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The 15th 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 the Old Brick Capitol in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1817, to March 4, 1819, during the first two years of James Monroe's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1810 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (February 2013) |
| 15th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
14th ← → 16th | |
 The Old Brick Capitol, the temporary Capitol while the U.S. Capitol was being renovated after the Burning of Washington. (pictured here around 1861 in use as a Civil War prison) | |
March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1819 | |
| Members | 42 senators 185 representatives 3 non-voting delegates |
| Senate majority | Democratic-Republican |
| Senate President | Daniel D. Tompkins (DR) |
| House majority | Democratic-Republican |
| House Speaker | Henry Clay (DR) |
| Sessions | |
| Special[a]: March 4, 1817 – March 6, 1817 1st: December 1, 1817 – April 20, 1818 2nd: November 16, 1818 – March 3, 1819 | |
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Two major treaties with the United Kingdom were approved, finalized and signed during the 15th Congress, both the Rush–Bagot Treaty and the Treaty of 1818, both of which pertained to the United States-Canada border, and both of which were overwhelmingly popular in the United States. President James Monroe and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams were credited with the accomplishments. A letter signed by many members of congress expressing "Gratitude, amity and brotherhood with Great Britain" was addressed to British Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst, British foreign secretary Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh and Britain's minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinaire to the United States Charles Bagot. The letter also attacked King Louis XVIII of France for insulting remarks he had made towards American diplomats and about the United States, as well as his refusal to pay reparations owed to the United States from damages incurred during the Quasi-War. The letter was signed in December 1818 by Joel Abbot, Thomas W. Cobb, Zadock Cook, Joel Crawford, John Forsyth, William Terrell, Charles Tait, William Smith, John Gaillard, Henry Middleton, William Lowndes, James Ervin, Joseph Bellinger, Starling Tucker, Eldred Simkins, Elias Earle, Wilson Nesbitt, Stephen Decatur Miller, Montfort Stokes, Nathaniel Macon, Lemuel Sawyer, Joseph Hunter Bryan, Thomas H. Hall, Jesse Slocumb, James Owen, Weldon Nathaniel Edwards, James Stewart, James Strudwick Smith, Thomas Settle, George Mumford, Daniel Munroe Forney, Felix Walker, Lewis Williams, John J. Crittenden, Isham Talbot, David Trimble, Henry Clay, Richard Mentor Johnson, Joseph Desha, Anthony New, David Walker, George Robertson, Richard Clough Anderson Jr., Tunstall Quarles, Thomas Speed, William Hendricks, James Noble, Waller Taylor, John Eaton, John Williams, John Rhea, William Grainger Blount, Francis Jones, Samuel E. Hogg, Thomas Claiborne, George W.L. Marr, George Poindexter, Prentiss Mellen, Harrison Gray Otis, Enoch Lincoln, Jonathan Mason, Nathaniel Silsbee, Jeremiah Nelson, Timothy Fuller, Elijah H. Mills, Samuel Clesson Allen, Henry Shaw, Zabdiel Sampson, Walter Folger Jr., Marcus Morton, Benjamin Adams, Solomon Strong, Nathaniel Ruggles, John Holmes, Ezekiel Whitman, Benjamin Orr, John Wilson, Thomas Rice, Joshua Gage and Albion Parris, all of whom also voted to ratify both of the aforementioned treaties. Several governors also signed the letter, which was entirely symbolic and intended as a gesture of goodwill, including Gabriel Slaughter, William Rabun, John Geddes, John Branch, John Brooks, James Patton Preston and David Holmes. This was significant because the governors and the members of congress were from different regions (both Massachusetts and several southern states were represented), and because signers came from both the Whig Party and the Democratic-Republicans.[1][2][3][4] Many members of congress and Washington DC had a very hostile relationship with France's notoriously combative ambassador Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville, which contributed to the letters contents as per France.[5]
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- March 4, 1817: James Monroe became President of the United States
- July 4, 1817: Construction on the Erie Canal began
- November 20, 1817: The first Seminole War began in Florida
- January 2, 1819: The Panic of 1819, the first major financial crisis in the United States, began.
- February 2, 1819: Dartmouth College v. Woodward: Supreme Court allowed Dartmouth to keep its charter and remain a private institution.
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- April 4, 1818: Flag Act of 1818, Sess. 1, ch. 34, 3 Stat. 415
- April 29, 1817: Rush–Bagot Treaty signed between the U.S. and the United Kingdom
- October 20, 1818: Treaty of 1818 between the U.S. and the United Kingdom established the northern boundary as the 49th parallel from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, also creating the Northwest Angle.
- February 22, 1819: Adams-Onís Treaty: Spain ceded Florida to the United States
- December 10, 1817: Mississippi admitted as the 20th state
- December 3, 1818: Illinois admitted as the 21st state
- March 2, 1819: Arkansas Territory was created, 3 Stat. 493; it was formerly part of the Missouri Territory
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this congress. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
Senate
During this congress, two Senate seats were added for each of the new states of Mississippi and Illinois.
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic- Republican (DR) |
Federalist (F) | |||
| End of previous congress | 25 | 13 | 38 | 0 |
| Begin | 25 | 13 | 38 | 0 |
| End | 28 | 12 | 40 | 2 |
| Final voting share | 70.0% | 30.0% | ||
| Beginning of next congress | 29 | 9 | 38 | 4 |
House of Representatives
During this congress, one House seat was added for each of the new states of Mississippi and Illinois.
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic- Republican (DR) |
Federalist (F) | |||
| End of previous congress | 136 | 46 | 182 | 1 |
| Begin | 141 | 39 | 180 | 3 |
| End | 144 | 40 | 184 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 78.3% | 21.7% | ||
| Beginning of next congress | 158 | 25 | 183 | 2 |
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President of the Senate
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Speaker of the House
Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Senate
- President: Daniel D. Tompkins (DR)
- President pro tempore:
- John Gaillard (DR), elected March 4, 1817
- James Barbour (DR), elected February 15, 1819
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Henry Clay (DR)
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class 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 re-election in 1820; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1822; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1818.
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New Hampshire
|
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
|
 2 Democratic-Republicans
1 Democratic-Republican and 1 Federalist
2 Federalists
|
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
| State (class) |
Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire (3) |
Jeremiah Mason (F) | Resigned June 16, 1817 | Clement Storer (DR) | Seated June 27, 1817 |
| Vermont (3) |
Dudley Chase (DR) | Resigned November 3, 1817, to become Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court | James Fisk (DR) | Seated November 4, 1817 |
| Louisiana (2) |
William C. C. Claiborne (DR) | Died November 23, 1817 | Henry Johnson (DR) | Seated January 12, 1818 |
| Mississippi (1) |
New seats | Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817 | Walter Leake (DR) | Installed December 10, 1817 |
| Mississippi (2) |
Thomas H. Williams (DR) | |||
| Vermont (3) |
James Fisk (DR) | Resigned January 8, 1818, to become Vermont Collector of Customs. Winner elected October 20, 1818. |
William A. Palmer (DR) | Seated October 20, 1818 |
| Tennessee (1) |
George W. Campbell (DR) | Resigned April 20, 1818, to become Ambassador to Russia | John Eaton (DR) | Seated September 5, 1818 |
| Massachusetts (1) |
Eli P. Ashmun (F) | Resigned May 10, 1818. Winner elected June 5, 1818. |
Prentiss Mellen (F) | Seated June 5, 1818 |
| Georgia (2) |
George Troup (DR) | Resigned September 23, 1818, to run for Governor of Georgia. Winner elected September 23, 1818. |
John Forsyth (DR) | Seated November 23, 1818 |
| Illinois (2) |
New seats | Illinois was admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818. | Jesse B. Thomas (DR) | Installed December 3, 1818 |
| Illinois (3) |
Ninian Edwards (DR) | |||
| Georgia (2) |
John Forsyth (DR) | Resigned February 17, 1819, to become U.S. Minister to Spain. Winner was elected in the next Congress. |
Not filled until next Congress | |
| Kentucky (2) |
John J. Crittenden (DR) | Resigned March 3, 1819, to return to private practice. Winner was elected in the next Congress. | ||
House of Representatives
| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York 4 | Vacant | Member-elect Henry B. Lee died before this Congress began | James Tallmadge Jr. (DR) | Seated June 6, 1817 |
| Missouri Territory at-large | Vacant | Seat remained vacant from March 4, 1817, to August 4, 1817 | John Scott | Seated August 4, 1817 |
| Pennsylvania 10 | Vacant | Member-elect David Scott resigned before this Congress began | John Murray (DR) | Seated October 14, 1817 |
| North Carolina 7 | Vacant | Member-elect Alexander McMillan died before this Congress began | James Stewart (F) | Seated January 5, 1818 |
| South Carolina 6 | John C. Calhoun (DR) | Resigned November 3, 1817, after being appointed United States Secretary of War | Eldred Simkins (DR) | Seated January 24, 1818 |
| Mississippi Territory at-large | Vacant | Seat remained vacant until Mississippi was admitted to the Union December 10, 1817 | George Poindexter (DR) | Seated December 10, 1817 |
| Mississippi at-large | ||||
| Connecticut at-large | Uriel Holmes (F) | Resigned sometime in 1818 | Sylvester Gilbert (DR) | Seated November 16, 1818 |
| North Carolina 11 | Daniel Forney (DR) | Resigned sometime in 1818 | William Davidson (F) | Seated December 2, 1818 |
| Alabama Territory at-large | Vacant | The first delegate from this new territory was not seated until January 29, 1818. | John Crowell | Seated January 29, 1818 |
| Massachusetts 20 | Albion K. Parris (DR | Resigned February 3, 1818 | Enoch Lincoln (DR) | Seated November 4, 1818 |
| Virginia 19 | Peterson Goodwyn (DR) | Died February 21, 1818 | John Pegram (DR) | Seated April 21, 1818 |
| Pennsylvania 6 | John Ross (DR) | Resigned February 24, 1818, to become President Judge of Pennsylvania's 7th Judicial Circuit | Thomas J. Rogers (DR) | Seated March 3, 1818 |
| Louisiana at-large | Thomas B. Robertson (DR) | Resigned April 20, 1818 | Thomas Butler (DR) | Seated November 16, 1818 |
| Pennsylvania 4 | Jacob Spangler (DR) | Resigned April 20, 1818 | Jacob Hostetter (DR) | Seated November 16, 1818 |
| Pennsylvania 6 | Samuel D. Ingham (DR) | Resigned July 6, 1818 | Samuel Moore (DR) | Seated October 13, 1818 |
| Georgia at-large | John Forsyth (DR) | Resigned November 23, 1818, after being elected to the U.S. Senate | Robert R. Reid (DR) | Seated February 18, 1819 |
| Illinois Territory at-large | Nathaniel Pope | Pope's term ended November 30, 1818, and the seat remained vacant until Illinois was admitted to the Union December 3, 1818 | John McLean (DR) | Seated December 3, 1818 |
| Illinois at-large | ||||
| North Carolina 10 | George Mumford (DR) | Died December 31, 1818 | Charles Fisher (DR) | Seated February 11, 1819 |
| Vermont at-large | Heman Allen (DR) | resigned April 20, 1818 | Vacant |
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Abner Lacock)
- Claims (Chairman: Jonathan Roberts then Robert Henry Goldsborough)
- Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Nathan Sanford)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: Robert Henry Goldsborough)
- Engrossed Bills (Chairman: John J. Crittenden)
- Finance (Chairman: George W. Campbell then John Wayles Eppes)
- Foreign Relations (Chairman: James Barbour then Nathaniel Macon)
- Indian Title to Certain Lands (Select)
- Judiciary (Chairman: John J. Crittenden then James Burrill Jr.)
- Military Affairs (Chairman: George M. Troup then John Williams)
- Militia (Chairman: Clement Storer then Benjamin Ruggles)
- Mississippi's Admission to the Union (Select)
- Naval Affairs (Chairman: Charles Tait then Nathan Sanford)
- Pensions (Chairman: James Noble then Abner Lacock)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: James J. Wilson then Montfort Stokes)
- Public Lands (Chairman: Jeremiah Morrow)
- Seminole War (Select)
- Slave Trade (Select)
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts (Chairman: Peter Little)
- Alabama's Admission to the Union (Select)
- Arkansas Territory (Select)
- Bank of the United States (Select)
- Claims (Chairman: Lewis Williams)
- Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas Newton Jr.)
- District of Columbia (Chairman: John C. Herbert)
- Elections (Chairman: John W. Taylor)
- Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: James Pleasants)
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: Samuel D. Ingham)
- Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: John Forsyth)
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: William Lowndes)
- Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: Richard M. Johnson)
- Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: Henry S. Tucker)
- Judiciary (Chairman: Hugh Nelson)
- Pensions and Revolutionary War Claims (Chairman: John Rhea)
- Private Land Claims (Chairman: Samuel Herrick then George Robertson)
- Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Samuel D. Ingham then Arthur Livermore)
- Public Expenditures (Chairman: Joseph Desha)
- Public Lands (Chairman: Thomas B. Robertson then George Poindexter)
- Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: John Savage then John W. Taylor)
- Rules (Select)
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Ways and Means (Chairman: William Lowndes then Samuel Smith)
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
- The Library (Chairman: N/A)
Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin H. Latrobe, resigned November 20, 1817
- Charles Bulfinch, appointed January 8, 1818
- Librarian of Congress: George Watterston
Senate
- Chaplain: Sereno Edwards Dwight, Congregationalist, until December 9, 1817
- William D. Hawley, Episcopalian, elected December 9, 1817
- John Clark, Presbyterian, elected November 19, 1818
- Secretary: Charles Cutts
- Sergeant at Arms: Mountjoy Bayly
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Burgiss Allison (Baptist)
- Clerk: Thomas Dougherty
- Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
- Reading Clerks: [data missing]
- Sergeant at Arms: Thomas Dunn
- 1816 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 1818 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
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