5th United States Congress - Membership Changes

The Fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised 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 3 1799, during the first two years of the administration of U.S. President John Adams.

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

See also: 5th United States Congress - political parties
See also: 5th United States Congress - State Delegations
See also: United States House elections, 1796

Dates of sessions

March 4 1797 - March 3 1799

  • Special session of the Senate: March 4 1797
  • First session: May 15 1797 - July 10 1797
  • Second session: November 13 1797 - July 16 1798
  • Special session of the Senate: July 17 1798 - July 19 1798
  • Third session: December 3 1798 - March 3 1799 — a lame duck session

Previous congress: 4th Congress
Next congress: 6th Congress

Membership changes

Senate
  • replacements: 9
    • Democratic-Republicans: no net change
    • Federalists: no net change
  • deaths: 2
  • resignations: 9
  • expulsions: 1
  • interim appointments: 2
  • vacancies: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 10
House of Representatives
  • replacements: 11
    • Democratic-Republicans: 1 seat net gain
    • Federalists: 1 seat net loss
  • deaths: 4
  • resignations: 7
  • vacancies: 1
  • Total seats with changes: 12

Senate

State

Outgoing Senator

Reason for Change

Successor

Delaware
class 2

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John Vining
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator John Vining resigned January 19 1798.

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Delaware
class 2

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Joshua Clayton
Fed.

Death.
Senator Joshua Clayton died August 11 1798.

|

Maryland
class 3

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John Henry
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator John Henry resigned December 10 1797.

|

New Jersey
class 1

|

John Rutherfurd
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator John Rutherfurd resigned November 26 1798.

|

New York
class 1

|

Philip John Schuyler
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator Philip John Schuyler resigned January 3 1798.

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New York
class 1

|

John Sloss Hobart
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator John Sloss Hobart resigned April 16 1798.

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New York
class 1

|

William North
Fed.

Interim appointment.
James Watson was elected to fill the seat of John Sloss Hobart.

|

Rhode Island
class 2

|

William Bradford
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator William Bradford resigned October 1797.

|

South Carolina
class 2

|

John Hunter
Dem.-Rep.

Resignation.
Senator John Hunter resigned November 26 1798.

|

Tennessee
class 1

|

vacant

Vacancy.
Vacancy in this class from March 4 1797 until May 15 1797.

|

Tennessee
class 1

|

William Cocke
Dem.-Rep.

Interim appointment.
Andrew Jackson was elected to fill vacancy.

|

Tennessee
class 1

|

Andrew Jackson
Dem.-Rep.

Resignation.
Senator Andrew Jackson resigned April 1798.

|

Tennessee
class 2

|

William Blount
Dem.-Rep.

Expulsion.
Senator William Blount was expelled July 8 1797.

|

Vermont
class 1

|

Isaac Tichenor
Fed.

Resignation.
Senator Isaac Tichenor resigned October 17 1797.

|

Virginia
class 2

|

Henry Tazewell
Dem.-Rep.

Death.
Senator Henry Tazewell died January 24 1799.

|

House of Representatives

State

Outgoing Representative

Reason for Change

Successor

|

Joshua Coit
Fed.

Death.
Representative Joshua Coit died September 5 1798.

|

|

James Davenport
Fed.

Death.
Representative James Davenport died August 3 1797.

|

|

Theophilus Bradbury
Fed.

Resignation.
Representative Theophilus Bradbury resigned July 24 1797.

|

|

Jeremiah Smith
Fed.

Resignation.
Representative Jeremiah Smith resigned July 26 1797.

|

|

Nathan Bryan
Dem.-Rep.

Death.
Representative Nathan Bryan died June 4 1798.

|

|

John Swanwick
Dem.-Rep.

Death.
Representative John Swanwick died August 1 1798.

|

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Samuel Sitgreaves
Fed.

Resignation.
Representative Samuel Sitgreaves resigned 1798.

|

|

George Ege
Fed.

Resignation.
Representative George Ege resigned October 1797.

|

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Elisha R. Potter
Fed.

Resignation.
Representative Elisha R. Potter resigned 1797.

|

|

William L. Smith
Fed.

Resignation.
Representative William L. Smith resigned July 10 1797.

|

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vacant

Vacancy.
Vacancy from March 4 1797 until November 23 1797.

|

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William B. Giles
Dem.-Rep.

Resignation.
Representative William B. Giles resigned October 2 1798.

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