47th United States Congress

United States Capitol

The Forty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the United States national legislature, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883, during the administration of U.S. President James A. Garfield, and the first year of the administration of his successor, U.S. President Chester A. Arthur.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Eighth Census of the United States in 1870. Both chambers had a Republican majority.

Dates of Sessions

March 4, 1881â€"March 3, 1883
*Special session of the Senate: March 4, 1881 â€" May 20, 1881
*Special session of the Senate: October 10, 1881 â€" October 29, 1881
*First session: December 5, 1881 - August 8, 1882
*Second session: December 4, 1882 - March 3, 1883 â€" a lame duck sessionPrevious congress: 46th Congress
Next congress: 48th Congress

Major events

Main article: Events of 1881; Events of 1882; Events of 1883

Major legislation

Party summary

Senate

*Republicans: 37
*Democrats: 37
*Readjuster: 1
*Independent: 1
*TOTAL: 76

House of Representatives

*Republicans: 151
*Democrats: 128
*Greenbacks: 10
*Readjuster Democrats: 2
*Independent Democrats: 1
*Independent: 1
*TOTAL members: 293
*TOTAL delegates: 8

Leadership

Senate

*President of the Senate (Vice President of the United States):
** Chester A. Arthur, (R) of New York, to September 20, 1881
** vacant after September 20, 1881
*President pro Tempore:
** Thomas F. Bayard, Democrat of Delaware, first elected October 10, 1881.
** David Davis, (R) of Illinois, first elected October 13, 1881.
** George F. Edmunds, (R) of Vermont, first elected March 3, 1883.
*Democratic Caucus Chairman:
** George Pendleton, Democrat of Ohio.
*Republican Conference Chairman:
** Henry B. Anthony, (R) of Rhode Island.

House of Representatives

* Speaker of the House of Representatives:
** J. Warren Keifer, (R) of Ohio, elected December 5, 1881.
*Democratic Caucus Chairman:
** John F. House, Democrat of Tennessee.
*Republican Conference Chairman:
** George M. Robeson, (R) of New Jersey.

Members

At this time, Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Nearly all of the members of the House of Representatives were elected to single member districts, by popular vote.

See also: Forty-seventh United States Congress - State DelegationsSee also: Forty-seventh United States Congress - Political PartiesSee also: United States House election, 1880

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district. Also listed at the end are the delegates from the then-existing organized territories.

Senate

:Alabama
* John T. Morgan (D)
* James L. Pugh (D)

Arkansas
* Augustus H. Garland (D)
* James D. Walker (D)

California
* James T. Farley (D)
* John F. Miller (R)

Colorado
* Henry M. Teller (R) …resigned April 17, 1882.
*: George M. Chilcott (R) …appointed to fill vacancy, seated April 17, 1882.
*: Horace A.W. Tabor (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated February 2, 1883.
* Nathaniel P. Hill (R)

Connecticut
* Orville H. Platt (R) …resigned May 16, 1881.
* Joseph R. Hawley (R)

Delaware
* Thomas F. Bayard, Sr. (D)
* Eli M. Saulsbury (D)

Florida
* Charles W. Jones (D)
* Wilkinson Call (D)

Georgia
* Benjamin H. Hill (D) …died August 16, 1882.
*: M. Pope Barrow (D) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1882.
* Joseph E. Brown (D)

Illinois
* David Davis (Independent)
* John A. Logan (R)

Indiana
* Daniel W. Voorhees (D)
* Benjamin Harrison (R)

Iowa
* William B. Allison (R)
* Samuel J. Kirkwood (R) …resigned March 7, 1881.
*: James W. McDill (R) …appointed to fill vacancy, seated March 14, 1881, subsequently elected.

Kansas
* John J. Ingalls (R)
* Preston B. Plumb (R)

Kentucky
* James B. Beck (D)
* John S. Williams (D)

Louisiana
* William Pitt Kellogg (R)
* Benjamin F. Jonas (D)

Maine
* James G. Blaine (R) …resigned March 5, 1881.
*: William P. Frye (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated March 18, 1881.
* Eugene Hale (R)

Maryland
* James B. Groome (D)
* Arthur Pue Gorman (D)

Massachusetts
* Henry L. Dawes (R)
* George F. Hoar (R)

Michigan
* Thomas W. Ferry (R)
* Omar D. Conger (R)

Minnesota
* Samuel J.R. McMillan (R)
* William Windom (R) …resigned March 4, 1881, reelected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881..
*: Alonzo J. Edgerton (R) …appointed to fill vacancy, seated March 17, 1881.

Mississippi
* Lucius Q.C. Lamar (D)
* James Z. George (D)

Missouri
* Francis M. Cockrell (D)
* George G. Vest (D)

Nebraska
* Alvin Saunders (R)
* Charles H. Van Wyck (R)

Nevada
* John P. Jones (R)
* James G. Fair (D)

New Hampshire
* Edward H. Rollins (R)
* Henry W. Blair (R)

New Jersey
* John R. McPherson (D)
* William J. Sewell (R)

New York
* Roscoe Conkling (R) …resigned May 16, 1881.
*: Elbridge G. Lapham (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated October 11, 1881.
* Thomas C. Platt (R) …resigned May 16, 1881.
*: Warner Miller (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated October 11, 1881.

North Carolina
* Matt W. Ransom (D)
* Zebulon B. Vance (D)

Ohio
* George H. Pendleton (D)
* John Sherman (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated March 4, 1881.

Oregon
* La Fayette Grover (D)
* James H. Slater (D)

Pennsylvania
* J. Donald Cameron (R)
* John I. Mitchell (R)

Rhode Island
* Henry B. Anthony (R)
* Ambrose E. Burnside (R) …died September 13, 1881.
*: Nelson W. Aldrich (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated October 11, 1881.

South Carolina
* Matthew C. Butler (D)
* Wade Hampton, III (D)

Tennessee
* Isham G. Harris (D)
* Howell E. Jackson (D)

Texas
* Samuel B. Maxey (D)
* Richard Coke (D)

Vermont
* George F. Edmunds (R)
* Justin S. Morrill (R)

Virginia
* John W. Johnston (D)
* William Mahone (Readjuster)

West Virginia
* Henry G. Davis (D)
* Johnson N. Camden (D)

Wisconsin
* Angus Cameron (R) …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress, seated March 14, 1881.
* Philetus Sawyer (R)

House of Representatives

:Alabama
*1. Thomas H. Herndon (D)
*2. Hilary A. Herbert (D)
*3. William C. Oates (D)
*4. Charles M. Shelley (D) …contested election, elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1882.
*5. Thomas Williams (D)
*6. Goldsmith W. Hewitt (D)
*7. William H. Forney (D)
*8. Joseph Wheeler (D) …contested election, served until June 3, 1882, subsequently elected to fill vacancy, seated January 15, 1883]].
*: William M. Lowe (Greenback) …contested election, seated June 3, 1882, subsequently died August 12, 1882.

Arkansas
*1. Poindexter Dunn (D)
*2. James K. Jones (D)
*3. Jordan E. Cravens (D)
*4. Thomas M. Gunter (D)

California
*1. W.S. Rosecrans (D)
*2. Horace F. Page (R)
*3. Campbell P. Berry (D)
*4. Romualdo Pacheco (R)

Colorado
*A/L. James B. Belford (R)

Connecticut
*1. John R. Buck (R)
*2. James Phelps (D)
*3. John T. Wait (R)
*4. Frederick Miles (R)

Delaware
*A/L. Edward L. Martin (D)

Florida
*1. Robert H.M. Davidson (D)
*2. Horatio Bisbee, Jr. (R) …contested election, seated June 1, 1882.
*: Jesse J. Finley (D) …contested election, served until June 1, 1882.

Georgia
*1. George R. Black (D)
*2. Henry G. Turner (D)
*3. Philip Cook (D)
*4. Hugh Buchanan (D)
*5. Nathaniel J. Hammond (D)
*6. James H. Blount (D)
*7. Judson C. Clements (D)
*8. Alexander H. Stephens (D) …resigned November 4, 1882.
*: Seaborn Reese (D) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1882.
*9. Emory Speer (Independent D)

Illinois
*1. William Aldrich (R)
*2. George R. Davis (R)
*3. Charles B. Farwell (R)
*4. John C. Sherwin (R)
*5. Robert M.A. Hawk (R) …died June 29, 1882.
*: Robert R. Hitt (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 4, 1882.
*6. Thomas J. Henderson (R)
*7. William Cullen (R)
*8. Lewis E. Payson (R)
*9. John H. Lewis (R)
*10. Benjamin F. Marsh (R)
*11. James W. Singleton (D)
*12. William M. Springer (D)
*13. Dietrich C. Smith (R)
*14. Joseph G. Cannon (R)
*15. Samuel W. Moulton (D)
*16. William A.J. Sparks (D)
*17. William R. Morrison (D)
*18. John R. Thomas (R)
*19. Richard W. Townshend (D)

Indiana
*1. William Heilman (R)
*2. Thomas R. Cobb (D)
*3. Strother M. Stockslager (D)
*4. William S. Holman (D)
*5. Courtland C. Matson (D)
*6. Thomas M. Browne (R)
*7. Stanton J. Peelle (R)
*8. Robert B. F. Peirce (R)
*9. Godlove S. Orth (R) …died December 16, 1882.
*: Charles T. Doxey (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated January 17, 1883.
*10. Mark L. De Motte (R)
*11. George W. Steele (R)
*12. Walpole G. Colerick (D)
*13. William H. Calkins (R)

Iowa
*1. Moses A. McCoid (R)
*2. Sewall S. Farwell (R)
*3. Thomas Updegraff (R)
*4. Nathaniel C. Deering (R)
*5. William G. Thompson (R)
*6. M.E. Cutts (R) …contested election, served until March 3, 1883.
*: John C. Cook (D) …contested eelection, seated March 3, 1883.
*7. John A. Kasson (R)
*8. W.P. Hepburn (R)
*9. Cyrus C. Carpenter (R)

Kansas
*1. John A. Anderson (R)
*2. Dudley C. Haskell (R)
*3. Thomas Ryan (R)

Kentucky
*1. Oscar Turner (Independent D)
*2. James A. McKenzie (D)
*3. John W. Caldwell (D)
*4. J. Proctor Knott (D)
*5. Albert S. Willis (D)
*6. John G. Carlisle (D)
*7. Joseph C.S. Blackburn (D)
*8. Philip B. Thompson, Jr. (D)
*9. John D. White (R)
*10. Elijah C. Phister (D)

Louisiana
*1. Randall L. Gibson (D)
*2. E.J. Ellis (D)
*3. C.B. Darrall (R)
*4. Newton C. Blanchard (D)
*5. J. Floyd King (D)
*6. E.W. Robertson (D)

Maine
*1. Thomas B. Reed (R)
*2. William P. Frye (R) …resigned March 17, 1881.
*: Nelson, Dingley, Jr. (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881.
*3. Stephen D. Lindsey (R)
*4. George W. Ladd (Greenback)
*5. Thompson H. Murch (Greenback)

Maryland
*1. George W. Covington (D)
*2. J. Frederick C. Talbott (D)
*3. Fetter S. Hoblitzell (D)
*4. Robert Milligan McLane (D)
*5. Andrew G. Chapman (D)
*6. Milton G. Urner (R)

Massachusetts
*. William W. Crapo (R)
*. Benjamin W. Harris (R)
*. Ambrose A. Ranney (R)
*. Leopold Morse (D)
*. Selwyn Z. Bowman (R)
*. Eben F. Stone (R)
*. William A. Russell (R)
*. John W. Candler (R)
*. William W. Rice (R)
*. Amasa Norcross (R)
*. George D. Robinson (R)

Michigan
*1. Henry W. Lord (R)
*2. Edwin Willits (R)
*3. Edward S. Lacey (R)
*4. Julius C. Burrows (R)
*5. George W. Webber (R)
*6. Oliver L. Spaulding (R)
*7. John T. Rich (R) …elected to fill vacancy from preceding Congress, seated December 5, 1881.
*8. Roswell G. Horr (R)
*9. Jay A. Hubbell (R)

Minnesota
*1. Mark H. Dunnell (R)
*2. Horace B. Strait (R)
*3. William D. Washburn (R)

Mississippi
*1. H.L. Muldrow (D)
*2. Vannoy H. Manning (D)
*3. Hernando D. Money (D)
*4. O.R. Singleton (D)
*5. Charles E. Hooker (D)
*6. James R. Chalmers (D) …contested election, served until April 29, 1882.
*: John R. Lynch (R) …contested election, seated April 29, 1882.

Missouri
*1. Martin L. Clardy (D)
*2. Thomas Allen (D) …died April 8, 1882.
*: James H. McLean (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 15, 1882.
*3. R. Graham Frost (D) …contested election, served until March 2, 1883.
*: Gustavus Sessinghaus (R) …contested election, seated March 2, 1883.
*4. Lowndes H. Davis (D)
*5. Richard P. Bland (D)
*6. Ira S. Hazeltine (Greenback)
*7. Theron M. Rice (Greenback)
*8. Robert T. Van Horn (R)
*9. Nicholas Ford (Greenback)
*10. Joseph H. Burrows (Greenback)
*11. John B. Clark, Jr. (D)
*12. William H. Hatch (D)
*13. Aylett H. Buckner (D)

Nebraska
*A/L. Edward K. Valentine (R)

Nevada
*A/L. George W. Cassidy (D)

New Hampshire
*1. Joshua G. Hall (R)
*2. James F. Briggs (R)
*3. Ossian Ray (R) …elected to fill vacancy from prceding Congress, seated March 4, 1879.

New Jersey
*1. George M. Robeson (R)
*2. John Hart Brewer (R)
*3. Miles Ross (D)
*4. Henry S. Harris (D)
*5. John Hill (R)
*6. Phineas Jones (R)
*7. Augustus A. Hardenbergh (D)

New York
*1. Perry Belmont (D)
*2. William E. Robinson (D)
*3. J. Hyatt Smith (Independent)
*4. Archibald M. Bliss (D)
*5. Benjamin Wood (D)
*6. Samuel S. Cox (D)
*7. Philip H. Dugro (D)
*8. Anson G. McCook (R)
*9. John Hardy (D) …elected to fill vacancy in preceding Congress, seated December 5, 1881.
*10. Abram S. Hewitt (D)
*11. Roswell P. Flower (D) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881.
*: Levi P. Morton (R) …resigned March 21, 1881.
*12. Waldo Hutchins (D)
*13. John H. Ketcham (R)
*14. Lewis Beach (D)
*15. Thomas Cornell (R)
*16. Michael N. Nolan (D)
*17. Walter A. Wood (R)
*18. John Hammond (R)
*19. Abraham X. Parker (R)
*20. George West (R)
*21. Ferris Jacobs, Jr. (R)
*22. Warner Miller (R) …resigned July 26, 1881.
*: Charles R. Skinner (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881.
*23. Cyrus D. Prescott (R)
*24. Joseph Mason (R)
*25. Frank Hiscock (R)
*26. John H. Camp (R)
*27. Elbridge G. Lapham (R) …resigned July 29, 1881.
*: James W. Wadsworth, Sr. (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881.
*28. Jeremiah W. Dwight (R)
*29. David P. Richardson (R)
*30. John Van Voorhis (R)
*31. Richard Crowley (R)
*32. Jonathan Scoville (D)
*33. Henry Van Aernam (R)

North Carolina
*1. Louis C. Latham (D)
*2. Orlando Hubbs (R)
*3. John W. Shackelford (D) …died January 18, 1883.
*4. William R. Cox (D)
*5. Alfred M. Scales (D)
*6. Clement Dowd (D)
*7. Robert F. Armfield (D)
*8. Robert B. Vance (D)

Ohio
*1. Benjamin Butterworth (R)
*2. Thomas L. Young (R)
*3. Henry Lee Morey (R)
*4. Emanuel Shultz (R)
*5. Benjamin Le Fevre (D)
*6. James M. Ritchie (R)
*7. John P. Leedom (D)
*8. J. Warren Keifer (R)
*9. James S. Robinson (R)
*10. John B. Rice (R)
*11. Henry S. Neal (R)
*12. George L. Converse (D)
*13. Gibson Atherton (D)
*14. George W. Geddes (D)
*15. Rufus Dawes (R)
*16. Jonathan T. Updegraff (R) …died November 30, 1882, before Congress assembled.
*: Joseph D. Taylor (R) …elected to fill vacancy, seated January 16, 1883.
*17. William, McKinley, Jr. (R)
*18. Addison S. McClure (R)
*19. Ezra B. Taylor (R)
*20. Amos Townsend (R)

Oregon
*A/L. M.C. George (R)

Pennsylvania
*1. Henry H. Bingham (R)
*2. Charles O'Neill (R)
*3. Samuel J. Randall (D)
*4. William D. Kelley (R)
*5. Alfred C. Harmer (R)
*6. William Ward (R)
*7. William Godshalk (R)
*8. Daniel Ermentrout (D)
*9. A. Herr Smith (R)
*10. William Mutchler (D)
*11. Robert Klotz (D)
*12. Joseph A. Scranton (R)
*13. Charles N. Brumm (R)
*14. Samuel F. Barr (R)
*15. Cornelius C. Jadwin (R)
*16. Robert J.C. Walker (R)
*17. Jacob M. Campbell (R)
*18. Horatio G. Fisher (R)
*19. Frank E. Beltzhoover (D)
*20. Andrew G. Curtin (D)
*21. Morgan R. Wise (D)
*22. Russell Errett (R)
*23. Thomas M. Bayne (R)
*24. William S. Shallenberger (R)
*25. James Mosgrove (Greenback)
*26. Samuel H. Miller (R)
*27. Lewis F. Watson (R)

Rhode Island
*1. Nelson W. Aldrich (R) …resigned October 4, 1881.
*: Henry J. Spooner (R) ..elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881.
*2. Jonathan Chace (R)

South Carolina
*1. John S. Richardson (D)
*2. Michael P. O'Connor (D) …died April 26, 1881.
*: Samuel Dibble (D) …elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1881, served until May 31, 1882.
*: Edmund W.M. Mackey (Independent R) …contested Election, seated May 31, 1882.
*3. D. Wyatt Aiken (D)
*4. John H. Evins (D)
*5. George D. Tillman (D) …contested election, served until July 19, 1882.
*: Robert Smalls (R) …contested election, seated July 19, 1882.

Tennessee
*1. A.H. Pettibone (R)
*2. L.C. Houk (R)
*3. George G. Dibrell (D)
*4. Benton McMillin (D)
*5. Richard Warner (D)
*6. John F. House (D)
*7. W.C. Whitthorne (D)
*8. J.D.C. Atkins (D)
*9. C.B. Simonton (D)
*10. William R. Moore (R)

Texas
*1. John H. Reagan (D)
*2. D.B. Culberson (D)
*3. Olin Wellborn (D)
*4. Roger Q. Mills (D)
*5. George Washington Jones (Greenback''
*6. Christopher C. Upson (D)

Vermont
*1. Charles H. Joyce (R)
*2. James M. Tyler (R)
*3. William W. Grout (R)

Virginia
*1. George T. Garrison (D)
*2. John F. Dezendorf (R)
*3. George D. Wise (D)
*4. Joseph Jorgensen (R)
*5. George C. Cabell (D)
*6. John Randolph Tucker (D)
*7. John Paul (D)
*8. John S. Barbour, Jr. (D)
*9. Abram Fulkerson (D)

West Virginia
*1. Benjamin Wilson (D)
*2. John Blair Hoge (D)
*3. John E. Kenna (D)

Wisconsin
*1. Charles G. Williams (R)
*2. Lucien B. Caswell (R)
*3. George C. Hazelton (R)
*4. Peter V. Deuster (D)
*5. Edward S. Bragg (D)
*6. Richard W. Guenther (R)
*7. Herman L. Humphrey (R)
*8. Thaddeus C. Pound (R)

Delegates

:Arizona Territory
* Granville H. Oury (D)

Dakota Territory
* Richard F. Pettigrew (R)

Idaho Territory
* George Ainslie (D)

Montana Territory
* Martin Maginnis (D)

New Mexico Territory
* Tranquilino Luna (R)

Utah Territory
* John T. Caine (D) …contested election, seated January 17, 1883.

Washington Territory
* Thomas H. Brents (R)

Wyoming Territory
* M.E. Post (D)

Membership Changes

Senate

House of Representatives

Officers

Senate

*Secretary of the Senate:
**John C. Burch of Tennessee elected March 24, 1879, died July 28, 1881.
**Francis E. Shober of North Carolina (Acting), elected October 25, 1881.
*Sergeant at Arms of the Senate:
**Richard J. Bright of Indiana, elected March 23, 1879.
*Chaplain of the Senate
**The Rev. Joseph J. Bullock, Presbyterian, elected March 24, 1879.

House of Representatives

*Clerk of the House:
**Edward McPherson of Pennsylvania, elected December 5, 1881.
*Sergeant at Arms of the House:
**George W. Hooker of Vermont, elected December 5, 1881.
*Doorkeeper of the House:
**Walter P. Brownlow of Tennessee, elected December 5, 1881.
*Postmaster of the House:
**Henry Sherwood of Michigan, elected December 5, 1881.
*Clerk at the Speaker's Table:
**J. Guilford White
**Michael Sullivan
*Chaplain of the House
**The Rev. Frederick D. Power, Disciples of Christ, elected December 5, 1881.

Other

*Architect of the Capitol:
**Edward Clark, appointed August 30, 1865.

References