33rd United States Congress

United States Capitol

The Thirty-third 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, 1853 to March 3, 1855, during the first two years of the administration of U.S. President Franklin Pierce.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Seventh Census of the United States in 1850. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.

Dates of sessions

March 4, 1853 - March 3, 1855

• Special session of the Senate: March 4, 1853 - April 11, 1853
• First session: December 5, 1853- August 7, 1854
• Second session: December 4, 1854 - March 3, 1855
• Previous congress: 32nd Congress
  
• Next congress: 34th Congress

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 Democratic (D): 38 (majority) Whig (W): 22 Free Soil (FS): 2 TOTAL members: 62

House of Representatives Democratic (D): 157 (majority) Whig (W): 71 Free Soil (FS): 4 Independent Democratic (ID): 1 Independent (I): 1 TOTAL members: 234

Leadership

Senate

• Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
  • William R. King, Democratic of Alabama (U.S. state), died April 18, 1853
• President pro tempore of the Senate:
  • David R. Atchison, Democratic of Missouri, elected March 4, 1853
  • Lewis Cass, Democratic of Michigan, elected December 4, 1854
  • Jesse D. Bright, Democratic of Indiana, elected December 5, 1854

House of Representatives

• Speaker of the House: Linn Boyd, of Kentucky, elected December 5, 1853

Major events

Events of 1853, 1854 and 1855

• March 4, 1853 -- Franklin Pierce became President of the United States of America

Major legislation

List of United States federal legislation in the 33rd Congress

• May 30, 1854 -- Kansas-Nebraska Act
• May 30, 1854 -- Kansas Territory was organized.
• May 30, 1854 -- Nebraska Territory was organized.

Membership highlights by chamber

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 the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1854.

Alabama 3: Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) 2: Clement C. Clay, Jr. (D) Arkansas 2: William K. Sebastian (D) 3: Solon Borland (D) Robert W. Johnson (D) California 3: William M. Gwin (D) 1: John B. Weller (D) Connecticut 3: Truman Smith (W) Francis Gillette (FS) 1: Isaac Toucey (D) Delaware 1: James A. Bayard, Jr. (D) 2: John M. Clayton (W) Florida 3: Jackson Morton (W) 1: Stephen R. Mallory (D) Georgia 3: William C. Dawson (W) 2: Robert A. Toombs (W) Illinois 2: Stephen A. Douglas (D) 3: James Shields (D) Indiana 1: Jesse D. Bright (D) 3: John Pettit (D) Iowa 3: Augustus C. Dodge (D) 2: George W. Jones (D)

Kentucky 3: Archibald Dixon (W) 2: John B. Thompson (W) Louisiana 3: Pierre Soulé (D) John Slidell (D) 2: Judah P. Benjamin (W) Maine 1: Hannibal Hamlin (D) 2: William Pitt Fessenden (W) Maryland 3: James A. Pearce (W) 1: Thomas G. Pratt (W) Massachusetts 1: Charles Sumner (FS) 2: Edward Everett (W) Julius Rockwell (W) Henry Wilson (FS) Michigan 1: Lewis Cass (D) 2: Charles E. Stuart (D) Mississippi 1: Stephen Adams (D) 2: Albert G. Brown (D) Missouri 3: David R. Atchison (D) 1: Henry S. Geyer (W) New Hampshire 3: Moses Norris, Jr. (D) John S. Wells (D) 2: Charles G. Atherton (D) Jared W. Williams (D) New Jersey 1: John R. Thomson (D) 2: William Wright (D)

New York 3: William H. Seward (W) 1: Hamilton Fish (W) North Carolina 3: George E. Badger (W) 2: David S. Reid (D) Ohio 3: Salmon P. Chase (FS) 1: Benjamin F. Wade (W) Pennsylvania 3: James Cooper (W) 1: Richard Brodhead (D) Rhode Island 1: Charles T. James (D) 2: Philip Allen (D) South Carolina 3: Andrew P. Butler (D) 2: Josiah J. Evans (D) Tennessee 2: John Bell (W) 1: James C. Jones (W) Texas 2: Samuel Houston (D) 1: Thomas J. Rusk (D) Vermont 1: Solomon Foot (W) 3: Samuel S. Phelps (W) Lawrence Brainerd (FS) Virginia 1: James M. Mason (D) 2: Robert M. T. Hunter (D) Wisconsin 1: Henry Dodge (D) 3: Isaac P. Walker (D)

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 "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

Alabama 1: Philip Phillips (D) 2: James Abercrombie (W) 3: Sampson W. Harris (D) 4: William R. Smith (D) 5: George S. Houston (D) 6: Williamson R. W. Cobb (D) 7: James F. Dowdell (D) Arkansas 1: Alfred B. Greenwood (D) 2: Edward A. Warren (D) California A/L: Milton S. Latham (D) A/L: James A. McDougall (D) Connecticut 1: James T. Pratt (D) 2: Colin M. Ingersoll (D) 3: Nathan Belcher (D) 4: Origen S. Seymour (D) Delaware A/L: George Read Riddle (D) Florida A/L: Augustus E. Maxwell (D) Georgia 1: James L. Seward (D) 2: Alfred H. Colquitt (D) 3: David J. Bailey (D) 4: William B. W. Dent (D) 5: Elijah W. Chastain (D) 6: Junius Hillyer (D) 7: David A. Reese (W) 8: Alexander H. Stephens (W) Illinois 1: Elihu B. Washburne (W) 2: John Wentworth (D) 3: Jesse O. Norton (W) 4: James Knox (W) 5: William A. Richardson (D) 6: Richard Yates (W) 7: James C. Allen (D) 8: William H. Bissell (ID) 9: Willis Allen (D) Indiana 1: Smith Miller (D) 2: William H. English (D) 3: Cyrus L. Dunham (D) 4: James H. Lane (D) 5: Samuel W. Parker (W) 6: Thomas A. Hendricks (D) 7: John G. Davis (D) 8: Daniel Mace (D) 9: Norman Eddy (D) 10: Ebenezer M. Chamberlain (D) 11: Andrew J. Harlan (D) Iowa 1: Bernhart Henn (D) 2: John P. Cook (W) Kentucky 1: Linn Boyd (D) 2: Benjamin E. Grey (W) 3: Presley U. Ewing (W) Francis M. Bristow (W) 4: James S. Chrisman (D) 5: Clement S. Hill (W) 6: John M. Elliott (D) 7: William Preston (W) 8: John C. Breckinridge (D) 9: Leander M. Cox (W) 10: Richard H. Stanton (D) Louisiana 1: William Dunbar (D) 2: Theodore G. Hunt (W) 3: John Perkins, Jr. (D) 4: Roland Jones (D) Maine 1: Moses MacDonald (D) 2: Samuel Mayall (D) 3: E. Wilder Farley (W) 4: Samuel P. Benson (W) 5: Israel Washburn, Jr. (W) 6: Thomas J. D. Fuller (D) Maryland 1: John R. Franklin (W) 2: Jacob Shower (D) 3: Joshua Van Sant (D) 4: Henry May (D) 5: William T. Hamilton (D) 6: Augustus R. Sollers (W)

Massachusetts 1: Zeno Scudder (W) Thomas D. Eliot (W) 2: Samuel L. Crocker (W) 3: J. Wiley Edmands (W) 4: Samuel H. Walley (W) 5: William Appleton (W) 6: Charles W. Upham (W) 7: Nathaniel P. Banks (D) 8: Tappan Wentworth (W) 9: Alexander De Witt (FS) 10: Edward Dickinson (W) 11: John Z. Goodrich (W) Michigan 1: David Stuart (D) 2: David A. Noble (D) 3: Samuel Clark (D) 4: Hestor L. Stevens (D) Mississippi 1: Daniel B. Wright (D) 2: William T. S. Barry (D) 3: Otho R. Singleton (D) 4: Wiley P. Harris (D) A/L: William Barksdale (D) Missouri 1: Thomas H. Benton (D) 2: Alfred W. Lamb (D) 3: James J. Lindley (W) 4: Mordecai Oliver (W) 5: John G. Miller (W) 6: John S. Phelps (D) 7: Samuel Caruthers (W) New Hampshire 1: George W. Kittredge (D) 2: George W. Morrison (D) 3: Harry Hibbard (D) New Jersey 1: Nathan T. Stratton (D) 2: Charles Skelton (D) 3: Samuel Lilly (D) 4: George Vail (D) 5: Alexander C. M. Pennington (W) New York 1: James Maurice (D) 2: Thomas W. Cumming (D) 3: Hiram Walbridge (D) 4: Michael Walsh (D) 5: William M. Tweed (D) 6: John Wheeler (D) 7: William A. Walker (D) 8: Francis B. Cutting (D) 9: Jared V. Peck (D) 10: William Murray (D) 11: Theodoric R. Westbrook (D) 12: Gilbert Dean (D) Isaac Teller (W) 13: Russell Sage (W) 14: Rufus W. Peckham (D) 15: Charles Hughes (D) 16: George A. Simmons (W) 17: Bishop Perkins (D) 18: Peter Rowe (D) 19: George W. Chase (W) 20: Orsamus B. Matteson (W) 21: Henry Bennett (W) 22: Gerrit Smith (FS) Henry C. Goodwin (W) 23: Caleb Lyon (I) 24: Daniel T. Jones (D) 25: Edwin B. Morgan (W) 26: Andrew Oliver (D) 27: John J. Taylor (D) 28: George Hastings (D) 29: Azariah Boody (W) Davis Carpenter (W) 30: Benjamin Pringle (W) 31: Thomas T. Flagler (W) 32: Solomon G. Haven (W) 33: Reuben E. Fenton (D) North Carolina 1: Henry M. Shaw (D) 2: Thomas H. Ruffin (D) 3: William S. Ashe (D) 4: Sion H. Rogers (W) 5: John Kerr, Jr. (W) 6: Richard C. Puryear (W) 7: F. Burton Craige (D) 8: Thomas L. Clingman (D)

Ohio 1: David T. Disney (D) 2: John Scott Harrison (W) 3: Lewis D. Campbell (W) 4: Matthias H. Nichols (D) 5: Alfred P. Edgerton (D) 6: Andrew Ellison (D) 7: Aaron Harlan (W) 8: Moses B. Corwin (W) 9: Frederick W. Green (D) 10: John L. Taylor (W) 11: Thomas Ritchey (D) 12: Edson B. Olds (D) 13: William D. Lindsley (D) 14: Harvey H. Johnson (D) 15: William R. Sapp (W) 16: Edward Ball (W) 17: Wilson Shannon (D) 18: George Bliss (D) 19: Edward Wade (FS) 20: Joshua R. Giddings (FS) 21: Andrew Stuart (D) Pennsylvania 1: Thomas B. Florence (D) 2: Joseph R. Chandler (W) 3: John Robbins, Jr. (D) 4: William H. Witte (D) 5: John McNair (D) 6: William Everhart (W) 7: Samuel A. Bridges (D) 8: Henry A. Muhlenberg (D) J. Glancey Jones (D) 9: Isaac E. Hiester (W) 10: Ner A. Middleswarth (W) 11: Christian M. Straub (D) 12: Hendrick B. Wright (D) 13: Asa Packer (D) 14: Galusha A. Grow (D) 15: James Gamble (D) 16: William H. Kurtz (D) 17: Samuel L. Russell (W) 18: John McCulloch (W) 19: Augustus Drum (D) 20: John L. Dawson (D) 21: David Ritchie (W) 22: Thomas M. Howe (W) 23: Michael C. Trout (D) 24: Carlton B. Curtis (D) 25: John Dick (W) Rhode Island 1: Thomas Davis (D) 2: Benjamin B. Thurston (D) South Carolina 1: John McQueen (D) 2: William Aiken (D) 3: Laurence M. Keitt (D) 4: Preston S. Brooks (D) 5: James L. Orr (D) 6: William W. Boyce (D) Tennessee 1: Brookins Campbell (D) Nathaniel G. Taylor (W) 2: William M. Churchwell (D) 3: Samuel A. Smith (D) 4: William Cullom (W) 5: Charles Ready (W) 6: George W. Jones (D) 7: Robert M. Bugg (W) 8: Felix K. Zollicoffer (W) 9: Emerson Etheridge (W) 10: Frederick P. Stanton (D) Texas 1: George W. Smyth (D) 2: Peter H. Bell (D) Vermont 1: James Meacham (W) 2: Andrew Tracy (W) 3: Alvah Sabin (W) Virginia 1: Thomas H. Bayly (D) 2: John S. Millson (D) 3: John S. Caskie (D) 4: William O. Goode (D) 5: Thomas S. Bocock (D) 6: Paulus Powell (D) 7: William Smith (D) 8: Charles J. Faulkner (D) 9: John Letcher (D) 10: Zedekiah Kidwell (D) 11: John F. Snodgrass (D) Charles S. Lewis (D) 12: Henry A. Edmundson (D) 13: LaFayette McMullen (D) Wisconsin 1: Daniel Wells, Jr. (D) 2: Ben C. Eastman (D) 3: John B. Macy (D)

Delegates

Kansas Territory A/L: John W. Whitfield (D) Minnesota Territory A/L: Henry M. Rice (D)

Nebraska Territory A/L: Napoleon B. Giddings (D) New Mexico Territory A/L: José Manuel Gallegos (D) Oregon Territory A/L: Joseph Lane (D)

Utah Territory A/L: John M. Bernhisel Washington Territory A/L: Columbia Lancaster (D)

Membership detail by state

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 reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1854.

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

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

The list below is arranged by state, then by chamber. Senators are shown in order of seniority, House members in district order.

Alabama

Senate

• 3: Benjamin Fitzpatrick (1802-1869), Democratic
• 2: Clement C. Clay, Jr. (1816-1882), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, November 29, 1853

House of Representatives (7 seats)

• 1: Philip Phillips (1807-1884), Democratic
• 2: James Abercrombie (1795-1861), Whig
• 3: Sampson W. Harris (1809-1857), Democratic
• 4: William R. Smith (1815-1896), Democratic
• 5: George S. Houston (1811-1879), Democratic
• 6: Williamson R. W. Cobb (1807-1864), Democratic
• 7: James F. Dowdell (1818-1871), Democratic

Arkansas

Senate

• 2: William K. Sebastian (1812-1865), Democratic
• 3: Solon Borland (1808-1864), Democratic …resigned April 3, 1853

  Robert W. Johnson (1814-1879), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, July 6, 1853

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Alfred B. Greenwood (1811-1889), Democratic
• 2: Edward A. Warren (1818-1875), Democratic

California

Senate

• 3: William M. Gwin (1805-1885), Democratic
• 1: John B. Weller (1812-1875), Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• A/L: Milton S. Latham (1827-1882), Democratic
• A/L: James A. McDougall (1817-1867), Democratic

Connecticut

Senate

• 3: Truman Smith (1791-1884), Whig …resigned May 24, 1854

  Francis Gillette (1807-1879), Free Soil …elected to fill vacancy, May 25, 1854

• 1: Isaac Toucey (1792-1869), Democratic

House of Representatives (4 seats)

• 1: James T. Pratt (1802-1887), Democratic
• 2: Colin M. Ingersoll (1819-1903), Democratic
• 3: Nathan Belcher (1813-1891), Democratic
• 4: Origen S. Seymour (1804-1881), Democratic

Delaware

Senate

• 1: James A. Bayard, Jr. (1799-1880), Democratic
• 2: John M. Clayton (1796-1856), Whig

House of Representatives (1 seat)

• A/L: George Read Riddle (1817-1867), Democratic

Florida

Senate

• 3: Jackson Morton (1794-1874), Whig
• 1: Stephen R. Mallory (1813c-1873), Democratic

House of Representatives (1 seat)

• A/L: Augustus E. Maxwell (1820-1903), Democratic

Georgia

Senate

• 3: William C. Dawson (1798-1856), Whig
• 2: Robert A. Toombs (1810-1885), Whig

House of Representatives (8 seats)

• 1: James L. Seward (1813-1886), Democratic
• 2: Alfred H. Colquitt (1824-1894), Democratic
• 3: David J. Bailey (1812-1897), Democratic
• 4: William B. W. Dent (1806-1855), Democratic
• 5: Elijah W. Chastain (1813-1874), Democratic
• 6: Junius Hillyer (1807-1886), Democratic
• 7: David A. Reese (1794-1871), Whig
• 8: Alexander H. Stephens (1812-1883), Whig

Illinois

Senate

• 2: Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861), Democratic
• 3: James Shields (1806/1810-1879), Democratic

House of Representatives (9 seats)

• 1: Elihu B. Washburne (1816-1887), Whig
• 2: John Wentworth (1815-1888), Democratic
• 3: Jesse O. Norton (1812-1875), Whig
• 4: James Knox (1807-1876), Whig
• 5: William A. Richardson (1811-1875), Democratic
• 6: Richard Yates (1815-1873), Whig
• 7: James C. Allen (1822-1912), Democratic
• 8: William H. Bissell (1811-1860), Independent Democratic
• 9: Willis Allen (1806-1859), Democratic

Indiana

Senate

• 1: Jesse D. Bright (1812-1875), Democratic
• 3: John Pettit (1807-1877), Democratic

House of Representatives (11 seats)

• 1: Smith Miller (1804-1872), Democratic
• 2: William H. English (1822-1896), Democratic
• 3: Cyrus L. Dunham (1817-1877), Democratic
• 4: James H. Lane (1814-1866), Democratic
• 5: Samuel W. Parker (1805-1859), Whig
• 6: Thomas A. Hendricks (1819-1885), Democratic
• 7: John G. Davis (1810-1866), Democratic
• 8: Daniel Mace (1811-1867), Democratic
• 9: Norman Eddy (1810-1872), Democratic
• 10: Ebenezer M. Chamberlain (1805-1861), Democratic
• 11: Andrew J. Harlan (1815-1907), Democratic

Iowa

Senate

• 3: Augustus C. Dodge (1812-1883), Democratic
• 2: George W. Jones (1804-1896), Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Bernhart Henn (1817-1865), Democratic
• 2: John P. Cook (1817-1872), Whig

Kentucky

Senate

• 3: Archibald Dixon (1802-1876), Whig
• 2: John B. Thompson (1810-1874), Whig

House of Representatives (10 seats)

• 1: Linn Boyd (1800-1859), Democratic
• 2: Benjamin E. Grey ( - ), Whig
• 3: Presley V. Ewing (1822-1854), Whig …died September 27, 1854

  Francis M. Bristow (1804-1864), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1854

• 4: James S. Chrisman (1818-1881), Democratic
• 5: Clement S. Hill (1813-1892), Whig
• 6: John M. Elliott (1820-1879), Democratic
• 7: William Preston (1816-1887), Whig
• 8: John C. Breckinridge (1821-1875), Democratic
• 9: Leander M. Cox (1812-1865), Whig
• 10: Richard H. Stanton (1812-1891), Democratic

Louisiana

Senate

• 3: Pierre Soulé (1801-1870), Democratic …resigned April 11, 1853

  John Slidell (1793-1871), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, April 28, 1853

• 2: Judah P. Benjamin (1811-1884), Whig

House of Representatives (4 seats)

• 1: William Dunbar (1805-1861), Democratic
• 2: Theodore G. Hunt (1805-1893), Whig
• 3: John Perkins, Jr. (1819-1885), Democratic
• 4: Roland Jones (1813-1869), Democratic

Maine

Senate

• 1: Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891), Democratic
• 2: William Pitt Fessenden (1806-1869), Whig …elected to fill vacancy in class, February 10, 1854

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• 1: Moses MacDonald (1815-1869), Democratic
• 2: Samuel Mayall (1816-1892), Democratic
• 3: E. Wilder Farley (1817-1880), Whig
• 4: Samuel P. Benson (1804-1876), Whig
• 5: Israel Washburn, Jr. (1813-1883), Whig
• 6: Thomas J. D. Fuller (1808-1876), Democratic

Maryland

Senate

• 3: James A. Pearce (1805-1862), Whig
• 1: Thomas G. Pratt (1804-1869), Whig

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• 1: John R. Franklin (1820-1878), Whig
• 2: Jacob Shower (1803-1879), Democratic
• 3: Joshua Van Sant (1803-1884), Democratic
• 4: Henry May (1816-1866), Democratic
• 5: William T. Hamilton (1820-1888), Democratic
• 6: Augustus R. Sollers (1814-1862), Whig

Massachusetts

Senate

• 1: Charles Sumner (1811-1874), Free Soil
• 2: Edward Everett (1794-1865), Whig …resigned June 1, 1854

  Julius Rockwell (1805-1888), Whig …appointed to fill vacancy, June 3, 1854

  Henry Wilson (1812-1875), Free Soil …elected to fill vacancy, January 31, 1855

House of Representatives (11 seats)

• 1: Zeno Scudder (1807-1857), Whig …resigned March 4, 1854

  Thomas D. Eliot (1808-1870), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated April 17, 1854

• 2: Samuel L. Crocker (1804-1883), Whig
• 3: J. Wiley Edmands (1809-1877), Whig
• 4: Samuel H. Walley (1805-1877), Whig
• 5: William Appleton (1786-1862), Whig
• 6: Charles W. Upham (1802-1875), Whig
• 7: Nathaniel P. Banks (1816-1894), Democratic
• 8: Tappan Wentworth (1802-1875), Whig
• 9: Alexander De Witt (1798-1879), Free Soil
• 10: Edward Dickinson (1803-1874), Whig
• 11: John Z. Goodrich (1804-1885), Whig

Michigan

Senate

• 1: Lewis Cass (1782-1866), Democratic
• 2: Charles E. Stuart (1810-1887), Democratic

House of Representatives (4 seats)

• 1: David Stuart (1816-1868), Democratic
• 2: David A. Noble (1802-1876), Democratic
• 3: Samuel Clark (1800-1870), Democratic
• 4: Hestor L. Stevens (1803-1864), Democratic

Mississippi

Senate

• 1: Stephen Adams (1807-1857), Democratic
• 2: Albert G. Brown (1813-1880), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, January 7, 1854

House of Representatives (5 seats)

• 1: Daniel B. Wright (1812-1887), Democratic
• 2: William T. S. Barry (1821-1868), Democratic
• 3: Otho R. Singleton (1814-1889), Democratic
• 4: Wiley P. Harris (1818-1891), Democratic
• A/L: William Barksdale (1821-1863), Democratic

Missouri

Senate

• 3: David R. Atchison (1807-1886), Democratic
• 1: Henry S. Geyer (1790-1859), Whig

House of Representatives (7 seats)

• 1: Thomas H. Benton (1782-1858), Democratic
• 2: Alfred W. Lamb (1824-1888), Democratic
• 3: James J. Lindley (1822-1891), Whig
• 4: Mordecai Oliver (1819-1898), Whig
• 5: John G. Miller (1812-1856), Whig
• 6: John S. Phelps (1814-1886), Democratic
• 7: Samuel Caruthers (1820-1860), Whig

New Hampshire

Senate

• 3: Moses Norris, Jr. (1799-1855), Democratic …died January 11, 1855

  John S. Wells (1803-1860), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, January 16, 1855

• 2: Charles G. Atherton (1804-1853), Democratic …died November 15, 1853

  Jared W. Williams (1796-1864), Democratic …appointed to fill vacancy, November 29, 1853

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: George W. Kittredge (1805-1881), Democratic
• 2: George W. Morrison (1809-1888), Democratic
• 3: Harry Hibbard (1816-1872), Democratic

New Jersey

Senate

• 1: John R. Thomson (1800-1862), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress, March 4, 1853
• 2: William Wright (1794-1866), Democratic

House of Representatives (5 seats)

• 1: Nathan T. Stratton (1813-1887), Democratic
• 2: Charles Skelton (1806-1879), Democratic
• 3: Samuel Lilly (1815-1880), Democratic
• 4: George Vail (1809-1875), Democratic
• 5: Alexander C. M. Pennington (1810-1867), Whig

New York

Senate

• 3: William H. Seward (1801-1872), Whig
• 1: Hamilton Fish (1808-1893), Whig

House of Representatives (33 seats)

• 1: James Maurice (1814-1884), Democratic
• 2: Thomas W. Cumming (1814/1815-1855), Democratic
• 3: Hiram Walbridge (1821-1870), Democratic
• 4: Michael Walsh (1810-1859), Democratic
• 5: William M. Tweed (1823-1878), Democratic
• 6: John Wheeler (1823-1906), Democratic
• 7: William A. Walker (1805-1861), Democratic
• 8: Francis B. Cutting (1804-1870), Democratic
• 9: Jared V. Peck (1816-1891), Democratic
• 10: William Murray (1803-1875), Democratic
• 11: Theodoric R. Westbrook (1821-1885), Democratic
• 12: Gilbert Dean (1819-1870), Democratic …resigned July 3, 1854

  Isaac Teller (1799-1868), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1854

• 13: Russell Sage (1816-1906), Whig
• 14: Rufus W. Peckham (1809-1873), Democratic
• 15: Charles Hughes (1822-1887), Democratic
• 16: George A. Simmons (1791-1857), Whig
• 17: Bishop Perkins (1787-1866), Democratic
• 18: Peter Rowe (1807-1876), Democratic
• 19: George W. Chase ( -1867), Whig
• 20: Orsamus B. Matteson (1805-1889), Whig
• 21: Henry Bennett (1808-1868), Whig
• 22: Gerrit Smith (1797-1874), Free Soil …resigned August 7, 1854

  Henry C. Goodwin (1824-1860), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1854

• 23: Caleb Lyon (1822-1875), Independent
• 24: Daniel T. Jones (1800-1861), Democratic
• 25: Edwin B. Morgan (1806-1881), Whig
• 26: Andrew Oliver (1815-1889), Democratic
• 27: John J. Taylor (1808-1892), Democratic
• 28: George Hastings (1807-1866), Democratic
• 29: Azariah Boody (1815-1885), Whig …resigned October 1853, before Congress assembled.

  Davis Carpenter (1799-1878), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1853

• 30: Benjamin Pringle (1807-1887), Whig
• 31: Thomas T. Flagler (1811-1897), Whig
• 32: Solomon G. Haven (1810-1861), Whig
• 33: Reuben E. Fenton (1819-1885), Democratic

North Carolina

Senate

• 3: George E. Badger (1795-1866), Whig
• 2: David S. Reid (1813-1891), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, December 6, 1854

House of Representatives (8 seats)

• 1: Henry M. Shaw (1819-1864), Democratic
• 2: Thomas H. Ruffin (1820-1863), Democratic
• 3: William S. Ashe (1814-1862), Democratic
• 4: Sion H. Rogers (1825-1874), Whig
• 5: John Kerr, Jr. (1811-1879), Whig
• 6: Richard C. Puryear (1801-1867), Whig
• 7: F. Burton Craige (1811-1875), Democratic
• 8: Thomas L. Clingman (1812-1897), Democratic

Ohio

Senate

• 3: Salmon P. Chase (1808-1873), Free Soil
• 1: Benjamin F. Wade (1800-1878), Whig

House of Representatives (21 seats)

• 1: David T. Disney (1803-1857), Democratic
• 2: John Scott Harrison (1804-1878), Whig
• 3: Lewis D. Campbell (1811-1882), Whig
• 4: Matthias H. Nichols (1824-1862), Democratic
• 5: Alfred P. Edgerton (1813-1897), Democratic
• 6: Andrew Ellison (1812-1860), Democratic
• 7: Aaron Harlan (1802-1868), Whig
• 8: Moses B. Corwin (1790-1872), Whig
• 9: Frederick W. Green (1816-1879), Democratic
• 10: John L. Taylor (1805-1870), Whig
• 11: Thomas Ritchey (1801-1863), Democratic
• 12: Edson B. Olds (1802-1869), Democratic
• 13: William D. Lindsley (1812-1890), Democratic
• 14: Harvey H. Johnson (1808-1896), Democratic
• 15: William R. Sapp (1804-1875), Whig
• 16: Edward Ball (1811-1872), Whig
• 17: Wilson Shannon (1802-1877), Democratic
• 18: George Bliss (1813-1868), Democratic
• 19: Edward Wade (1802-1866), Free Soil
• 20: Joshua R. Giddings (1795-1864), Free Soil
• 21: Andrew Stuart (1823-1872), Democratic

Pennsylvania

Senate

• 3: James Cooper (1810-1863), Whig
• 1: Richard Brodhead (1811-1863), Democratic

House of Representatives (25 seats)

• 1: Thomas B. Florence (1812-1875), Democratic
• 2: Joseph R. Chandler (1792-1880), Whig
• 3: John Robbins, Jr. (1808-1880), Democratic
• 4: William H. Witte (1817-1876), Democratic
• 5: John McNair (1800-1861), Democratic
• 6: William Everhart (1785-1868), Whig
• 7: Samuel A. Bridges (1802-1884), Democratic
• 8: Henry A. Muhlenberg (1823-1854), Democratic …died January 9, 1854

  J. Glancey Jones (1811-1878), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated February 13, 1854

• 9: Isaac E. Hiester (1824-1871), Whig
• 10: Ner A. Middleswarth (1783-1865), Whig
• 11: Christian M. Straub (1804- ), Democratic
• 12: Hendrick B. Wright (1808-1881), Democratic
• 13: Asa Packer (1805-1879), Democratic
• 14: Galusha A. Grow (1823-1907), Democratic
• 15: James Gamble (1809-1883), Democratic
• 16: William H. Kurtz (1804-1868), Democratic
• 17: Samuel L. Russell (1816-1891), Whig
• 18: John McCulloch (1806-1879), Whig
• 19: Augustus Drum (1815-1858), Democratic
• 20: John L. Dawson (1813-1870), Democratic
• 21: David Ritchie (1812-1867), Whig
• 22: Thomas M. Howe (1808-1877), Whig
• 23: Michael C. Trout (1810-1873), Democratic
• 24: Carlton B. Curtis (1811-1883), Democratic
• 25: John Dick (1794-1872), Whig

Rhode Island

Senate

• 1: Charles T. James (1805-1862), Democratic
• 2: Philip Allen (1785-1865), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, July 20, 1853

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Thomas Davis (1806-1895), Democratic
• 2: Benjamin B. Thurston (1804-1886), Democratic

South Carolina

Senate

• 3: Andrew P. Butler (1796-1857), Democratic
• 2: Josiah J. Evans (1786-1858), Democratic

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• 1: John McQueen (1804-1867), Democratic
• 2: William Aiken (1806-1887), Democratic
• 3: Laurence M. Keitt (1824-1864), Democratic
• 4: Preston S. Brooks (1819-1857), Democratic
• 5: James L. Orr (1822-1873), Democratic
• 6: William W. Boyce (1818-1890), Democratic

Tennessee

Senate

• 2: John Bell (1797-1869), Whig
• 1: James C. Jones (1809-1859), Whig

House of Representatives (10 seats)

• 1: Brookins Campbell (1808-1853), Democratic …died December 25, 1853

  Nathaniel G. Taylor (1819-1887), Whig …elected to fill vacancy, seated March 30, 1854

• 2: William M. Churchwell (1826-1862), Democratic
• 3: Samuel A. Smith (1822-1863), Democratic
• 4: William Cullom (1810-1896), Whig
• 5: Charles Ready (1802-1878), Whig
• 6: George W. Jones (1806-1884), Democratic
• 7: Robert M. Bugg (1805-1887), Whig
• 8: Felix K. Zollicoffer (1812-1862), Whig
• 9: Emerson Etheridge (1819-1902), Whig
• 10: Frederick P. Stanton (1814-1894), Democratic

Texas

Senate

• 2: Samuel Houston (1793-1863), Democratic
• 1: Thomas J. Rusk (1803-1857), Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: George W. Smyth (1803-1866), Democratic
• 2: Peter H. Bell (1812-1898), Democratic

Vermont

Senate

• 1: Solomon Foot (1802-1866), Whig
• 3: Samuel S. Phelps (1793-1855), Whig …appointed to fill vacancy in preceding Congress, seat declared vacant March 16, 1854

  Lawrence Brainerd (1794-1870), Free Soil …elected to fill vacancy, October 14, 1854

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: James Meacham (1810-1856), Whig
• 2: Andrew Tracy (1797-1868), Whig
• 3: Alvah Sabin (1793-1885), Whig

Virginia

Senate

• 1: James M. Mason (1798-1871), Democratic
• 2: Robert M. T. Hunter (1809-1887), Democratic

House of Representatives (13 seats)

• 1: Thomas H. Bayly (1810-1856), Democratic
• 2: John S. Millson (1808-1874), Democratic
• 3: John S. Caskie (1821-1869), Democratic
• 4: William O. Goode (1798-1859), Democratic
• 5: Thomas S. Bocock (1815-1891), Democratic
• 6: Paulus Powell (1809-1874), Democratic
• 7: William Smith (1797-1887), Democratic
• 8: Charles J. Faulkner (1806-1884), Democratic
• 9: John Letcher (1813-1884), Democratic
• 10: Zedekiah Kidwell (1814-1872), Democratic
• 11: John F. Snodgrass (1804-1854), Democratic …died June 5, 1854

  Charles S. Lewis (1821-1878), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1854

• 12: Henry A. Edmundson (1814-1890), Democratic
• 13: LaFayette McMullen (1805-1880), Democratic

Wisconsin

Senate

• 1: Henry Dodge (1782-1867), Democratic
• 3: Isaac P. Walker (1815-1872), Democratic

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: Daniel Wells, Jr. (1808-1902), Democratic
• 2: Ben C. Eastman (1812-1856), Democratic
• 3: John B. Macy (1799-1856), Democratic

Delegates

Kansas Territory

• A/L: John W. Whitfield (1818-1879), Democratic …newly created territory, seated December 20, 1854

Minnesota Territory

• A/L: Henry M. Rice (1816-1894), Democratic

Nebraska Territory

• A/L: Napoleon B. Giddings (1816-1897), Democratic …newly created territory, seated January 5, 1855

New Mexico Territory

• A/L: José Manuel Gallegos (1815-1875), Democratic

Oregon Territory

• A/L: Joseph Lane (1801-1881), Democratic

Utah Territory

• A/L: John M. Bernhisel (1799-1881)

Washington Territory

• A/L: Columbia Lancaster (1803-1893), Democratic …newly created territory, seated April 12, 1854

Membership detail by Chamber/Party

The list below is arranged by chamber, then by political party. Members are shown in alphabetical order.

Senate

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress.

Democratic

A-F Stephen Adams, Mississippi Philip Allen, Rhode Island David R. Atchison, Missouri Charles G. Atherton, New Hampshire James A. Bayard, Jr., Delaware Solon Borland, Arkansas Jesse D. Bright, Indiana Richard Brodhead, Pennsylvania Albert G. Brown, Mississippi Andrew P. Butler, South Carolina Lewis Cass, Michigan Clement C. Clay, Jr., Alabama (U.S. state) Augustus C. Dodge, Iowa Henry Dodge, Wisconsin Stephen A. Douglas, Illinois Josiah J. Evans, South Carolina Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Alabama (U.S. state)

G-L William M. Gwin, California Hannibal Hamlin, Maine Samuel Houston, Texas Robert M. T. Hunter, Virginia Charles T. James, Rhode Island Robert W. Johnson, Arkansas George W. Jones, Iowa M-R Stephen R. Mallory, Florida James M. Mason, Virginia Moses Norris, Jr., New Hampshire John Pettit, Indiana David S. Reid, North Carolina Thomas J. Rusk, Texas

S-Z William K. Sebastian, Arkansas James Shields, Illinois John Slidell, Louisiana Pierre Soulé, Louisiana Charles E. Stuart, Michigan John R. Thomson, New Jersey Isaac Toucey, Connecticut Isaac P. Walker, Wisconsin John B. Weller, California John S. Wells, New Hampshire Jared W. Williams, New Hampshire William Wright, New Jersey

Whig

A-F George E. Badger, North Carolina John Bell, Tennessee Judah P. Benjamin, Louisiana John M. Clayton, Delaware James Cooper, Pennsylvania William C. Dawson, Georgia Archibald Dixon, Kentucky Edward Everett, Massachusetts William Pitt Fessenden, Maine Hamilton Fish, New York Solomon Foot, Vermont

G-O Henry S. Geyer, Missouri James C. Jones, Tennessee Jackson Morton, Florida

P-Z James A. Pearce, Maryland Samuel S. Phelps, Vermont Thomas G. Pratt, Maryland Julius Rockwell, Massachusetts William H. Seward, New York Truman Smith, Connecticut John B. Thompson, Kentucky Robert A. Toombs, Georgia Benjamin F. Wade, Ohio

Free Soil

Lawrence Brainerd, Vermont Salmon P. Chase, Ohio Francis Gillette, Connecticut Charles Sumner, Massachusetts Henry Wilson, Massachusetts

House of Representatives

Members of the House of Representatives were elected by popular vote, variously to single member districts or at-large.

Democratic

A-B-C William Aiken, South Carolina James C. Allen, Illinois Willis Allen, Illinois William S. Ashe, North Carolina David J. Bailey, Georgia Nathaniel P. Banks, Massachusetts William Barksdale, Mississippi William T. S. Barry, Mississippi Thomas H. Bayly, Virginia Nathan Belcher, Connecticut Peter H. Bell, Texas Thomas H. Benton, Missouri George Bliss, Ohio Thomas S. Bocock, Virginia William W. Boyce, South Carolina Linn Boyd, Kentucky John C. Breckinridge, Kentucky Samuel A. Bridges, Pennsylvania Preston S. Brooks, South Carolina Brookins Campbell, Tennessee John S. Caskie, Virginia Ebenezer M. Chamberlain, Indiana Elijah W. Chastain, Georgia James S. Chrisman, Kentucky William M. Churchwell, Tennessee Samuel Clark, Michigan Thomas L. Clingman, North Carolina Williamson R. W. Cobb, Alabama (U.S. state) Alfred H. Colquitt, Georgia F. Burton Craige, North Carolina Thomas W. Cumming, New York Carlton B. Curtis, Pennsylvania Francis B. Cutting, New York D-E-F John G. Davis, Indiana Thomas Davis, Rhode Island John L. Dawson, Pennsylvania Gilbert Dean, New York William B. W. Dent, Georgia David T. Disney, Ohio James F. Dowdell, Alabama (U.S. state) Augustus Drum, Pennsylvania William Dunbar, Louisiana Cyrus L. Dunham, Indiana Ben C. Eastman, Wisconsin Norman Eddy, Indiana Alfred P. Edgerton, Ohio Henry A. Edmundson, Virginia John M. Elliott, Kentucky Andrew Ellison, Ohio William H. English, Indiana Charles J. Faulkner, Virginia Reuben E. Fenton, New York Thomas B. Florence, Pennsylvania Thomas J. D. Fuller, Maine

G-H-I James Gamble, Pennsylvania William O. Goode, Virginia Frederick W. Green, Ohio Alfred B. Greenwood, Arkansas Galusha A. Grow, Pennsylvania William T. Hamilton, Maryland Andrew J. Harlan, Indiana Sampson W. Harris, Alabama (U.S. state) Wiley P. Harris, Mississippi George Hastings, New York Thomas A. Hendricks, Indiana Bernhart Henn, Iowa Harry Hibbard, New Hampshire Junius Hillyer, Georgia George S. Houston, Alabama (U.S. state) Charles Hughes, New York Colin M. Ingersoll, Connecticut J-K-L Harvey H. Johnson, Ohio Daniel T. Jones, New York George W. Jones, Tennessee J. Glancey Jones, Pennsylvania Roland Jones, Louisiana Laurence M. Keitt, South Carolina Zedekiah Kidwell, Virginia George W. Kittredge, New Hampshire William H. Kurtz, Pennsylvania Alfred W. Lamb, Missouri James H. Lane, Indiana Milton S. Latham, California John Letcher, Virginia Charles S. Lewis, Virginia Samuel Lilly, New Jersey William D. Lindsley, Ohio M-N-O Moses MacDonald, Maine Daniel Mace, Indiana John B. Macy, Wisconsin James Maurice, New York Augustus E. Maxwell, Florida Henry May, Maryland Samuel Mayall, Maine James A. McDougall, California LaFayette McMullen, Virginia John McNair, Pennsylvania John McQueen, South Carolina Smith Miller, Indiana John S. Millson, Virginia George W. Morrison, New Hampshire Henry A. Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania William Murray, New York Matthias H. Nichols, Ohio David A. Noble, Michigan Edson B. Olds, Ohio Andrew Oliver, New York James L. Orr, South Carolina

P-Q-R Asa Packer, Pennsylvania Jared V. Peck, New York Rufus W. Peckham, New York Bishop Perkins, New York John Perkins, Jr., Louisiana John S. Phelps, Missouri Philip Phillips, Alabama (U.S. state) Paulus Powell, Virginia James T. Pratt, Connecticut William A. Richardson, Illinois George Read Riddle, Delaware Thomas Ritchey, Ohio John Robbins, Jr., Pennsylvania Peter Rowe, New York Thomas H. Ruffin, North Carolina S-T-U-V James L. Seward, Georgia Origen S. Seymour, Connecticut Wilson Shannon, Ohio Henry M. Shaw, North Carolina Jacob Shower, Maryland Otho R. Singleton, Mississippi Charles Skelton, New Jersey Samuel A. Smith, Tennessee William Smith, Virginia William R. Smith, Alabama (U.S. state) George W. Smyth, Texas John F. Snodgrass, Virginia Frederick P. Stanton, Tennessee Richard H. Stanton, Kentucky Hestor L. Stevens, Michigan Nathan T. Stratton, New Jersey Christian M. Straub, Pennsylvania Andrew Stuart, Ohio David Stuart, Michigan John J. Taylor, New York Benjamin B. Thurston, Rhode Island Michael C. Trout, Pennsylvania William M. Tweed, New York George Vail, New Jersey Joshua Van Sant, Maryland W-X-Y-Z Hiram Walbridge, New York William A. Walker, New York Michael Walsh, New York Edward A. Warren, Arkansas Daniel Wells, Jr., Wisconsin John Wentworth, Illinois Theodoric R. Westbrook, New York John Wheeler, New York William H. Witte, Pennsylvania Daniel B. Wright, Mississippi Hendrick B. Wright, Pennsylvania

Whig

A-B-C James Abercrombie, Alabama (U.S. state) William Appleton, Massachusetts Edward Ball, Ohio Henry Bennett, New York Samuel P. Benson, Maine Azariah Boody, New York Francis M. Bristow, Kentucky Robert M. Bugg, Tennessee Lewis D. Campbell, Ohio Davis Carpenter, New York Samuel Caruthers, Missouri Joseph R. Chandler, Pennsylvania George W. Chase, New York John P. Cook, Iowa Moses B. Corwin, Ohio Leander M. Cox, Kentucky Samuel L. Crocker, Massachusetts William Cullom, Tennessee D-E-F John Dick, Pennsylvania Edward Dickinson, Massachusetts J. Wiley Edmands, Massachusetts Thomas D. Eliot, Massachusetts Emerson Etheridge, Tennessee William Everhart, Pennsylvania Presley V. Ewing, Kentucky E. Wilder Farley, Maine Thomas T. Flagler, New York John R. Franklin, Maryland

G-H-I John Z. Goodrich, Massachusetts Henry C. Goodwin, New York Benjamin E. Grey, Kentucky Aaron Harlan, Ohio John Scott Harrison, Ohio Solomon G. Haven, New York Isaac E. Hiester, Pennsylvania Clement S. Hill, Kentucky Thomas M. Howe, Pennsylvania Theodore G. Hunt, Louisiana J-K-L John Kerr, Jr., North Carolina James Knox, Illinois James J. Lindley, Missouri M-N-O Orsamus B. Matteson, New York John McCulloch, Pennsylvania James Meacham, Vermont Ner A. Middleswarth, Pennsylvania John G. Miller, Missouri Edwin B. Morgan, New York Jesse O. Norton, Illinois Mordecai Oliver, Missouri

P-Q-R Samuel W. Parker, Indiana Alexander C. M. Pennington, New Jersey William Preston, Kentucky Benjamin Pringle, New York Richard C. Puryear, North Carolina Charles Ready, Tennessee David A. Reese, Georgia David Ritchie, Pennsylvania Sion H. Rogers, North Carolina Samuel L. Russell, Pennsylvania S-T-U-V Alvah Sabin, Vermont Russell Sage, New York William R. Sapp, Ohio Zeno Scudder, Massachusetts George A. Simmons, New York Augustus R. Sollers, Maryland Alexander H. Stephens, Georgia John L. Taylor, Ohio Nathaniel G. Taylor, Tennessee Isaac Teller, New York Andrew Tracy, Vermont Charles W. Upham, Massachusetts W-X-Y-Z Samuel H. Walley, Massachusetts Israel Washburn, Jr., Maine Elihu B. Washburne, Illinois Tappan Wentworth, Massachusetts Richard Yates, Illinois Felix K. Zollicoffer, Tennessee

Free Soil

Alexander De Witt, Massachusetts Joshua R. Giddings, Ohio Gerrit Smith, New York Edward Wade, Ohio

Independent

Caleb Lyon, New York

Independent Democratic

William H. Bissell, Illinois

Membership Changes

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

Senate replacements: 7 Democrats (D) : no net change Whigs (W) : 2 seat net loss Free Soilers (FS) : 2 seat net gain deaths: 2 resignations: 4 interim appointments: 1 Total seats with changes: 13

House of Representatives replacements: 7 Democrats (D) : 2 seat net loss Whigs (W) : 3 seat net gain Free Soilers (FS) : 1 seat net loss deaths: 4 resignations: 4 Total seats with changes: 8

Officers

Senate Secretary of the Senate: Asbury Dickens of North Carolina elected December 12, 1836 Sergeant at Arms of the Senate: Robert Beale of Virginia, elected December 9, 1845 Dunning R. McNair of Pennsylvania, elected March 17, 1853 Chaplain of the Senate The Rev. Clement M. Butler, Episcopalian, elected January 9, 1850 The Rev. Henry Slicer, Methodist, elected December 7, 1853 Other Architect of the Capitol: Thomas U. Walter, appointed June 11, 1851

House of Representatives Clerk of the House: John W. Forney of Pennsylvania elected December 5, 1853 Sergeant at Arms of the House: Adam J. Glossbrenner of Pennsylvania, elected December 5, 1853 Doorkeeper of the House: Zadock W. McKnew of Maryland, elected December 5, 1853 Postmaster of the House: John M. Johnson of Virginia, elected December 5, 1853 Chaplain of the House The Rev. William H. Milburn, Methodist, elected December 5, 1853