The Green Papers: Political Party Breakdown of the 8th Congress of the United States, 1803-1805

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Boldface (with superscript C) numbers indicate the majority Party in each house. Red (with superscript P) numbers (boldface or not) indicate the Party of the President in any event.

President	Party	Congress	United States Senate	House of Representatives
	Republican	Federalist	other	vacancies	Republican	Federalist	other
Jefferson	Republican	8th 1803-1805	25^CP	9
8TH CONGRESS- in General SENATE: 25 Republicans, 9 Federalists Although the latest date- as mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article I, Section 4, clause 2- for the convening of the "long" session of the 8th Congress was 5 December 1803, this Congress actually convened its "long" session on 17 October 1803. [For further information about the types of and dates for sessions of Congress, please see our website's page containing an Explanation of the types of Sessions of Congress as well as the associated table re: the Sessions of the Congress of the United States ] 8TH CONGRESS-United States SENATE Dwight Foster, Federalist of MASSACHUSETTS, had resigned from the Class 2 seat (term ending 3 March 1805) from that State on 3 March 1803, at the end of the preceding Congress. Timothy Pickering, also a Federalist, was elected by the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to complete the term before the end of the odd-numbered year in which the 8th Congress took office [this being 1803]. Senator Pickering, therefore, is counted among the 9 Federalists elected to the Senate of the 8th Congress, notwithstanding the existence of a vacancy at the start of that Congress [4 March 1803] due to Senator Foster's resignation. John Condit, a Republican, was elected by the Legislature of the State of NEW JERSEY to the Class 1 seat (term: 4 March 1803 to 3 March 1809) from that State on 1 September 1803, before the end of the odd-numbered year in which the 8th Congress took office [this being 1803]. Senator Condit, therefore, is counted among the 25 Republicans elected to the Senate of the 8th Congress, notwithstanding the existence of a vacancy at the start of that Congress [4 March 1803] due to a failure of the legislature to elect. The General Assembly of the State of OHIO, a State admitted to the Union only a few days before the expiration of the preceding Congress, elected its first two Senators- John Smith and Thomas Worthington, both Republicans- on 1 April 1803, before the end of the odd-numbered year in which the 8th Congress took office [this being 1803]. Senators Smith and Worthington, therefore, are each counted among the 25 Republicans elected to the Senate of the 8th Congress, notwithstanding vacancies in both of the State's Senate seats at the start of that Congress [4 March 1803]; when lots were drawn in the Senate to determine the Electoral "Class" for each of Ohio's first two Senators, Senator Smith drew a Class 1 seat (term ending 3 March 1809), while Senator Worthington drew a Class 3 seat (term ending 3 March 1807). [For further information about the methods used to determine the Electoral "Classes" for the Senators from a given State, please see our website's page dealing with United States Senate Electoral "Classes" ]

President

Party

Congress

United States Senate

House of Representatives

Republican

Federalist

other

vacancies

Republican

Federalist

other

Jefferson

Republican

8th 1803-1805

25^CP

8TH CONGRESS- in General

SENATE: 25 Republicans, 9 Federalists

Although the latest date- as mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article I, Section 4, clause 2- for the convening of the "long" session of the 8th Congress was 5 December 1803, this Congress actually convened its "long" session on 17 October 1803.
[For further information about the types of and dates for sessions of Congress, please see our website's page containing an Explanation of the types of Sessions of Congress as well as the associated table re: the Sessions of the Congress of the United States ]

8TH CONGRESS-United States SENATE

Dwight Foster, Federalist of MASSACHUSETTS, had resigned from the Class 2 seat (term ending 3 March 1805) from that State on 3 March 1803, at the end of the preceding Congress. Timothy Pickering, also a Federalist, was elected by the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to complete the term before the end of the odd-numbered year in which the 8th Congress took office [this being 1803]. Senator Pickering, therefore, is counted among the 9 Federalists elected to the Senate of the 8th Congress, notwithstanding the existence of a vacancy at the start of that Congress [4 March 1803] due to Senator Foster's resignation.

John Condit, a Republican, was elected by the Legislature of the State of NEW JERSEY to the Class 1 seat (term: 4 March 1803 to 3 March 1809) from that State on 1 September 1803, before the end of the odd-numbered year in which the 8th Congress took office [this being 1803]. Senator Condit, therefore, is counted among the 25 Republicans elected to the Senate of the 8th Congress, notwithstanding the existence of a vacancy at the start of that Congress [4 March 1803] due to a failure of the legislature to elect.

The General Assembly of the State of OHIO, a State admitted to the Union only a few days before the expiration of the preceding Congress, elected its first two Senators- John Smith and Thomas Worthington, both Republicans- on 1 April 1803, before the end of the odd-numbered year in which the 8th Congress took office [this being 1803]. Senators Smith and Worthington, therefore, are each counted among the 25 Republicans elected to the Senate of the 8th Congress, notwithstanding vacancies in both of the State's Senate seats at the start of that Congress [4 March 1803]; when lots were drawn in the Senate to determine the Electoral "Class" for each of Ohio's first two Senators, Senator Smith drew a Class 1 seat (term ending 3 March 1809), while Senator Worthington drew a Class 3 seat (term ending 3 March 1807).
[For further information about the methods used to determine the Electoral "Classes" for the Senators from a given State, please see our website's page dealing with United States Senate Electoral "Classes" ]

Modified .