5th United States Congress

The 5th 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 at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1799, during the first two years of John Adams' presidency. In the context of the Quasi-War with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by Congress. The Acts were overwhelmingly supported by the Federalists and mostly opposed by the Democratic-Republicans. Some Democratic-Republicans, such as Timothy Bloodworth, said they would support formally going to war against France but they opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts which Bloodworth and others believed were unconstitutional.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1790 United States census. Both chambers had a Federalist majority.



Major events

 * March 4, 1797 – John Adams became President of the United States
 * July 8, 1797 – The Senate expelled Tennessee Senator William Blount for conspiring with the British
 * July 11, 1798 – The United States Marine Corps was established
 * XYZ Affair in the U.S., followed by naval skirmishes but no war is declared. The XYZ affair led to several Democratic-Republicans breaking ranks with Thomas Jefferson.  Jefferson took pains to avoid blaming France for the incident, as a result John Hunter, Josiah Tattnall, Timothy Bloodworth, Alexander Martin, Lemuel Benton, Thomas Sumter, William Smith, John Milledge, Abraham Baldwin, Joseph McDowell, Matthew Locke, Robert Williams, Richard Stanford, Nathaniel Macon, James Gillespie, Dempsey Burges, Thomas Blount, Nathan Bryan, John Brown, Thomas T. Davis, John Fowler and Joseph Anderson all publicly broke ranks with Jefferson, despite the fact he was the de facto leader of their party, and sided with Alexander Hamilton.  The aforementioned congressmen and senators were referred to by Jefferson as a "reign of witches" and were described as the "Pro-British republicans" (as opposed to the "pro-French republicans" led by Jefferson).

Major legislation

 * April 7, 1798: Mississippi Organic Act ("An Act for an amicable settlement of limits with the state of Georgia, and authorizing the establishment of a government in the Mississippi territory"), Sess. 2, ch. 28,
 * April 30, 1798: The U.S. Department of the Navy was established, Sess. 2, ch. 35,
 * June 18, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization") (Naturalization Act of 1798), Sess. 2, ch. 54,
 * June 25, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act concerning Aliens"), Sess. 2, ch. 58,
 * July 6, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act respecting Alien Enemies"), Sess. 2, ch. 66,
 * July 9, 1798: Act Further to Protect the Commerce of the United States, Sess. 2, ch. 68,
 * July 11, 1798: The United States Marine Corps was established, Sess. 2, ch. 72,
 * July 14, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States") (Sedition Act), Sess. 2, ch. 74,
 * July 16, 1798: Marine Hospital Service Act ("An Act for the relief of sick and disabled Seamen"), Sess. 2, ch. 77,

Treaties ratified

 * June 7, 1797: Treaty of Tripoli between the United States and Tripoli.
 * July 7, 1797: Existing treaties with France were rescinded, Sess. 2, ch. 67,

Party summary
Details on changes are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

House of Representatives




Senate

 * President: Thomas Jefferson (DR)
 * President pro tempore: William Bradford (F), elected July 6, 1797
 * Jacob Read (F), elected November 22, 1797
 * Theodore Sedgwick (F), elected June 27, 1798
 * John Laurance (F), elected December 6, 1798
 * James Ross (F), elected March 1, 1799

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: Jonathan Dayton (F)

Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, 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 this Congress, requiring reelection in 1802; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1798; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1800.


 * Skip to House of Representatives, below

Connecticut

 * 1. James Hillhouse (F)
 * 3. Uriah Tracy (F)

Delaware

 * 1. Henry Latimer (F)
 * 2. John Vining (F), until January 19, 1798
 * Joshua Clayton (F), from January 19, 1798, until August 11, 1798
 * William H. Wells (F), from January 17, 1799

Georgia

 * 2. Josiah Tattnall (DR)
 * 3. James Gunn (F)

Kentucky

 * 2. John Brown (DR)
 * 3. Humphrey Marshall (F)

Maryland

 * 1. John Eager Howard (F)
 * 3. John Henry (F), until December 10, 1797
 * James Lloyd (F), from December 11, 1797

Massachusetts

 * 1. Benjamin Goodhue (F)
 * 2. Theodore Sedgwick (F)

New Hampshire

 * 2. Samuel Livermore (F)
 * 3. John Langdon (DR)

New Jersey

 * 1. John Rutherfurd (F), until November 26, 1798
 * Franklin Davenport (F), from December 5, 1798
 * 2. Richard Stockton (F)

New York

 * 1. Philip Schuyler (F), until January 3, 1798
 * John Sloss Hobart (F), from January 11, 1798, until April 16, 1798
 * William North (F), from May 5, 1798, until August 17, 1798
 * James Watson (F), from August 17, 1798
 * 3. John Laurance (F)

North Carolina

 * 2. Alexander Martin (DR)
 * 3. Timothy Bloodworth (DR)

Pennsylvania

 * 1. James Ross (F)
 * 3. William Bingham (F)

Rhode Island

 * 1. Theodore Foster (F)
 * 2. William Bradford (F), until October ????, 1797
 * Ray Greene (F), from November 13, 1797

South Carolina

 * 2. John Hunter (DR) until November 26, 1798
 * Charles Pinckney (DR), from December 6, 1798
 * 3. Jacob Read (F)

Tennessee

 * 1. William Cocke (DR), May 15, 1797 - September 26, 1797
 * Andrew Jackson (DR), September 26, 1797 - April ????, 1798
 * Daniel Smith (DR), from October 6, 1798
 * 2. William Blount (DR), until July 8, 1797
 * Joseph Anderson (DR), from September 26, 1797

Vermont

 * 1. Isaac Tichenor (F), until October 17, 1797
 * Nathaniel Chipman (F), from October 17, 1797
 * 3. Elijah Paine (F)

Virginia

 * 1. Stevens Mason (DR)
 * 2. Henry Tazewell (DR), until January 24, 1799





Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. John Allen (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Joshua Coit (F), until September 5, 1798
 * Jonathan Brace (F), from December 3, 1798
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Samuel W. Dana (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. James Davenport (F), until August 3, 1797
 * William Edmond (F), from November 13, 1797
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Chauncey Goodrich (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Roger Griswold (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Nathaniel Smith (F)

Delaware

 * Delaware's at-large congressional district. James A. Bayard (F)

Georgia
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Abraham Baldwin (DR)
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. John Milledge (DR)

Kentucky

 * Kentucky's 1st congressional district. Thomas T. Davis (DR)
 * Kentucky's 2nd congressional district. John Fowler (DR)

Maryland

 * Maryland's 1st congressional district. George Dent (F)
 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district. Richard Sprigg Jr. (DR)
 * Maryland's 3rd congressional district. William Craik (F)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. George Baer Jr. (F)
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. Samuel Smith (DR)
 * Maryland's 6th congressional district. William Matthews (F)
 * Maryland's 7th congressional district. William Hindman (F)
 * Maryland's 8th congressional district. John Dennis (F)

Massachusetts

 * Massachusetts's 1st congressional district. Thomson J. Skinner (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district. William Shepard (F)
 * Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district. Samuel Lyman (F)
 * Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. Dwight Foster (F)
 * Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. Nathaniel Freeman Jr. (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. John Reed Sr. (F)
 * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district. Stephen Bullock (F)
 * Massachusetts's 8th congressional district. Harrison Gray Otis (F)
 * Massachusetts's 9th congressional district. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 10th congressional district. Samuel Sewall (F)
 * Massachusetts's 11th congressional district. Theophilus Bradbury (F), until July 24, 1797
 * Bailey Bartlett (F), from November 27, 1797
 * Massachusetts's 12th congressional district. Isaac Parker (F)
 * Massachusetts's 13th congressional district. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
 * Massachusetts's 14th congressional district. George Thatcher (F)

New Hampshire
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Abiel Foster (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Jonathan Freeman (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. William Gordon (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Jeremiah Smith (F), until July 26, 1797
 * Peleg Sprague (F), from December 15, 1797

New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Jonathan Dayton (F)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. James H. Imlay (F)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. James Schureman (F)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Thomas Sinnickson (F)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Mark Thomson (F)

New York

 * New York's 1st congressional district. Jonathan N. Havens (DR)
 * New York's 2nd congressional district. Edward Livingston (DR)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)
 * New York's 4th congressional district. Lucas C. Elmendorf (DR)
 * New York's 5th congressional district. David Brooks (F)
 * New York's 6th congressional district. Hezekiah L. Hosmer (F)
 * New York's 7th congressional district. John E. Van Alen (F)
 * New York's 8th congressional district. Henry Glen (F)
 * New York's 9th congressional district. John Williams (F)
 * New York's 10th congressional district. James Cochran (F)

North Carolina

 * North Carolina's 1st congressional district. Joseph McDowell (DR)
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Matthew Locke (DR)
 * North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Robert Williams (DR)
 * North Carolina's 4th congressional district. Richard Stanford (DR)
 * North Carolina's 5th congressional district. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
 * North Carolina's 6th congressional district. James Gillespie (DR)
 * North Carolina's 7th congressional district. William Barry Grove (F)
 * North Carolina's 8th congressional district. Dempsey Burges (DR)
 * North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Thomas Blount (DR)
 * North Carolina's 10th congressional district. Nathan Bryan (DR), until June 4, 1798
 * Richard Dobbs Spaight (DR), from December 10, 1798

Pennsylvania
The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. John Swanwick (DR), until July 31, 1798
 * Robert Waln (F), from December 3, 1798
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Blair McClenachan (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Richard Thomas (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. John Chapman (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. Samuel Sitgreaves (F), until 1798
 * Robert Brown (DR), from December 4, 1798
 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. George Ege (F), until October 1797
 * Joseph Hiester (DR), from December 1, 1797
 * Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. John A. Hanna (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. John Wilkes Kittera (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. Thomas Hartley (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. Andrew Gregg (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. David Bard (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. William Findley (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. Albert Gallatin (DR)

Rhode Island
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Rhode Island's at-large congressional district. Christopher G. Champlin (F)
 * Rhode Island's at-large congressional district. Elisha R. Potter (F), until 1797
 * Thomas Tillinghast (F), from November 13, 1797

South Carolina

 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district. William L. Smith (F), until July 10, 1797
 * Thomas Pinckney (F), from November 23, 1797
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. John Rutledge Jr. (F)
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Lemuel Benton (DR)
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district. Thomas Sumter (DR)
 * South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Robert Goodloe Harper (F)
 * South Carolina's 6th congressional district. William Smith (DR)

Tennessee

 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. Andrew Jackson (DR), until September, 1797
 * William C. C. Claiborne (DR), from November 23, 1797

Vermont

 * Vermont's 1st congressional district. Matthew Lyon (DR)
 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district. Lewis R. Morris (F), from May 24, 1797

Virginia

 * Virginia's 1st congressional district. Daniel Morgan (F)
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district. David Holmes (DR)
 * Virginia's 3rd congressional district. James Machir (F)
 * Virginia's 4th congressional district. Abram Trigg (DR)
 * Virginia's 5th congressional district. John J. Trigg (DR)
 * Virginia's 6th congressional district. Matthew Clay (DR)
 * Virginia's 7th congressional district. Abraham B. Venable (DR)
 * Virginia's 8th congressional district. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
 * Virginia's 9th congressional district. William B. Giles (DR), until October 2, 1798
 * Joseph Eggleston (DR), from December 3, 1798
 * Virginia's 10th congressional district. Carter B. Harrison (DR)
 * Virginia's 11th congressional district. Josiah Parker (F)
 * Virginia's 12th congressional district. Thomas Evans (F)
 * Virginia's 13th congressional district. John Clopton (DR)
 * Virginia's 14th congressional district. Samuel J. Cabell (DR)
 * Virginia's 15th congressional district. John Dawson (DR)
 * Virginia's 16th congressional district. Anthony New (DR)
 * Virginia's 17th congressional district. Richard Brent (DR)
 * Virginia's 18th congressional district. John Nicholas (DR)
 * Virginia's 19th congressional district. Walter Jones (DR)



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

Senate
There were 9 resignations, 2 deaths, 1 expulsion, 1 late selection, and 2 elections to replace appointees. Neither party had a net gain of seats.


 * Tennessee (1)
 * Vacant
 * Tennessee failed to elect a Senator on time
 * | William Cocke (DR)
 * Appointed May 15, 1797
 * Appointed May 15, 1797


 * Tennessee (2)
 * | William Blount (DR)
 * Expelled July 8, 1797
 * | Joseph Anderson (DR)
 * Elected September 26, 1797
 * Elected September 26, 1797


 * Tennessee (1)
 * | William Cocke (DR)
 * Interim appointment until September 26, 1797
 * | Andrew Jackson (DR)
 * Elected September 26, 1797
 * Elected September 26, 1797


 * Rhode Island (2)
 * | William Bradford (F)
 * Resigned sometime in October, 1797
 * | Ray Greene (F)
 * Elected November 13, 1797
 * Elected November 13, 1797


 * Vermont (1)
 * | Isaac Tichenor (F)
 * Resigned October 17, 1797
 * | Nathaniel Chipman (F)
 * Elected October 17, 1797
 * Elected October 17, 1797


 * Maryland (3)
 * | John Henry (F)
 * Resigned December 10, 1797
 * | James Lloyd (F)
 * Elected December 11, 1797
 * Elected December 11, 1797


 * New York (1)
 * | Philip John Schuyler (F)
 * Resigned January 3, 1798
 * | John Sloss Hobart (F)
 * Elected January 11, 1798
 * Elected January 11, 1798


 * Delaware (2)
 * | John Vining (F)
 * Resigned January 19, 1798
 * | Joshua Clayton (F)
 * Elected January 19, 1798
 * Elected January 19, 1798


 * Tennessee (1)
 * | Andrew Jackson (DR)
 * Resigned sometime in April, 1798
 * | Daniel Smith (DR)
 * Appointed October 6, 1798
 * Appointed October 6, 1798


 * New York (1)
 * | John Sloss Hobart (F)
 * Resigned April 16, 1798
 * | William North (F)
 * Appointed May 5, 1798
 * Appointed May 5, 1798


 * Delaware (2)
 * | Joshua Clayton (F)
 * Died August 11, 1798
 * | William H. Wells (F)
 * Elected January 17, 1799
 * Elected January 17, 1799


 * New York (1)
 * | William North (F)
 * Interim appointment until August 17, 1798
 * | James Watson (F)
 * Elected August 17, 1798
 * Elected August 17, 1798


 * New Jersey (1)
 * | John Rutherfurd (F)
 * Resigned November 26, 1798
 * | Franklin Davenport (F)
 * Appointed December 5, 1798
 * Appointed December 5, 1798


 * South Carolina (2)
 * | John Hunter (DR)
 * Resigned November 26, 1798
 * | Charles Pinckney (DR)
 * Elected December 6, 1798
 * Elected December 6, 1798


 * Virginia (2)
 * | Henry Tazewell (DR)
 * Died January 24, 1799
 * Vacant
 * Not filled in this Congress
 * }
 * }

House of Representatives
There were 9 resignations and 3 deaths. The Federalists had a 1-seat net loss and the Democratic-Republicans had a 1-seat net gain.


 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district
 * | Vacant
 * Daniel Buck (F) had been re-elected, but declined to serve. Successor elected May 23, 1797.
 * | Lewis R. Morris (F)
 * May 24, 1797
 * May 24, 1797


 * Rhode Island At-large
 * | Elisha Potter (F)
 * Resigned sometime in 1797. Successor elected August 29, 1797.
 * | Thomas Tillinghast (F)
 * Seated November 13, 1797
 * Seated November 13, 1797


 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district
 * | William L. Smith (F)
 * Resigned July 10, 1797. Successor elected September 4–5, 1797.
 * | Thomas Pinckney (F)
 * Seated November 23, 1797
 * Seated November 23, 1797


 * Massachusetts's 11th congressional district
 * | Theophilus Bradbury (F)
 * Resigned July 24, 1797. Successor elected August 4, 1797.
 * | Bailey Bartlett (F)
 * Seated November 27, 1797
 * Seated November 27, 1797


 * New Hampshire At-large
 * | Jeremiah Smith (F)
 * Resigned July 26, 1797. Successor elected August 28, 1797.
 * | Peleg Sprague (F)
 * Seated December 15, 1797
 * Seated December 15, 1797


 * Connecticut At-large
 * | James Davenport (F)
 * Died August 3, 1797. Successor elected September 18, 1797.
 * | William Edmond (F)
 * Seated November 13, 1797
 * Seated November 13, 1797


 * Tennessee At-large
 * | Andrew Jackson (DR)
 * Resigned sometime in September 1797 to become U.S. Senator. Successor elected September 26, 1797.
 * | William C.C. Claiborne (DR)
 * Seated November 23, 1797
 * Seated November 23, 1797


 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district
 * | George Ege (F)
 * Resigned sometime in October 1797. Successor elected October 10, 1797.
 * | Joseph Hiester (DR)
 * Seated December 1, 1797
 * Seated December 1, 1797


 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district
 * | Samuel Sitgreaves (F)
 * Resigned sometime in 1798. Successor elected October 9, 1798.
 * | Robert Brown (DR)
 * Seated December 4, 1798
 * Seated December 4, 1798


 * North Carolina's 10th congressional district
 * | Nathan Bryan (DR)
 * Died June 4, 1798. Successor elected August 2, 1798.
 * | Richard Dobbs Spaight (DR)
 * Seated December 10, 1798
 * Seated December 10, 1798


 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district
 * | John Swanwick (DR)
 * Died July 31, 1798. Successor elected October 9, 1798.
 * | Robert Waln (F)
 * Seated December 3, 1798
 * Seated December 3, 1798


 * Connecticut At-large
 * | Joshua Coit (F)
 * Died September 5, 1798. Successor elected October 22, 1798.
 * | Jonathan Brace (F)
 * Seated December 3, 1798
 * Seated December 3, 1798


 * Virginia's 9th congressional district
 * | William Giles (DR)
 * Resigned October 2, 1798. Successor elected November 1, 1798.
 * | Joseph Eggleston (DR)
 * Seated December 3, 1798
 * Seated December 3, 1798


 * }

Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

 * Whole

House of Representatives

 * Claims (Chairman: Dwight Foster)
 * Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Edward Livingston then Samuel Smith)
 * Elections (Chairman: Joshua Coit then Joseph B. Varnum)
 * Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Jeremiah Smith then Nathaniel Macon then George Thatcher)
 * Rules (Select)
 * Standards of Official Conduct
 * Ways and Means (Chairman: William L. Smith then Robert Goodloe Harper)
 * Whole

Joint committees

 * Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Isaac Tichenor)

Employees

 * Architect of the Capitol: William Thornton

Senate

 * Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
 * Doorkeeper: James Mathers
 * Chaplain: William White, Episcopalian

House of Representatives

 * Clerk: John J. Beckley, until May 15, 1797
 * Jonathan W. Condy, elected May 15, 1797
 * Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton
 * Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
 * Reading Clerks:
 * Chaplain: Ashbel Green, Presbyterian