The Twenty-sixth 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 3, 1841, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President Martin Van Buren.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Fifth Census of the United States in 1830. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
- See also: 26th Congress - state detail
Dates of sessions
editMarch 4, 1839 - March 3, 1841
- First session: December 2, 1839 - July 21, 1840
- Second session: December 7, 1840 - March 3, 1841 — a lame duck session
Previous congress: 25th Congress - general
Next congress: 27th Congress - general
Party summary
editThe 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.
TOTAL members: 52 |
TOTAL members: 242 |
Leadership
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Vice President
Richard M. Johnson
- Senate
- Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
- President pro tempore of the Senate:
- William R. King, Democratic of Alabama, elected December 2, 1839
- House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House
- Robert M.T. Hunter, Democratic of Virginia, elected December 16, 1839
Major events
edit- Main article: Events of 1839; Events of 1840; Events of 1841
Major legislation
editMembership highlights by chamber
editThis list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
Senate
editSenators 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.
- See also: Category:United States Senators
- See also: Category:United States congressional delegations by state
House of Representatives
editThe names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.
- See also: Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives
- See also: Category:United States congressional delegations by state
Changes in membership
editThe count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
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Officers
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Notes
edit- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.
- ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
- ^ There were four plural districts, the 8th, 17th, 22nd & 23rd had two representatives each, the 3rd had four representatives.
- ^ There were two plural districts, the 2nd had two representatives, the 4th had three representatives.
- ^ Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
References
edit- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
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External links
edit- Statutes at Large, 1789-1875
- Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
- U.S. House of Representatives: House History
- U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists