31st United States Congress

The Thirty-first 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, 1849, to March 4, 1851, during the 16 months of the Zachary Taylor presidency and the first eight months of the administration of Millard Fillmore's.  The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixth Census of the United States in 1840. The Senate had a Democratic majority, while there was a Democratic plurality in the House.

Major events

 March 4, 1849: Zachary Taylor became President of the United States
 December 22, 1849: Howell Cobb is elected Speaker after sixty-three ballots, the second-longest election for the position ever held.
 March 7, 1850: Senator Daniel Webster gave his "Seventh of March" speech in which he endorsed the Compromise of 1850 to prevent a possible civil war
 July 9, 1850: President Taylor died and Vice President Millard Fillmore became President.

Major legislation

September 9, 1850: Compromise of 1850, sess. 1, chs. 48-51,  - 
September 18, 1850: Fugitive Slave Act, sess. 1, ch. 60, 
September 20, 1850: "An Act to suppress the Slave Trade in the District of Columbia," sess. 1, ch. 63, 
September 29, 1850: Donation Land Claim Act, sess. 1, ch. 76,

States admitted and territories organized
September 9, 1850 — As part of the Compromise of 1850:
 Texas's borders were changed, ch. 49,  
 New Mexico Territory was organized, ch. 49, 
 California was admitted as a state into the Union, ch. 50, 
 Utah Territory was organized, ch. 51,

Party summary

Senate 
During this Congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of California.

House of Representatives
During this Congress, two House seats were added for the new state of California.

Leadership

Senate
 President: Millard Fillmore (W), until July 9, 1850; vacant thereafter.
 President pro tempore: David Atchison (D), until May 5, 1850
 William R. King (D), from May 6, 1850

House of Representatives
Speaker: Howell Cobb (D)
 Democratic Caucus Chairman: James Thompson

Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and Representatives 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 ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1854.

Alabama 
 2. Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D), until November 30, 1849 
 Jeremiah Clemens (D), from November 30, 1849
 3. William R. D. King (D)

Arkansas 
 2. William K. Sebastian (D)
 3. Solon Borland (D)

California 
 1. John C. Frémont (D), from September 10, 1850 (newly admitted state)
 3. William M. Gwin (D), from September 10, 1850 (newly admitted state)

Connecticut 
 1. Roger S. Baldwin (W)
 3. Truman Smith (W)

Delaware 
 1. John Wales (W)
 2. Presley Spruance (W)

Florida 
 1. David Levy Yulee (D)
 3. Jackson Morton (W)

Georgia 
 2. John Macpherson Berrien (W)
 3. William C. Dawson (W)

Illinois 
 2. Stephen A. Douglas (D)
 3. James Shields (D), until March 6, 1849
 James Shields (D), from December 3, 1849

Indiana 
 1. Jesse D. Bright (D)
 3. James Whitcomb (D)

Iowa 
 2. George Wallace Jones (D)
 3. Augustus C. Dodge (D)

Kentucky 
 2. Joseph R. Underwood (W)
 3. Henry Clay (W)

Louisiana 
 2. Solomon W. Downs (D)
 3. Pierre Soulé (D)

Maine 
 1. Hannibal Hamlin (D)
 2. James W. Bradbury (D)

Maryland 
 1. Reverdy Johnson (W), until March 7, 1849
 David Stewart (W), from December 6, 1849, until January 12, 1850
 Thomas Pratt (W), from January 12, 1850
 3. James Pearce (W)

Massachusetts 
 1. Daniel Webster (W), until July 22, 1850
 Robert C. Winthrop (W), from July 30, 1850, until February 1, 1851
 Robert J. Rantoul, Jr. (D), from February 1, 1851
 2. John Davis (W)

Michigan 
 1. Lewis Cass (D)
 2. Alpheus Felch (D)

Mississippi 
 1. Jefferson Davis (D)
 2. Henry S. Foote (D)

Missouri 
 1. Thomas H. Benton (D)
 3. David R. Atchison (D)

New Hampshire 
 2. John P. Hale (FS)
 3. Moses Norris, Jr. (D)

New Jersey 
 1. William L. Dayton (W)
 2. Jacob W. Miller (W)

New York 
 1. Daniel S. Dickinson (D)
 3. William H. Seward (W)

North Carolina 
 2. Willie P. Mangum (W)
 3. George E. Badger (W)

Ohio 
 1. Thomas Corwin (W), until July 20, 1850
 Thomas Ewing (W), from July 20, 1850
 3. Salmon P. Chase (FS)

Pennsylvania 
 1. Daniel Sturgeon (D)
 3. James Cooper (W)

Rhode Island 
 1. Albert C. Greene (W)
 2. John H. Clarke (W)

South Carolina 
 2. John C. Calhoun (D), until March 31, 1850
 Franklin H. Elmore (D), from April 11, 1850, until May 29, 1850
 Robert W. Barnwell (D), from June 4, 1850, until December 18, 1850
 R. Barnwell Rhett (D), from December 18, 1850
 3. Andrew Butler (D)

Tennessee 
 1. Hopkins L. Turney (D)
 2. John Bell (W)

Texas 
 1. Thomas J. Rusk (D)
 2. Samuel Houston (D)

Vermont 
 1. Samuel S. Phelps (W)
 3. William Upham (W)

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 are preceded by their district numbers.

Alabama 
 . William J. Alston (W)
 . Henry W. Hilliard (W)
 . Sampson W. Harris (D)
 . Samuel W. Inge (D)
 . David Hubbard (D)
 . Williamson R. W. Cobb (D)
 . Franklin W. Bowdon (D)

Arkansas 
 . Robert W. Johnson (D)

California 
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 . Edward Gilbert (D), from September 11, 1850 (newly admitted state)
 . George W. Wright (I), from September 11, 1850 (newly admitted state)

Connecticut 
 . Loren P. Waldo (D)
 . Walter Booth (FS)
 . Chauncey F. Cleveland (D)
 . Thomas B. Butler (W)

Delaware 
 . John W. Houston (W)

Florida 
 . Edward C. Cabell (W)

Georgia 
 . Thomas B. King (W), until March 3, 1850
 Joseph W. Jackson (D), from March 4, 1850
 . Marshall J. Wellborn (D)
 . Allen F. Owen (W)
 . Hugh A. Haralson (D)
 . Thomas C. Hackett (D)
 . Howell Cobb (D)
 . Alexander Stephens (W)
 . Robert Toombs (W)

Illinois 
 . William H. Bissell (D)
 . John A. McClernand (D)
 . Timothy R. Young (D)
 . John Wentworth (D)
 . William A. Richardson (D)
 . Edward D. Baker (W)
 . Thomas L. Harris (D)

Indiana 
 . Nathaniel Albertson (D)
 . Cyrus L. Dunham (D)
 . John L. Robinson (D)
 . George W. Julian (FS)
 . William J. Brown (D)
 . Willis A. Gorman (D)
 . Edward W. McGaughey (W)
 . Joseph E. McDonald (D)
 . Graham N. Fitch (D)
 . Andrew J. Harlan (D)

Iowa 
 . William Thompson (D), until June 29, 1850
 Daniel F. Miller (W), from December 20, 1850
 . Shepherd Leffler (D)

Kentucky 
 . Linn Boyd (D)
 . James L. Johnson (W)
 . Finis E. McLean (W)
 . George Caldwell (D)
 . John B. Thompson (W)
 . Daniel Breck (W)
 . Humphrey Marshall (W)
 . Charles S. Morehead (W)
 . John C. Mason (D)
 . Richard H. Stanton (D)

Louisiana 
 . Emile La Sére (D)
 . Charles M. Conrad (W), until August 17, 1850
 Henry A. Bullard (W), from December 5, 1850
 . John H. Harmanson (D), until October 24, 1850
 Alexander G. Penn (D), from December 30, 1850
 . Isaac E. Morse (D)

Maine 
 . Elbridge Gerry (D)
 . Nathaniel Littlefield (D)
 . John Otis (W)
 . Rufus K. Goodenow (W)
 . Cullen Sawtelle (D)
 . Charles Stetson (D)
 . Thomas J. D. Fuller (D)

Maryland 
 . Richard Bowie (W)
 . William T. Hamilton (D)
 . Edward Hammond (D)
 . Robert M. McLane (D)
 . Alexander Evans (W)
 . John B. Kerr (W)

Massachusetts 
 . Robert C. Winthrop (W), until July 30, 1850
 Samuel Atkins Eliot (W), from August 22, 1850
 . Daniel P. King (W), until July 25, 1850
 . James H. Duncan (W)
 . vacant
 . Charles Allen (FS)
 . George Ashmun (W)
 . Julius Rockwell (W)
 . Horace Mann (W)
 . Orin Fowler (W)
 . Joseph Grinnell (W)

Michigan 
 . Alexander W. Buel (D)
 . William Sprague (W)
 . Kinsley S. Bingham (D)

Mississippi 
 . Jacob Thompson (D)
 . Winfield S. Featherston (D)
 . William McWillie (D)
 . Albert G. Brown (D)

Missouri 
 . James B. Bowlin (D)
 . William V. Bay (D)
 . James S. Green (D)
 . Willard P. Hall (D)
 . John S. Phelps (D)

New Hampshire 
 . Amos Tuck (FS)
 . Charles H. Peaslee (D)
 . James Wilson (W), until September 9, 1850
 George W. Morrison (D), from October 8, 1850
 . Harry Hibbard (D)

New Jersey 
 . Andrew K. Hay (W)
 . William A. Newell (W)
 . Isaac Wildrick (D)
 . John Van Dyke (W)
 . James G. King (W)

New York 
 . John A. King (W)
 . David A. Bokee (W)
 . J. Phillips Phoenix (W)
 . Walter Underhill (W)
 . George Briggs (W)
 . James Brooks (W)
 . William Nelson (W)
 . Ransom Halloway (W)
 . Thomas McKissock (W)
 . Herman D. Gould (W)
 . Peter H. Silvester (W)
 . Gideon Reynolds (W)
 . John L. Schoolcraft (W)
 . George R. Andrews (W)
 . John R. Thurman (W)
 . Hugh White (W)
 . Henry P. Alexander (W)
 . Preston King (FS)
 . Charles E. Clarke (W)
 . Orsamus B. Matteson (W)
 . Hiram Walden (D)
 . Henry Bennett (W)
 . William Duer (W)
 . Daniel Gott (W)
 . Harmon S. Conger (W)
 . William T. Jackson (W)
 . William A. Sackett (W)
 . Abraham M. Schermerhorn (W)
 . Robert L. Rose (W)
 . David Rumsey, Jr. (W)
 . Elijah Risley (W)
 . Elbridge G. Spaulding (W)
 . Harvey Putnam (W)
 . Lorenzo Burrows (W)

North Carolina 
 . Thomas L. Clingman (W)
 . Joseph P. Caldwell (W)
 . Edmund Deberry (W)
 . Augustine H. Shepperd (W)
 . Abraham W. Venable (D)
 . John R. J. Daniel (D)
 . William S. Ashe (D)
 . Edward Stanly (W)
 . David Outlaw (W)

Ohio 
 . David T. Disney (D)
 . Lewis D. Campbell (W)
 . Robert C. Schenck (W)
 . Moses B. Corwin (W)
 . Emery D. Potter (D)
 . Rodolphus Dickinson (D), until March 20, 1849
 Amos E. Wood (D), from December 3, 1849, until November 19, 1850
 John Bell (W), from January 7, 1851
 . Jonathan D. Morris (D)
 . John L. Taylor (W)
 . Edson B. Olds (D)
 . Charles Sweetser (D)
 . John K. Miller (D)
 . Samuel F. Vinton (W)
 . William A. Whittlesey (D)
 . Nathan Evans (W)
 . William F. Hunter (W)
 . Moses Hoagland (D)
 . Joseph Cable (D)
 . David K. Cartter (D)
 . John Crowell (W)
 . Joshua R. Giddings (FS)
 . Joseph M. Root (FS)

Pennsylvania 
 . Lewis C. Levin (A)
 . Joseph R. Chandler (W)
 . Henry D. Moore (W)
 . John Robbins, Jr. (D)
 . John Freedley (W)
 . Thomas Ross (D)
 . Jesse C. Dickey (W)
 . Thaddeus Stevens (W)
 . William Strong (D)
 . Milo M. Dimmick (D)
 . Chester P. Butler (W), until October 5, 1850
 John Brisbin (D), from November 13, 1850
 . David Wilmot (D)
 . Joseph Casey (W)
 . Charles W. Pitman (W)
 . Henry Nes (W), until September 10, 1850
 Joel B. Danner (D), from December 2, 1850
 . James X. McLanahan (D)
 . Samuel Calvin (W)
 . Andrew J. Ogle (W)
 . Job Mann (D)
 . Robert R. Reed (W)
 . Moses Hampton (W)
 . John W. Howe (FS)
 . James Thompson (D)
 . Alfred Gilmore (D)

Rhode Island 
 . George G. King (W)
 . Nathan F. Dixon, Jr. (W)

South Carolina 
 . Daniel Wallace (D)
 . James L. Orr (D)
 . Joseph A. Woodward (D)
 . John McQueen (D)
 . Armistead Burt (D)
 . Isaac E. Holmes (D)
 . William F. Colcock (D)

Tennessee 
 . Andrew Johnson (D)
 . Albert G. Watkins (W)
 . Josiah M. Anderson (W)
 . John H. Savage (D)
 . George W. Jones (D)
 . James H. Thomas (D)
 . Meredith P. Gentry (W)
 . Andrew Ewing (D)
 . Isham G. Harris (D)
 . Frederick P. Stanton (D)
 . Christopher H. Williams (W)

Texas 
 . David S. Kaufman (D), until January 31, 1851
 . Volney E. Howard (D)

Vermont 
 . William Henry (W)
 . William Hebard (W)
 . George P. Marsh (W), until May 29, 1849
 James Meacham (W), from December 3, 1849
 . Lucius B. Peck (D)

Virginia 
 . John S. Millson (D)
 . Richard K. Meade (D)
 . Thomas H. Averett (D)
 . Thomas S. Bocock (D)
 . Paulus Powell (D)
 . James Seddon (D)
 . Thomas H. Bayly (D)
 . Alexander Holladay (D)
 . Jeremiah Morton (W)
 . Richard Parker (D)
 . James McDowell (D)
 . Henry A. Edmundson (D)
 . LaFayette McMullen (D)
 . James M. H. Beale (D)
 . Alexander Newman (D), until September 8, 1849
 Thomas Haymond (W), from November 8, 1849

Wisconsin 
 . Charles Durkee (FS)
 . Orasmus Cole (W)
 . James D. Doty (D)

Non-voting members 
 . Henry H. Sibley, from July 7, 1849
 . Samuel Thurston (D)

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

Senate
replacements: 5
 Democrats (D): no net change
 Whigs (W): no net change
deaths: 1
resignations: 3
seats from newly admitted states: 2
interim appointments: 4
Total seats with changes: 8

|-
| Illinois(3)
|  | James Shields (D)
| Senate voided election March 6, 1849, as Sen. Shields was determined not to have been a US citizen for the number of years required by the Constitution.Incumbent was re-elected October 27, 1849, having by then qualified.
|  | James Shields (D)
| Seated December 3, 1849

|-
| Maryland(1)
|  | Reverdy Johnson (W)
| Resigned March 7, 1849, having been appointed United States Attorney General
|  | David Stewart (W)
| Appointed December 6, 1849

|-
| Alabama(2)
|  | Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D)
| Sen. Dixon Lewis successor elected November 30, 1849
|  | Jeremiah Clemens (D)
| Elected November 30, 1849

|-
| Maryland(1)
|  | David Stewart (W)
| Successor elected January 12, 1850
|  | Thomas Pratt (W)
| Elected January 12, 1850

|-
| South Carolina(2)
|  | John C. Calhoun (D)
| Died March 31, 1850
|  | Franklin H. Elmore (D)
| Appointed April 11, 1850

|-
| South Carolina(2)
|  | Franklin H. Elmore (D)
| Died May 29, 1850
|  | Robert W. Barnwell (D)
| Appointed June 4, 1850

|-
| Ohio(1)
|  | Thomas Corwin (W)
| Resigned July 20, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of the Treasury
|  | Thomas Ewing (W)
| Appointed July 20, 1850

|-
| Massachusetts(1)
|  | Daniel Webster (W)
| Resigned July 22, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of State
|  | Robert C. Winthrop (W)
| Appointed July 30, 1850

|-
| California(1)
| New state
| California admitted to the Union September 9, 1850.The first Senator was elected September 10, 1850.
|  | John C. Frémont (D)
| Elected September 10, 1850

|-
| California(3)
| New state
| California admitted to the Union September 9, 1850.The first Senator was elected September 10, 1850.
|  | William M. Gwin (D)
| Elected September 10, 1850

|-
| South Carolina(2)
|  | Robert W. Barnwell (D)
| Successor elected December 18, 1850
|  | Robert Rhett (D)
| Elected December 18, 1850

|-
| Massachusetts(1)
|  | Robert C. Winthrop (W)
| Successor elected February 1, 1851
|  | Robert Rantoul, Jr. (D)
| Elected February 1, 1851
|}

House of Representatives
replacements: 11
 Democrats (D): 2 seat net gain
 Whigs (W): 2 seat net loss
deaths: 8
resignations: 5
contested election:1
seats from newly admitted states: 2
Total seats with changes: 16

|-
| 
| Vacant
| style="font-size:80%" | Seat remained vacant after territory became organized at end of previous congress
| Henry H. Sibley
| Seated July 7, 1849
|-
| 
|  | George Perkins Marsh (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned some time in 1849
|  | James Meacham (W)
| Seated December 3, 1849
|-
| 
|  | Rodolphus Dickinson (D)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died March 20, 1849
|  | Amos E. Wood (D)
| Seated December 3, 1849
|-
| 
|  | Alexander Newman (D)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died September 8, 1849
|  | Thomas Haymond (W)
| Seated November 8, 1849
|-
| 
|  | Thomas B. King (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned March 3, 1850
|  | Joseph W. Jackson (D)
| Seated March 4, 1850
|-
| 
|  | Daniel P. King (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died July 25, 1850
| Vacant
| Not filled this term
|-
| 
|  | William Thompson (D)
| style="font-size:80%" | Seat declared vacant June 29, 1850, after contested election. House ruled neither candidate entitled to seat and forced special election
|  | Daniel F. Miller (W)
| Seated December 20, 1850
|-
| 
|  | Robert C. Winthrop (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 30, 1850, after being appointed to the US Senate
|  | Samuel A. Eliot (W)
| Seated August 22, 1850
|-
| 
|  | Charles M. Conrad (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned August 17, 1850, after being appointed United States Secretary of War
|  | Henry A. Bullard (W)
| Seated December 5, 1850
|-
| 
|  | James Wilson (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Resigned September 9, 1850
|  | George W. Morrison (D)
| Seated October 8, 1850
|-
| 
| colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | California admitted into the Union September 9, 1850, and seat remained vacant until September 11, 1850
|  | Edward Gilbert (D)
| Seated September 11, 1850
|-
| 
| colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | California admitted into the Union September 9, 1850, and seat remained vacant until September 11, 1850
|  | George W. Wright (I)
| Seated September 11, 1850
|-
| 
|  | Henry Nes (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died September 10, 1850
|  | Joel B. Danner (D)
| Seated December 2, 1850
|-
| 
|  | Chester P. Butler (W)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died October 5, 1850
|  | John Brisbin (D)
| Seated November 13, 1850
|-
| 
|  | John H. Harmanson (D)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died October 24, 1850
|  | Alexander G. Penn (D)
| Seated December 30, 1850
|-
| 
|  | Amos E. Wood (D)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died November 19, 1850
|  | John Bell (W)
| Seated January 7, 1851
|-
| 
|  | David S. Kaufman (D)
| style="font-size:80%" | Died January 31, 1851
| Vacant
| Not filled this term
|}

Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

 Agriculture
 Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
 California's Admission to the Union (Select)
 Claims
 Commerce
 Disorder in the Senate of April 17, 1850 (Select)
 Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
 District of Columbia
 Eligibility of James Shields (Special)
 Finance
 Foreign Relations 
 French Spoilations (Select)
 Indian Affairs
 Judiciary 
 Manufactures
 Mexican Boundary Commission (Select)
 Military Affairs
 Militia
 Naval Affairs
 Ordnance and War Ships (Select)
 Patents and the Patent Office
 Pensions
 Post Office and Post Roads
 Printing
 Private Land Claims
 Public Buildings and Grounds 
 Public Lands
 Retrenchment 
 Revolutionary Claims
 Roads and Canals 
 Seventh Census (Select)
 Settlement of the Slavery Question (Select)
 Tariff Regulation (Select)
 Territories
 Whole

House of Representatives

 Accounts
 Agriculture
 Bounty Land Act of 1850 (Select)
 Claims
 Commerce
 District of Columbia
 Elections 
 Engraving
 Expenditures in the Navy Department
 Expenditures in the Post Office Department
 Expenditures in the State Department
 Expenditures in the Treasury Department
 Expenditures in the War Department
 Expenditures on Public Buildings
 Foreign Affairs
 Indian Affairs
 Invalid Pensions
 Manufactures
 Mileage
 Military Affairs
 Militia
 Naval Affairs
 Patents
 Post Office and Post Roads
 Public Buildings and Grounds
 Public Expenditures
 Public Lands
 Revisal and Unfinished Business
 Revolutionary Claims
 Roads and Canals
 Rules 
 Standards of Official Conduct
 Territories
 Ways and Means
 Whole

Joint committees

 Enrolled Bills

Caucuses 
 Democratic (House)
 Democratic (Senate)

Employees 
 Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan

Senate
Chaplain: Henry Slicer (Methodist)
 Clement M. Butler (Episcopalian), elected January 9, 1850
Secretary: Asbury Dickens
Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale

House of Representatives
Chaplain: Ralph Gurley (Presbyterian)
Clerk: Thomas J. Campbell, died April 13, 1850
 Richard M. Young, elected April 17, 1850
Doorkeeper: Robert E. Horner
Postmaster: John M. Johnson
Reading Clerks: 
Sergeant at Arms: Adam J. Glossbrenner

See also 
 1848 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
 1848 United States presidential election
 1848 and 1849 United States Senate elections
 1848 and 1849 United States House of Representatives elections
 1850 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
 1850 and 1851 United States Senate elections
 1850 and 1851 United States House of Representatives elections

Notes

References

External links
Statutes at Large, 1789-1875 
Senate Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
House Journal, First Forty-three Sessions of Congress
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress 
U.S. House of Representatives: House History 
U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists