12th United States Congress
The 12th 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, 1811, to March 4, 1813, during the third and fourth years of James Madison's presidency. 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
- November 6, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh's forces
- December 16, 1811: New Madrid earthquake
- April 4, 1812: President Madison enacted a 90-day embargo on trade with the United Kingdom
- April 20, 1812: Vice President George Clinton died
- June 18, 1812: War of 1812: United States declared war on Great Britain
- August 16, 1812: War of 1812: Detroit surrendered to the British.
- October 13, 1812: War of 1812: the Battle of Queenston Heights
- November 5, 1812: Elections of 1812:
- * 1812 United States presidential election: Incumbent James Madison beat DeWitt Clinton.
- * United States Senate elections, 1812 and 1813
- * United States House of Representatives elections, 1812 and 1813
Major legislation
States admitted and territories organized
- April 30, 1812: Louisiana was admitted as a state into the Union. It was formerly known as the Territory of Orleans
- June 4, 1812: Missouri Territory was organized. It was formerly known as Louisiana Territory
Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this congress. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.Senate
During this congress, two new Senate seats were added for the new state of Louisiana.House of Representatives
During this congress, one new House seat was added for the new state of Louisiana.Leadership
Senate
- President: George Clinton, until April 20, 1812; vacant thereafter.
- President pro tempore: William H. Crawford
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Henry Clay
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 began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1814; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1816; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1812[List of [United States Senators from Connecticut|Connecticut]]
- 1. Samuel W. Dana
- 3. Chauncey Goodrich
Delaware">List of United States Senators from Delaware">Delaware
- 1. Outerbridge Horsey
- 2. James A. Bayard
Georgia">List of United States Senators from Georgia">Georgia
- 2. William H. Crawford
- 3. Charles Tait
Kentucky">List of United States Senators from Kentucky">Kentucky
- 2. George M. Bibb
- 3. John Pope
Louisiana">List of United States Senators from Louisiana">Louisiana
- 2. Jean N. Destréhan, September 3, 1812 – October 1, 1812
- * Thomas Posey, October 8, 1812 – February 4, 1813
- * James Brown, from February 5, 1813
- 3. Allan B. Magruder, from September 3, 1812
Maryland">List of United States Senators from Maryland">Maryland
- 1. Samuel Smith
- 3. Philip Reed
Massachusetts">List of United States Senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
- 1. James Lloyd
- 2. Joseph Bradley Varnum, from June 29, 1811
New Hampshire">List of United States Senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
- 2. Nicholas Gilman
- 3. Charles Cutts
New Jersey">List of United States Senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
- 1. John Lambert
- 2. John Condit
New York">List of United States Senators from New York">New York
- 1. Obadiah German
- 3. John Smith
North Carolina">List of United States Senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
- 2. James Turner
- 3. Jesse Franklin
Ohio">List of United States Senators from Ohio">Ohio
- 1. Thomas Worthington
- 3. Alexander Campbell
Pennsylvania">List of United States Senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
- 1. Michael Leib
- 3. Andrew Gregg
Rhode Island">List of United States Senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
- 1. Christopher G. Champlin, until October 2, 1811
- * William Hunter, from October 28, 1811
- 2. Jeremiah B. Howell
South Carolina">List of United States Senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
- 2. John Taylor
- 3. John Gaillard
Tennessee">List of United States Senators from Tennessee">Tennessee
- 1. Joseph Anderson
- 2. Jenkin Whiteside, until October 8, 1811
- * George W. Campbell, from October 8, 1811
Vermont">List of United States Senators from Vermont">Vermont
- 1. Jonathan Robinson
- 3. Stephen R. Bradley
Virginia">List of United States Senators from Virginia">Virginia
- 1. Richard Brent
- 2. William B. Giles
House of Representatives
[List of [United States Representatives from Connecticut|Connecticut]]
All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.- . Epaphroditus Champion
- . John Davenport
- . Lyman Law
- . Jonathan O. Moseley
- . Timothy Pitkin
- . Lewis B. Sturges
- . Benjamin Tallmadge
Delaware">List of United States Representatives from Delaware">Delaware
- . Henry M. Ridgely
Georgia">List of United States Representatives from Georgia">Georgia
- . William W. Bibb
- . Howell Cobb, until before October, 1812
- * William Barnett, from October 5, 1812
- . Bolling Hall
- . George Troup
Kentucky">List of United States Representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
- . Anthony New
- . Samuel McKee
- . Stephen Ormsby
- . Richard M. Johnson
- . Henry Clay
- . Joseph Desha
Louisiana">List of United States Representatives from Louisiana">Louisiana
- . Thomas B. Robertson, from December 23, 1812
Maryland">List of United States Representatives from Maryland">Maryland
- . Philip Stuart
- . Joseph Kent
- . Philip B. Key
- . Samuel Ringgold
- . Peter Little
- . Alexander McKim
- . John Montgomery, until April 29, 1811
- * Stevenson Archer, from October 26, 1811
- . Robert Wright
- . Charles Goldsborough
Massachusetts">List of United States Representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
- . Josiah Quincy
- . William Reed
- . Leonard White
- . Joseph Bradley Varnum, until June 29, 1811
- * William M. Richardson, from November 4, 1811
- . William Ely
- . Samuel Taggart
- . Charles Turner Jr.
- . Isaiah L. Green
- . Laban Wheaton
- . Elijah Brigham
- . Abijah Bigelow
- . Ezekiel Bacon
- . Ebenezer Seaver
- . Richard Cutts
- . William Widgery
- . Peleg Tallman
- . Barzillai Gannett, until sometime in 1812 before April 6
- * Francis Carr, from April 6, 1812
New Hampshire">List of United States Representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
- . Josiah Bartlett Jr.
- . Samuel Dinsmoor
- . Obed Hall
- . John A. Harper
- . George Sullivan
New Jersey">List of United States Representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
- . Adam Boyd
- . Lewis Condict
- . Jacob Hufty
- . George C. Maxwell
- . James Morgan
- . Thomas Newbold
New York">List of United States Representatives from New York">New York
- . Ebenezer Sage
- . Samuel L. Mitchill
- . William Paulding Jr.
- . Pierre Van Cortlandt Jr.
- . James Emott
- . Thomas B. Cooke
- . Asa Fitch
- . Robert Le Roy Livingston, until May 6, 1812
- * Thomas P. Grosvenor from January 29, 1813
- . Harmanus Bleecker
- . Benjamin Pond
- . Thomas Sammons
- . Silas Stow
- . Thomas R. Gold
- . Arunah Metcalf
- . Uri Tracy
- . Daniel Avery
- . Peter B. Porter
North Carolina">List of United States Representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
- . Lemuel Sawyer
- . Willis Alston
- . Thomas Blount, until February 7, 1812
- * William Kennedy, from January 30, 1813
- . William Blackledge
- . William R. King
- . Nathaniel Macon
- . Archibald McBryde
- . Richard Stanford
- . James Cochran
- . Joseph Pearson
- . Israel Pickens
- . Meshack Franklin
Ohio">List of United States Representatives from Ohio">Ohio
- . Jeremiah Morrow
Pennsylvania">List of United States Representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
- . William Anderson
- . James Milnor
- . Adam Seybert
- . Robert Brown
- . Jonathan Roberts
- . William Rodman
- . Roger Davis
- . John M. Hyneman
- . Joseph Lefever
- . David Bard
- . Robert Whitehill
- . George Smith
- . William Crawford
- . William Piper
- . William Findley
- . John Smilie, until December 30, 1812, vacant thereafter
- . Aaron Lyle
- . Abner Lacock
Rhode Island">List of United States Representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
- . Richard Jackson Jr.
- . Elisha R. Potter
South Carolina">List of United States Representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
- . Langdon Cheves
- . William Butler Sr.
- . David R. Williams
- . William Lowndes
- . Richard Winn
- . John C. Calhoun
- . Thomas Moore
- . Elias Earle
Tennessee">List of United States Representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee
- . John Rhea
- . John Sevier
- . Felix Grundy
Vermont">List of United States Representatives from Vermont">Vermont
- . Samuel Shaw
- . William Strong
- . James Fisk
- . Martin Chittenden
Virginia">List of United States Representatives from Virginia">Virginia
- . Thomas Wilson
- . John Baker
- . John Smith
- . William McCoy
- . James Breckinridge
- . Daniel Sheffey
- . Joseph Lewis Jr.
- . John P. Hungerford, until November 29, 1811
- * John Taliaferro, from November 29, 1811
- . Aylett Hawes
- . John Dawson
- . John Roane
- . Burwell Bassett
- . William A. Burwell
- . Matthew Clay
- . John Randolph
- . James Pleasants
- . Thomas Gholson Jr.
- . Peterson Goodwyn
- . Edwin Gray
- . Thomas Newton Jr.
- . Hugh Nelson
- . John Clopton
Non-voting members
- . Shadrack Bond, from December 3, 1812
- . Jonathan Jennings
- . George Poindexter
- . Edward Hempstead, from November 9, 1812
- , vacant until April 29, 1812
Changes in membership
Senate
- replacements: 1
- * Democratic-Republicans: no net change
- * Federalists: no net change
- deaths: 0
- resignations: 4
- interim appointments: 1
- seats of newly admitted states: 2
- vacancies:1
- Total seats with changes: 6
House of Representatives
- replacements: 3
- * Democratic-Republicans: no net change
- * Federalists: no net change
- deaths: 2
- resignations: 5
- contested election: 1
- seats of newly admitted states: 1
- vacancies: 1
- Total seats with changes: 10
Committees
Senate
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- Engrossed Bills
- National University
- Whole
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Apportionment of Representatives
- Bankruptcy
- Claims
- Commerce and Manufactures
- District of Columbia
- Elections
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Public Lands
- Revisal and Unfinished Business
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Enrolled Bills
- The Library
Employees
Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#Legislative branch">Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin Latrobe, until July 1, 1811; vacant thereafter
- Librarian of Congress: Patrick Magruder
Senate
- Chaplain: Walter D. Addison, until November 13, 1811
- * John Brackenridge, from November 13, 1811
- Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
- Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers, died
- * Mountjoy Bayly, elected November 6, 1811
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Jesse Lee, until November 13, 1811
- * Nicholas Snethen, elected November 13, 1811
- * Jesse Lee, elected November 2, 1812
- Clerk: Patrick Magruder
- Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
- Reading Clerks:
- Sergeant at Arms: Thomas Dunn