7th United States Congress

The 7th 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, 1801, to March 4, 1803, during the first two years of Thomas Jefferson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1790 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority, except during the Special session of the Senate, when there was a Federalist majority in the Senate.

Major events

 * March 4, 1801: Thomas Jefferson became President of the United States.
 * May 10, 1801: The pascha of Tripoli declared war on United States by having the flagpole on the consulate chopped down
 * March 16, 1802: West Point established
 * February 24, 1803: First time an Act of Congress was declared unconstitutional: U.S. Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison

Major legislation

 * April 29, 1802: Judiciary Act of 1802, ch. 31,
 * April 30, 1802: Enabling Act of 1802, ch. 40,

States admitted

 * Ohio was admitted as a state, having previously been a portion of the Northwest Territory. The exact date is unclear and in dispute, but it is undisputed that it was during this Congress. The official date when Ohio became a state was not set until 1953, when the 83rd U.S. Congress passed legislation retrospectively designating the date of the first meeting of the Ohio state legislature, March 1, 1803, as that date. However, on April 30, 1802, the 7th U.S. Congress had passed an act "authorizing the inhabitants of Ohio to form a Constitution and state government, and admission of Ohio into the Union." (Sess. 1, ch. 40, ) On February 19, 1803, the same Congress passed an act "providing for the execution of the laws of the United States in the State of Ohio." (Sess. 2, ch. 7, ) The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress states that Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802, and counts its seats as vacant from that date.

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
Although the Federalists had more senators during the very brief March 1801 special session, by the time the first regular session met in December 1801, the Democratic-Republicans had gained majority control.

Senate

 * President: Aaron Burr (DR)
 * President pro tempore: Abraham Baldwin (DR), first elected December 7, 1801
 * Stephen R. Bradley (DR), first elected December 14, 1802

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: Nathaniel Macon, (DR), elected December 7, 1801

Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.

Senate

 * Skip to House of Representatives, below

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 ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1802; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1806.

Connecticut

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

Delaware

 * 1. Samuel White (F)
 * 2. William H. Wells (F)

Georgia

 * 2. Abraham Baldwin (DR)
 * 3. James Jackson (DR)

Kentucky

 * 2. John Brown (DR)
 * 3. John Breckinridge (DR)

Maryland

 * 1. John Eager Howard (F)
 * 3. William Hindman (F), until November 19, 1801
 * Robert Wright (DR), from November 19, 1801

Massachusetts

 * 1. Jonathan Mason (F)
 * 2. Dwight Foster (F), until March 2, 1803

New Hampshire

 * 2. Samuel Livermore (F), until June 12, 1801
 * Simeon Olcott (F), from June 17, 1801
 * 3. James Sheafe (F), until June 14, 1802
 * William Plumer (F), from June 17, 1802

New Jersey

 * 1. Aaron Ogden (F)
 * 2. Jonathan Dayton (F)

New York

 * 1. Gouverneur Morris (F)
 * 3. John Armstrong Jr. (DR), until February 5, 1802
 * DeWitt Clinton (DR), from February 9, 1802

North Carolina

 * 2. Jesse Franklin (DR)
 * 3. David Stone (DR)

Ohio
Due to uncertainty over Ohio's exact admittance date (see "States admitted, above") its two senators were not elected until the next Congress.
 * 1: Vacant (newly admitted state)
 * 3: Vacant (newly admitted state)

Pennsylvania

 * 1. James Ross (F)
 * 3. John Peter G. Muhlenberg (DR), until June 30, 1801
 * George Logan (DR), from July 13, 1801

Rhode Island

 * 1. Theodore Foster (F)
 * 2. Ray Greene (F), until March 5, 1801
 * Christopher Ellery (DR), from May 6, 1801

South Carolina

 * 2. Charles Pinckney (DR), until June 6, 1801
 * Thomas Sumter (DR), from December 15, 1801
 * 3. John E. Colhoun (DR), until October 26, 1802
 * Pierce Butler (DR), from November 4, 1802

Tennessee

 * 1. Joseph Anderson (DR)
 * 2. William Cocke (DR)

Vermont

 * 1. Nathaniel Chipman (F)
 * 3. Elijah Paine (F), until September 1, 1801
 * Stephen R. Bradley (DR), from October 15, 1801

Virginia

 * 1. Stevens Mason (DR)
 * 2. Wilson C. Nicholas (DR)



House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "At-large," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Samuel W. Dana (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. John Davenport (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Calvin Goddard (F), from May 14, 1801
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Roger Griswold (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Elias Perkins (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. John Cotton Smith (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Benjamin Tallmadge (F), from September 21, 1801

Delaware

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

Georgia
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. John Milledge (DR), until May 1802
 * Peter Early (DR), from January 10, 1803
 * Georgia's 2nd congressional district. Benjamin Taliaferro (DR), until May 1802
 * David Meriwether (DR), from December 6, 1802

Kentucky

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

Maryland

 * Maryland's 1st congressional district. John Campbell (F)
 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district. Richard Sprigg Jr. (DR), until February 11, 1802
 * Walter Bowie (DR), from March 24, 1802
 * Maryland's 3rd congressional district. Thomas Plater (F)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. Daniel Hiester (DR)
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. Samuel Smith (DR)
 * Maryland's 6th congressional district. John Archer (DR)
 * Maryland's 7th congressional district. Joseph H. Nicholson (DR)
 * Maryland's 8th congressional district. John Dennis (F)

Massachusetts

 * MA's 1st congressional district. John Bacon (DR)
 * MA's 2nd congressional district. William Shepard (F)
 * MA's 3rd congressional district. Ebenezer Mattoon (F)
 * MA's 4th congressional district. Levi Lincoln Sr. (DR), until March 5, 1801
 * Seth Hastings (F), from January 11, 1802
 * MA's 5th congressional district. Lemuel Williams (F)
 * MA's 6th congressional district. Josiah Smith (DR)
 * MA's 7th congressional district. Phanuel Bishop (DR)
 * MA's 8th congressional district. William Eustis (DR)
 * MA's 9th congressional district. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
 * MA's 10th congressional district. Nathan Read (F)
 * MA's 11th congressional district. Manasseh Cutler (F)
 * MA's 12th congressional district. Silas Lee (F), until August 20, 1801
 * Samuel Thatcher (F), from December 6, 1802
 * MA's 13th congressional district. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
 * MA's 14th congressional district. Richard Cutts (DR), from December 7, 1801

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. Joseph Peirce (F), until June 1802
 * Samuel Hunt (F), from December 6, 1802
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Samuel Tenney (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. George B. Upham (F)

New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. John Condit (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Ebenezer Elmer (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. William Helms (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. James Mott (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Henry Southard (DR)

New York

 * New York's 1st congressional district. John Smith (DR)
 * New York's 2nd congressional district. Samuel L. Mitchill (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. Thomas Tillotson (DR), until August 10, 1801
 * Theodorus Bailey (DR), from December 7, 1801
 * New York's 6th congressional district. John Bird (F), until July 25, 1801
 * John P. Van Ness (DR), December 7, 1801 – January 17, 1803; vacant thereafter
 * New York's 7th congressional district. David Thomas (DR)
 * New York's 8th congressional district. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (F)
 * New York's 9th congressional district. Benjamin Walker (F)
 * New York's 10th congressional district. Thomas Morris (F)

North Carolina

 * North Carolina's 1st congressional district. James Holland (DR)
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Archibald Henderson (F)
 * 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. William H. Hill (F)
 * North Carolina's 7th congressional district. William Barry Grove (F)
 * North Carolina's 8th congressional district. Charles Johnson (DR), until July 23, 1802
 * Thomas Wynns (DR), from December 7, 1802
 * North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Willis Alston (F)
 * North Carolina's 10th congressional district. John Stanly (F)

Ohio

 * Ohio's at-large congressional district. vacant (newly admitted state)

Pennsylvania

 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. William Jones (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Michael Leib (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Joseph Hemphill (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district: Robert Brown (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district: Isaac Van Horne (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. Joseph Hiester (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. John A. Hanna (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. Thomas Boude (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. John Stewart (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. Andrew Gregg (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. Henry Woods (F)
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. John Smilie (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. William Hoge (DR)

Rhode Island
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Rhode Island's at-large congressional district. Joseph Stanton Jr. (DR)
 * Rhode Island's at-large congressional district. Thomas Tillinghast (DR)

South Carolina

 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district. Thomas Lowndes (F)
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. John Rutledge Jr. (F)
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Benjamin Huger (F)
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district. Thomas Sumter (DR), until December 15, 1801
 * Richard Winn (DR), from January 24, 1802
 * South Carolina's 5th congressional district. William Butler Sr. (DR)
 * South Carolina's 6th congressional district. Thomas Moore (DR)

Tennessee

 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. William Dickson (DR)

Vermont

 * Vermont's 1st congressional district. Israel Smith (DR)
 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district. Lewis R. Morris (F)

Virginia

 * Virginia's 1st congressional district. John Smith (DR)
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district. David Holmes (DR)
 * Virginia's 3rd congressional district. George Jackson (DR)
 * 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. John Randolph (DR)
 * Virginia's 8th congressional district. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
 * Virginia's 9th congressional district. William B. Giles (DR)
 * Virginia's 10th congressional district. Edwin Gray (DR)
 * Virginia's 11th congressional district. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)
 * Virginia's 12th congressional district. John Stratton (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. Philip R. Thompson (DR)
 * Virginia's 19th congressional district. John Taliaferro (DR)

Non-voting members

 * Mississippi Territory's at-large congressional district. Narsworthy Hunter (DR), until March 11, 1802
 * Thomas M. Green Jr. (DR), from December 6, 1802
 * Northwest Territory's at-large congressional district. Paul Fearing (F)

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

Senate
There was 1 death, 8 resignations, and 2 seats added for a new state.


 * Rhode Island (2)
 * | Ray Greene (F)
 * Resigned March 5, 1801, after being nominated for a judicial position. His successor was elected.
 * | Christopher Ellery (DR)
 * Seated May 6, 1801
 * Seated May 6, 1801


 * South Carolina (2)
 * | Charles Pinckney (DR)
 * Resigned June 6, 1801, after being appointed Minister to Spain. His successor was elected.
 * | Thomas Sumter (DR)
 * Seated December 15, 1801
 * Seated December 15, 1801


 * New Hampshire (2)
 * | Samuel Livermore (F)
 * Resigned June 12, 1801. His successor was elected.
 * | Simeon Olcott (F)
 * Seated June 17, 1801
 * Seated June 17, 1801


 * Pennsylvania (3)
 * | Peter Muhlenberg (DR)
 * Resigned June 30, 1801. His successor was appointed July 13, 1801, and then elected December 17, 1801.
 * | George Logan (DR)
 * Seated July 13, 1801
 * Seated July 13, 1801


 * Vermont (3)
 * | Elijah Paine (F)
 * Resigned September 1, 1801. His successor was elected.
 * | Stephen R. Bradley (DR)
 * Seated October 15, 1801
 * Seated October 15, 1801


 * Maryland (3)
 * | William Hindman (F)
 * Resigned November 19, 1801. His successor was elected.
 * | Robert Wright (DR)
 * Seated November 19, 1801
 * Seated November 19, 1801


 * Massachusetts (3)
 * | Dwight Foster (F)
 * Resigned March 2, 1803. Not filled this Congress
 * Vacant
 * Vacant


 * New York (3)
 * | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)
 * Resigned February 5, 1802. His successor was elected.
 * | DeWitt Clinton (DR)
 * Seated February 9, 1802
 * Seated February 9, 1802


 * New Hampshire (3)
 * | James Sheafe (F)
 * Resigned June 14, 1802. His successor was elected.
 * | William Plumer (F)
 * Seated June 17, 1802
 * Seated June 17, 1802


 * South Carolina (3)
 * | John E. Colhoun (DR)
 * Died October 26, 1802. His successor was elected.
 * | Pierce Butler (DR)
 * Seated November 4, 1802
 * Seated November 4, 1802


 * Ohio (1)
 * rowspan=2 | New seats
 * rowspan=2 style="font-size:80%" |Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802.
 * Vacant
 * rowspan=2 | Not filled this Congress
 * rowspan=2 | Not filled this Congress


 * Ohio (3)
 * Vacant
 * Vacant


 * }

House of Representatives

 * Replacements: 8
 * Democratic-Republicans: no net change
 * Federalists: no net change
 * Deaths: 1
 * Resignations: 9
 * Forfeiture: 1
 * Vacancy: 1
 * Total seats with changes: 11


 * CT's at-large congressional district
 * Vacant
 * Elizur Goodrich (F) resigned before the beginning of this Congress.
 * | Calvin Goddard (F)
 * May 14, 1801
 * May 14, 1801


 * CT's at-large congressional district
 * Vacant
 * William Edmond (F) resigned before the beginning of this Congress.
 * | Benjamin Tallmadge (F)
 * September 21, 1801
 * September 21, 1801


 * MA's 14th congressional district
 * Vacant
 * Representative-elect George Thatcher declined to serve. Successor   elected June 22, 1801.
 * | Richard Cutts (DR)
 * December 7, 1801
 * December 7, 1801


 * MA's 4th congressional district
 * | Levi Lincoln (DR)
 * Resigned March 5, 1801, after being appointed US attorney General.
 * | Seth Hastings (F)
 * January 11, 1802
 * January 11, 1802


 * New York's 6th congressional district
 * | John Bird (F)
 * Resigned July 25, 1801.
 * | John Peter Van Ness (DR)
 * December 7, 1801
 * December 7, 1801


 * New York's 5th congressional district
 * | Thomas Tillotson (DR)
 * Resigned August 10, 1801, upon appointment as NY Secretary of State.
 * | Theodorus Bailey (DR)
 * December 7, 1801
 * December 7, 1801


 * Massachusetts's 12th congressional district
 * | Silas Lee (F)
 * Resigned August 20, 1801.
 * | Samuel Thatcher (F)
 * December 6, 1802
 * December 6, 1802


 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district
 * | Thomas Sumter (DR)
 * Resigned December 15, 1801, after being elected to the US Senate.
 * | Richard Winn (DR)
 * January 24, 1802
 * January 24, 1802


 * Georgia's at-large congressional district
 * | Benjamin Taliaferro (DR)
 * Resigned sometime in 1802.
 * | David Meriwether (DR)
 * December 6, 1802
 * December 6, 1802


 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district
 * | Joseph Peirce (F)
 * Resigned sometime in 1802.
 * | Samuel Hunt (F)
 * December 6, 1802
 * December 6, 1802


 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district
 * | Richard Sprigg Jr. (DR)
 * Resigned February 11, 1802.
 * | Walter Bowie (DR)
 * March 24, 1802
 * March 24, 1802


 * Mississippi Territory's at-large congressional district
 * |Narsworthy Hunter (DR)
 * Died March 11, 1802.
 * |Thomas M. Green Jr. (DR)
 * December 6, 1802
 * December 6, 1802


 * Georgia's at-large congressional district
 * | John Milledge (DR)
 * Resigned May 1802 after being elected Governor.
 * | Peter Early (DR)
 * January 10, 1803
 * January 10, 1803


 * North Carolina's 8th congressional district
 * | Charles Johnson (DR)
 * Died July 23, 1802.
 * | Thomas Wynns (DR)
 * December 7, 1802
 * December 7, 1802


 * Ohio's at-large congressional district
 * New seat
 * Ohio was admitted to the Union on November 29, 1802.
 * Vacant
 * rowspan=2 | Not filled until next Congress
 * rowspan=2 | Not filled until next Congress


 * New York's 6th congressional district
 * | John Peter Van Ness (DR)
 * Seat declared forfeited January 17, 1803.
 * Vacant
 * Vacant


 * }

Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

 * Whole

House of Representatives

 * Claims (Chairman: John C. Smith)
 * Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Samuel Smith)
 * Elections (Chairman: John Milledge then John Bacon)
 * Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: John Davenport)
 * Rules (Select)
 * Standards of Official Conduct (Chairman: N/A)
 * Ways and Means (Chairman: John Randolph)
 * Whole

Joint committees

 * Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Dwight Foster)

Legislative branch agency directors

 * Architect of the Capitol: William Thornton
 * Librarian of Congress: John J. Beckley, from 1802

Senate

 * Chaplain: Thomas J. Claggett (Episcopalian), until December 9, 1801
 * Edward Gantt (Episcopalian), elected December 9, 1801
 * Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
 * Doorkeeper: James Mathers

House of Representatives

 * Chaplain: Thomas Lyell (Methodist), until December 10, 1801
 * William Parkinson (Baptist), elected December 10, 1801
 * Clerk: John Holt Oswald, until December 7, 1801
 * John Beckley, elected December 7, 1801
 * Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
 * Reading Clerks:
 * Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton