4th United States Congress
The 4th 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, 1795, to March 4, 1797, during the last two years of George Washington's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the First Census of the United States in 1790. The Senate had a Federalist majority, and the House had a Democratic-Republican majority.
Major events
- September 17, 1796: Washington's Farewell Address warned against partisan politics and foreign entanglements.
Major legislation
Treaties ratified
- June 24, 1795: Treaty of London
- March 7, 1796: Treaty of Madrid
States admitted
- June 1, 1796: Tennessee admitted as a state; formerly the Territory South of the River Ohio, Sess. 1, ch. 47,
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: John Adams
- President pro tempore:
- * Henry Tazewell, first elected December 7, 1795
- * Samuel Livermore, first elected May 6, 1796
- * William Bingham, first elected February 16, 1797
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Jonathan Dayton
Members
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 ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1796; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1798; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1800.[List of [United States Senators from Connecticut|Connecticut]]
- 1. Oliver Ellsworth, until March 8, 1796
- * James Hillhouse, from March 12, 1796
- 3. Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., until June 10, 1796
- * Uriah Tracy, from October 13, 1796
Delaware">List of United States Senators from Delaware">Delaware
- 1. Henry Latimer
- 2. John Vining
Georgia">List of United States Senators from Georgia">Georgia
- 2. James Jackson, until 1795
- * George Walton, November 16, 1795 – February 20, 1796
- * Josiah Tattnall, from February 20, 1796
- 3. James Gunn
Kentucky">List of United States Senators from Kentucky">Kentucky
- 2. John Brown
- 3. Humphrey Marshall
Maryland">List of United States Senators from Maryland">Maryland
- 1. Richard Potts, until October 24, 1796
- * John Eager Howard, from November 30, 1796
- 3. John Henry
Massachusetts">List of United States Senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
- 1. George Cabot, until June 9, 1796
- * Benjamin Goodhue, from June 11, 1796
- 2. Caleb Strong, until June 1, 1796
- * Theodore Sedgwick, from June 11, 1796
New Hampshire">List of United States Senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
- 2. Samuel Livermore
- 3. John Langdon
New Jersey">List of United States Senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
- 1. John Rutherfurd
- 2. Frederick Frelinghuysen, until November 12, 1796
- * Richard Stockton, from November 12, 1796
New York">List of United States Senators from New York">New York
- 1. Aaron Burr
- 3. Rufus King, until May 23, 1796
- * John Laurance, from November 9, 1796
North Carolina">List of United States Senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
- 2. Alexander Martin
- 3. Timothy Bloodworth
Pennsylvania">List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
- 1. James Ross
- 3. William Bingham
Rhode Island">List of United States Senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
- 1. Theodore Foster
- 2. William Bradford
South Carolina">List of United States Senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
- 2. Pierce Butler, until October 25, 1796
- * John Hunter, from December 8, 1796
- 3. Jacob Read
Tennessee">List of United States Senators from Tennessee">Tennessee
- 1. William Cocke, from August 2, 1796
- 2. William Blount, from August 2, 1796
Vermont">List of United States Senators from Vermont">Vermont
- 1. Moses Robinson, until October 15, 1796
- * Isaac Tichenor, from October 18, 1796
- 3. Elijah Paine
Virginia">List of United States Senators from Virginia">Virginia
- 1. Stevens Mason
- 2. Henry Tazewell
House of Representatives
[List of [United States Representatives from Connecticut|Connecticut]]
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.- . Joshua Coit
- . Chauncey Goodrich
- . Roger Griswold
- . James Hillhouse, until July 1, 1796
- * James Davenport, from December 5, 1796
- . Nathaniel Smith
- . Zephaniah Swift
- . Uriah Tracy, until October 13, 1796
- * Samuel W. Dana, from January 3, 1797
Delaware">List of United States Representatives from Delaware">Delaware
- . John Patten
Georgia">List of United States Representatives from Georgia">Georgia
- . Abraham Baldwin
- . John Milledge
Kentucky">List of United States Representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
- . Christopher Greenup
- . Alexander D. Orr
Maryland">List of United States Representatives from Maryland">Maryland
- . George Dent
- . Gabriel Duvall, until March 28, 1796
- * Richard Sprigg, Jr., from May 5, 1796
- . Jeremiah Crabb, until June 1, 1796
- * William Craik, from December 5, 1796
- . Thomas Sprigg
- . Samuel Smith
- . Gabriel Christie
- . William Hindman
- . William Vans Murray
Massachusetts">List of United States Representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
- . Theodore Sedgwick, until June, 1796
- * Thomson J. Skinner, from January 27, 1797
- . William Lyman
- . Samuel Lyman
- . Dwight Foster
- . Nathaniel Freeman, Jr.
- . John Reed, Sr.
- . George Leonard
- . Fisher Ames
- . Joseph Bradley Varnum
- . Benjamin Goodhue, until June 1796
- * Samuel Sewall, from December 7, 1796
- . Theophilus Bradbury
- . Henry Dearborn
- . Peleg Wadsworth
- . George Thatcher
New Hampshire">List of United States Representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
- . Abiel Foster
- . Nicholas Gilman
- . John Sherburne
- . Jeremiah Smith
New Jersey">List of United States Representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
- . Jonathan Dayton
- . Thomas Henderson
- . Aaron Kitchell
- . Isaac Smith
- . Mark Thomson
New York">List of United States Representatives from New York">New York
- . Jonathan Havens
- . Edward Livingston
- . Philip Van Cortlandt
- . John Hathorn
- . Theodorus Bailey
- . Ezekiel Gilbert
- . John E. Van Alen
- . Henry Glen
- . John Williams
- . William Cooper
North Carolina">List of United States Representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
- . James Holland
- . Matthew Locke
- . Jesse Franklin
- . Absalom Tatom, until June 1, 1796
- * William Strudwick, from December 13, 1796
- . Nathaniel Macon
- . James Gillespie
- . William Barry Grove
- . Dempsey Burges
- . Thomas Blount
- . Nathan Bryan
Pennsylvania">List of United States Representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
- . John Swanwick
- . Frederick Muhlenberg
- . Richard Thomas
- . Vacant until January 18, 1796
- * John Richards, from January 18, 1796
- . Samuel Sitgreaves
- . Daniel Hiester, until July 1, 1796
- * George Ege, from December 8, 1796
- . Samuel Maclay
- . John Kittera
- . Thomas Hartley
- . Andrew Gregg
- . David Bard
- . William Findley
- . Albert Gallatin
Rhode Island">List of United States Representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
- . Benjamin Bourne, until October 13, 1796
- * Elisha Potter, from December 19, 1796
- . Francis Malbone
South Carolina">List of United States Representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
- . William L. Smith
- . Wade Hampton
- . Lemuel Benton
- . Richard Winn
- . Robert Goodloe Harper
- . Samuel Earle
Tennessee">List of United States Representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee
- . Andrew Jackson, from December 5, 1796
Vermont">List of United States Representatives from Vermont">Vermont
- . Israel Smith
- . Daniel Buck
Virginia">List of United States Representatives from Virginia">Virginia
- . Robert Rutherford
- . Andrew Moore
- . George Jackson
- . Francis Preston
- . George Hancock
- . Isaac Coles
- . Abraham B. Venable
- . Thomas Claiborne
- . William Giles
- . Carter Harrison
- . Josiah Parker
- . John Page
- . John Clopton
- . Samuel Cabell
- . James Madison
- . Anthony New
- . Richard Brent
- . John Nicholas
- . John Heath
Non-voting members
- James White, until June 1, 1796
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this CongressSenate
There were 10 resignations, 2 new seats, and 1 election to replace an appointee. There was a 1-seat gain for both the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.House of Representatives
There were 9 resignations, 1 death of a Representative-elect, and 1 new seat. There was a 1-seat gain for both the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.Senate
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Claims
- Commerce and Manufactures
- Elections
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Rules
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
Officers
- Architect of the Capitol: William Thornton
Senate
- Chaplain: William White, Episcopalian
- Doorkeeper: James Mathers
- Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Ashbel Green, Presbyterian
- Clerk: John Beckley
- Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
- Reading Clerks:
- Sergeant at Arms: Joseph Wheaton