26th United States Congress
The 26th 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, 1839, to March 4, 1841, during the third and fourth years of Martin Van Buren's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1830 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
Major events
- 1839: The first state law permitting women to own property was passed in Jackson, Mississippi
- December 14–16, 1839: An election for the House speakership takes 11 ballots
- January 19, 1840: Captain Charles Wilkes circumnavigated Antarctica, claiming what becomes known as Wilkes Land for the United States.
- November 7, 1840: 1840 United States presidential election: William Henry Harrison defeated Martin Van Buren
- February 18, 1841: The first ongoing filibuster in the United States Senate began and lasted until March 11
Major legislation
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: Richard M. Johnson
- President pro tempore: William R. King
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Robert M. T. Hunter elected December 16, 1839, on the 11th ballot
Members
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 with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1840; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1842.[List of [United States senators from Alabama|Alabama]]
Arkansas">List of United States senators from Arkansas">Arkansas
Connecticut">List of United States senators from Connecticut">Connecticut
Delaware">List of United States senators from Delaware">Delaware
Georgia">List of United States senators from Georgia">Georgia
Illinois">List of United States senators from Illinois">Illinois
Indiana">List of United States senators from Indiana">Indiana
Kentucky">List of United States senators from Kentucky">Kentucky
Louisiana">List of United States senators from Louisiana">Louisiana
Maine">List of United States senators from Maine">Maine
Maryland">List of United States senators from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
Michigan">List of United States senators from Michigan">Michigan
Mississippi">List of United States senators from Mississippi">Mississippi
Missouri">List of United States senators from Missouri">Missouri
New Hampshire">List of United States senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
New Jersey">List of United States senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
Ohio">List of United States senators from Ohio">Ohio
Pennsylvania">List of United States senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
Rhode Island">List of United States senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
Tennessee">List of United States senators from Tennessee">Tennessee
Vermont">List of United States senators from Vermont">Vermont
Virginia">List of United States senators from Virginia">Virginia
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.[List of [United States representatives from Alabama|Alabama]]
Arkansas">List of United States representatives from Arkansas">Arkansas
Connecticut">List of United States representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut
Delaware">List of United States representatives from Delaware">Delaware
Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Illinois">List of United States representatives from Illinois">Illinois
Indiana">List of United States representatives from Indiana">Indiana
Kentucky">List of United States representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
Louisiana">List of United States representatives from Louisiana">Louisiana
Maine">List of United States representatives from Maine">Maine
Maryland">List of United States representatives from Maryland">Maryland
The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.Massachusetts">List of United States representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
Michigan">List of United States representatives from Michigan">Michigan
Mississippi">List of United States representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Missouri">List of United States representatives from Missouri">Missouri
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.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 four plural districts, the 8th, 17th, 22nd & 23rd had two representatives each, the 3rd had four representatives.North Carolina">List of United States representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
Ohio">List of United States representatives from Ohio">Ohio
Pennsylvania">List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
There were two plural districts, the 2nd had two representatives, the 4th had three representatives.Rhode Island">List of United States representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
Tennessee">List of United States representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee
Vermont">List of United States representatives from Vermont">Vermont
Virginia">List of United States representatives from Virginia">Virginia
Non-voting members
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.Senate
- Replacements: 8
- * Democrats: 0-seat net loss
- * Whigs: 0-seat net gain
- Deaths: 3
- Resignations: 7
- Interim appointments: 0
- '''Total seats with changes: 11'''
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 15
- * Democrats: 2-seat net loss
- * Whigs: 3-seat net gain
- * Anti-Masonic: 1-seat net loss
- Deaths: 6
- Resignations: 10
- Contested election: 0
- '''Total seats with changes: 17'''
Committees
Senate
- Agriculture
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- Claims
- Commerce
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
- District of Columbia &
- Engrossed Bills
- Finance
- Fiscal Corporation of the United States
- Foreign Relations
- Indian Affairs
- Judiciary
- Manufactures
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Patents and the Patent Office
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Revolutionary Claims
- Roads and Canals
- Tariff Regulation
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Apportionment of Representatives
- Claims
- Commerce
- District of Columbia
- Elections
- 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
- Memorial of the Agricultural Bank of Mississippi
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Private Land Claims
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Expenditures
- Public Lands
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Revolutionary Claims
- Revolutionary Pensions
- Roads and Canals
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
- The Library
Employees
- Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan
Senate
- Chaplain: Henry Slicer, until December 31, 1839
- * George G. Cookman, from December 31, 1839
- Secretary: Asbury Dickins
- Sergeant at Arms: Stephen Haight
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Levi M. Reese, until February 4, 1840
- * Joshua Bates, elected February 4, 1840
- * Thomas W. Braxton, elected December 7, 1840
- Clerk: Hugh A. Garland
- Doorkeeper: Joseph Follansbee, elected December 23, 1839
- Postmaster: William J. McCormick, elected December 23, 1839
- Reading Clerks:
- Sergeant at Arms: Roderick Dorsey