28th United States Congress

The 28th 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, 1843, to March 4, 1845, during the third and fourth years of John Tyler's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1840 United States census. The Senate had a Whig majority, and the House had a Democratic majority.

Major events

• May 24, 1844: The first electrical telegram was sent by Samuel F. B. Morse from the U.S. Capitol to the B&O Railroad "outer depot" in Baltimore, Maryland, saying "What hath God wrought".
• December 4, 1844: U.S. presidential election, 1844: James K. Polk defeated Henry Clay

Major legislation

• January 23, 1845: Presidential Election Day Act, ch. 1,
• March 3, 1845: For the first time, Congress overrode a Presidential veto. An act relating to revenue cutters and steamers was thereby enacted as the last Act of the 28th Congress: session II, ch. 78, .

Treaties

• July 3, 1844: Treaty of Wanghia which was signed with the Qing Empire. The treaty established five U.S. treaty ports in China with extraterritoriality and was the first unequal treaty that the country imposed on the dynasty.

States admitted

• March 1, 1845: Resolution for the Annexation of Texas, (Admitted in the next Congress, December 29, 1845.)
• March 3, 1845: Florida admitted, . The statute also allowed for the provisional admission of Iowa, pending a referendum in that state. (Admitted in the next Congress, December 28, 1846.)

Party summary

Senate

During this congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of Florida.

House of Representatives

Following the 1840 United States census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats. During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida.

Leadership

Senate

• President: Vacant
• President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum (W)

House of Representatives

• Speaker: John W. Jones (D)

Members

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 ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1846; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.

Skip to House of Representatives, below

Alabama

2. William R. King (D), until April 15, 1844

: Dixon H. Lewis (D), from April 22, 1844

3. Arthur P. Bagby (D)

Arkansas

2. William S. Fulton (D), until August 15, 1844

: Chester Ashley (D), from November 8, 1844

3. Ambrose H. Sevier (D)

Connecticut

1. Jabez W. Huntington (W)

3. John M. Niles (D)

Delaware

1. Richard H. Bayard (W)

2. Thomas Clayton (W)

Florida

1: Vacant from March 3, 1845 admission

2: Vacant from March 3, 1845 admission

Georgia

2. John MacPherson Berrien (W)

3. Walter T. Colquitt (D)

Illinois

2. Samuel McRoberts (D), until March 27, 1843

: James Semple (D), from December 4, 1843

3. Sidney Breese (D)

Indiana

1. Albert S. White (W)

3. Edward A. Hannegan (D)

Kentucky

2. James T. Morehead (W)

3. John J. Crittenden (W)

Louisiana

2. Alexander Barrow (W)

3. Alexander Porter (W), until January 13, 1844

: Henry Johnson (W), from February 12, 1844

Maine

1. John Fairfield (D), from December 4, 1843

2. George Evans (W)

Maryland

1. William D. Merrick (W)

3. James A. Pearce (W)

Massachusetts

1. Rufus Choate (W)

2. Isaac C. Bates (W)

Michigan

1. Augustus S. Porter (W)

2. William Woodbridge (W)

Mississippi

1. John Henderson (W)

2. Robert J. Walker (D)

Missouri

1. Thomas H. Benton (D)

3. Lewis F. Linn (D), until October 3, 1843

: David R. Atchison (D), from October 14, 1843

New Hampshire

2. Levi Woodbury (D)

3. Charles G. Atherton (D)

New Jersey

1. William L. Dayton (W)

2. Jacob W. Miller (W)

New York

1. Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (W), until June 17, 1844

: Daniel S. Dickinson (D), from November 30, 1844

3. Silas Wright Jr. (D), until November 26, 1844

: Henry A. Foster (D), November 30, 1844 – January 27, 1845

: John A. Dix (D), from January 27, 1845

North Carolina

2. Willie P. Mangum (W)

3. William H. Haywood Jr. (D)

Ohio

1. Benjamin Tappan (D)

3. William Allen (D)

Pennsylvania

1. Daniel Sturgeon (D)

3. James Buchanan (D)

Rhode Island

1. William Sprague III (W), until January 17, 1844

: John B. Francis (LO), from January 25, 1844

2. James F. Simmons (W)

South Carolina

2. Daniel E. Huger (D), until March 3, 1845

3. George McDuffie (D)

Tennessee

1. Ephraim H. Foster (W), from October 17, 1843

2. Spencer Jarnagin (W), from October 17, 1843

Vermont

1. Samuel S. Phelps (W)

3. William Upham (W)

Virginia

1. William C. Rives (W)

2. William S. Archer (W)

House of Representatives

Representatives are listed by their district numbers.

Alabama

. James Dellet (W)

. James E. Belser (D)

. Dixon H. Lewis (D), until April 22, 1844

: William L. Yancey (D), from December 2, 1844

. William W. Payne (D)

. George S. Houston (D)

. Reuben Chapman (D)

. Felix G. McConnell (D)

Arkansas

. Edward Cross (D)

Connecticut

. Thomas H. Seymour (D)

. John Stewart (D)

. George S. Catlin (D)

. Samuel Simons (D)

Delaware

. George B. Rodney (W)

Florida

: Vacant from March 3, 1845 admission

Georgia

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Edward J. Black (D)

. Howell Cobb (D)

. Mark A. Cooper (D), until June 26, 1843

: Alexander H. Stephens (W), from October 2, 1843

. Hugh A. Haralson (D)

. John B. Lamar (D), until July 29, 1843

: Absalom H. Chappell (W), from October 2, 1843

. John H. Lumpkin (D)

. John Millen (D), until October 15, 1843

: Duncan L. Clinch (W), from February 15, 1844

. William H. Stiles (D)

Illinois

. Robert Smith (D)

. John A. McClernand (D)

. Orlando B. Ficklin (D)

. John Wentworth (D)

. Stephen A. Douglas (D)

. Joseph P. Hoge (D)

. John J. Hardin (W)

Indiana

. Robert D. Owen (D)

. Thomas J. Henley (D)

. Thomas Smith (D)

. Caleb B. Smith (W)

. William J. Brown (D)

. John W. Davis (D)

. Joseph A. Wright (D)

. John Pettit (D)

. Samuel C. Sample (W)

. Andrew Kennedy (D)

Kentucky

. Linn Boyd (D)

. Willis Green (W)

. Henry Grider (W)

. George A. Caldwell (D)

. James W. Stone (D)

. John White (W)

. William P. Thomasson (W)

. Garrett Davis (W)

. Richard French (D)

. John W. Tibbatts (D)

Louisiana

. John Slidell (D)

. Alcée L. La Branche (D)

. John B. Dawson (D)

. Pierre E. J. B. Bossier (D), until April 24, 1844

: Isaac E. Morse (D), from December 2, 1844

Maine

. Joshua Herrick (D)

. Robert P. Dunlap (D)

. Luther Severance (W)

. Freeman H. Morse (W)

. Benjamin White (D)

. Hannibal Hamlin (D)

. Shepard Cary (D) from May 10, 1844

Maryland

. John M. S. Causin (W)

. Francis Brengle (W)

. John Wethered (W)

. John P. Kennedy (W)

. Jacob A. Preston (W)

. Thomas A. Spence (W)

Massachusetts

. Robert C. Winthrop (W)

. Daniel P. King (W)

. Amos Abbott (W)

. William Parmenter (D)

. Charles Hudson (W)

. Osmyn Baker (W)

. Julius Rockwell (W)

. John Quincy Adams (W)

. Henry Williams (D)

. Barker Burnell (W), until June 15, 1843

: Joseph Grinnell (W), from December 7, 1843

Michigan

. Robert McClelland (D)

. Lucius Lyon (D)

. James B. Hunt (D)

Mississippi

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. William H. Hammett (D)

. Robert W. Roberts (D)

. Jacob Thompson (D)

. Tilghman M. Tucker (D)

Missouri

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Gustavus M. Bower (D)

. James B. Bowlin (D)

. James M. Hughes (D)

. John Jameson (D)

. James H. Relfe (D)

New Hampshire

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

. Edmund Burke (D)

. John P. Hale (D)

. Moses Norris Jr. (D)

. John R. Reding (D)

New Jersey

. Lucius Q. C. Elmer (D)

. George Sykes (D)

. Isaac G. Farlee (D)

. Littleton Kirkpatrick (D)

. William Wright (Ind. W)

New York

. Selah B. Strong (D)

. Henry C. Murphy (D)

. J. Phillips Phoenix (W)

. William B. Maclay (D)

. Moses G. Leonard (D)

. Hamilton Fish (W)

. Joseph H. Anderson (D)

. Richard D. Davis (D)

. James G. Clinton (D)

. Jeremiah Russell (D)

. Zadock Pratt (D)

. David L. Seymour (D)

. Daniel D. Barnard (W)

. Charles Rogers (W)

. Lemuel Stetson (D)

. Chesselden Ellis (D)

. Charles S. Benton (D)

. Preston King (D)

. Orville Hungerford (D)

. Samuel Beardsley (D), until February 29, 1844

: Levi D. Carpenter (D), from November 5, 1844

. Jeremiah E. Cary (D)

. Smith M. Purdy (D)

. Orville Robinson (D)

. Horace Wheaton (D)

. George O. Rathbun (D)

. Amasa Dana (D)

. Byram Green (D)

. Thomas J. Paterson (W)

. Charles H. Carroll (W)

. William S. Hubbell (D)

. Asher Tyler (W)

. William A. Moseley (W)

. Albert Smith (W)

. Washington Hunt (W)

North Carolina

. Thomas L. Clingman (W)

. Daniel M. Barringer (W)

. David S. Reid (D)

. Edmund Deberry (W)

. Romulus M. Saunders (D)

. James I. McKay (D)

. John R. J. Daniel (D)

. Archibald H. Arrington (D)

. Kenneth Rayner (W)

Ohio

. Alexander Duncan (D)

. John B. Weller (D)

. Robert C. Schenck (W)

. Joseph Vance (W)

. Emery D. Potter (D)

. Henry St. John (D)

. Joseph J. McDowell (D)

. John I. Vanmeter (W)

. Elias Florence (W)

. Heman Allen Moore (D), until April 3, 1844

: Alfred P. Stone (D), from October 8, 1844

. Jacob Brinkerhoff (D)

. Samuel F. Vinton (W)

. Perley B. Johnson (W)

. Alexander Harper (W)

. Joseph Morris (D)

. James Mathews (D)

. William C. McCauslen (D)

. Ezra Dean (D)

. Daniel R. Tilden (W)

. Joshua R. Giddings (W)

. Henry R. Brinkerhoff (D), until April 30, 1844

: Edward S. Hamlin (W), from October 8, 1844

Pennsylvania

. Edward Joy Morris (W)

. Joseph R. Ingersoll (W)

. John T. Smith (D)

. Charles J. Ingersoll (D)

. Jacob S. Yost (D)

. Michael H. Jenks (W)

. Abraham R. McIlvaine (W)

. Jeremiah Brown (W)

. John Ritter (D)

. Richard Brodhead (D)

. Benjamin A. Bidlack (D)

. Almon H. Read (D), until June 3, 1844

: George Fuller (D), from December 2, 1844

. Henry Frick (W), until March 1, 1844

: James Pollock (W), from April 5, 1844

. Alexander Ramsey (W)

. Henry Nes (Ind. D)

. James Black (D)

. James Irvin (W)

. Andrew Stewart (W)

. Henry D. Foster (D)

. John Dickey (W)

. William Wilkins (D), until February 14, 1844

: Cornelius Darragh (W), from March 26, 1844

. Samuel Hays (D)

. Charles M. Reed (W)

. Joseph Buffington (W)

Rhode Island

. Henry Y. Cranston (LO)

. Elisha R. Potter Jr. (LO)

South Carolina

. James A. Black (D)

. Richard F. Simpson (D)

. Joseph A. Woodward (D)

. John Campbell (D)

. Armistead Burt (D)

. Isaac E. Holmes (D)

. Robert Rhett (D)

Tennessee

. Andrew Johnson (D)

. William T. Senter (W)

. Julius W. Blackwell (D)

. Alvan Cullom (D)

. George W. Jones (D)

. Aaron V. Brown (D)

. David W. Dickinson (W)

. Joseph H. Peyton (W)

. Cave Johnson (D)

. John B. Ashe (W)

. Milton Brown (W)

Vermont

. Solomon Foot (W)

. Jacob Collamer (W)

. George P. Marsh (W)

. Paul Dillingham Jr. (D)

Virginia

. Archibald Atkinson (D)

. George C. Dromgoole (D)

. Walter Coles (D)

. Edmund W. Hubard (D)

. Thomas W. Gilmer (D), until February 16, 1844

: William L. Goggin (W), from April 25, 1844

. John W. Jones (D)

. Henry A. Wise (D), until February 12, 1844

: Thomas H. Bayly (D), from May 6, 1844

. Willoughby Newton (W)

. Samuel Chilton (W)

. William Lucas (D)

. William Taylor (D)

. Augustus A. Chapman (D)

. George W. Hopkins (D)

. George W. Summers (W)

. Lewis Steenrod (D)

Non-voting members

. David Levy Yulee (D), until March 3, 1845

. Augustus C. Dodge (D)

. Henry Dodge (D)

Changes in membership

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): 1 seat net loss
• Law and Order (LO): 1 seat net gain
• Deaths: 3
• Resignations: 5
• Interim appointments: 1
• Total seats with changes: 10

|- | Tennessee<br>(1) | Vacant | Senator Alfred O. P. Nicholson (D) resigned in 26th Congress.<br/>Successor elected October 17, 1843. | | Ephraim H. Foster (W) | Elected October 17, 1843

|- | Tennessee<br>(2) | Vacant | Failure to elect.<br/>Successor elected October 17, 1843. | | Spencer Jarnagin (W) | Elected October 17, 1843

|- | Maine<br>(1) | Vacant | Senator Reuel Williams (D) resigned in previous congress.<br/>Successor elected December 4, 1843. | | John Fairfield (D) | Elected December 4, 1843

|- | Louisiana<br>(3) | | Alexander Porter (W) | Elected but, due to ill health, never took his seat.<br/>Incumbent died January 13, 1844.<br/>Successor elected February 12, 1844. | | Henry Johnson (W) | Elected February 12, 1844

|- | Illinois<br>(2) | | Samuel McRoberts (D) | Died March 27, 1843.<br/>Successor appointed December 4, 1843, to continue the term until an election.<br/>Appointee was later elected, on an unknown date. | | James Semple (D) | Seated December 4, 1843

|- | Missouri<br>(3) | | Lewis F. Linn (D) | Died October 3, 1843.<br/>Successor appointed October 14, 1843, to continue the term until an election.<br/>Appointee was later elected, on an unknown date in 1843. | | David R. Atchison (D) | Seated October 14, 1843

|- | Rhode Island<br>(1) | | William Sprague (W) | Resigned January 17, 1844.<br/>Successor elected January 25, 1844. | | John B. Francis (LO) | Seated January 25, 1844

|- | Alabama<br>(2) | | William R. King (D) | Resigned April 15, 1844, after being appointed U.S. Minister to France.<br/>Successor appointed April 22, 1844, to finish the term. | | Dixon H. Lewis (D) | Seated April 22, 1844

|- | New York<br>(1) | | Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (W) | Resigned June 17, 1844, after being appointed Governor of Wisconsin Territory.<br/>Successor was appointed November 30, 1945.<br/>Appointee was later elected January 18, 1845. | | Daniel S. Dickinson (D) | Seated December 9, 1844

|- | Arkansas<br>(2) | | William S. Fulton (D) | Died August 15, 1844.<br/>Successor elected November 8, 1844. | | Chester Ashley (D) | Seated November 8, 1844

|- | New York<br>(3) | | Silas Wright (D) | Resigned November 26, 1844, after being elected Governor of New York.<br/>Successor appointed November 30, 1945. | | Henry A. Foster (D) | Seated December 9, 1844

|- | New York<br>(3) | | Henry A. Foster (D) | Appointee was not nominated for election.<br/>Successor elected January 18, 1845. | | John A. Dix (D) | Seated January 27, 1845

|- | South Carolina<br>(2) | | Daniel E. Huger (D) | Resigned March 3, 1845 | Vacant | Not filled this term

|- | Florida<br>(1) | colspan=2 | New state: Florida admitted to the Union March 3, 1845.<br/>First Senator wasn't elected until the next Congress. | Vacant | Not filled this term

|- | Florida<br>(2) | colspan=2 | New state: Florida admitted to the Union March 3, 1845.<br/>First Senator wasn't elected until the next Congress. | Vacant | Not filled this term

House of Representatives

• Replacements: 14
• Democrats (D): 6 seat net loss
• Whigs (W): 6 seat net gain
• Deaths: 7
• Resignations: 7
• Contested election: 0
• Total seats with changes: 16

|- | | | Barker Burnell (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died June 15, 1843 | | Joseph Grinnell (W) | Seated December 7, 1843 |- | | | Mark A. Cooper (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned June 26, 1843, to become candidate for Governor of Georgia | | Alexander H. Stephens (W) | Seated October 2, 1843 |- | | | John B. Lamar (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned July 29, 1843 | | Absalom H. Chappell (W) | Seated October 2, 1843 |- | | | John Millen (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died October 15, 1843 | | Duncan L. Clinch (W) | Seated February 15, 1844 |- | | | Henry A. Wise (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 12, 1844, after being appointed Minister to Brazil | | Thomas H. Bayly (D) | Seated May 6, 1844 |- | | | William Wilkens (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 14, 1844, after being appointed United States Secretary of War | | Cornelius Darragh (W) | Seated March 26, 1844 |- | | | Thomas W. Gilmer (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 16, 1844, after being appointed United States Secretary of the Navy | | William L. Goggin (W) | Seated April 25, 1844 |- | | | Henry Frick (W) | style="font-size:80%" | Died March 1, 1844 | | James Pollock (W) | Seated April 5, 1844 |- | | | Heman A. Moore (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 3, 1844 | | Alfred P. Stone (D) | Seated October 8, 1844 |- | | | Dixon H. Lewis (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned April 22, 1844, after being appointed US Senator | | William L. Yancey (D) | Seated December 2, 1844 |- | | | Pierre Bossier (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 24, 1844 | | Isaac E. Morse (D) | Seated December 2, 1844 |- | | | Samuel Beardsley (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Resigned February 29, 1844, after being appointed associate judge of New York Supreme Court | | Levi D. Carpenter (D) | Seated November 5, 1844 |- | | | Henry R. Brinkerhoff (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died April 30, 1844 | | Edward S. Hamlin (W) | Seated October 8, 1844 |- | | | Almon H. Read (D) | style="font-size:80%" | Died June 3, 1844 | | George Fuller (D) | Seated December 2, 1844 |- | | | David L. Yulee (D) | colspan=3 style="font-size:80%" | Seat was eliminated when Florida achieved statehood March 3, 1845 |- | nowrap | | colspan=2 style="font-size:80%" | Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845 | Vacant | Not filled this term

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

• Enrolled Bills
• The Library
• Smithsonian Bequest

Employees

• Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan

Senate

• Chaplain: Septimus Tustin (Presbyterian)
• Secretary: Asbury Dickins
• Sergeant at Arms: Edward Dyer

House of Representatives

• Chaplain: Isaac S. Tinsley (Baptist), elected December 16, 1843
• William M. Daily (Methodist), from December 4, 1844
• Clerk: Matthew St. Clair Clarke, until December 7, 1843
• Caleb J. McNulty, elected December 7, 1843
• Benjamin B. French, elected January 18, 1845
• Doorkeeper: Jesse E. Dow, elected December 7, 1843
• Postmaster: William J. McCormick, until January 4, 1844
• John M. Johnson, from January 4, 1844
• Reading Clerks:
• Sergeant at Arms: Eleazor M. Townsend, until December 8, 1843
• Newton Lane, from December 8, 1843

See also

• 1842 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
• 1842–43 United States Senate elections
• 1842–43 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1844 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
• 1844 United States presidential election
• 1844–45 United States Senate elections
• 1844–45 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