The Thirty-second 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, 1851 to March 4, 1853, during the third and fourth years of Millard Fillmore's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Sixth Census of the United States in 1840. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
March 20, 1852: Uncle Tom's Cabin published
July 1, 1852: Henry Clay was the first to lie in state in the United States Capitol rotunda
November 2, 1852: U.S. presidential election, 1852: Democrat Franklin Pierce defeated Whig Winfield Scott
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March 2, 1853: Washington Territory was formed from Oregon Territory.
President: Vacant (since the ascension of Millard Fillmore to U.S. President on July 9, 1850)
President pro tempore: William R. King (D), until December 20, 1852
David R. Atchison (D), from December 20, 1852
Speaker: Linn Boyd (D)
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 began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection 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: 8
Democrats (D): 1 seat net gain
Whigs (W): 1 seat net loss
deaths: 3
resignations: 6
interim appointments: 3
Total seats with changes: 13
replacements: 6
Democrats (D): 1 seat net loss
Whigs (W): 1 seat net gain
deaths: 2
resignations: 5
Total seats with changes: 7
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Agriculture
Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
Claims
Commerce
Contested Election of 1850
Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
District of Columbia
Emigrant Route and Telegraphic Line to California (Select)
Ether Discovery (Select)
Finance
Foreign Relations
French Spoilations (Select)
Indian Affairs
Judiciary
Manufactures
Mexican Boundary (Select)
Mexican Boundary Commission (Select)
Mexican Claims 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
Purchase of Catlin's Collection of Indian Scenes (Select)
Retrenchment
Revolutionary Claims
Roads and Canals
Tariff Regulation (Select)
Territories
Seventh Census (Select)
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
Architect of the Capitol: Thomas U. Walter, appointed June 11, 1851
Librarian of Congress: John Silva Meehan
Chaplain: Clement M. Butler (Episcopalian)
Secretary: Asbury Dickens elected December 12, 1836
Sergeant at Arms: Robert Beale, elected December 9, 1845
Chaplain: Littleton F. Morgan (Methodist), elected December 1, 1851
James Gallagher (Presbyterian), elected December 6, 1852
Clerk: John W. Forney
Doorkeeper: Zadock W. McKnew
Sergeant at Arms: Adam J. Glossbrenner
Postmaster: John M. Johnson
