21st United States Congress
The 21st 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, 1829, to March 4, 1831, during the first two years of Andrew Jackson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1820 [United States census]. Both chambers had a Jacksonian majority.
Major events
- March 4, 1829: Andrew Jackson became President of the United States">President of the United States Senate">President of the United States
- May 10–14, 1830: Confrontational meetings between the French Chargé d'affaires in Washington DC and a group of leaders consisting of Mark Alexander, William S. Archer, Robert H. Adams, Thomas Hinds, Dixon H. Lewis, Clement Comer Clay, Powhatan Ellis and John McKinley grew incredibly contentious and hostile. Arguments began when the aforementioned representatives and senators charged that France owed the United States reparations from damages incurred during the Quasi-War. At one point Thomas Hinds threatened the French Chargé d'affaires with a pistol. Eventually, only intervention by John Forsyth prevented a major diplomatic incident. Shortly after this the governor of Virginia John Floyd formally asked France's economic attaché to leave Virginia. This foreshadowed conflict with France over the same issue that would dominate American politics in 1835, at that point the main instigator on the American side would be President Andrew Jackson.
- May 28 - US congress passes the Indian Removal Act.
- September 27 - Treaty of [Dancing Rabbit Creek] with Choctaw nation.
Major legislation
- May 28, 1830: Indian Removal Act, ch. 148,
Not enacted
- May 27, 1830: Maysville Road Bill vetoed
Treaties
- September 27, 1830: The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the first removal treaty after the passage of the Indian Removal Act, is signed with the Choctaw.
- February 24, 1831: Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek proclaimed.
Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this congress. 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 representatives 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 the last Congress, facing re-election in 1832; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, facing re-election in 1834; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1830.Louisiana">List of United States senators from Louisiana">Louisiana
New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York
House of Representatives
Representatives are listed by their districts.Connecticut">List of United States representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Maryland">List of United States representatives from Maryland">Maryland
The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.New Hampshire">List of United States representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.New Jersey">List of United States representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.New York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York
There were three plural districts, the 20th & 26th had two representatives each, the 3rd had three representatives.Pennsylvania">List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
There were six plural districts, the 7th, 8th, 11th & 16th had two representatives each, the 4th & 9th had three representatives each.Rhode Island">List of United States representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
Both representatives were elected 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: 4
- * Jacksonians (J): no net change
- * National Republicans (NR): no net change
- Deaths: 4
- Resignations: 4
- Interim appointments: 1
- '''Total seats with changes: 7'''
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 5
- * Jacksonians (J): 1 seat net loss
- * National Republicans (NR): 1 seat net gain
- Deaths: 2
- Resignations: 10
- Contested election: 2
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.Senate
- Accounts of James Monroe
- Agriculture
- Amending the Constitution on the Election of the President and Vice President
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- Claims
- Commerce
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
- District of Columbia
- Dueling
- Engrossed Bills
- Finance
- Foreign Relations
- French Spoilations
- Impeachment of James H. Peck
- Indian Affairs
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Memorial of the Manufacturers Iron
- Mileage of Members of Congress
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Nomination of Amos Kendall
- Pensions
- Post Office Department
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Private Land Claims
- Public Lands
- Roads and Canals
- Tariff Regulation
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- American Colonization Society
- Claims
- Commerce
- District of Columbia
- Elections
- Establishing an Assay Office in the Gold Region
- 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
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Military Affairs
- Military Pensions
- Naval Affairs
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Private Land Claims
- Public Expenditures
- Public Lands
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Revolutionary Claims
- Revolutionary Pensions
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
Employees
Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Charles Bulfinch, until June 25, 1829
- Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan
Senate
- Chaplain: William Ryland, until December 14, 1829
- * Henry V. Johns, elected December 14, 1829
- Secretary: Walter Lowrie
- Sergeant at Arms: Mountjoy Bayly
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Reuben Post, until December 13, 1830
- * Ralph R. Gurley, elected December 13, 1830
- Clerk: Matthew St. Clair Clarke
- Doorkeeper: Benjamin Birch
- Reading Clerks:
- Sergeant at Arms: John O. Dunn