30th United States Congress

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United States Capitol

The Thirtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States of America federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President James K. Polk.

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, and the House had a Whig majority.

Dates of sessions[edit]

March 4, 1847 - March 3, 1849

  • First session: December 6, 1847 - August 14, 1848.
  • Second session: December 4, 1848 - March 3, 1849.
  • Previous congress: 29th Congress
  • Next congress: 31st Congress

Party summary[edit]

Wisconsin was newly admitted to the Union and first represented as a state in this Congress.

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.

Senate

TOTAL members: 60

House of Representatives

TOTAL members: 230

Leadership[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives

Major events[edit]

Events of 1847, 1848 & 1849

Major legislation[edit]

List of United States federal legislation in the 30th Congress

Membership highlights by chamber[edit]

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.

Senate[edit]

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 in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.

Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin

House of Representatives[edit]

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
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin [1]

Delegates[edit]

Wisconsin Territory

Membership detail by state[edit]

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 in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1850; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1852; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1848.

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[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (7 seats)

Arkansas[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (1 seat)

Connecticut[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (4 seats)

Delaware[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (1 seat)

Florida[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (1 seat)

Georgia[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (8 seats)

Illinois[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (7 seats)

Indiana[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (10 seats)

Iowa[edit]

Senate
  • 3: Augustus C. Dodge]] (1812-1883), Democratic …newly admitted state, seated December 7, 1848.
  • 2: George W. Jones (1804-1896), Democratic …newly admitted state, seated December 7, 1848.

House of Representatives

Kentucky[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (10 seats)

Louisiana[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (4 seats)

Maine[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (7 seats)

Maryland[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (6 seats)

Massachusetts[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (10 seats)

Michigan[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (3 seats)

Mississippi[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (4 seats)

Missouri[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (5 seats)

New Hampshire[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (4 seats)

New Jersey[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (5 seats)

New York[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (34 seats)

North Carolina[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (9 seats)

Ohio[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (21 seats)

Pennsylvania[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (24 seats)

Rhode Island[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (2 seats)

South Carolina[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (7 seats)

Tennessee[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (11 seats)

Texas[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (2 seats)

Vermont[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (4 seats)

Virginia[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (15 seats)

Wisconsin[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives (2 seats) [2]

Delegates[edit]

Wisconsin Territory

Membership detail by Chamber/Party[edit]

The list below is arranged by chamber, then by political party. Members are shown in alphabetical order.

Senate[edit]

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress.

Democratic[edit]
A-F
G-L
M-R
S-Z
Whig[edit]
A-F
G-R
S-Z
Independent Democratic[edit]

House of Representatives[edit]

Members of the House of Representatives were elected by popular vote, variously to single member districts or at-large.

Democratic[edit]

A-B-C
D-E-F
G-H-I
J-K-L
M-N-O
P-Q-R
S-T-U-V
W-X-Y-Z

Whig[edit]

A-B-C
D-E-F
G-H-I
J-K-L
M-N-O
P-Q-R
S-T-U-V
W-X-Y-Z

American[edit]

Independent Democratic[edit]

Independent[edit]

Membership Changes[edit]

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

Senate
  • replacements: 11
  • deaths: 5
  • resignations: 6
  • interim appointments: 2
  • seats of newly admitted states: 4
  • Total seats with changes: ??
House of Representatives
  • replacements: 10
  • deaths: 7
  • resignations: 0
  • contested election: 1
  • seats of newly admitted states: 2
  • Total seats with changes: 12

Officers[edit]

Senate
House of Representatives

References[edit]

  1. Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket
  2. Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
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