5th United States Congress

The 5th 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 at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1799, during the first two years of John Adams' presidency. In the context of the Quasi-War with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by Congress. The Acts were overwhelmingly supported by the Federalists and mostly opposed by the Democratic-Republicans. Some Democratic-Republicans, such as Timothy Bloodworth, said they would support formally going to war against France but they opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts which Bloodworth and others believed were unconstitutional.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1790 United States census. Both chambers had a Federalist majority.

Major events

• March 4, 1797 – John Adams became President of the United States
• July 8, 1797 – The Senate expelled Tennessee Senator William Blount for conspiring with the British
• July 11, 1798 – The United States Marine Corps was established
• XYZ Affair in the U.S., followed by naval skirmishes but no war is declared. The XYZ affair led to several Democratic-Republicans breaking ranks with Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson took pains to avoid blaming France for the incident, as a result John Hunter, Josiah Tattnall, Timothy Bloodworth, Alexander Martin, Lemuel Benton, Thomas Sumter, William Smith, John Milledge, Abraham Baldwin, Joseph McDowell, Matthew Locke, Robert Williams, Richard Stanford, Nathaniel Macon, James Gillespie, Dempsey Burges, Thomas Blount, Nathan Bryan, John Brown, Thomas T. Davis, John Fowler and Joseph Anderson all publicly broke ranks with Jefferson, despite the fact he was the de facto leader of their party, and sided with Alexander Hamilton. The aforementioned congressmen and senators were referred to by Jefferson as a "reign of witches" and were described as the "Pro-British republicans" (as opposed to the "pro-French republicans" led by Jefferson).

Major legislation

• April 7, 1798: Mississippi Organic Act ("An Act for an amicable settlement of limits with the state of Georgia, and authorizing the establishment of a government in the Mississippi territory"), Sess. 2, ch. 28, 1 Stat. 549
• April 30, 1798: The U.S. Department of the Navy was established, Sess. 2, ch. 35, 1 Stat. 553
• June 18, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization") (Naturalization Act of 1798), Sess. 2, ch. 54, 1 Stat. 566
• June 25, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act concerning Aliens"), Sess. 2, ch. 58, 1 Stat. 570
• July 6, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act respecting Alien Enemies"), Sess. 2, ch. 66, 1 Stat. 577
• July 9, 1798: Act Further to Protect the Commerce of the United States, Sess. 2, ch. 68, 1 Stat. 578
• July 11, 1798: The United States Marine Corps was established, Sess. 2, ch. 72, 1 Stat. 594
• July 14, 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts: ("An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States") (Sedition Act), Sess. 2, ch. 74, 1 Stat. 596
• July 16, 1798: Marine Hospital Service Act ("An Act for the relief of sick and disabled Seamen"), Sess. 2, ch. 77, 1 Stat. 605

Treaties ratified

• June 7, 1797: Treaty of Tripoli between the United States and Tripoli.
• July 7, 1797: Existing treaties with France were rescinded, Sess. 2, ch. 67, 1 Stat. 578

Party summary

Details on changes are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

House of Representatives

Leadership

Senate

• President: Thomas Jefferson (DR)
• President pro tempore: William Bradford (F), elected July 6, 1797
  • Jacob Read (F), elected November 22, 1797
  • Theodore Sedgwick (F), elected June 27, 1798
  • John Laurance (F), elected December 6, 1798
  • James Ross (F), elected March 1, 1799

House of Representatives

• Speaker: Jonathan Dayton (F)

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 in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1802; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1798; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1800.

House of Representatives

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress

Senate

There were 9 resignations, 2 deaths, 1 expulsion, 1 late selection, and 2 elections to replace appointees. Neither party had a net gain of seats.

House of Representatives

There were 9 resignations and 3 deaths. The Federalists had a 1-seat net loss and the Democratic-Republicans had a 1-seat net gain.

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

• Whole

House of Representatives

• Claims (Chairman: Dwight Foster)
• Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Edward Livingston then Samuel Smith)
• Elections (Chairman: Joshua Coit then Joseph B. Varnum)
• Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Jeremiah Smith then Nathaniel Macon then George Thatcher)
• Rules (Select)
• Standards of Official Conduct
• Ways and Means (Chairman: William L. Smith then Robert Goodloe Harper)
• Whole

Joint committees

• Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Isaac Tichenor)

Employees

• Architect of the Capitol: William Thornton

Senate

• Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
• Doorkeeper: James Mathers
• Chaplain: William White, Episcopalian

House of Representatives

• Clerk: John J. Beckley, until May 15, 1797
  • Jonathan W. Condy, elected May 15, 1797
• Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton
• Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
• Reading Clerks: [data missing]
• Chaplain: Ashbel Green, Presbyterian

See also

• 1796 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
  • 1796 United States presidential election
  • 1796–97 United States Senate elections
  • 1796–97 United States House of Representatives elections
• 1798 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
  • 1798–99 United States Senate elections
  • 1798–99 United States House of Representatives elections

Notes

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

External links