30th United States Congress
The 30th 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, 1847, to March 4, 1849, during the last two years of the administration of President James K. Polk. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1840 [United States census]. The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House had a Whig majority. It was the only Congress in which Abraham Lincoln served.
Major events
- July 1, 1847: United States issued its first postage stamps
- January 24, 1848: Gold found at Sutter's Mill, beginning the California Gold Rush
- January 31, 1848: Washington Monument established
- May 29, 1848: Wisconsin is granted statehood, becoming the 30th state
- February 23, 1848: Former President John Quincy Adams, now a Congressman representing Massachusetts, dies in the Speaker's office after suffering a stroke in the House Chambers.
- July 19, 1848: Seneca Falls Convention
- November 7, 1848: U.S. [presidential election, 1848]: Whig Zachary Taylor defeated Lewis Cass in the first US presidential election held in every state on the same day.
- 1846–1848: Mexican–American War
Major legislation
- March 3, 1849: United States Department of the Interior established, sess. 2, ch. 108,
- March 3, 1849: Gold Coinage Act, sess. 2, ch. 109,
Treaty
- February 2, 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed, ending the Mexican–American War and ceding to the United States virtually all of what is today the southwest United States.
States admitted and territories established
- May 29, 1848: Wisconsin admitted as the 30th U.S. state, sess. 1, ch. 50,
- August 14, 1848: Oregon Territory was formed from territory ceded by Great Britain, sess. 1, ch. 177,
- March 3, 1849: Minnesota Territory formed from the Wisconsin Territory, sess. 2, ch. 121,
Party summary
Senate
During this congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of Wisconsin.House of Representatives
During this congress, two House seats were added for the new state of Wisconsin.Leadership
Senate
House of Representatives
- Speaker of the [United States House of Representatives|Speaker]: Robert C. Winthrop
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class and representatives are listed by district.Senate
Indiana">List of United States senators from Indiana">Indiana
Mississippi">List of United States senators from Mississippi">Mississippi
Rhode Island">List of United States senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.Indiana">List of United States representatives from Indiana">Indiana
Mississippi">List of United States representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi
Rhode Island">List of United States representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
Non-voting members
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.Senate
- Replacements: 11
- * Democrats (D): 4 seat net gain
- * Whigs (W): no net change
- Deaths: 5
- Resignations: 6
- Interim appointments: 7
- Seats of newly admitted states: 4
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 10
- * Democrats (D): no net change
- * Whigs (W): no net change
- Deaths: 7
- Resignations: 0
- Contested election: 1
- Seats of newly admitted states: 2
- '''Total seats with changes: 12'''
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.Senate
- Agriculture
- United States Senate [Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate|Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate]
- Claims
- Commerce
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
- District of Columbia
- Expedition of John C. Fremont
- Enrolled Bills
- Finance
- Foreign Relations
- Indian Affairs
- Judiciary
- Library
- Manufactures
- Memorial of Certain Cherokee Claimants
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Monuments to Deceased Senators
- Naval Affairs
- Oregon Railroad
- Ordnance and War Ships
- United States Senate [Committee on Patents and the Patent Office|Patents and the Patent Office]
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Retired List for the Army and the Navy
- Retrenchment
- Seventh Census
- Revolutionary Claims
- United States Senate Select [Committee on Rivers and Harbors Convention in Chicago|Rivers and Harbors Convention in Chicago]
- Roads and Canals
- Tariff Bill of 1828
- Tariff Regulation
- Territories
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Claims
- Commerce
- District of Columbia
- Elections
- Engraving
- Enrolled Bills
- United States House Committee on Expenditures [in the Navy Department|Expenditures in the Navy Department]
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Expenditures on Public Buildings
- Foreign Affairs
- Indian Affairs
- Invalid Pensions
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Expenditures
- Public Lands
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Revolutionary Claims
- Revolutionary Pensions
- Roads and Canals
- Rules
- United States House [Committee on Standards of Official Conduct|Standards of Official Conduct]
- Territories
- Ways and Means
- Whole (United States House of Representatives)|Whole]
Joint committees
Employees
Senate
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: William T.S. Sprole, until December 6, 1847
- * Ralph Gurley, elected December 6, 1847
- Clerk: Benjamin B. French, until December 8, 1847
- * Thomas J. Campbell, elected December 8, 1847
- Doorkeeper: Robert E. Horner, elected December 8, 1847
- Postmaster: John M. Johnson
- Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|Reading Clerks]:
- Sergeant at Arms: Newton Lane, until December 8, 1847
- * Nathan Sergeant, elected December 8, 1847