The Twenty-sixth 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, 1839 to March 4, 1841, during the third and fourth years of Martin Van Buren's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Fifth Census of the United States in 1830. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
1839: The first state law permitting women to own property was passed in Jackson, Mississippi
January 19, 1840: Captain Charles Wilkes circumnavigated Antarctica, claiming what becomes known as Wilkes Land for the United States.
November 7, 1840: U.S. presidential election, 1840: William Henry Harrison defeated Martin Van Buren
February 18, 1841: The first ongoing filibuster in the United States Senate began and lasted until March 11
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President: Richard M. Johnson (D)
President pro tempore: William R. King (D)
Speaker: Robert M.T. Hunter (D)
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
Skip to House of Representatives, below
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 with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1844; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1840; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1842.
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.
Replacements: 8
Democrats: 0-seat net loss
Whigs: 0-seat net gain
Deaths: 3
Resignations: 7
Interim appointments: 0
Total seats with changes: 11
Replacements: 15
Democrats: 2-seat net loss
Whigs: 3-seat net gain
Anti-Masonic: 1-seat net loss
Deaths: 6
Resignations: 10
Contested election: 0
Total seats with changes: 17
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Agriculture
Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
Bank Note Circulation
Bankruptcy (Select)
Claims
Commerce
Debts of the States (Select)
Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
District of Columbia
Finance
Fishing Bounties and Allowances (Select)
Florida and Its Admission to the Union (Select)
Foreign Relations
Indian Affairs
Judiciary
Manufactures
Mileage of Members of Congress (Select)
Military Affairs
Militia
Naval Affairs
Patents and the Patent Office
Pensions
Post Office and Post Roads
Private Land Claims
Public Buildings and Grounds
Public Lands
Revolutionary Claims
Roads and Canals
Tariff Regulation (Select)
Washington City Charter (Select)
Whole
Accounts
Agriculture
Claims
Commerce
District of Columbia
Elections
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 (Select)
Standards of Official Conduct
Territories
Ways and Means
Whole
Enrolled Bills
Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan
Chaplain: George G. Cookman (Methodist)
Secretary: Asbury Dickens
Sergeant at Arms: Stephen Haight
Chaplain:
Joshua Bates (Congregationalist), elected February 4, 1840
Thomas W. Braxton (Baptist), elected December 7, 1840
Clerk: Hugh A. Garland
Doorkeeper: Joseph Follansbee
Postmaster: William J. McCormick
Sergeant at Arms: Roderick Dorsey
