42nd United States Congress

The 42nd 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, 1871, to March 4, 1873, during the third and fourth years of Ulysses S. Grant's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1860 United States census. Both chambers had a Republican majority.

Major events

 * June 10, 1871: U.S. Marines make naval attack on the Han River forts in Korea
 * March 1, 1872: Yellowstone National Park was established as the world's first national park
 * November 5, 1872: 1872 United States presidential election

Major legislation

 * April 20, 1871: Enforcement Act of 1871
 * March 1, 1872: Yellowstone National Park founded
 * May 10, 1872: General Mining Act of 1872
 * May 23, 1872: Amnesty Act of 1872
 * June 1, 1872: Practice Conformity Act (precursor to the Rules Enabling Act), ch. 255,
 * February 12, 1873: Coinage Act of 1873
 * March 3, 1873: Timber Culture Act
 * March 3, 1873: Comstock Act
 * March 3, 1873: Salary Grab Act (so called)

Party summary
The 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.

Senate

 * President: Schuyler Colfax (R)
 * President pro tempore: Henry B. Anthony (R)

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: James G. Blaine (R)
 * Republican Conference Chairman: Austin Blair

Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and representatives are listed by district.


 * Skip to House of Representatives, below

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, requiring re-election in 1874; Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1876; and Class 3 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1872.

Alabama

 * 2. George Goldthwaite (D)
 * 3. George E. Spencer (R)

Arkansas

 * 2. Powell Clayton (R)
 * 3. Benjamin F. Rice (R)

California

 * 1. Eugene Casserly (D)
 * 3. Cornelius Cole (R)

Connecticut

 * 1. William A. Buckingham (R)
 * 3. Orris S. Ferry (R)

Delaware

 * 1. Thomas F. Bayard Sr. (D)
 * 2. Eli Saulsbury (D)

Florida

 * 1. Abijah Gilbert (R)
 * 3. Thomas W. Osborn (R)

Georgia

 * 2. Thomas M. Norwood (D), from November 14, 1871
 * 3. Joshua Hill (R)

Illinois

 * 2. John A. Logan (R)
 * 3. Lyman Trumbull (LR)

Indiana

 * 1. Daniel D. Pratt (R)
 * 3. Oliver H. P. T. Morton (R)

Iowa

 * 2. George G. Wright (R)
 * 3. James Harlan (R)

Kansas

 * 2. Alexander Caldwell (R)
 * 3. Samuel C. Pomeroy (R)

Kentucky

 * 2. John W. Stevenson (D)
 * 3. Garrett Davis (D), until September 22, 1872
 * Willis B. Machen (D), from September 27, 1872

Louisiana

 * 2. J. Rodman West (R)
 * 3. William P. Kellogg (R), until November 1, 1872

Maine

 * 1. Hannibal Hamlin (R)
 * 2. Lot M. Morrill (R)

Maryland

 * 1. William T. Hamilton (D)
 * 3. George Vickers (D)

Massachusetts

 * 1. Charles Sumner (R)
 * 2. Henry Wilson (R), until March 3, 1873

Michigan

 * 1. Zachariah Chandler (R)
 * 2. Thomas W. Ferry (R)

Minnesota

 * 1. Alexander Ramsey (R)
 * 2. William Windom (R)

Mississippi

 * 1. Adelbert Ames (R)
 * 2. James L. Alcorn (R), from December 1, 1871

Missouri

 * 1. Carl Schurz (R)
 * 3. Francis P. Blair Jr. (D)

Nebraska

 * 1. Thomas Tipton (R)
 * 2. Phineas Hitchcock (R)

Nevada

 * 1. William M. Stewart (R)
 * 3. James W. Nye (R)

New Hampshire

 * 2. Aaron H. Cragin (R)
 * 3. James W. Patterson (R)

New Jersey

 * 1. John P. Stockton (D)
 * 2. Frederick T. Frelinghuysen (R)

New York

 * 1. Reuben E. Fenton (R)
 * 3. Roscoe Conkling (R)

North Carolina

 * 2. Matt W. Ransom (D), from January 30, 1872
 * 3. John Pool (R)

Ohio

 * 1. Allen G. Thurman (D)
 * 3. John Sherman (R)

Oregon

 * 2. James K. Kelly (D)
 * 3. Henry W. Corbett (R)

Pennsylvania

 * 1. John Scott (R)
 * 3. Simon Cameron (R)

Rhode Island

 * 1. William Sprague IV (R)
 * 2. Henry B. Anthony (R)

South Carolina

 * 2. Thomas J. Robertson (R)
 * 3. Frederick A. Sawyer (R)

Tennessee

 * 1. William G. Brownlow (R)
 * 2. Henry Cooper (D)

Texas

 * 1. James W. Flanagan (R)
 * 2. Morgan C. Hamilton (R)

Vermont

 * 1. George F. Edmunds (R)
 * 3. Justin S. Morrill (R)

Virginia

 * 1. John F. Lewis (R)
 * 2. John W. Johnston (D), from March 15, 1871

West Virginia

 * 1. Arthur I. Boreman (R)
 * 2. Henry G. Davis (D)

Wisconsin

 * 1. Matthew H. Carpenter (R)
 * 3. Timothy O. Howe (R)





House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Alabama

 * Alabama's 1st congressional district. Benjamin S. Turner (R)
 * Alabama's 2nd congressional district. Charles W. Buckley (R)
 * Alabama's 3rd congressional district. William A. Handley (D)
 * Alabama's 4th congressional district. Charles Hays (R)
 * Alabama's 5th congressional district. Peter M. Dox (D)
 * Alabama's 6th congressional district. Joseph H. Sloss (D)

Arkansas

 * Arkansas's 1st congressional district. James M. Hanks (D)
 * Arkansas's 2nd congressional district. Oliver P. Snyder (R)
 * Arkansas's 3rd congressional district. John Edwards (LR), until February 9, 1872
 * Thomas Boles (R), from February 9, 1872

California

 * California's 1st congressional district. Sherman O. Houghton (R)
 * California's 2nd congressional district. Aaron A. Sargent (R)
 * California's 3rd congressional district. John M. Coghlan (R)

Connecticut

 * Connecticut's 1st congressional district. Julius L. Strong (R), until September 7, 1872
 * Joseph R. Hawley (R), from December 2, 1872
 * Connecticut's 2nd congressional district. Stephen W. Kellogg (R)
 * Connecticut's 3rd congressional district. Henry H. Starkweather (R)
 * Connecticut's 4th congressional district. William H. Barnum (D)

Delaware

 * Delaware's at-large congressional district. Benjamin T. Biggs (D)

Florida

 * Florida's at-large congressional district. Josiah T. Walls (R), until January 29, 1873
 * Silas L. Niblack (D), from January 29, 1873

Georgia

 * Georgia's 1st congressional district. Archibald T. MacIntyre (D)
 * Georgia's 2nd congressional district. Richard H. Whiteley (R)
 * Georgia's 3rd congressional district. John S. Bigby (R)
 * Georgia's 4th congressional district. Thomas J. Speer (R), until August 18, 1872
 * Erasmus W. Beck (D), from December 2, 1872
 * Georgia's 5th congressional district. Dudley M. Du Bose (D)
 * Georgia's 6th congressional district. William P. Price (D)
 * Georgia's 7th congressional district. Pierce M. B. Young (D)

Illinois

 * Illinois's 1st congressional district. Charles B. Farwell (R)
 * Illinois's 2nd congressional district. John F. Farnsworth (R)
 * Illinois's 3rd congressional district. Horatio C. Burchard (R)
 * Illinois's 4th congressional district. John B. Hawley (R)
 * Illinois's 5th congressional district. Bradford N. Stevens (D)
 * Illinois's 6th congressional district. Burton C. Cook (R), until August 26, 1871
 * Henry Snapp (R), from December 4, 1871
 * Illinois's 7th congressional district. Jesse H. Moore (R)
 * Illinois's 8th congressional district. James C. Robinson (D)
 * Illinois's 9th congressional district. Thompson W. McNeely (D)
 * Illinois's 10th congressional district. Edward Y. Rice (D)
 * Illinois's 11th congressional district. Samuel S. Marshall (D)
 * Illinois's 12th congressional district. John B. Hay (R)
 * Illinois's 13th congressional district. John M. Crebs (D)
 * Illinois's at-large congressional district. John L. Beveridge (R), November 7, 1871 – January 4, 1873

Indiana

 * Indiana's 1st congressional district. William E. Niblack (D)
 * Indiana's 2nd congressional district. Michael C. Kerr (D)
 * Indiana's 3rd congressional district. William S. Holman (D)
 * Indiana's 4th congressional district. Jeremiah M. Wilson (R)
 * Indiana's 5th congressional district. John Coburn (R)
 * Indiana's 6th congressional district. Daniel W. Voorhees (D)
 * Indiana's 7th congressional district. Mahlon D. Manson (D)
 * Indiana's 8th congressional district. James N. Tyner (R)
 * Indiana's 9th congressional district. John P. C. Shanks (R)
 * Indiana's 10th congressional district. William Williams (R)
 * Indiana's 11th congressional district. Jasper Packard (R)

Iowa

 * Iowa's 1st congressional district. George W. McCrary (R)
 * Iowa's 2nd congressional district. Aylett R. Cotton (R)
 * Iowa's 3rd congressional district. William G. Donnan (R)
 * Iowa's 4th congressional district. Madison M. Walden (R)
 * Iowa's 5th congressional district. Francis W. Palmer (R)
 * Iowa's 6th congressional district. Jackson Orr (R)

Kansas

 * Kansas's at-large congressional district. David P. Lowe (R)

Kentucky

 * Kentucky's 1st congressional district. Edward Crossland (D)
 * Kentucky's 2nd congressional district. Henry D. McHenry (D)
 * Kentucky's 3rd congressional district. Joseph H. Lewis (D)
 * Kentucky's 4th congressional district. William B. Read (D)
 * Kentucky's 5th congressional district. Boyd Winchester (D)
 * Kentucky's 6th congressional district. William E. Arthur (D)
 * Kentucky's 7th congressional district. James B. Beck (D)
 * Kentucky's 8th congressional district. George M. Adams (D)
 * Kentucky's 9th congressional district. John M. Rice (D)

Louisiana

 * Louisiana's 1st congressional district. J. Hale Sypher (R)
 * Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. Lionel A. Sheldon (R)
 * Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. Chester B. Darrall (R)
 * Louisiana's 4th congressional district. James McCleery (R), until November 5, 1871
 * Alexander Boarman (LR), from December 3, 1872
 * Louisiana's 5th congressional district. Frank Morey (R)

Maine

 * Maine's 1st congressional district. John Lynch (R)
 * Maine's 2nd congressional district. William P. Frye (R)
 * Maine's 3rd congressional district. James G. Blaine (R)
 * Maine's 4th congressional district. John A. Peters (R)
 * Maine's 5th congressional district. Eugene Hale (R)

Maryland

 * Maryland's 1st congressional district. Samuel Hambleton (D)
 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district. Stevenson Archer (D)
 * Maryland's 3rd congressional district. Thomas Swann (D)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. John Ritchie (D)
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. William M. Merrick (D)

Massachusetts

 * Massachusetts's 1st congressional district. James Buffington (R)
 * Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district. Oakes Ames (R)
 * Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district. Ginery Twichell (R)
 * Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. Samuel Hooper (R)
 * Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. Benjamin F. Butler (R)
 * Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. Nathaniel P. Banks (R) then (LR)
 * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district. George M. Brooks (R), until May 13, 1872
 * Constantine C. Esty (R), from December 2, 1872
 * Massachusetts's 8th congressional district. George F. Hoar (R)
 * Massachusetts's 9th congressional district. William B. Washburn (R), until December 5, 1871
 * Alvah Crocker (R), from January 2, 1872
 * Massachusetts's 10th congressional district. Henry L. Dawes (R)

Michigan

 * Michigan's 1st congressional district. Henry Waldron (R)
 * Michigan's 2nd congressional district. William L. Stoughton (R)
 * Michigan's 3rd congressional district. Austin Blair (R)
 * Michigan's 4th congressional district. Wilder D. Foster (R), from December 4, 1871
 * Michigan's 5th congressional district. Omar D. Conger (R)
 * Michigan's 6th congressional district. Jabez G. Sutherland (D)

Minnesota

 * Minnesota's 1st congressional district. Mark H. Dunnell (R)
 * Minnesota's 2nd congressional district. John T. Averill (R)

Mississippi

 * Mississippi's 1st congressional district. George E. Harris (R)
 * Mississippi's 2nd congressional district. Joseph L. Morphis (R)
 * Mississippi's 3rd congressional district. Henry W. Barry (R)
 * Mississippi's 4th congressional district. George C. McKee (R)
 * Mississippi's 5th congressional district. Legrand W. Perce (R)

Missouri

 * Missouri's 1st congressional district. Erastus Wells (D)
 * Missouri's 2nd congressional district. Gustavus A. Finkelnburg (LR)
 * Missouri's 3rd congressional district. James R. McCormick (D)
 * Missouri's 4th congressional district. Harrison E. Havens (R)
 * Missouri's 5th congressional district. Samuel S. Burdett (R)
 * Missouri's 6th congressional district. Abram Comingo (D)
 * Missouri's 7th congressional district. Isaac C. Parker (R)
 * Missouri's 8th congressional district. James G. Blair (LR)
 * Missouri's 9th congressional district. Andrew King (D)

Nebraska

 * Nebraska's at-large congressional district. John Taffe (R)

Nevada

 * Nevada's at-large congressional district. Charles W. Kendall (D)

New Hampshire

 * New Hampshire's 1st congressional district. Ellery A. Hibbard (D)
 * New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district. Samuel N. Bell (D)
 * New Hampshire's 3rd congressional district. Hosea W. Parker (D)

New Jersey

 * New Jersey's 1st congressional district. John W. Hazelton (R)
 * New Jersey's 2nd congressional district. Samuel C. Forker (D)
 * New Jersey's 3rd congressional district. John T. Bird (D)
 * New Jersey's 4th congressional district. John Hill (R)
 * New Jersey's 5th congressional district. George A. Halsey (R)

New York

 * New York's 1st congressional district. Dwight Townsend (D)
 * New York's 2nd congressional district. Thomas Kinsella (D)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Henry W. Slocum (D)
 * New York's 4th congressional district. Robert Roosevelt (D)
 * New York's 5th congressional district. William R. Roberts (D)
 * New York's 6th congressional district. Samuel S. Cox (D)
 * New York's 7th congressional district. Smith Ely Jr. (D)
 * New York's 8th congressional district. James Brooks (D)
 * New York's 9th congressional district. Fernando Wood (D)
 * New York's 10th congressional district. Clarkson N. Potter (D)
 * New York's 11th congressional district. Charles St. John (R)
 * New York's 12th congressional district. John H. Ketcham (R)
 * New York's 13th congressional district. Joseph H. Tuthill (D)
 * New York's 14th congressional district. Eli Perry (D)
 * New York's 15th congressional district. Joseph M. Warren (D)
 * New York's 16th congressional district. John Rogers (D)
 * New York's 17th congressional district. William A. Wheeler (R)
 * New York's 18th congressional district. John M. Carroll (D)
 * New York's 19th congressional district. Elizur H. Prindle (R)
 * New York's 20th congressional district. Clinton L. Merriam (R)
 * New York's 21st congressional district. Ellis H. Roberts (R)
 * New York's 22nd congressional district. William E. Lansing (R)
 * New York's 23rd congressional district. R. Holland Duell (R)
 * New York's 24th congressional district. John E. Seeley (R)
 * New York's 25th congressional district. William H. Lamport (R)
 * New York's 26th congressional district. Milo Goodrich (R)
 * New York's 27th congressional district. H. Boardman Smith (R)
 * New York's 28th congressional district. Freeman Clarke (R)
 * New York's 29th congressional district. Seth Wakeman (R)
 * New York's 30th congressional district. William Williams (D)
 * New York's 31st congressional district. Walter L. Sessions (R)

North Carolina

 * North Carolina's 1st congressional district. Clinton L. Cobb (R)
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Charles R. Thomas (R)
 * North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Alfred M. Waddell (D)
 * North Carolina's 4th congressional district. Sion H. Rogers (D)
 * North Carolina's 5th congressional district. James M. Leach (D)
 * North Carolina's 6th congressional district. Francis E. Shober (D)
 * North Carolina's 7th congressional district. James C. Harper (D)

Ohio

 * Ohio's 1st congressional district. Aaron F. Perry (R), until July 14, 1872
 * Ozro J. Dodds (D), from October 9, 1872
 * Ohio's 2nd congressional district. Job E. Stevenson (R)
 * Ohio's 3rd congressional district. Lewis D. Campbell (D)
 * Ohio's 4th congressional district. John F. McKinney (D)
 * Ohio's 5th congressional district. Charles N. Lamison (D)
 * Ohio's 6th congressional district. John A. Smith (R)
 * Ohio's 7th congressional district. Samuel Shellabarger (R)
 * Ohio's 8th congressional district. John Beatty (R)
 * Ohio's 9th congressional district. Charles Foster (R)
 * Ohio's 10th congressional district. Erasmus D. Peck (R)
 * Ohio's 11th congressional district. John T. Wilson (R)
 * Ohio's 12th congressional district. Philadelph Van Trump (D)
 * Ohio's 13th congressional district. George W. Morgan (D)
 * Ohio's 14th congressional district. James Monroe (R)
 * Ohio's 15th congressional district. William P. Sprague (R)
 * Ohio's 16th congressional district. John Bingham (R)
 * Ohio's 17th congressional district. Jacob A. Ambler (R)
 * Ohio's 18th congressional district. William H. Upson (R)
 * Ohio's 19th congressional district. James A. Garfield (R)

Oregon

 * Oregon's at-large congressional district. James H. Slater (D)

Pennsylvania

 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Samuel J. Randall (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. John V. Creely (IR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Leonard Myers (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. William D. Kelley (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. Alfred C. Harmer (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. Ephraim L. Acker (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. Washington Townsend (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. J. Lawrence Getz (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. Oliver J. Dickey (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. John W. Killinger (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. John B. Storm (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. Lazarus D. Shoemaker (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district. Ulysses Mercur (R), until December 2, 1872
 * Frank C. Bunnell (R), from December 24, 1872
 * Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district. John B. Packer (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district. Richard J. Haldeman (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district. Benjamin F. Meyers (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district. R. Milton Speer (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district. Henry Sherwood (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district. Glenni W. Scofield (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 20th congressional district. Samuel Griffith (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 21st congressional district. Henry D. Foster (D)
 * Pennsylvania's 22nd congressional district. James S. Negley (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 23rd congressional district. Ebenezer McJunkin (R)
 * Pennsylvania's 24th congressional district. William McClelland (D)

Rhode Island

 * Rhode Island's 1st congressional district. Benjamin T. Eames (R)
 * Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district. James M. Pendleton (R)

South Carolina

 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district. Joseph Rainey (R)
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Robert C. De Large (R), until January 24, 1873; vacant thereafter
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Robert B. Elliott (R)
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district. Alexander S. Wallace (R)

Tennessee

 * Tennessee's 1st congressional district. Roderick R. Butler (R)
 * Tennessee's 2nd congressional district. Horace Maynard (R)
 * Tennessee's 3rd congressional district. Abraham E. Garrett (D)
 * Tennessee's 4th congressional district. John M. Bright (D)
 * Tennessee's 5th congressional district. Edward I. Golladay (D)
 * Tennessee's 6th congressional district. Washington C. Whitthorne (D)
 * Tennessee's 7th congressional district. Robert P. Caldwell (D)
 * Tennessee's 8th congressional district. William W. Vaughan (D)

Texas

 * Texas's 1st congressional district. William S. Herndon (D)
 * Texas's 2nd congressional district. John C. Conner (D)
 * Texas's 3rd congressional district. William T. Clark (R), until May 13, 1872
 * Dewitt C. Giddings (D), from May 13, 1872
 * Texas's 4th congressional district. John Hancock (D)

Vermont

 * Vermont's 1st congressional district. Charles W. Willard (R)
 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district. Luke P. Poland (R)
 * Vermont's 3rd congressional district. Worthington C. Smith (R)

Virginia

 * Virginia's 1st congressional district. John Critcher (D)
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district. James H. Platt Jr. (R)
 * Virginia's 3rd congressional district. Charles H. Porter (R)
 * Virginia's 4th congressional district. William H. H. Stowell (R)
 * Virginia's 5th congressional district. Richard T. W. Duke (D)
 * Virginia's 6th congressional district. John T. Harris (D)
 * Virginia's 7th congressional district. Elliott M. Braxton (D)
 * Virginia's 8th congressional district. William Terry (D)

West Virginia

 * West Virginia's 1st congressional district. John J. Davis (D)
 * West Virginia's 2nd congressional district. James C. McGrew (R)
 * West Virginia's 3rd congressional district. Frank Hereford (D)

Wisconsin

 * Wisconsin's 1st congressional district. Alexander Mitchell (D)
 * Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district. Gerry W. Hazelton (R)
 * Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. J. Allen Barber (R)
 * Wisconsin's 4th congressional district. Charles A. Eldredge (D)
 * Wisconsin's 5th congressional district. Philetus Sawyer (R)
 * Wisconsin's 6th congressional district. Jeremiah M. Rusk (R)

Non-voting members

 * Arizona Territory's at-large congressional district. Richard C. McCormick (D)
 * Colorado Territory's at-large congressional district. Jerome B. Chaffee (R)
 * Dakota Territory's at-large congressional district. Moses K. Armstrong (D)
 * District of Columbia's at-large congressional district. Norton P. Chipman (R), from April 21, 1871
 * Idaho Territory's at-large congressional district. Samuel A. Merritt (D)
 * Montana Territory's at-large congressional district. William H. Clagett (R)
 * New Mexico Territory's at-large congressional district. José Manuel Gallegos (D)
 * Utah Territory's at-large congressional district. William H. Hooper (D)
 * Washington Territory's at-large congressional district. Selucius Garfielde (R)
 * Wyoming Territory's at-large congressional district. William T. Jones (R)

42 us house membership.png]]

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

Senate

 * Replacements: 0
 * Democratic: no net change
 * Republican: no net change
 * Deaths: 0
 * Resignations: 2
 * Contested elections: 0
 * Total seats with changes: 4


 * Virginia (2)
 * Vacant
 * Legislature had failed to elect. Previous incumbent re-elected March 15, 1871.
 * nowrap | John W. Johnston (D)
 * March 15, 1871
 * March 15, 1871


 * Georgia (2)
 * Vacant
 * Foster Blodgett presented credentials as Senator-elect, but the Senate declared him not elected. Successor elected November 14, 1871.
 * nowrap | Thomas M. Norwood (D)
 * November 14, 1871
 * November 14, 1871


 * Mississippi (2)
 * Vacant
 * Delayed taking seat in order to serve as Governor of Mississippi
 * nowrap | James L. Alcorn (R)
 * December 1, 1871
 * December 1, 1871


 * North Carolina (2)
 * Vacant
 * Legislature had failed to elect. Successor elected January 30, 1872.
 * | Matt W. Ransom (D)
 * January 30, 1872
 * January 30, 1872


 * Kentucky (3)
 * nowrap | Garrett Davis (D)
 * Died September 22, 1872. Successor appointed September 27, 1872. Appointee was later elected January 21, 1873, to finish the term.
 * | Willis B. Machen (D)
 * September 27, 1872
 * September 27, 1872


 * Louisiana (3)
 * nowrap | William P. Kellogg (R)
 * Resigned November 1, 1872, after being elected Governor of Louisiana
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this Congress
 * Not filled this Congress


 * Massachusetts (2)
 * nowrap | Henry Wilson (R)
 * Resigned March 3, 1873, after being elected U.S. Vice President
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this Congress
 * Not filled this Congress


 * }

House of Representatives

 * Replacements: 11
 * Democratic: 4 seat net gain
 * Republican: 5 seat net loss
 * Liberal Republican: 1 seat net gain
 * Deaths: 3
 * Resignations: 6
 * Contested election: 4
 * Total seats with changes: 16


 * District of Columbia's at-large congressional district
 * New seat
 * style="font-size:80%" | District of Columbia's At-large district created March 4, 1871, and remained vacant until April 21, 1871
 * nowrap | Norton P. Chipman (R)
 * April 21, 1871
 * Illinois's at-large congressional district
 * Vacant
 * style="font-size:80%" | Rep. John A. Logan resigned at the end of the previous congress after being elected to the US Senate
 * nowrap | John L. Beveridge (R)
 * November 7, 1871
 * Michigan's 4th congressional district
 * Vacant
 * style="font-size:80%" | Rep. Thomas W. Ferry resigned at the end of the previous congress after being elected to the US Senate
 * nowrap | Wilder D. Foster (R)
 * December 4, 1871
 * Illinois's 6th congressional district
 * nowrap | Burton C. Cook (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned August 26, 1871
 * nowrap | Henry Snapp (R)
 * December 4, 1871
 * Louisiana's 4th congressional district
 * nowrap | James McCleery (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Died November 5, 1871
 * nowrap | Alexander Boarman (LR)
 * December 3, 1872
 * Massachusetts's 9th congressional district
 * nowrap | William B. Washburn (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned December 5, 1871, after being elected Governor of Massachusetts
 * nowrap | Alvah Crocker (R)
 * January 2, 1872
 * Arkansas's 3rd congressional district
 * nowrap | John Edwards (LR)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Lost contested election February 9, 1872
 * nowrap | Thomas Boles (R)
 * February 9, 1872
 * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district
 * nowrap | George M. Brooks (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned May 13, 1872, after becoming judge of probate for Middlesex County
 * nowrap | Constantine C. Esty (R)
 * December 2, 1872
 * Texas's 3rd congressional district
 * nowrap | William T. Clark (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Lost contested election May 13, 1872
 * nowrap | Dewitt C. Giddings (D)
 * December 13, 1872
 * Ohio's 1st congressional district
 * nowrap | Aaron F. Perry (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 14, 1872
 * nowrap | Ozro J. Dodds (D)
 * October 9, 1872
 * Georgia's 4th congressional district
 * nowrap | Thomas J. Speer (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Died August 18, 1872
 * nowrap | Erasmus W. Beck (D)
 * December 2, 1872
 * Connecticut's 1st congressional district
 * nowrap | Julius L. Strong (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Died September 7, 1872
 * nowrap | Joseph R. Hawley (R)
 * December 2, 1872
 * Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district
 * nowrap | Ulysses Mercur (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned December 2, 1872, after becoming an assoc. justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
 * nowrap | Frank C. Bunnell (R)
 * December 24, 1872
 * Illinois's at-large congressional district
 * nowrap | John L. Beveridge (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned January 4, 1873, after being elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this term
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district
 * nowrap | Robert C. De Large (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Seat declared vacant January 24, 1873, after election was contested by Christopher C. Bowen
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this term
 * Florida's at-large congressional district
 * nowrap | Josiah T. Walls (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Lost contested election January 29, 1873
 * nowrap | Silas L. Niblack (D)
 * January 29, 1873
 * }
 * style="font-size:80%" | Resigned January 4, 1873, after being elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this term
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district
 * nowrap | Robert C. De Large (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Seat declared vacant January 24, 1873, after election was contested by Christopher C. Bowen
 * Vacant
 * Not filled this term
 * Florida's at-large congressional district
 * nowrap | Josiah T. Walls (R)
 * style="font-size:80%" | Lost contested election January 29, 1873
 * nowrap | Silas L. Niblack (D)
 * January 29, 1873
 * }
 * January 29, 1873
 * }

Senate

 * Agriculture (Chairman: Frederick T. Frelinghuysen; Ranking Member: Henry G. Davis)
 * Appropriations (Chairman: Lot M. Morrill; Ranking Member: William Windom)
 * Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Matthew H. Carpenter; Ranking Member: Eli Saulsbury)
 * Civil Service and Retrenchment (Chairman: George G. Wright; Ranking Member: N/A)
 * Claims (Chairman: John Scott; Ranking Member: Arthur I. Boreman)
 * Commerce (Chairman: Zachariah Chandler; Ranking Member: William A. Buckingham)
 * Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
 * District of Columbia (Chairman: John F. Lewis; Ranking Member: Frederick A. Sawyer)
 * Education and Labor (Chairman: James W. Flanagan; Ranking Member: James W. Patterson)
 * Engrossed Bills (Chairman: Thomas F. Bayard; Ranking Member: Thomas M. Norwood)
 * Finance (Chairman: John Sherman; Ranking Member: Adelbert Ames)
 * Foreign Relations (Chairman: Simon Cameron; Ranking Member: Carl Schurz)
 * Indian Affairs (Chairman: William A. Buckingham; Ranking Member: Henry Wilson)
 * Investigation and Retrenchment (Chairman: William A. Buckingham; Ranking Member; William M. Stewart)
 * Judiciary (Chairman: George F. Edmunds; Ranking Member: Frederick T. Frelinghuysen)
 * Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas J. Robertson; Ranking Member: Abijah Gilbert)
 * Military Affairs (Chairman: John A. Logan; Ranking Member: John A. Logan)
 * Mines and Mining (Chairman: Hannibal Hamlin; Ranking Member: Alexander Caldwell)
 * Mississippi River Levee System (Select)
 * Naval Affairs (Chairman: Aaron H. Cragin; Ranking Member: Thomas W. Ferry)
 * Ordnance and War Ships (Select)
 * Outrages in Southern States (Select)
 * Pacific Railroad (Chairman: William M. Stewart; Ranking Member: William P. Kellogg)
 * Patents (Chairman: Orris S. Ferry; Ranking Member: William Windom)
 * Pensions (Chairman: Daniel D. Pratt; Ranking Member: Morgan C. Hamilton)
 * Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Alexander Ramsey; Ranking Member: Hannibal Hamlin)
 * Private Land Claims (Chairman: Allen G. Thurman; Ranking Member: Thomas F. Bayard)
 * Privileges and Elections (Chairman: Oliver P. Morton; Ranking Member: Joshua Hill)
 * Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: Justin S. Morrill; Ranking Member: Cornelius Cole)
 * Public Lands (Chairman: William Sprague; Ranking Member: William Windom)
 * Railroads (Chairman: William M. Stewart; Ranking Member: N/A)
 * Removal of Political Disabilities (Select)
 * Retrenchment
 * Revision of the Laws (Chairman: Hannibal Hamlin; Ranking Member: George G. Wright)
 * Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: William G. Brownlow; Ranking Member: Joshua Hill)
 * Rules (Select)
 * Tariff Regulation (Select)
 * Territories (Chairman: Arthur I. Boreman; Ranking Member: Phineas W. Hitchcock)
 * Transportation Routes to the Seaboard (Select)
 * Whole

House of Representatives

 * Accounts (Chairman: James Buffington; Ranking Member: Stevenson Archer)
 * Agriculture (Chairman: Charles Hays; Ranking Member: John W. Hazelton)
 * Appropriations (Chairman: James A. Garfield; Ranking Member: Eugene Hale)
 * Alabama Affairs (Select)
 * Arkansas Affairs (Select)
 * Banking and Currency (Chairman: Horace Maynard; Ranking Member: Clinton L. Merriam)
 * Claims (Chairman: John B. Hawley; Ranking Member: William P. Frye)
 * Coinage, Weights and Measures (Chairman: Samuel Hooper; Ranking Member: John Critcher)
 * Commerce (Chairman: William A. Wheeler; Ranking Member: James S. Negley)
 * District of Columbia (Chairman: Alfred C. Harmer; Ranking Member: Aylett R. Cotton)
 * Education and Labor (Chairman: James Monroe; Ranking Member: Robert B. Elliott)
 * Elections (Chairman: Horace B. Smith; Ranking Member: Benjamin T. Eames)
 * Expenditures in the Interior Department (Chairman: Jackson Orr; Ranking Member: George M. Adams)
 * Expenditures in the Justice Department (Chairman: James B. Sener; Ranking Member: N/A)
 * Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: Julius C. Burrows; Ranking Member: Benjamin T. Biggs)
 * Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: Henry W. Barry; Ranking Member: William R. Roberts)
 * Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: Jasper Packard; Ranking Member: John Rogers)
 * Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: J. Hale Sypher; Ranking Member: William H. Barnum)
 * Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: William Williams; Ranking Member: Ephraim L. Acker)
 * Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: R. Holland Duell; Ranking Member: Fernando Wood)
 * Freedmen's Affairs (Chairman: Clinton L. Cobb; Ranking Member: Joseph H. Rainey)
 * Foreign Affairs (Chairman: Godlove Stein Orth; Ranking Member: Jasper Packard)
 * Indian Affairs (Chairman: John T. Averill; Ranking Member: John C. Edwards)
 * Invalid Pensions (Chairman: Jeremiah McLain Rusk; Ranking Member: Benjamin S. Turner)
 * Judiciary (Chairman: Benjamin F. Butler; Ranking Member: Milo Goodrich)
 * Manufactures (Chairman: Charles B. Farwell; Ranking Member: John M. Rice)
 * Mileage (Chairman: Hezekiah S. Bundy; Ranking Member: Edward I. Golladay)
 * Military Affairs (Chairman: John Coburn; Ranking Member: George E. Harris)
 * Militia (Chairman: Roderick R. Butler; Ranking Member: John C. Conner)
 * Mines and Mining (Chairman: David P. Lowe; Ranking Member: Walter L. Sessions)
 * Naval Affairs (Chairman: Glenni W. Scofield; Ranking Member: John M. Coghlan)
 * Pacific Railroads (Chairman: Philetus Sawyer; Ranking Member: John T. Averill)
 * Patents (Chairman: Omar D. Conger; Ranking Member: Joseph M. Warren)
 * Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: John B. Packer; Ranking Member: Charles H. Porter)
 * Private Land Claims (Chairman: Jasper Packard; Ranking Member: J. Allen Barber)
 * Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: James H. Platt Jr.; Ranking Member: Walter L. Sessions)
 * Public Expenditures (Chairman: Harrison E. Havens; Ranking Member: Thomas Kinsella)
 * Public Lands (Chairman: Washington Townsend; Ranking Member: Jeremiah M. Rusk)
 * Railways and Canals (Chairman: George W. McCrary; Ranking Member: Charles St. John
 * Reform on Civil Service (Chairman: Stephen W. Kellogg; Ranking Member: N/A)
 * Revision of Laws (Chairman: Luke P. Poland; Ranking Member: John S. Bigby)
 * Revolution Claims (Chairman: Alexander S. Wallace; Ranking Member: Abram Comingo)
 * Revolutionary Pensions and War of 1812 (Chairman: Lazarus D. Shoemaker; Ranking Member: John M. Rice)
 * Rules (Select) (Chairman: James G. Blaine; Ranking Member: Samuel S. Cox)
 * Standards of Official Conduct
 * Territories (Chairman: George C. McKee; Ranking Member: Lazarus D. Shoemaker)
 * War Claims (Chairman: William Lawrence; Ranking Member: N/A)
 * Ways and Means (Chairman: Henry L. Dawes; Ranking Member: Horatio C. Burchard)
 * Whole

Joint committees

 * Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special)
 * Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Rep. Chester B. Darrall; Vice Chairman: Rep. John T. Bird)
 * Inquire into the Affairs of the District of Columbia (Select) (Chairman: Rep. Jeremiah M. Wilson; Vice Chairman: N/A)
 * The Library (Chairman: Rep. William P. Frye; Vice Chairman: Rep. Lewis D. Campbell)
 * Printing (Chairman: Rep. William G. Donnan; Vice Chairman: Rep. William P. Price)

Caucuses

 * Democratic (House)
 * Democratic (Senate)

Legislative branch agency directors

 * Architect of the Capitol: Edward Clark
 * Librarian of Congress: Ainsworth Rand Spofford

Senate

 * Chaplain: John P. Newman (Methodist)
 * Librarian: George S. Wagner, from 1871
 * Secretary: George C. Gorham
 * Sergeant at Arms: John R. French

House of Representatives

 * Chaplain: John G. Butler (Presbyterian)
 * Clerk: Edward McPherson
 * Clerk at the Speaker's Table: John M. Barclay
 * Doorkeeper: Otis S. Buxton
 * Postmaster: William S. King
 * Reading Clerks: Charles N. Clisbee (D) and William K. Mehaffey (R)
 * Sergeant at Arms: Nehemiah G. Ordway