''

House of Representatives

Replacements: 14
* Democratic: 3 seat net loss
* Republican: 3 seat net gain
* Conservative Party of Virginia: no net change
Deaths: 6
Resignations: 6
Contested election: 8
Seats of newly re-admitted states: 17
'''Total seats with changes: 44'''

Committees

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Caucuses

Employees

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

Senate

Chaplain: John P. Newman
Secretary: George C. Gorham
Sergeant at Arms: George T. Brown, until March 22, 1869
* John R. French, elected March 22, 1869