8th United States Congress

The 8th 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, 1803, to March 4, 1805, during the last two years of Thomas Jefferson's first term in office. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1800 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Major events

 * April 30, 1803: Louisiana Purchase was made by the United States from France
 * February 16, 1804: In the First Barbary War, Stephen Decatur led a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate Philadelphia
 * May 14, 1804: Lewis and Clark Expedition departed from Camp Dubois to begin their historic journey by traveling up the Missouri River
 * July 11, 1804: Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton
 * November 30, 1804: Impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase
 * December 3, 1804: 1804 United States presidential election: Incumbent Thomas Jefferson (DR) beat challenger Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (F)
 * March 1, 1805: Samuel Chase acquitted of impeachment charges by the U.S. Senate

Constitutional amendments

 * December 9, 1803: Approved an amendment to the United States Constitution providing a new procedure for electing the President and Vice President, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification
 * June 15, 1804: Twelfth Amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 13) to become part of the Constitution

Treaties

 * October 20, 1803: Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

Territories organized

 * March 26, 1804: Territory of Orleans was organized from the portion of the Louisiana Purchase south of the 33rd parallel; the portion north of the 33rd parallel was organized as the District of Louisiana.
 * January 11, 1805: Michigan Territory was organized.
 * March 3, 1805: Louisiana Territory was organized from the District of Louisiana.

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.

House of Representatives
Following the 1800 census, the size of the House was increased to 142 seats from 108.

Senate

 * President: Aaron Burr (DR)
 * President pro tempore: John Brown (DR), October 17, 1803 – February 26, 1804
 * Jesse Franklin (DR), March 10, 1804 – November 4, 1804
 * Joseph Anderson (DR), January 15, 1805 – December 1, 1805

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: Nathaniel Macon (DR)

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 with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1808; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1806.

Connecticut

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

Delaware

 * 1. Samuel White (F)
 * 2. William H. Wells (F), until November 6, 1804
 * James A. Bayard (F), from November 13, 1804

Georgia

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

Kentucky

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

Maryland

 * 1. Samuel Smith (DR)
 * 3. Robert Wright (DR)

Massachusetts

 * 1. John Quincy Adams (F)
 * 2. Timothy Pickering (F)

New Hampshire

 * 2. Simeon Olcott (F)
 * 3. William Plumer (F)

New Jersey

 * 1. John Condit (DR), from September 1, 1803
 * 2. Jonathan Dayton (F)

New York

 * 1. Theodorus Bailey (DR), until January 16, 1804
 * John Armstrong Jr. (DR), February 25, 1804 – June 30, 1804
 * Samuel L. Mitchill (DR), from November 23, 1804
 * 3. DeWitt Clinton (DR), until November 4, 1803
 * John Armstrong Jr. (DR), December 7, 1803 – February 23, 1804
 * John Smith (DR), from February 23, 1804

North Carolina

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

Ohio

 * 1. John Smith (DR), from April 1, 1803
 * 3. Thomas Worthington (DR), from April 1, 1803

Pennsylvania

 * 1. Samuel Maclay (DR)
 * 3. George Logan (DR)

Rhode Island

 * 1. Samuel J. Potter (DR), until October 14, 1804
 * Benjamin Howland (DR), from October 29, 1804
 * 2. Christopher Ellery (DR)

South Carolina

 * 2. Thomas Sumter (DR)
 * 3. Pierce Butler (DR), resigned November 21, 1804
 * John Gaillard (DR), from December 6, 1804

Tennessee

 * 1. Joseph Anderson (DR), from September 22, 1803
 * 2. William Cocke (DR)

Vermont

 * 1. Israel Smith (DR)
 * 3. Stephen R. Bradley (DR)

Virginia

 * 1. Stevens Mason (DR), until May 10, 1803
 * John Taylor of Caroline (DR), June 4, 1803 – December 7, 1803
 * Abraham B. Venable (DR), December 7, 1803 – June 7, 1804
 * William B. Giles (DR), August 11, 1804 - December 4, 1804
 * Andrew Moore (DR), from December 4, 1804
 * 2. Wilson C. Nicholas (DR), until May 22, 1804
 * Andrew Moore (DR), August 11, 1804 – December 4, 1804
 * William B. Giles (DR), from December 4, 1804



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

Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Simeon Baldwin (F), from September 5, 1803
 * 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)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Roger Griswold (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. John Cotton Smith (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Benjamin Tallmadge (F)

Delaware

 * Delaware's at-large congressional district. Caesar A. Rodney (DR)

Georgia
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Joseph Bryan (DR)
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Peter Early (DR)
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Samuel Hammond (DR), until February 2, 1805, Vacant thereafter
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. David Meriwether (DR)

Kentucky

 * Kentucky's 1st congressional district. Matthew Lyon (DR)
 * Kentucky's 2nd congressional district. John Boyle (DR)
 * Kentucky's 3rd congressional district. Matthew Walton (DR)
 * Kentucky's 4th congressional district. Thomas Sandford (DR)
 * Kentucky's 5th congressional district. John Fowler (DR)
 * Kentucky's 6th congressional district. George M. Bedinger (DR)

Maryland
The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.
 * Maryland's 1st congressional district. John Campbell (F)
 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district. Walter Bowie (DR)
 * Maryland's 3rd congressional district. Thomas Plater (F)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. Daniel Hiester (DR), until March 7, 1804
 * Roger Nelson (DR), from November 6, 1804
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. William McCreery (DR)
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. Nicholas R. Moore (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

 * Massachusetts's 1st congressional district. William Eustis (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district. Jacob Crowninshield (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district. Manasseh Cutler (F)
 * Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. Thomas Dwight (F)
 * Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. Samuel Taggart (F)
 * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district. Nahum Mitchell (F)
 * Massachusetts's 8th congressional district. Lemuel Williams (F)
 * Massachusetts's 9th congressional district. Phanuel Bishop (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 10th congressional district. Seth Hastings (F)
 * Massachusetts's 11th congressional district. William Stedman (F)
 * Massachusetts's 12th congressional district. Thomson J. Skinner (DR), until August 10, 1804
 * Simon Larned (DR), from November 5, 1804
 * Massachusetts's 13th congressional district. Ebenezer Seaver (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 14th congressional district. Richard Cutts (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 15th congressional district. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
 * Massachusetts's 16th congressional district. Samuel Thatcher (F)
 * Massachusetts's 17th congressional district. Phineas Bruce (F)

New Hampshire
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Silas Betton (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Clifton Clagett (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. David Hough (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Samuel Hunt (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Samuel Tenney (F)

New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Adam Boyd (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. James Sloan (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Henry Southard (DR)

New York

 * New York's 1st congressional district. John Smith (DR), until February 23, 1804
 * Samuel Riker (DR), from November 5, 1804
 * New York's 2nd congressional district. Joshua Sands (F)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR), until November 22, 1804
 * George Clinton Jr. (DR), from February 14, 1805
 * New York's 4th congressional district. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)
 * New York's 5th congressional district. Andrew McCord (DR)
 * New York's 6th congressional district. Isaac Bloom (DR), until April 26, 1803
 * Daniel C. Verplanck (DR), from October 17, 1803
 * New York's 7th congressional district. Josiah Hasbrouck (DR), from October 17, 1803
 * New York's 8th congressional district. Henry W. Livingston (F)
 * New York's 9th congressional district. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (F)
 * New York's 10th congressional district. George Tibbits (F)
 * New York's 11th congressional district. Beriah Palmer (DR)
 * New York's 12th congressional district. David Thomas (DR)
 * New York's 13th congressional district. Thomas Sammons (DR)
 * New York's 14th congressional district. Erastus Root (DR)
 * New York's 15th congressional district. Gaylord Griswold (F)
 * New York's 16th congressional district. John Paterson (DR)
 * New York's 17th congressional district. Oliver Phelps (DR)

North Carolina

 * North Carolina's 1st congressional district. Thomas Wynns (DR)
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Willis Alston (DR)
 * North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. William Kennedy (DR)
 * North Carolina's 4th congressional district. William Blackledge (DR)
 * North Carolina's 5th congressional district. James Gillespie (DR), until January 11, 1805; vacant thereafter
 * North Carolina's 6th congressional district. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
 * North Carolina's 7th congressional district. Samuel D. Purviance (F)
 * North Carolina's 8th congressional district. Richard Stanford (DR)
 * North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Marmaduke Williams (DR)
 * North Carolina's 10th congressional district. Nathaniel Alexander (DR)
 * North Carolina's 11th congressional district. James Holland (DR)
 * North Carolina's 12th congressional district. Joseph Winston (DR)

Ohio

 * Ohio's at-large congressional district. Jeremiah Morrow (DR), from October 17, 1803

Pennsylvania
There were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives.
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Joseph Clay (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Michael Leib (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Jacob Richards (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Robert Brown (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Frederick Conrad (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Isaac Van Horne (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Isaac Anderson (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Joseph Hiester (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. John Whitehill (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. David Bard (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. John A. Hanna (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. Andrew Gregg (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. John Stewart (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. John Rea (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. William Findley (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. John Smilie (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. William Hoge (DR), until October 15, 1804
 * John Hoge (DR), from November 2, 1804
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. John B. C. Lucas (DR)

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

South Carolina

 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district. Thomas Lowndes (F)
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. William Butler Sr. (DR)
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Benjamin Huger (F)
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district. Wade Hampton (DR)
 * South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Richard Winn (DR)
 * South Carolina's 6th congressional district. Levi Casey (DR)
 * South Carolina's 7th congressional district. Thomas Moore (DR)
 * South Carolina's 8th congressional district. John B. Earle (DR)

Tennessee
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. George W. Campbell (DR)
 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. William Dickson (DR)
 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. John Rhea (DR)

Vermont

 * Vermont's 1st congressional district. Gideon Olin (DR)
 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district. James Elliott (F)
 * Vermont's 3rd congressional district. William Chamberlain (F)
 * Vermont's 4th congressional district. Martin Chittenden (F)

Virginia

 * Virginia's 1st congressional district. John G. Jackson (DR)
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district. James Stephenson (F)
 * Virginia's 3rd congressional district. John Smith (DR)
 * Virginia's 4th congressional district. David Holmes (DR)
 * Virginia's 5th congressional district. Thomas Lewis Jr. (F), until March 5, 1804
 * Andrew Moore (DR), March 5, 1804 – August 11, 1804
 * Alexander Wilson (DR), from December 4, 1804
 * Virginia's 6th congressional district. Abram Trigg (DR)
 * Virginia's 7th congressional district. Joseph Lewis Jr. (F)
 * Virginia's 8th congressional district. Walter Jones (DR)
 * Virginia's 9th congressional district. Philip R. Thompson (DR)
 * Virginia's 10th congressional district. John Dawson (DR)
 * Virginia's 11th congressional district. Anthony New (DR)
 * Virginia's 12th congressional district. Thomas Griffin (F)
 * Virginia's 13th congressional district. John J. Trigg (DR), until May 17, 1804
 * Christopher H. Clark (DR), from November 5, 1804
 * Virginia's 14th congressional district. Matthew Clay (DR)
 * Virginia's 15th congressional district. John Randolph (DR)
 * Virginia's 16th congressional district. John W. Eppes (DR)
 * Virginia's 17th congressional district. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
 * Virginia's 18th congressional district. Peterson Goodwyn (DR)
 * Virginia's 19th congressional district. Edwin Gray (DR)
 * Virginia's 20th congressional district. Thomas Newton Jr. (DR)
 * Virginia's 21st congressional district. Thomas M. Randolph (DR)
 * Virginia's 22nd congressional district. John Clopton (DR)

Non-voting members

 * Mississippi Territory's at-large congressional district. William Lattimore

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

Senate

 * Ohio (1)
 * Vacant
 * Failure to elect
 * | John Smith (DR)
 * Seated April 1, 1803
 * Seated April 1, 1803


 * Ohio (3)
 * Vacant
 * Failure to elect
 * | Thomas Worthington (DR)
 * Seated April 1, 1803
 * Seated April 1, 1803


 * New Jersey (1)
 * Vacant
 * Failure to elect
 * | John Condit (DR)
 * Seated September 1, 1803
 * Seated September 1, 1803


 * Tennessee (1)
 * Vacant
 * Failure to elect
 * | Joseph Anderson (DR)
 * Elected September 22, 1803
 * Elected September 22, 1803


 * Virginia (1)
 * | Stevens T. Mason (DR)
 * Died May 10, 1803
 * | John Taylor (DR)
 * Appointed June 4, 1803
 * Appointed June 4, 1803


 * New York (3)
 * | DeWitt Clinton (DR)
 * Resigned November 4, 1803, to become Mayor of New York City
 * | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)
 * Appointed December 7, 1803
 * Appointed December 7, 1803


 * Virginia (1)
 * | John Taylor (DR)
 * Successor elected December 7, 1803
 * | Abraham B. Venable (DR)
 * Elected December 7, 1803
 * Elected December 7, 1803


 * New York (1)
 * | Theodorus Bailey (DR)
 * Resigned January 16, 1804, to become Postmaster of New York City
 * | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)
 * Seated February 25, 1804
 * Seated February 25, 1804


 * New York (3)
 * | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)
 * Successor elected February 23, 1804
 * | John Smith (DR)
 * Elected February 23, 1804
 * Elected February 23, 1804


 * Virginia (2)
 * | Wilson C. Nicholas (DR)
 * Resigned May 22, 1804, to become Collector of Port of Norfolk
 * | Andrew Moore (DR)
 * Appointed August 11, 1804
 * Appointed August 11, 1804


 * Virginia (1)
 * | Abraham B. Venable (DR)
 * Resigned June 7, 1804
 * | William B. Giles (DR)
 * Appointed August 11, 1804
 * Appointed August 11, 1804


 * New York (1)
 * | John Armstrong Jr. (DR)
 * Resigned June 30, 1804, after being appointed Minister to France
 * | Samuel Latham Mitchill (DR)
 * Seated November 23, 1804
 * Seated November 23, 1804


 * Rhode Island (1)
 * | Samuel J. Potter (DR)
 * Died October 14, 1804
 * | Benjamin Howland (DR)
 * Seated October 29, 1804
 * Seated October 29, 1804


 * Delaware (2)
 * | William H. Wells (F)
 * Resigned November 6, 1804
 * | James A. Bayard (F)
 * Seated November 13, 1804
 * Seated November 13, 1804


 * South Carolina (3)
 * | Pierce Butler (DR)
 * Resigned November 21, 1804
 * | John Gaillard (DR)
 * Seated December 6, 1804
 * Seated December 6, 1804


 * Virginia (1)
 * | William B. Giles (DR)
 * Successor elected December 4, 1804
 * | Andrew Moore (DR)
 * Elected December 4, 1804
 * Elected December 4, 1804


 * Virginia (2)
 * | Andrew Moore (DR)
 * Successor elected December 4, 1804
 * | William B. Giles (DR)
 * Elected December 4, 1804
 * Elected December 4, 1804


 * }

House of Representatives

 * New York's 7th congressional district
 * Vacant
 * John Cantine (DR) was elected, but resigned before the Congress began.
 * | Josiah Hasbrouck (DR)
 * October 17, 1803
 * October 17, 1803


 * CT At-large
 * Vacant
 * nowrap | Incumbent Elias Perkins (F) elected but chose not to serve. Successor elected September 5, 1803.
 * | Simeon Baldwin (F)
 * October 17, 1803
 * October 17, 1803


 * OH At-large
 * Vacant
 * Seat vacant following Ohio's admission to Union until special election held on June 21, 1803.
 * | Jeremiah Morrow (DR)
 * October 17, 1803
 * October 17, 1803


 * New York's 6th congressional district
 * | Isaac Bloom (DR)
 * Died April 26, 1803
 * | Daniel C. Verplanck (DR)
 * October 17, 1803
 * October 17, 1803


 * New York's 1st congressional district
 * | John Smith (DR)
 * Resigned February 23, 1804, after being elected to U.S. Senate
 * | Samuel Riker (DR)
 * November 5, 1804
 * November 5, 1804


 * Virginia's 5th congressional district
 * | Thomas Lewis Jr. (F)
 * Lost contested election March 5, 1804
 * | Andrew Moore (DR)
 * March 5, 1804
 * March 5, 1804


 * Maryland's 4th congressional district
 * | Daniel Hiester (DR)
 * Died March 7, 1804
 * | Roger Nelson (DR)
 * November 6, 1804
 * November 6, 1804


 * Virginia's 13th congressional district
 * | John J. Trigg (DR)
 * Died May 17, 1804
 * | Christopher H. Clark (DR)
 * November 5, 1804
 * November 5, 1804


 * Massachusetts's 12th congressional district
 * | Thomson J. Skinner (DR)
 * Resigned August 10, 1804
 * | Simon Larned (DR)
 * November 5, 1804
 * November 5, 1804


 * Virginia's 5th congressional district
 * | Andrew Moore (DR)
 * Resigned August 11, 1804, after being appointed to U.S. Senate
 * | Alexander Wilson (DR)
 * December 4, 1804
 * December 4, 1804


 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district
 * | William Hoge (DR)
 * Resigned October 15, 1804
 * | John Hoge (DR)
 * November 2, 1804
 * November 2, 1804


 * New York's 3rd congressional district
 * | Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)
 * Resigned November 22, 1804, after being elected to U.S. Senate
 * | George Clinton Jr. (DR)
 * February 14, 1805
 * February 14, 1805


 * North Carolina's 5th congressional district
 * | James Gillespie (DR)
 * Died January 11, 1805
 * Vacant
 * Not filled for remainder of term
 * Not filled for remainder of term


 * Georgia's at-large congressional district
 * | Samuel Hammond (DR)
 * Resigned February 2, 1805, after becoming Civil and Military Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory
 * Vacant
 * Not filled for remainder of term
 * Not filled for remainder of term


 * }

Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

 * Whole

House of Representatives

 * Claims (Chairman: John C. Smith then Samuel W. Dana)
 * Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Samuel L. Mitchill)
 * Elections (Chairman: William Findley)
 * Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Samuel Tenney)
 * Rules (Select)
 * Standards of Official Conduct
 * Ways and Means (Chairman: John Randolph)
 * Whole

Joint committees

 * Enrolled Bills (Chairman: N/A)

Legislative branch agency directors

 * Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin H. Latrobe, appointed March 6, 1803
 * Librarian of Congress: John J. Beckley

Senate

 * Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
 * Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers
 * Chaplain: Edward Gantt, Episcopalian, until November 7, 1804
 * Alexander T. McCormick, Episcopalian, elected November 7, 1804

House of Representatives

 * Clerk: John Beckley
 * Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton
 * Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
 * Chaplain: William Parkinson, Baptist, until November 5, 1804
 * The Rev. James Laurie, Presbyterian, elected November 5, 1804
 * Reading Clerks: