8th United States Congress

The Eighth 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, 1803 to March 3, 1805, during the last two years of the first administration of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Second Census of the United States in 1800. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Major events

 * April 30, 1803: Louisiana Purchase was made by the United States from France
 * February 16, 1804: In the First Barbary War, Stephen Decatur led a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate Philadelphia
 * May 14, 1804: Lewis and Clark Expedition departed from Camp Dubois to begin their historic journey by traveling up the Missouri River
 * July 11, 1804: Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton
 * November 30, 1804: Impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase
 * December 3, 1804: United States presidential election, 1804: Incumbent Thomas Jefferson (DR) beat challenger Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (F)
 * March 1 1805: Samuel Chase acquitted of impeachment charges by the U.S. Senate

Constitutional amendments

 * December 9, 1803: Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by Congress.
 * June 15, 1804: Twelfth Amendment was ratified by the states.

Treaties

 * October 20, 1803: Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

States admitted and territories organized

 * March 26, 1804: Territory of Orleans was organized. It was formerly a portion of the District of Louisiana.
 * January 11, 1805: Michigan Territory was organized.

Party summary
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: 34
 * Democratic-Republican (DR): 25 (majority)
 * Federalist (F): 9

House of Representatives
TOTAL members: 142
 * Democratic-Republican (DR): 103 (majority)
 * Federalist (F): 39

Senate

 * President: Aaron Burr (Democratic-Republican)
 * President pro tempore:
 * John Brown (Democratic-Republican) of Kentucky, elected October 17, 1803
 * Jesse Franklin (DR), elected March 10, 1804
 * Joseph Anderson (Democratic-Republican), elected January 15, 1805

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: Nathaniel Macon (Democratic-Republican) of North Carolina, elected October 17, 1803

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

Senate
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 1808; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1806.

Connecticut

 * 1: James Hillhouse (F)
 * 3: Uriah Tracy (F)

Delaware

 * 2: William H. Wells (F)
 * James A. Bayard (F)
 * 1: Samuel White (F)

Georgia

 * 2: Abraham Baldwin (DR)
 * 3: James Jackson (DR)

Kentucky

 * 2: John Brown (DR)
 * 3: John Breckinridge (DR)

Maryland

 * 3: Robert Wright (DR)
 * 1: Samuel Smith (DR)

Massachusetts

 * 2: Timothy Pickering (F)
 * 1: John Quincy Adams (F)

New Hampshire

 * 2: Simeon Olcott (F)
 * 3: William Plumer (F)

New Jersey

 * 2: Jonathan Dayton (F)
 * 1: John Condit (DR), installed September 1, 1803

New York

 * 3: DeWitt Clinton (DR)
 * John Armstrong, Jr. (DR)
 * John Smith (DR)
 * 1: Theodorus Bailey (DR)
 * John Armstrong, Jr. (DR)
 * Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)

North Carolina

 * 2: Jesse Franklin (DR)
 * 3: David Stone (DR)

Ohio

 * 1: John Smith (DR), April 1, 1803 - End
 * 3: Thomas Worthington (DR), April 1, 1803 - End

Pennsylvania

 * 3: George Logan (DR)
 * 1: Samuel Maclay (DR)

Rhode Island

 * 2: Christopher Ellery (DR)
 * 1: Samuel J. Potter (DR)
 * Benjamin Howland (DR)

South Carolina

 * 2: Thomas Sumter (DR)
 * 3: Pierce Butler (DR)
 * John Gaillard (DR)

Tennessee

 * 1: Joseph Anderson (DR)
 * 2: William Cocke (DR)

Vermont

 * 3: Stephen R. Bradley (DR)
 * 1: Israel Smith (DR)

Virginia

 * 1: Stevens T. Mason (DR)
 * John Taylor (DR)
 * Abraham B. Venable (DR)
 * William B. Giles (DR)
 * Andrew Moore (DR)
 * 2: Wilson C. Nicholas (DR)
 * Andrew Moore (DR)
 * William B. Giles (DR)

House of Representatives
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.

Connecticut
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Simeon Baldwin (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Samuel W. Dana (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. John Davenport (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Calvin Goddard (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Roger Griswold (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. John Cotton Smith (F)
 * Connecticut's at-large congressional district. Benjamin Tallmadge (F)

Delaware

 * Delaware's at-large congressional district. Caesar A. Rodney (DR)

Georgia
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Joseph Bryan (DR)
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Peter Early (DR)
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. Samuel Hammond (DR), until February 2, 1805
 * Georgia's at-large congressional district. David Meriwether (DR)

Kentucky

 * Kentucky's 1st congressional district. Matthew Lyon (DR)
 * Kentucky's 2nd congressional district. John Boyle (DR)
 * Kentucky's 3rd congressional district. Matthew Walton (DR)
 * Kentucky's 4th congressional district. Thomas Sandford (DR)
 * Kentucky's 5th congressional district. John Fowler (DR)
 * Kentucky's 6th congressional district. George M. Bedinger (DR)

Maryland
The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.
 * Maryland's 1st congressional district. John Campbell (F)
 * Maryland's 2nd congressional district. Walter Bowie (DR)
 * Maryland's 3rd congressional district. Thomas Plater (F)
 * Maryland's 4th congressional district. Daniel Hiester (DR)
 * Roger Nelson (DR)
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. William McCreery (DR)
 * Maryland's 5th congressional district. Nicholas R. Moore (DR)
 * Maryland's 6th congressional district. John Archer (DR)
 * Maryland's 7th congressional district. Joseph H. Nicholson (DR)
 * Maryland's 8th congressional district. John Dennis (F)

Massachusetts

 * Massachusetts's 1st congressional district. William Eustis (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district. Jacob Crowninshield (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district. Manasseh Cutler (F)
 * Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. Joseph Bradley Varnum (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. Thomas Dwight (F)
 * Massachusetts's 6th congressional district. Samuel Taggart (F)
 * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district. Nahum Mitchell (F)
 * Massachusetts's 8th congressional district. Lemuel Williams (F)
 * Massachusetts's 9th congressional district. Phanuel Bishop (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 10th congressional district. Seth Hastings (F)
 * Massachusetts's 11th congressional district. William Stedman (F)
 * Massachusetts's 12th congressional district. Thomson J. Skinner (DR)
 * Simon Larned (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 13th congressional district. Ebenezer Seaver (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 14th congressional district. Richard Cutts (DR)
 * Massachusetts's 15th congressional district. Peleg Wadsworth (F)
 * Massachusetts's 16th congressional district. Samuel Thatcher (F)
 * Massachusetts's 17th congressional district. Phineas Bruce (F)

New Hampshire
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Silas Betton (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Clifton Clagett (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. David Hough (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Samuel Hunt (F)
 * New Hampshire's at-large congressional district. Samuel Tenney (F)

New Jersey
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Adam Boyd (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Ebenezer Elmer (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. William Helms (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. James Mott (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. James Sloan (DR)
 * New Jersey's at-large congressional district. Henry Southard (DR)

New York

 * New York's 1st congressional district. John Smith (DR)
 * Samuel Riker (DR)
 * New York's 2nd congressional district. Joshua Sands (F)
 * New York's 3rd congressional district. Samuel L. Mitchill (DR)
 * George Clinton (DR)
 * New York's 4th congressional district. Philip Van Cortlandt (DR)
 * New York's 5th congressional district. Andrew McCord (DR)
 * New York's 6th congressional district. Isaac Bloom (DR)
 * Daniel C. Verplanck (DR)
 * New York's 7th congressional district. Josiah Hasbrouck (DR)
 * New York's 8th congressional district. Henry W. Livingston (F)
 * New York's 9th congressional district. Killian K. Van Rensselaer (F)
 * New York's 10th congressional district. George Tibbits (F)
 * New York's 11th congressional district. Beriah Palmer (DR)
 * New York's 12th congressional district. David Thomas (DR)
 * New York's 13th congressional district. Thomas Sammons (DR)
 * New York's 14th congressional district. Erastus Root (DR)
 * New York's 15th congressional district. Gaylord Griswold (F)
 * New York's 16th congressional district. John Paterson (DR)
 * New York's 17th congressional district. Oliver Phelps (DR)

North Carolina

 * North Carolina's 1st congressional district. Thomas Wynns (DR)
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Willis Alston (DR)
 * North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. William Kennedy (DR)
 * North Carolina's 4th congressional district. William Blackledge (DR)
 * North Carolina's 5th congressional district. James Gillespie (DR)
 * North Carolina's 6th congressional district. Nathaniel Macon (DR)
 * North Carolina's 7th congressional district. Samuel D. Purviance (F)
 * North Carolina's 8th congressional district. Richard Stanford (DR)
 * North Carolina's 9th congressional district. Marmaduke Williams (DR)
 * North Carolina's 10th congressional district. Nathaniel Alexander (DR)
 * North Carolina's 11th congressional district. James Holland (DR)
 * North Carolina's 12th congressional district. Joseph Winston (DR)

Ohio

 * Ohio's at-large congressional district. Jeremiah Morrow (DR)

Pennsylvania
There were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives.
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Joseph Clay (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Michael Leib (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district. Jacob Richards (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Robert Brown (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Frederick Conrad (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district. Isaac Van Horne (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Isaac Anderson (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. Joseph Hiester (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district. John Whitehill (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. David Bard (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. John A. Hanna (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. Andrew Gregg (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district. John Stewart (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. John Rea (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. William Findley (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district. John Smilie (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. William Hoge (DR)
 * John Hoge (DR)
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district. John B. C. Lucas (DR)

Rhode Island
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Rhode Island's at-large congressional district. Nehemiah Knight (DR)
 * Rhode Island's at-large congressional district. Joseph Stanton, Jr. (DR)

South Carolina

 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district. Thomas Lowndes (F)
 * South Carolina's 2nd congressional district. William Butler, Sr. (DR)
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Benjamin Huger (F)
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district. Wade Hampton (DR)
 * South Carolina's 5th congressional district. Richard Winn (DR)
 * South Carolina's 6th congressional district. Levi Casey (DR)
 * South Carolina's 7th congressional district. Thomas Moore (DR)
 * South Carolina's 8th congressional district. John B. Earle (DR)

Tennessee
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.
 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. George W. Campbell (DR)
 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. William Dickson (DR)
 * Tennessee's at-large congressional district. John Rhea (DR)

Vermont

 * Vermont's 1st congressional district. Gideon Olin (DR)
 * Vermont's 2nd congressional district. James Elliott (F)
 * Vermont's 3rd congressional district. William Chamberlain (F)
 * Vermont's 4th congressional district. Martin Chittenden (F)

Virginia

 * Virginia's 1st congressional district. John G. Jackson (DR)
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district. James Stephenson (F)
 * Virginia's 3rd congressional district. John Smith (DR)
 * Virginia's 4th congressional district. David Holmes (DR)
 * Virginia's 5th congressional district. Thomas Lewis, Jr. (F)
 * Andrew Moore (DR)
 * Alexander Wilson (DR)
 * Virginia's 6th congressional district. Abram Trigg (DR)
 * Virginia's 7th congressional district. Joseph Lewis, Jr. (F)
 * Virginia's 8th congressional district. Walter Jones (DR)
 * Virginia's 9th congressional district. Philip R. Thompson (DR)
 * Virginia's 10th congressional district. John Dawson (DR)
 * Virginia's 11th congressional district. Anthony New (DR)
 * Virginia's 12th congressional district. Thomas Griffin (F)
 * Virginia's 13th congressional district. John J. Trigg (DR)
 * Christopher H. Clark (DR)
 * Virginia's 14th congressional district. Matthew Clay (DR)
 * Virginia's 15th congressional district. John Randolph (DR)
 * Virginia's 16th congressional district. John W. Eppes (DR)
 * Virginia's 17th congressional district. Thomas Claiborne (DR)
 * Virginia's 18th congressional district. Peterson Goodwyn (DR)
 * Virginia's 19th congressional district. Edwin Gray (DR)
 * Virginia's 20th congressional district. Thomas Newton, Jr. (DR)
 * Virginia's 21st congressional district. Thomas M. Randolph (DR)
 * Virginia's 22nd congressional district. John Clopton (DR)

Non-voting members

 * Mississippi Territory's at-large congressional district. William Lattimore

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

Senate

 * replacements: 7
 * Democratic-Republicans: no net change
 * Federalists: no net change
 * deaths: 2
 * resignations: 7
 * seats of newly admitted states: 2
 * Total seats with changes: 12

House of Representatives

 * replacements: 7
 * Democratic-Republicans: no net change
 * Federalists: no net change
 * deaths: 5
 * resignations: 5
 * contested elections: 1
 * seats of newly admitted states: 1
 * Total seats with changes: 12

Officers

 * Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin H. Latrobe, appointed March 6, 1803

Senate

 * Secretary: Samuel A. Otis of Massachusetts, elected April 8, 1789
 * Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers of New York, elected April 7, 1789
 * Chaplain:
 * Edward Gantt, Episcopalian
 * Alexander T. McCormick, Episcopalian, elected November 7, 1804

House of Representatives

 * Clerk: John Beckley of Virginia, elected October 17, 1803
 * Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton of Rhode Island, elected October 17, 1803
 * Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton, elected October 17, 1803
 * Chaplain:
 * William Parkinson, Baptist
 * The Rev. James Laurie, Presbyterian, elected November 5, 1804