38th United States Congress



The Thirty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1865, during the last two years of the first administration of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Eighth Census of the United States in 1860. Both chambers had a Republican majority.

Dates of sessions
March 4, 1863 - March 3, 1865
 * Special session of the Senate: March 4, 1863 – March 14, 1863
 * First session: December 7, 1863- July 4, 1864
 * Second session: December 5, 1864 - March 3, 1865
 * Previous congress: 37th Congress
 * Next congress: 39th Congress

Party summary
West Virginia and Nevada were newly admitted to the Union and first represented as states in this Congress.

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.

Leadership

 * Senate


 * Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate):
 * Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine
 * President pro tempore of the Senate:
 * Solomon Foot, Republican of Vermont, first elected in this Congress March 4, 1863.
 * Daniel Clark Republican of New Hampshire, first elected April 26, 1864.
 * House of Representatives


 * Speaker of the House
 * Schuyler Colfax, Republican of Indiana, elected December 7, 1863.


 * Senate


 * Republican Conference Chairman:
 * Henry B. Anthony, Republican of Rhode Island
 * House of Representatives


 * Republican Conference Chairman:
 * Justin S. Morrill of Vermont.

Major events
Events of 1863, 1864 and 1865
 * American Civil War, which had started in 1861, continued through this Congress and ended later in 1865

Major legislation
List of United States federal legislation in the 38th Congress
 * June 19, 1863 -- West Virginia admitted as a state, formed from a portion of Virginia.
 * April 22, 1864 -- Coinage Act of 1864
 * May 26, 1864 -- Montana Territory organized
 * October 31, 1864 -- Nevada admitted as a state
 * February 9, 1865 -- Chippewa Indians treaty ratification
 * March 3, 1865 -- Freedman's Bureau

Membership highlights by chamber
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 1868; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1864; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1866.

Membership detail by state
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 1868; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1864; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1866.

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.

Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.

The list below is arranged by state, then by chamber. Senators are shown in order of seniority, House members in district order.

Alabama

 * Senate


 * 2: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (6 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Arkansas

 * Senate


 * 2: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (3 seats)


 * all seats vacant

California

 * Senate


 * 3: James A. McDougall (1817-1867), Democratic
 * 1: John Conness (1821-1909), Republican
 * House of Representatives (3 seats)


 * A/L: Cornelius Cole (1822-1924), Republican
 * A/L: William Higby (1813-1887), Republican
 * A/L: Thomas B. Shannon (1827-1897), Republican

Connecticut

 * Senate


 * 3: La Fayette S. Foster (1806-1880), Republican
 * 1: James Dixon (1814-1873), Republican
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * 1: Henry C. Deming (1815-1872), Republican
 * 2: James E. English (1812-1890), Democratic
 * 3: Augustus Brandegee (1828-1904), Republican
 * 4: John H. Hubbard (1804-1872), Republican

Delaware

 * Senate


 * 1: James A. Bayard, Jr. (1799-1880), Democratic ...resigned January 29, 1864.
 * George Read Riddle (1817-1867), Democratic ...elected to fill vacancy, January 29, 1864.
 * 2: Willard Saulsbury, Sr. (1820-1892), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * A/L: William Temple (1814-1863), Democratic ...died May 28, 1863, before Congress assembled.
 * Nathaniel B. Smithers (1818-1896), Unconditional Unionist ...elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1863.

Florida

 * Senate


 * 1: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * all seats vacant

Georgia

 * Senate


 * 2: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (7 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Illinois

 * Senate


 * 3: Lyman Trumbull (1813-1896), Republican
 * 2: William A. Richardson (1811-1875), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (14 seats)


 * 1: Isaac N. Arnold (1815-1884), Republican
 * 2: John F. Farnsworth (1820-1897), Republican
 * 3: Elihu B. Washburne (1816-1887), Republican
 * 4: Charles M. Harris (1821-1896), Democratic
 * 5: Owen Lovejoy (1811-1864), Republican ...died March 25, 1864.
 * Ebon C. Ingersoll (1831-1879), Republican ...elected to fill vacancy, seated May 20, 1864.
 * 6: Jesse O. Norton (1812-1875), Republican
 * 7: John R. Eden (1826-1909), Democratic
 * 8: John T. Stuart (1807-1885), Democratic
 * 9: Lewis W. Ross (1812-1895), Democratic
 * 10: Anthony L. Knapp (1828-1881), Democratic
 * 11: James C. Robinson (1823-1886), Democratic
 * 12: William R. Morrison (1824-1909), Democratic
 * 13: William J. Allen (1829-1901), Democratic
 * A/L: James C. Allen (1822-1912), Democratic

Indiana

 * Senate


 * 3: Henry S. Lane (1811-1881), Republican
 * 1: Thomas A. Hendricks (1819-1885), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (11 seats)


 * 1: John Law (1796-1873), Democratic
 * 2: James A. Cravens (1818-1893), Democratic
 * 3: Henry W. Harrington (1825-1882), Democratic
 * 4: William S. Holman (1822-1897), Democratic
 * 5: George W. Julian (1817-1899), Republican
 * 6: Ebenezer Dumont (1814-1871), Republican
 * 7: Daniel W. Voorhees (1827-1897), Democratic
 * 8: Godlove S. Orth (1817-1882), Republican
 * 9: Schuyler Colfax (1823-1885), Republican
 * 10: Joseph K. Edgerton (1818-1893), Democratic
 * 11: James F. McDowell (1825-1887), Democratic

Iowa

 * Senate


 * 3: James Harlan (1820-1899), Republican
 * 2: James W. Grimes (1816-1872), Republican
 * House of Representatives (6 seats)


 * 1: James F. Wilson (1828-1895), Republican
 * 2: Hiram Price (1814-1901), Republican
 * 3: William B. Allison (1829-1908), Republican
 * 4: Josiah B. Grinnell (1821-1891), Republican
 * 5: John A. Kasson (1822-1910), Republican
 * 6: Asahel W. Hubbard (1819-1879), Republican

Kansas

 * Senate


 * 2: James H. Lane (1814-1866), Republican
 * 3: Samuel C. Pomeroy (1816-1891), Republican
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * A/L: A. Carter Wilder (1828-1875), Republican

Kentucky

 * Senate


 * 2: Lazarus W. Powell (1812-1867), Democratic
 * 3: Garrett Davis (1801-1872), Unionist
 * House of Representatives (9 seats)


 * 1: Lucien Anderson (1824-1898), Unconditional Unionist
 * 2: George H. Yeaman (1829-1908), Unionist
 * 3: Henry Grider (1796-1866), Unionist
 * 4: Aaron Harding (1805-1875), Unionist
 * 5: Robert Mallory (1815-1885), Unionist
 * 6: Green C. Smith (1826-1895), Unconditional Unionist
 * 7: Brutus J. Clay (1808-1878), Unionist
 * 8: William H. Randall (1812-1881), Unconditional Unionist
 * 9: William H. Wadsworth (1821-1893), Unionist

Louisiana

 * Senate


 * 2: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Maine

 * Senate


 * 2: William Pitt Fessenden (1806-1869), Republican ...resigned July 1, 1864.
 * Nathan A. Farwell (1812-1893), Republican ...appointed to fill vacancy, October 27, 1864, subsequently elected
 * 1: Lot M. Morrill (1813-1883), Republican
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * 1: Lorenzo D.M. Sweat (1818-1898), Democratic
 * 2: Sidney Perham (1819-1907), Republican
 * 3: James G. Blaine (1830-1893), Republican
 * 4: John H. Rice (1816-1911), Republican
 * 5: Frederick A. Pike (1816-1886), Republican

Maryland

 * Senate


 * 3: Thomas H. Hicks (1798-1865), Unconditional Unionist ...died February 14, 1865.
 * 1: Reverdy Johnson (1796-1876), Unionist
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * 1: John A. J. Creswell (1828-1891), Unconditional Unionist
 * 2: Edwin H. Webster (1829-1893), Unconditional Unionist
 * 3: Henry Winter Davis (1817-1865), Unconditional Unionist
 * 4: Francis Thomas (1799-1876), Unconditional Unionist
 * 5: Benjamin G. Harris (1805-1895), Democratic

Massachusetts

 * Senate


 * 1: Charles Sumner (1811-1874), Republican
 * 2: Henry Wilson (1812-1875), Republican
 * House of Representatives (10 seats)


 * 1: Thomas D. Eliot (1808-1870), Republican
 * 2: Oakes Ames (1804-1873), Republican
 * 3: Alexander H. Rice (1818-1895), Republican
 * 4: Samuel Hooper (1808-1875), Republican
 * 5: John B. Alley (1817-1896), Republican
 * 6: Daniel W. Gooch (1820-1891), Republican
 * 7: George S. Boutwell (1818-1905), Republican
 * 8: John D. Baldwin (1809-1883), Republican
 * 9: William B. Washburn (1820-1887), Republican
 * 10: Henry L. Dawes (1816-1903), Republican

Michigan

 * Senate


 * 1: Zachariah Chandler (1813-1879), Republican
 * 2: Jacob M. Howard (1805-1871), Republican
 * House of Representatives (6 seats)


 * 1: Fernando C. Beaman (1814-1882), Republican
 * 2: Charles Upson (1821-1885), Republican
 * 3: John W. Longyear (1820-1875), Republican
 * 4: Francis W. Kellogg (1810-1879), Republican
 * 5: Augustus C. Baldwin (1817-1903), Democratic
 * 6: John F. Driggs (1813-1877), Republican

Minnesota

 * Senate


 * 2: Morton S. Wilkinson (1819-1894), Republican
 * 1: Alexander Ramsey (1815-1903), Republican
 * House of Representatives (2 seats)


 * 1: William Windom (1827-1891), Republican
 * 2: Ignatius L. Donnelly (1831-1901), Republican

Mississippi

 * Senate


 * 1: vacant
 * 2: vacant
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Missouri

 * Senate


 * 1: John B. Henderson (1826-1913), Unconditional Unionist
 * 3: Robert Wilson (1803-1870), Unconditional Unionist …appointed to fill vacancy, served until November 13, 1863.
 * B. Gratz Brown (1826-1885), Unconditional Unionist ...elected to fill vacancy, November 13, 1863.
 * House of Representatives (9 seats)


 * 1: Francis P. Blair, Jr. (1821-1875), Unconditional Unionist ...contested election, served until June 10, 1864.
 * Samuel Knox (1815-1905), Unconditional Unionist ...contested election, seated June 15, 1864.
 * 2: Henry T. Blow (1817-1875), Unconditional Unionist
 * 3: John W. Noell (1816-1863), Unconditional Unionist ...died March 14, 1863, before Congress assembled.
 * John G. Scott (1819-1892), Democratic ...elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1863.
 * 4: Sempronius H. Boyd (1828-1894), Unconditional Unionist
 * 5: Joseph W. McClurg (1818-1900), Unconditional Unionist
 * 6: Austin A. King (1802-1870), Unionist
 * 7: Benjamin F. Loan (1819-1881), Unconditional Unionist
 * 8: William A. Hall (1815-1888), Unionist
 * 9: James S. Rollins (1812-1888), Unionist

Nevada

 * Senate


 * 1: William M. Stewart (1827-1909), Republican ...newly admitted state, elected December 15, 1864.
 * 3: James W. Nye (1815-1876), Republican ...newly admitted state, elected December 16, 1864.
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * A/L: Henry G. Worthington (1828-1909), Republican ...new state, seated December 21, 1864.

New Hampshire

 * Senate


 * 2: John P. Hale (1806-1873), Republican
 * 3: Daniel Clark (1809-1891), Republican
 * House of Representatives (3 seats)


 * 1: Daniel Marcy (1809-1893), Democratic
 * 2: Edward H. Rollins (1824-1889), Republican
 * 3: James W. Patterson (1823-1893), Republican

New Jersey

 * Senate


 * 2: John C. Ten Eyck (1814-1879), Republican
 * 1: William Wright (1794-1866), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (5 seats)


 * 1: John F. Starr (1818-1904), Republican
 * 2: George Middleton (1800-1888), Democratic
 * 3: William G. Steele (1820-1892), Democratic
 * 4: Andrew J. Rogers (1828-1900), Democratic
 * 5: Nehemiah Perry (1816-1881), Democratic

New York

 * Senate


 * 3: Ira Harris (1802-1875), Republican
 * 1: Edwin D. Morgan (1811-1883), Republican
 * House of Representatives (31 seats)


 * 1: Henry G. Stebbins (1811-1881), Democratic ...resigned October 24, 1864.
 * Dwight Townsend (1826-1899), Democratic ...elected to fill vacancy, seated December 5, 1864.
 * 2: Martin Kalbfleisch (1804-1873), Democratic
 * 3: Moses F. Odell (1818-1866), Democratic
 * 4: Benjamin Wood (1820-1900), Democratic
 * 5: Fernando Wood (1812-1881), Democratic
 * 6: Elijah Ward (1816-1882), Democratic
 * 7: John W. Chanler (1826-1877), Democratic
 * 8: James Brooks (1810-1873), Democratic
 * 9: Anson Herrick (1812-1868), Democratic
 * 10: William Radford (1814-1870), Democratic
 * 11: Charles H. Winfield (1822-1888), Democratic
 * 12: Homer A. Nelson (1829-1891), Democratic
 * 13: John B. Steele (1814-1866), Democratic
 * 14: Erastus Corning (1794-1872), Democratic ...resigned October 5, 1863, before Congress assembled.
 * John V. L. Pruyn (1811-1877), Democratic ...elected to fill vacancy, seated December 7, 1863.
 * 15: John A. Griswold (1822-1872), Democratic
 * 16: Orlando Kellogg (1809-1865), Republican
 * 17: Calvin T. Hulburd (1809-1897), Republican
 * 18: James M. Marvin (1809-1901), Republican
 * 19: Samuel F. Miller (1827-1892), Republican
 * 20: Ambrose W. Clark (1810-1887), Republican
 * 21: Francis Kernan (1816-1892), Democratic
 * 22: DeWitt C. Littlejohn (1818-1892), Republican
 * 23: Thomas T. Davis (1810-1872), Republican
 * 24: Theodore M. Pomeroy (1824-1905), Republican
 * 25: Daniel Morris (1812-1889), Republican
 * 26: Giles W. Hotchkiss (1815-1878), Republican
 * 27: Robert B. Van Valkenburg (1821-1888), Republican
 * 28: Freeman Clarke (1809-1887), Republican
 * 29: Augustus Frank (1826-1895), Republican
 * 30: John Ganson (1818-1874), Democratic
 * 31: Reuben E. Fenton (1819-1885), Republican ...resigned December 20, 1864.

North Carolina

 * Senate


 * 2: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (7seats)


 * all seats vacant

Ohio

 * Senate


 * 1: Benjamin F. Wade (1800-1878), Republican
 * 3: John Sherman (1823-1900), Republican
 * House of Representatives (19 seats)


 * 1: George H. Pendleton (1825-1889), Democratic
 * 2: Alexander Long (1816-1886), Democratic
 * 3: Robert C. Schenck (1809-1890), Republican
 * 4: John F. McKinney (1827-1903), Democratic
 * 5: Francis C. Le Blond (1821-1902), Democratic
 * 6: Chilton A. White (1826-1900), Democratic
 * 7: Samuel S. Cox (1824-1889), Democratic
 * 8: William Johnston (1819-1866), Democratic
 * 9: Warren P. Noble (1820-1903), Democratic
 * 10: James M. Ashley (1824-1896), Republican
 * 11: Wells A. Hutchins (1818-1895), Democratic
 * 12: William E. Finck (1822-1901), Democratic
 * 13: John O'Neill (1822-1905), Democratic
 * 14: George Bliss (1813-1868), Democratic
 * 15: James R. Morris (1819-1899), Democratic
 * 16: Joseph W. White (1822-1892), Democratic
 * 17: Ephraim R. Eckley (1811-1908), Republican
 * 18: Rufus P. Spalding (1798-1886), Republican
 * 19: James A. Garfield (1831-1881), Republican

Oregon

 * Senate


 * 3: James W. Nesmith (1820-1885), Democratic
 * 2: Benjamin F. Harding (1823-1899), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (1 seat)


 * A/L: John R. McBride (1832-1904), Republican

Pennsylvania

 * Senate


 * 3: Edgar Cowan (1815-1885), Republican
 * 1: Charles R. Buckalew (1821-1899), Democratic
 * House of Representatives (24 seats)


 * 1: Samuel J. Randall (1828-1890), Democratic
 * 2: Charles O'Neill (1821-1893), Republican
 * 3: Leonard Myers (1827-1905), Republican
 * 4: William D. Kelley (1814-1890), Republican
 * 5: M. Russell Thayer (1819-1906), Republican
 * 6: John D. Stiles (1822-1896), Democratic
 * 7: John M. Broomall (1816-1894), Republican
 * 8: Sydenham E. Ancona (1824-1913), Democratic
 * 9: Thaddeus Stevens (1792-1868), Republican
 * 10: Myer Strouse (1825-1878), Democratic
 * 11: Philip Johnson (1818-1867), Democratic
 * 12: Charles Denison (1818-1867), Democratic
 * 13: Henry W. Tracy (1807-1886), IRepublican
 * 14: William H. Miller (1829-1870), Democratic
 * 15: Joseph Bailey (1810-1885), Democratic
 * 16: Alexander H. Coffroth (1828-1906), Democratic
 * 17: Archibald McAllister (1813-1883), Democratic
 * 18: James T. Hale (1810-1865), Independent Republican
 * 19: Glenni W. Scofield (1817-1891), Republican
 * 20: Amos Myers (1824-1893), Republican
 * 21: John L. Dawson (1813-1870), Democratic
 * 22: James K. Moorhead (1806-1884), Republican
 * 23: Thomas Williams (1806-1872), Republican
 * 24: Jesse Lazear (1804-1877), Democratic

Rhode Island

 * Senate


 * 2: Henry B. Anthony (1815-1884), Republican
 * 1: William Sprague (1830-1915), Republican
 * House of Representatives (2 seats)


 * 1: Thomas A. Jenckes (1818-1875), Republican
 * 2: Nathan F. Dixon, Jr. (1812-1881), Republican

South Carolina

 * Senate


 * 2: vacant
 * 3: vacant
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Tennessee

 * Senate


 * 1: vacant
 * 2: vacant
 * House of Representatives (8 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Texas

 * Senate


 * 1: vacant
 * 2: vacant
 * House of Representatives (4 seats)


 * all seats vacant

Vermont

 * Senate


 * 1: Solomon Foot (1802-1866), Republican
 * 3: Jacob Collamer (1791-1865), Republican
 * House of Representatives (3 seats)


 * 1: Frederick E. Woodbridge (1818-1888), Republican
 * 2: Justin S. Morrill (1810-1898), Republican
 * 3: Portus Baxter (1806-1868), Republican

Virginia

 * Senate


 * 2: John S. Carlile (1817-1878), Unionist
 * 1: Lemuel J. Bowden (1815-1864), Unionist
 * House of Representatives (8 seats)


 * all seats vacant

West Virginia

 * Senate


 * 1: Peter G. Van Winkle (1808-1872), Unconditional Unionist ...newly admitted state, elected August 4, 1863.
 * 2: Waitman T. Willey (1811-1900), Unconditional Unionist ...newly admitted state, elected August 4, 1863.
 * House of Representatives (3 seats)


 * 1: Jacob B. Blair (1821-1901), Unconditional Unionist ...new state, seated December 7, 1863.
 * 2: William G. Brown, Sr. (1800-1884), Unconditional Unionist ...new state, seated December 7, 1863.
 * 3: Kellian V. Whaley (1821-1876), Unconditional Unionist ...new state, seated December 7, 1863.

Wisconsin

 * Senate


 * 1: James R. Doolittle (1815-1897), Republican
 * 3: Timothy O. Howe (1816-1883), Republican
 * House of Representatives (6 seats)


 * 1: James S. Brown (1824-1878), Democratic
 * 2: Ithamar C. Sloan (1822-1898), Republican
 * 3: Amasa Cobb (1823-1905), Republican
 * 4: Charles A. Eldredge (1820-1896), Democratic
 * 5: Ezra Wheeler (1820-1871), Democratic
 * 6: Walter D. McIndoe (1819-1872), Republican

Delegates

 * Arizona Territory


 * A/L: Charles D. Poston (1825-1902), Republican ...new territory, seated December 5, 1864.
 * Colorado Territory


 * A/L: Hiram P. Bennet (1826-1914), Republican
 * Dakota Territory


 * A/L: William Jayne (1826-1916), Independent ...contested election, served until June 17, 1864.
 * John B. S. Todd (1814-1872), Democratic ...contested election, seated June 17, 1864.
 * Idaho Territory


 * A/L: William H. Wallace (1811-1879), Republican ...new territory, seated February 1, 1864.
 * Montana Territory


 * A/L: Samuel McLean (1826-1877), Democratic ...new territory, seated January 6, 1865.
 * Nebraska Territory


 * A/L: Samuel G. Daily (1823-1866), Republican
 * Nevada Territory


 * A/L: Gordon N. Mott (1812-1887), Republican ...admitted to the union as a state, October 31, 1864.
 * New Mexico Territory


 * A/L: Francisco Perea (1830-1913), Republican
 * Utah Territory


 * A/L: John F. Kinney (1816-1902), Democratic
 * Washington Territory


 * A/L: George E. Cole (1826-1906), Democratic

Membership detail by Chamber/Party
The list below is arranged by chamber, then by political party. Members are shown in alphabetical order.

Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress.

House of Representatives
Members of the House of Representatives were elected by popular vote, variously to single member districts or at-large.

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