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 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.
March 4, 1849: Zachary Taylor became President of the United States
December 22, 1849: Howell Cobb is elected Speaker after sixty-three ballots, the 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: Taylor died and Millard Fillmore became President.
September 9, 1850: Compromise of 1850, sess. 1, chs. 48-51, 9 Stat. 446 - 9 Stat. 458
September 18, 1850: Fugitive Slave Act, sess. 1, ch. 60, 9 Stat. 462
September 20, 1850: "An Act to suppress the Slave Trade in the District of Columbia," sess. 1, ch. 63, 9 Stat. 467
September 29, 1850: Donation Land Claim Act, sess. 1, ch. 76, 9 Stat. 496
States admitted and territories organized
September 9, 1850 — As part of the Compromise of 1850:
Texas's borders were changed, ch. 49, 9 Stat. 446
New Mexico Territory was organized, ch. 49, 9 Stat. 448
California was admitted as a state into the Union, ch. 50, 9 Stat. 452
Utah Territory was organized, ch. 51, 9 Stat. 453
During this Congress, two Senate seats were added for the new state of California.
During this Congress, two House seats were added for the new state of California.
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
Speaker: Howell Cobb (D)
Democratic Caucus Chairman: James Thompson
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
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.
Skip to House of Representatives, below
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: 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
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
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
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
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
Enrolled Bills
Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan
Chaplain: Henry Slicer (Methodist)
Clement M. Butler (Episcopalian), elected January 9, 1850
Secretary: Asbury Dickens
Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale
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
Sergeant at Arms: Adam J. Glossbrenner
