34th United States Congress

United States Capitol

The Thirty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1855 to March 3, 1857, during the last 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. The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House had an anti-Democratic, coalition majority.

Dates of sessions

March 4, 1855 - March 3, 1857

• First session: December 3, 1855 - August 18, 1856
• Second session: August 21, 1856 - August 30, 1856
• Third session: December 1, 1856 - March 3, 1857
• Previous congress: 33rd Congress
  
• Next congress: 35th 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.

During the time of the elections for the Thirty-Fourth Congress opponents to the Democrats used the Whig party label inconsistently and not at all in some states. Hence in this Congress, and in accordance with the practice of the Senate and House, representatives not associated with the Democratic Party or the American Party are labeled as “Opposition.” This is the first example in U.S. history of a form of coalition government in either house of Congress.

Senate Democratic (D) : 39 (majority) Opposition (O) : 22 American (A) : 1 TOTAL members: 62

House of Representatives Democratic (D) : 84 Opposition (O) : 100 (majority) American (A) : 51 (majority) TOTAL members: 234

Leadership

Senate

• Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
  • vacant
• President pro tempore of the Senate:
  • Jesse D. Bright, Democratic of Indiana, elected December 3, 1855
  • Charles E. Stuart, Democratic of Michigan, elected June 9, 1856
  • James M. Mason, Democratic of Virginia, elected June 11, 1856

House of Representatives

• Speaker of the House
  • Nathaniel P. Banks, American of Massachusetts, elected February 2, 1856

Major events

Events of 1855, 1856 and 1857

Major legislation

List of United States federal legislation in the 34th Congress

• August 18, 1856 -- Guano Islands Act

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 ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1860.

Alabama 2: Clement C. Clay, Jr. (D) 3: Benjamin Fitzpatrick (D) Arkansas 2: William K. Sebastian (D) 3: Robert W. Johnson (D) California 1: John B. Weller (D) 3: William M. Gwin (D) Connecticut 1: Isaac Toucey (D) 3: La Fayette S. Foster (O) Delaware 1: James A. Bayard, Jr. (D) 2: John M. Clayton (O) Joseph P. Comegys (O) Martin W. Bates (D) Florida 1: Stephen R. Mallory (D) 3: David Levy Yulee (D) Georgia 2: Robert A. Toombs (D) 3: Alfred Iverson, Sr. (D) Illinois 2: Stephen A. Douglas (D) 3: Lyman Trumbull (D) Indiana 1: Jesse D. Bright (D) 3: Graham N. Fitch (D) Iowa 2: George W. Jones (D) 3: James Harlan (O)

Kentucky 2: John B. Thompson (O) 3: John J. Crittenden (O) Louisiana 2: Judah P. Benjamin (O) 3: John Slidell (D) Maine 1: Hannibal Hamlin (D) Amos Nourse (R) 2: William Pitt Fessenden (O) Maryland 3: James A. Pearce (O) 1: Thomas G. Pratt (O) Massachusetts 1: Charles Sumner (O) 2: Henry Wilson (O) Michigan 1: Lewis Cass (D) 2: Charles E. Stuart (D) Mississippi 1: Stephen Adams (D) 2: Albert G. Brown (D) Missouri 1: Henry S. Geyer (O) 3: James S. Green (D) New Hampshire 2: John P. Hale (O) 3: James Bell (O) New Jersey 1: John R. Thomson (D) 2: William Wright (D)

New York 3: William H. Seward (O) 1: Hamilton Fish (O) North Carolina 2: David S. Reid (D) 3: Asa Biggs (D) Ohio 1: Benjamin F. Wade (O) 3: George E. Pugh (D) Pennsylvania 1: Richard Brodhead (D) 3: William Bigler (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 (O) 1: James C. Jones (O) Texas 2: Samuel Houston (A) 1: Thomas J. Rusk (D) Vermont 1: Solomon Foot (O) 3: Jacob Collamer (O) Virginia 1: James M. Mason (D) 2: Robert M. T. Hunter (D) Wisconsin 1: Henry Dodge (D) 3: Charles Durkee (O)

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: Percy Walker (A) 2: Eli S. Shorter (D) 3: James F. Dowdell (D) 4: William R. Smith (A) 5: George S. Houston (D) 6: Williamson R. W. Cobb (D) 7: Sampson W. Harris (D) Arkansas 1: Alfred B. Greenwood (D) 2: Albert Rust (D) California A/L: James W. Denver (D) A/L: Philemon T. Herbert (D) Connecticut 1: Ezra Clark, Jr. (A) 2: John Woodruff (A) 3: Sidney Dean (A) 4: William W. Welch (A) Delaware A/L: Elisha D. Cullen (A) Florida A/L: Augustus E. Maxwell (D) Georgia 1: James L. Seward (D) 2: Martin J. Crawford (D) 3: Robert P. Trippe (A) 4: Hiram B. Warner (D) 5: John H. Lumpkin (D) 6: Howell Cobb (D) 7: Nathaniel G. Foster (A) 8: Alexander H. Stephens (D) Illinois 1: Elihu B. Washburne (O) 2: James H. Woodworth (O) 3: Jesse O. Norton (O) 4: James Knox (O) 5: William A. Richardson (D) Jacob C. Davis (D) 6: Thomas L. Harris (D) 7: James C. Allen (D) 8: James L. D. Morrison (D) 9: Samuel S. Marshall (D) Indiana 1: Smith Miller (D) 2: William H. English (D) 3: George G. Dunn (O) 4: William Cumback (O) 5: David P. Holloway (O) 6: Lucien Barbour (O) 7: Harvey D. Scott (O) 8: Daniel Mace (O) 9: Schuyler Colfax (O) 10: Samuel Brenton (O) 11: John U. Pettit (O) Iowa 1: Augustus Hall (D) 2: James Thorington (O) Kentucky 1: Henry C. Burnett (D) 2: John P. Campbell, Jr. (A) 3: Warner L. Underwood (A) 4: Albert G. Talbott (D) 5: Joshua H. Jewett (D) 6: John M. Elliott (D) 7: Humphrey Marshall (A) 8: Alexander K. Marshall (A) 9: Leander M. Cox (A) 10: Samuel F. Swope (A) Louisiana 1: George Eustis, Jr. (A) 2: Miles Taylor (D) 3: Thomas G. Davidson (D) 4: John M. Sandidge (D) Maine 1: John M. Wood (O) 2: John J. Perry (O) 3: Ebenezer Knowlton (O) 4: Samuel P. Benson (O) 5: Israel Washburn, Jr. (O) 6: Thomas J. D. Fuller (D) Maryland 1: James A. Stewart (D) 2: James B. Ricaud (A) 3: J. Morrison Harris (A) 4: Henry Winter Davis (A) 5: Henry W. Hoffman (A) 6: Thomas F. Bowie (D)

Massachusetts 1: Robert B. Hall (A) 2: James Buffinton (A) 3: William S. Damrell (A) 4: Linus B. Comins (A) 5: Anson Burlingame (A) 6: Timothy Davis (A) 7: Nathaniel P. Banks (A) 8: Chauncey L. Knapp (A) 9: Alexander De Witt (A) 10: Calvin C. Chaffee (A) 11: Mark Trafton (A) Michigan 1: William A. Howard (O) 2: Henry Waldron (O) 3: David S. Walbridge (O) 4: George W. Peck (D) Mississippi 1: Daniel B. Wright (D) 2: Hendley S. Bennett (D) 3: William Barksdale (D) 4: William A. Lake (A) 5: John A. Quitman (D) Missouri 1: Luther M. Kennett (O) 2: Gilchrist Porter (O) 3: James J. Lindley (O) 4: Mordecai Oliver (O) 5: John G. Miller (O) Thomas P. Akers (A) 6: John S. Phelps (D) 7: Samuel Caruthers (O) New Hampshire 1: James Pike (A) 2: Mason W. Tappan (A) 3: Aaron H. Cragin (A) New Jersey 1: Isaiah D. Clawson (O) 2: George R. Robbins (O) 3: James Bishop (O) 4: George Vail (D) 5: Alexander C. M. Pennington (O) New York 1: William W. Valk (A) 2: James S. T. Stranahan (O) 3: Guy R. Pelton (O) 4: John Kelly (D) 5: Thomas R. Whitney (A) 6: John Wheeler (D) 7: Thomas Child, Jr. (O) 8: Abram Wakeman (O) 9: Bayard Clarke (O) 10: Ambrose S. Murray (O) 11: Rufus H. King (O) 12: Killian Miller (O) 13: Russell Sage (O) 14: Samuel Dickson (O) 15: Edward Dodd (O) 16: George A. Simmons (O) 17: Francis E. Spinner (D) 18: Thomas R. Horton (O) 19: Jonas A. Hughston (O) 20: Orsamus B. Matteson (O) 21: Henry Bennett (O) 22: Andrew Z. McCarty (O) 23: William A. Gilbert (O) 24: Amos P. Granger (O) 25: Edwin B. Morgan (O) 26: Andrew Oliver (D) 27: John M. Parker (O) 28: William H. Kelsey (O) 29: John Williams (D) 30: Benjamin Pringle (O) 31: Thomas T. Flagler (O) 32: Solomon G. Haven (O) 33: Francis S. Edwards (A) North Carolina 1: Robert T. Paine (A) 2: Thomas H. Ruffin (D) 3: Warren Winslow (D) 4: Lawrence O'Bryan Branch (D) 5: Edwin G. Reade (A) 6: Richard C. Puryear (A) 7: F. Burton Craige (D) 8: Thomas L. Clingman (D)

Ohio 1: Timothy C. Day (O) 2: John Scott Harrison (O) 3: Lewis D. Campbell (O) 4: Matthias H. Nichols (O) 5: Richard Mott (O) 6: Jonas R. Emrie (O) 7: Aaron Harlan (O) 8: Benjamin Stanton (O) 9: Cooper K. Watson (O) 10: Oscar F. Moore (O) 11: Valentine B. Horton (O) 12: Samuel Galloway (O) 13: John Sherman (O) 14: Philemon Bliss (O) 15: William R. Sapp (O) 16: Edward Ball (O) 17: Charles J. Albright (O) 18: Benjamin F. Leiter (O) 19: Edward Wade (O) 20: Joshua R. Giddings (O) 21: John A. Bingham (O) Pennsylvania 1: Thomas B. Florence (D) 2: Job R. Tyson (O) 3: William Millward (O) 4: Jacob Broom (A) 5: John Cadwalader (D) 6: John Hickman (D) 7: Samuel C. Bradshaw (O) 8: J. Glancey Jones (D) 9: Anthony E. Roberts (O) 10: John C. Kunkel (O) 11: James H. Campbell (O) 12: Henry M. Fuller (O) 13: Asa Packer (D) 14: Galusha A. Grow (D) 15: John J. Pearce (O) 16: Lemuel Todd (O) 17: David F. Robison (O) 18: John R. Edie (O) 19: John Covode (O) 20: Jonathan Knight (O) 21: David Ritchie (O) 22: Samuel A. Purviance (O) 23: John Allison (O) 24: David Barclay (D) 25: John Dick (O) Rhode Island 1: Nathaniel B. Durfee (A) 2: Benjamin B. Thurston (A) 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: Albert G. Watkins (D) 2: William H. Sneed (A) 3: Samuel A. Smith (D) 4: John H. Savage (D) 5: Charles Ready (A) 6: George W. Jones (D) 7: John V. Wright (D) 8: Felix K. Zollicoffer (A) 9: Emerson Etheridge (A) 10: Thomas Rivers (A) Texas 1: Lemuel D. Evans (A) 2: Peter H. Bell (D) Vermont 1: James Meacham (O) George T. Hodges (R) 2: Justin S. Morrill (O) 3: Alvah Sabin (O) Virginia 1: Thomas H. Bayly (D) Muscoe R. H. Garnett (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 S. Carlile (A) 12: Henry A. Edmundson (D) 13: LaFayette McMullen (D) Wisconsin 1: Daniel Wells, Jr. (D) 2: Cadwallader C. Washburn (O) 3: Charles Billinghurst (O)

Delegates

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

New Mexico Territory A/L: José Manuel Gallegos (D) Miguel A. Otero (D) Oregon Territory A/L: Joseph Lane (D)

Utah Territory A/L: John M. Bernhisel Washington Territory A/L: James P. Anderson (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 ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1860.

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

• 2: Clement C. Clay, Jr. (1816-1882), Democratic
• 3: Benjamin Fitzpatrick (1802-1869), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, November 26, 1855

House of Representatives (7 seats)

• 1: Percy Walker (1812-1880), American
• 2: Eli S. Shorter (1823-1879), Democratic
• 3: James F. Dowdell (1818-1871), Democratic
• 4: William R. Smith (1815-1896), American
• 5: George S. Houston (1811-1879), Democratic
• 6: Williamson R. W. Cobb (1807-1864), Democratic
• 7: Sampson W. Harris (1809-1857), Democratic

Arkansas

Senate

• 2: William K. Sebastian (1812-1865), Democratic
• 3: Robert W. Johnson (1814-1879), Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Alfred B. Greenwood (1811-1889), Democratic
• 2: Albert Rust ( -1870), Democratic

California

Senate

• 1: John B. Weller (1812-1875), Democratic
• 3: William M. Gwin (1805-1885), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, January 13, 1857

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• A/L: James W. Denver (1817-1892), Democratic
• A/L: Philemon T. Herbert (1825-1864), Democratic

Connecticut

Senate

• 1: Isaac Toucey (1792-1869), Democratic
• 3: La Fayette S. Foster (1806-1880), Opposition

House of Representatives (4 seats)

• 1: Ezra Clark, Jr. (1813-1896), American
• 2: John Woodruff (1826-1868), American
• 3: Sidney Dean (1818-1901), American
• 4: William W. Welch (1818-1892), American

Delaware

Senate

• 1: James A. Bayard, Jr. (1799-1880), Democratic
• 2: John M. Clayton (1796-1856), Opposition …died November 9, 1856

  Joseph P. Comegys (1813-1893), Opposition …appointed to fill vacancy, November 19, 1856

  Martin W. Bates (1786-1869), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, January 14, 1857

House of Representatives (1 seat)

• A/L: Elisha D. Cullen (1799-1862), American

Florida

Senate

• 1: Stephen R. Mallory (1813c-1873), Democratic
• 3: David Levy Yulee (1810-1886), Democratic

House of Representatives (1 seat)

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

Georgia

Senate

• 2: Robert A. Toombs (1810-1885), Democratic
• 3: Alfred Iverson, Sr. (1798-1873), Democratic

House of Representatives (8 seats)

• 1: James L. Seward (1813-1886), Democratic
• 2: Martin J. Crawford (1820-1883), Democratic
• 3: Robert P. Trippe (1819-1900), American
• 4: Hiram B. Warner (1802-1881), Democratic
• 5: John H. Lumpkin (1812-1860), Democratic
• 6: Howell Cobb (1815-1868), Democratic
• 7: Nathaniel G. Foster (1809-1869), American
• 8: Alexander H. Stephens (1812-1883), Democratic

Illinois

Senate

• 2: Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861), Democratic
• 3: Lyman Trumbull (1813-1896), Democratic

House of Representatives (9 seats)

• 1: Elihu B. Washburne (1816-1887), Opposition
• 2: James H. Woodworth (1804-1869), Opposition
• 3: Jesse O. Norton (1812-1875), Opposition
• 4: James Knox (1807-1876), Opposition
• 5: William A. Richardson (1811-1875), Democratic …resigned August 25, 1856

  Jacob C. Davis (1820-1883), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1856

• 6: Thomas L. Harris (1816-1858), Democratic
• 7: James C. Allen (1822-1912), Democratic …contested election, seat declared vacant July 18, 1856, subsequently elected, seated December 1, 1856
• 8: Lyman Trumbull (1813-1896), Democratic …resigned December 1, 1856

  James L. D. Morrison (1816-1888), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 1, 1856

• 9: Samuel S. Marshall (1821-1890), Democratic

Indiana

Senate

• 1: Jesse D. Bright (1812-1875), Democratic
• 3: Graham N. Fitch (1809-1892), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, February 4, 1857

House of Representatives (11 seats)

• 1: Smith Miller (1804-1872), Democratic
• 2: William H. English (1822-1896), Democratic
• 3: George G. Dunn (1812-1857), Opposition
• 4: William Cumback (1829-1905), Opposition
• 5: David P. Holloway (1809-1883), Opposition
• 6: Lucien Barbour (1811-1880), Opposition
• 7: Harvey D. Scott (1818-1891), Opposition
• 8: Daniel Mace (1811-1867), Opposition
• 9: Schuyler Colfax (1823-1885), Opposition
• 10: Samuel Brenton (1810-1857), Opposition
• 11: John U. Pettit (1820-1881), Opposition

Iowa

Senate

• 2: George W. Jones (1804-1896), Democratic
• 3: James Harlan (1820-1899), Opposition …elected to fill vacancy, December 31, 1855, seat declared vacant January 12, 1857]], elected January 29, 1857

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Augustus Hall (1814-1861), Democratic
• 2: James Thorington (1816-1887), Opposition

Kentucky

Senate

• 2: John B. Thompson (1810-1874), Opposition
• 3: John J. Crittenden (1786-1863), Opposition

House of Representatives (10 seats)

• 1: Henry C. Burnett (1825-1866), Democratic
• 2: John P. Campbell, Jr. (1820-1888), American
• 3: Warner L. Underwood (1808-1872), American
• 4: Albert G. Talbott (1808-1887), Democratic
• 5: Joshua H. Jewett (1815-1861), Democratic
• 6: John M. Elliott (1820-1879), Democratic
• 7: Humphrey Marshall (1812-1872), American
• 8: Alexander K. Marshall (1808-1884), American
• 9: Leander M. Cox (1812-1865), American
• 10: Samuel F. Swope (1809-1865), American

Louisiana

Senate

• 2: Judah P. Benjamin (1811-1884), Opposition
• 3: John Slidell (1793-1871), Democratic

House of Representatives (4 seats)

• 1: George Eustis, Jr. (1828-1872), American
• 2: Miles Taylor (1805-1873), Democratic
• 3: Thomas G. Davidson (1805-1883), Democratic
• 4: John M. Sandidge (1817-1890), Democratic

Maine

Senate

• 1: Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891), Democratic …resigned January 7, 1857

  Amos Nourse (1794-1877), Republican …elected to fill vacancy, January 16, 1857

• 2: William Pitt Fessenden (1806-1869), Opposition

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• 1: John M. Wood (1813-1864), Opposition
• 2: John J. Perry (1811-1897), Opposition
• 3: Ebenezer Knowlton (1815-1874), Opposition
• 4: Samuel P. Benson (1804-1876), Opposition
• 5: Israel Washburn, Jr. (1813-1883), Opposition
• 6: Thomas J. D. Fuller (1808-1876), Democratic

Maryland

Senate

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

House of Representatives (6 seats)

• 1: James A. Stewart (1808-1879), Democratic
• 2: James B. Ricaud (1808-1866), American
• 3: J. Morrison Harris (1817-1898), American
• 4: Henry Winter Davis (1817-1865), American
• 5: Henry W. Hoffman (1825-1895), American
• 6: Thomas F. Bowie (1808-1869), Democratic

Massachusetts

Senate

• 1: Charles Sumner (1811-1874), Opposition
• 2: Henry Wilson (1812-1875), Opposition

House of Representatives (11 seats)

• 1: Robert B. Hall (1812-1868), American
• 2: James Buffinton (1817-1875), American
• 3: William S. Damrell (1809-1860), American
• 4: Linus B. Comins (1817-1892), American
• 5: Anson Burlingame (1820-1870), American
• 6: Timothy Davis (1821-1888), American
• 7: Nathaniel P. Banks (1816-1894), American
• 8: Chauncey L. Knapp (1809-1898), American
• 9: Alexander De Witt (1798-1879), American
• 10: Calvin C. Chaffee (1811-1896), American
• 11: Mark Trafton (1810-1901), American

Michigan

Senate

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

House of Representatives (4 seats)

• 1: William A. Howard (1813-1880), Opposition
• 2: Henry Waldron (1819-1880), Opposition
• 3: David S. Walbridge (1802-1868), Opposition
• 4: George W. Peck (1818-1905), Democratic

Mississippi

Senate

• 1: Stephen Adams (1807-1857), Democratic
• 2: Albert G. Brown (1813-1880), Democratic

House of Representatives (5 seats)

• 1: Daniel B. Wright (1812-1887), Democratic
• 2: Hendley S. Bennett (1807-1891), Democratic
• 3: William Barksdale (1821-1863), Democratic
• 4: William A. Lake (1808-1861), American
• 5: John A. Quitman (1799-1858), Democratic

Missouri

Senate

• 1: Henry S. Geyer (1790-1859), Opposition
• 3: James S. Green (1817-1870), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, January 12, 1857

House of Representatives (7 seats)

• 1: Luther M. Kennett (1807-1873), Opposition
• 2: Gilchrist Porter (1817-1894), Opposition
• 3: James J. Lindley (1822-1891), Opposition
• 4: Mordecai Oliver (1819-1898), Opposition
• 5: John G. Miller (1812-1856), Opposition …died May 11, 1856

  Thomas P. Akers (1828-1877), American …elected to fill vacancy, seated August 18, 1856

• 6: John S. Phelps (1814-1886), Democratic
• 7: Samuel Caruthers (1820-1860), Opposition

New Hampshire

Senate

• 2: John P. Hale (1806-1873), Opposition …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress, July 30, 1855
• 3: James Bell (1804-1857), Opposition …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress, July 30, 1855

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: James Pike (1818-1895), American
• 2: Mason W. Tappan (1817-1886), American
• 3: Aaron H. Cragin (1821-1898), American

New Jersey

Senate

• 1: John R. Thomson (1800-1862), Democratic
• 2: William Wright (1794-1866), Democratic

House of Representatives (5 seats)

• 1: Isaiah D. Clawson (1822-1879), Opposition
• 2: George R. Robbins (1808-1875), Opposition
• 3: James Bishop (1816-1895), Opposition
• 4: George Vail (1809-1875), Democratic
• 5: Alexander C. M. Pennington (1810-1867), Opposition

New York

Senate

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

House of Representatives (33 seats)

• 1: William W. Valk (1806-1879), American
• 2: James S. T. Stranahan (1808-1898), Opposition
• 3: Guy R. Pelton (1824-1890), Opposition
• 4: John Kelly (1822-1886), Democratic
• 5: Thomas R. Whitney (1807-1858), American
• 6: John Wheeler (1823-1906), Democratic
• 7: Thomas Child, Jr. (1818-1869), Opposition
• 8: Abram Wakeman (1824-1889), Opposition
• 9: Bayard Clarke (1815-1884), Opposition
• 10: Ambrose S. Murray (1807-1885), Opposition
• 11: Rufus H. King (1820-1890), Opposition
• 12: Killian Miller (1785-1859), Opposition
• 13: Russell Sage (1816-1906), Opposition
• 14: Samuel Dickson (1807-1858), Opposition
• 15: Edward Dodd (1805-1891), Opposition
• 16: George A. Simmons (1791-1857), Opposition
• 17: Francis E. Spinner (1802-1890), Democratic
• 18: Thomas R. Horton (1822-1894), Opposition
• 19: Jonas A. Hughston (1808-1862), Opposition
• 20: Orsamus B. Matteson (1805-1889), Opposition …resigned February 27, 1857
• 21: Henry Bennett (1808-1868), Opposition
• 22: Andrew Z. McCarty (1808-1879), Opposition
• 23: William A. Gilbert (1815-1875), Opposition …resigned February 28, 1857
• 24: Amos P. Granger (1789-1866), Opposition
• 25: Edwin B. Morgan (1806-1881), Opposition
• 26: Andrew Oliver (1815-1889), Democratic
• 27: John M. Parker (1805-1873), Opposition
• 28: William H. Kelsey (1812-1879), Opposition
• 29: John Williams (1807-1875), Democratic
• 30: Benjamin Pringle (1807-1887), Opposition
• 31: Thomas T. Flagler (1811-1897), Opposition
• 32: Solomon G. Haven (1810-1861), Opposition
• 33: Francis S. Edwards (1817-1899), American

North Carolina

Senate

• 2: David S. Reid (1813-1891), Democratic
• 3: Asa Biggs (1811-1878), Democratic

House of Representatives (8 seats)

• 1: Robert T. Paine (1812-1872), American
• 2: Thomas H. Ruffin (1820-1863), Democratic
• 3: Warren Winslow (1810-1862), Democratic
• 4: Lawrence O'Bryan Branch (1820-1862), Democratic
• 5: Edwin G. Reade (1812-1894), American
• 6: Richard C. Puryear (1801-1867), American
• 7: F. Burton Craige (1811-1875), Democratic
• 8: Thomas L. Clingman (1812-1897), Democratic

Ohio

Senate

• 1: Benjamin F. Wade (1800-1878), Opposition
• 3: George E. Pugh (1822-1876), Democratic

House of Representatives (21 seats)

• 1: Timothy C. Day (1819-1869), Opposition
• 2: John Scott Harrison (1804-1878), Opposition
• 3: Lewis D. Campbell (1811-1882), Opposition
• 4: Matthias H. Nichols (1824-1862), Opposition
• 5: Richard Mott (1804-1888), Opposition
• 6: Jonas R. Emrie (1812-1869), Opposition
• 7: Aaron Harlan (1802-1868), Opposition
• 8: Benjamin Stanton (1809-1872), Opposition
• 9: Cooper K. Watson (1810-1880), Opposition
• 10: Oscar F. Moore (1817-1885), Opposition
• 11: Valentine B. Horton (1802-1888), Opposition
• 12: Samuel Galloway (1811-1872), Opposition
• 13: John Sherman (1823-1900), Opposition
• 14: Philemon Bliss (1813-1889), Opposition
• 15: William R. Sapp (1804-1875), Opposition
• 16: Edward Ball (1811-1872), Opposition
• 17: Charles J. Albright (1816-1883), Opposition
• 18: Benjamin F. Leiter (1813-1866), Opposition
• 19: Edward Wade (1802-1866), Opposition
• 20: Joshua R. Giddings (1795-1864), Opposition
• 21: John A. Bingham (1815-1900), Opposition

Pennsylvania

Senate

• 1: Richard Brodhead (1811-1863), Democratic
• 3: William Bigler (1814-1880), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy in class, January 14, 1856

House of Representatives (25 seats)

• 1: Thomas B. Florence (1812-1875), Democratic
• 2: Job R. Tyson (1803-1858), Opposition
• 3: William Millward (1822-1871), Opposition
• 4: Jacob Broom (1808-1864), American
• 5: John Cadwalader (1805-1879), Democratic
• 6: John Hickman (1810-1875), Democratic
• 7: Samuel C. Bradshaw (1809-1872), Opposition
• 8: J. Glancey Jones (1811-1878), Democratic
• 9: Anthony E. Roberts (1803-1885), Opposition
• 10: John C. Kunkel (1816-1870), Opposition
• 11: James H. Campbell (1820-1895), Opposition
• 12: Henry M. Fuller (1820-1860), Opposition
• 13: Asa Packer (1805-1879), Democratic
• 14: Galusha A. Grow (1823-1907), Democratic
• 15: John J. Pearce (1826-1912), Opposition
• 16: Lemuel Todd (1817-1891), Opposition
• 17: David F. Robison (1816-1859), Opposition
• 18: John R. Edie (1814-1888), Opposition
• 19: John Covode (1808-1871), Opposition
• 20: Jonathan Knight (1787-1858), Opposition
• 21: David Ritchie (1812-1867), Opposition
• 22: Samuel A. Purviance (1809-1882), Opposition
• 23: John Allison (1812-1878), Opposition
• 24: David Barclay (1823-1889), Democratic
• 25: John Dick (1794-1872), Opposition

Rhode Island

Senate

• 1: Charles T. James (1805-1862), Democratic
• 2: Philip Allen (1785-1865), Democratic

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Nathaniel B. Durfee (1812-1872), American
• 2: Benjamin B. Thurston (1804-1886), American

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 …resigned July 16, 1856, subsequently elected to fill vacancy, seated August 6, 1856
• 4: Preston S. Brooks (1819-1857), Democratic …resigned July 14, 1856, subsequently elected to fill vacancy, seated August 1, 1856, died January 27, 1857
• 5: James L. Orr (1822-1873), Democratic
• 6: William W. Boyce (1818-1890), Democratic

Tennessee

Senate

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

House of Representatives (10 seats)

• 1: Albert G. Watkins (1818-1895), Democratic
• 2: William H. Sneed (1812-1869), American
• 3: Samuel A. Smith (1822-1863), Democratic
• 4: John H. Savage (1815-1904), Democratic
• 5: Charles Ready (1802-1878), American
• 6: George W. Jones (1806-1884), Democratic
• 7: John V. Wright (1828-1908), Democratic
• 8: Felix K. Zollicoffer (1812-1862), American
• 9: Emerson Etheridge (1819-1902), American
• 10: Thomas Rivers (1819-1863), American

Texas

Senate

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

House of Representatives (2 seats)

• 1: Lemuel D. Evans (1810-1877), American
• 2: Peter H. Bell (1812-1898), Democratic

Vermont

Senate

• 1: Solomon Foot (1802-1866), Opposition
• 3: Jacob Collamer (1791-1865), Opposition

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: James Meacham (1810-1856), Opposition …died August 23, 1856

  George T. Hodges (1789-1860), Republican …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 1, 1856

• 2: Justin S. Morrill (1810-1898), Opposition
• 3: Alvah Sabin (1793-1885), Opposition

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 …died June 23, 1856

  Muscoe R. H. Garnett (1821-1864), Democratic …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 1, 1856

• 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 S. Carlile (1817-1878), American
• 12: Henry A. Edmundson (1814-1890), Democratic
• 13: LaFayette McMullen (1805-1880), Democratic

Wisconsin

Senate

• 1: Henry Dodge (1782-1867), Democratic
• 3: Charles Durkee (1805-1870), Opposition

House of Representatives (3 seats)

• 1: Daniel Wells, Jr. (1808-1902), Democratic
• 2: Cadwallader C. Washburn (1818-1882), Opposition
• 3: Charles Billinghurst (1818-1865), Opposition

Delegates

Kansas Territory

• A/L: John W. Whitfield (1818-1879), Democratic

Minnesota Territory

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

Nebraska Territory

• A/L: Bird B. Chapman (1821-1871), Democratic

New Mexico Territory

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

  Miguel A. Otero (1829-1882), Democratic

Oregon Territory

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

Utah Territory

• A/L: John M. Bernhisel (1799-1881)

Washington Territory

• A/L: James P. Anderson (1822-1872), Democratic

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 Martin W. Bates, Delaware James A. Bayard, Jr., Delaware Asa Biggs, North Carolina (U.S. state) William Bigler, Pennsylvania 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) Henry Dodge, Wisconsin Stephen A. Douglas, Illinois (U.S. state) Josiah J. Evans, South Carolina Graham N. Fitch, Indiana Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Alabama (U.S. state)

G-R James S. Green, [[Missouri]] William M. Gwin, California (U.S. state) Hannibal Hamlin, Maine Robert M. T. Hunter, Virginia Alfred Iverson, Sr., Georgia Charles T. James, Rhode Island Robert W. Johnson, Arkansas (U.S. state) George W. Jones, Iowa Stephen R. Mallory, Florida James M. Mason, Virginia George E. Pugh, Ohio David S. Reid, North Carolina (U.S. state) Thomas J. Rusk, Texas

S-Z William K. Sebastian, Arkansas (U.S. state) John Slidell, Louisiana Charles E. Stuart, Michigan John R. Thomson, New Jersey Robert A. Toombs, Georgia Isaac Toucey, Connecticut Lyman Trumbull, Illinois (U.S. state) John B. Weller, California (U.S. state) William Wright, New Jersey David Levy Yulee, Florida

Opposition

A-F James Bell, New Hampshire John Bell, Tennessee Judah P. Benjamin, Louisiana John M. Clayton, Delaware Jacob Collamer, Vermont Joseph P. Comegys, Delaware John J. Crittenden, Kentucky Charles Durkee, Wisconsin William Pitt Fessenden, Maine Hamilton Fish, New York Solomon Foot, Vermont La Fayette S. Foster, Connecticut

G-R Henry S. Geyer, [[Missouri]] John P. Hale, New Hampshire James Harlan, Iowa James C. Jones, Tennessee Thomas G. Pratt, Maryland

S-Z William H. Seward, New York Charles Sumner, Massachusetts John B. Thompson, Kentucky Benjamin F. Wade, Ohio Henry Wilson, Massachusetts

American

Samuel Houston, Texas

Republican

Amos Nourse, Maine

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 (U.S. state) David Barclay, Pennsylvania William Barksdale, Mississippi Thomas H. Bayly, Virginia Peter H. Bell), Texas Hendley S. Bennett, Mississippi Thomas S. Bocock, Virginia Thomas F. Bowie, Maryland William W. Boyce, South Carolina Lawrence O'Bryan Branch, North Carolina (U.S. state) Preston S. Brooks, South Carolina Henry C. Burnett, Kentucky John Cadwalader, Pennsylvania John S. Caskie, Virginia Thomas L. Clingman, North Carolina (U.S. state) Howell Cobb, Georgia Williamson R. W. Cobb, Alabama (U.S. state) F. Burton Craige, North Carolina (U.S. state) Martin J. Crawford, Georgia D-E-F Thomas G. Davidson, Louisiana Jacob C. Davis, Illinois (U.S. state) James W. Denver, California (U.S. state) James F. Dowdell, Alabama (U.S. state) Henry A. Edmundson, Virginia John M. Elliott, Kentucky William H. English, Indiana Charles J. Faulkner, Virginia Thomas B. Florence, Pennsylvania Thomas J. D. Fuller, Maine

G-H-I Muscoe R. H. Garnett, Virginia William O. Goode, Virginia Alfred B. Greenwood, Arkansas (U.S. state) Galusha A. Grow, Pennsylvania Augustus Hall, Iowa Sampson W. Harris, Alabama (U.S. state) Thomas L. Harris, Illinois (U.S. state) Philemon T. Herbert, California (U.S. state) John Hickman, Pennsylvania George S. Houston, Alabama (U.S. state) J-K-L Joshua H. Jewett, Kentucky George W. Jones, Tennessee J. Glancey Jones, Pennsylvania Laurence M. Keitt, South Carolina John Kelly, New York Zedekiah Kidwell, Virginia John Letcher, Virginia John H. Lumpkin, Georgia M-N-O Samuel S. Marshall, Illinois (U.S. state) Augustus E. Maxwell, Florida LaFayette McMullen, Virginia John McQueen, South Carolina Smith Miller, Indiana John S. Millson, Virginia James L. D. Morrison, Illinois (U.S. state) Andrew Oliver, New York James L. Orr, South Carolina

P-Q-R Asa Packer, Pennsylvania George W. Peck, Michigan John S. Phelps, [[Missouri]] Paulus Powell, Virginia John A. Quitman, Mississippi William A. Richardson, Illinois (U.S. state) Thomas H. Ruffin, North Carolina (U.S. state) Albert Rust, Arkansas (U.S. state) S-T-U-V John M. Sandidge, Louisiana John H. Savage, Tennessee James L. Seward, Georgia Eli S. Shorter, Alabama (U.S. state) Samuel A. Smith, Tennessee William Smith, Virginia Francis E. Spinner, New York Alexander H. Stephens, Georgia James A. Stewart, Maryland Albert G. Talbott, Kentucky Miles Taylor, Louisiana George Vail, New Jersey W-X-Y-Z Hiram B. Warner, Georgia Albert G. Watkins, Tennessee Daniel Wells, Jr., Wisconsin John Wheeler, New York John Williams, New York Warren Winslow, North Carolina (U.S. state) Daniel B. Wright, Mississippi John V. Wright, Tennessee

American

A-B-C Thomas P. Akers, [[Missouri]] Nathaniel P. Banks, Massachusetts Jacob Broom, Pennsylvania James Buffinton, Massachusetts Anson Burlingame, Massachusetts John P. Campbell, Jr., Kentucky John S. Carlile, Virginia Calvin C. Chaffee, Massachusetts Ezra Clark, Jr., Connecticut Linus B. Comins, Massachusetts Leander M. Cox, Kentucky Aaron H. Cragin), New Hampshire Elisha D. Cullen, Delaware D-E-F William S. Damrell, Massachusetts Henry Winter Davis, Maryland Timothy Davis, Massachusetts Alexander De Witt, Massachusetts Sidney Dean, Connecticut Nathaniel B. Durfee, Rhode Island Francis S. Edwards, New York Emerson Etheridge, Tennessee George Eustis, Jr., Louisiana Lemuel D. Evans, Texas Nathaniel G. Foster, Georgia

G-H-I Robert B. Hall, Massachusetts J. Morrison Harris), Maryland Henry W. Hoffman, Maryland J-K-L Chauncey L. Knapp), Massachusetts William A. Lake, Mississippi M-N-O Alexander K. Marshall, Kentucky Humphrey Marshall, Kentucky

P-Q-R Robert T. Paine, North Carolina (U.S. state) James Pike, New Hampshire Richard C. Puryear, North Carolina (U.S. state) Edwin G. Reade, North Carolina (U.S. state) Charles Ready, Tennessee James B. Ricaud, Maryland Thomas Rivers, Tennessee S-T-U-V William R. Smith, Alabama (U.S. state) William H. Sneed, Tennessee Samuel F. Swope, Kentucky Mason W. Tappan, New Hampshire Benjamin B. Thurston, Rhode Island Mark Trafton, Massachusetts Robert P. Trippe, Georgia Warner L. Underwood, Kentucky William Valk, New York W-X-Y-Z Percy Walker, Alabama (U.S. state) William W. Welch, Connecticut Thomas R. Whitney, New York John Woodruff, Connecticut Felix K. Zollicoffer, Tennessee

Opposition

A-B-C Charles J. Albright, Ohio John Allison, Pennsylvania Edward Ball, Ohio Lucien Barbour, Indiana Henry Bennett, New York Samuel P. Benson, Maine Charles Billinghurst, Wisconsin John A. Bingham, Ohio James Bishop, New Jersey Philemon Bliss, Ohio Samuel C. Bradshaw, Pennsylvania Samuel Brenton, Indiana James H. Campbell, Pennsylvania Lewis D. Campbell, Ohio Samuel Caruthers, [[Missouri]] Thomas Child, Jr., New York Bayard Clarke, New York Isaiah D. Clawson, New Jersey Schuyler Colfax, Indiana John Covode, Pennsylvania William Cumback, Indiana D-E-F Timothy C. Day, Ohio John Dick, Pennsylvania Samuel Dickson, New York Edward Dodd, New York George G. Dunn, Indiana John R. Edie, Pennsylvania Jonas R. Emrie, Ohio Thomas T. Flagler, New York Henry M. Fuller, Pennsylvania

G-H-I Samuel Galloway, Ohio Joshua R. Giddings, Ohio William A. Gilbert, New York Amos P. Granger, New York Aaron Harlan, Ohio John Scott Harrison, Ohio Solomon G. Haven, New York David P. Holloway, Indiana Thomas R. Horton, New York Valentine B. Horton, Ohio William A. Howard, Michigan Jonas A. Hughston, New York J-K-L William H. Kelsey, New York Luther M. Kennett, [[Missouri]] Rufus H. King, New York Jonathan Knight, Pennsylvania Ebenezer Knowlton, Maine James Knox, Illinois (U.S. state) John C. Kunkel, Pennsylvania Benjamin F. Leiter, Ohio James J. Lindley, [[Missouri]] M-N-O Daniel Mace, Indiana Orsamus B. Matteson, New York Andrew Z. McCarty, New York James Meacham, Vermont John G. Miller, [[Missouri]] Killian Miller, New York William Millward, Pennsylvania Oscar F. Moore, Ohio Edwin B. Morgan, New York Justin S. Morrill), Vermont Richard Mott, Ohio Ambrose S. Murray, New York Matthias H. Nichols, Ohio Jesse O. Norton, Illinois (U.S. state) Mordecai Oliver), [[Missouri]]

P-Q-R John M. Parker, New York John J. Pearce, Pennsylvania Guy R. Pelton, New York Alexander C. M. Pennington, New Jersey John J. Perry, Maine John U. Pettit, Indiana Gilchrist Porter, [[Missouri]] Benjamin Pringle, New York Samuel A. Purviance, Pennsylvania David Ritchie, Pennsylvania George R. Robbins, New Jersey Anthony E. Roberts, Pennsylvania David F. Robison, Pennsylvania Alvah Sabin, Vermont S-T-U-V Russell Sage, New York William R. Sapp, Ohio Harvey D. Scott, Indiana John Sherman, Ohio George A. Simmons, New York Benjamin Stanton, Ohio James S. T. Stranahan), New York James Thorington, Iowa Lemuel Todd, Pennsylvania Job R. Tyson, Pennsylvania W-X-Y-Z Edward Wade, Ohio Abram Wakeman, New York David S. Walbridge, Michigan Henry Waldron, Michigan Cadwallader C. Washburn, Wisconsin Israel Washburn, Jr., Maine Elihu B. Washburne, Illinois (U.S. state) Cooper K. Watson, Ohio John M. Wood, Maine James H. Woodworth, Illinois (U.S. state)

Republican

George T. Hodges, Vermont

Membership Changes

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

Senate replacements: 2 Democrats (D) : no net change Opposition (O) : 2 seat net loss Republicans (R) : 1 seat net gain Americans (A) : 1 seat net gain deaths: 1 resignations: 1 interim appointments: 1 Total seats with changes: 10

House of Representatives replacements: 6 Democrats (D) : 2 seat net loss Opposition (O) : 3 seat net gain Free Soilers (FS) : 1 seat net loss deaths: 4 resignations: 5 contested election: 1 Total seats with changes: 10

Officers

Senate Secretary of the Senate: Asbury Dickens of North Carolina (U.S. state) elected December 12, 1836 Sergeant at Arms of the Senate: Dunning R. McNair of Pennsylvania, elected March 17, 1853 Chaplain of the Senate The Rev. Henry C. Dean, Methodist, elected December 4, 1855 The Rev. Stephen P. Hill, Baptist, elected December 8, 1856 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 William Cullom of Tennessee elected February 4, 1856 Sergeant at Arms of the House: Adam J. Glossbrenner of Pennsylvania, elected February 4, 1856 Doorkeeper of the House: Nathan Darling of New York, elected February 4, 1856 Postmaster of the House: Robert Morris, elected February 4, 1856 Messenger to the Speaker: Thaddeus Morrice Chaplain of the House The Rev. William H. Milburn, Methodist, elected December 5, 1853