46th United States Congress


The 46th 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, 1879, to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of Rutherford Hayes's presidency.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1870 United States census. The Senate had a Democratic majority, while the House of Representatives had a Democratic plurality. The Democrats were still able to control the House, however, with the help of the Independent politicians who caucused with them.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Major events

  • Depression of 1873–79
  • March 18, 1879: Samuel J. Randall was elected in one of the most tightly fought contests for the speakership after the Civil War. Randall, who favored the protective tariff and "hard money," drew his greatest strength from northern cities and greatest opposition from the west and south. The midterm elections of 1878 had gone badly for the Democrats, with the Greenback Party making inroads in key districts. This emboldened Randall's opponents, who rallied to the support of Joseph Blackburn from Kentucky. In the end, Randall prevailed in the Democratic caucus to receive the nomination, with 75 votes to Blackburn's 57 and a scattering of 9 votes to three other candidates. Blackburn, in moving to make Randall's nomination unanimous, steered his supporters away from the nomination of Hendrick B. Wright, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who was nominated by the Greenbacks. In the eventual vote in the House to elect the Speaker, Randall prevailed with 144 votes, to 125 for James Garfield, 13 for Wright, and one for William "Pig Iron" Kelley.
  • November 2, 1880: U.S. presidential election, 1880: James Garfield defeated Winfield S. Hancock
  • February 19, 1881: Kansas became the first state to prohibit alcohol.

Major legislation

*

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.

Senate

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 ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1880; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1882; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1884.

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


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


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


South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina


House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

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


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


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


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


Changes in membership

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

Senate

  • Replacements: 4
  • * Democratic: no net change
  • * Republican: no net change
  • Deaths: 3
  • Resignations: 1
  • Interim appointments: 2
  • '''Total seats with changes: 5'''

House of Representatives

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