United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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25th Congress (1837–1839)

Congressional Profile

Total Membership:

  • 242 Representatives
  • 3 Delegates

Party Divisions:*

  • 128 Democrats
  • 100 Whigs
  • 7 Anti-Masonics
  • 6 Nullifiers
  • 1 Independent

*Party division totals are based on election day results.

House Chamber Seating Plan/tiles/non-collection/H/HouseChamberSeatingPlan_2004_103_000.xml Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
About this object The House briefly used this House Chamber design in a failed attempt to improve the acoustics.

Congress Overview

Democrats and Whigs emerged as formal party organizations and dominated the 1836 elections. Democrats opened the 25th Congress (1837–1839) amid widespread financial collapse, and quickly ordered new Treasury notes to help relieve the pressure on America’s economy. The House continued its effort to gag antislavery petitions despite opposition from former President and now Massachusetts Representative John Quincy Adams. Congress also banned challenging or accepting a duel in the District of Columbia after Kentucky Representative William Graves shot and killed Maine Representative Jonathan Cilley.

Member Information

  • Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, (1774–2005), Official Annotated Membership Roster by State with Vacancy and Special Election Information for the 25th Congress. [PDF]
  • Learn more about the House of Representatives with an interactive map

Learn more about the People of the People's House

Committee Information

Leadership & Officers

Speaker of the House:
James K. Polk (D–Tennessee)
Clerk of the House:
Hugh A. Garland
Walter S. Franklin
Sergeant at Arms:
Roderick Dorsey
Chaplain of the House:
Levi R. Reese – Methodist
Oliver C. Comstock – Baptist
Septimus Tustin – Presbyterian
Doorkeeper:
Overton Carr
Postmaster:
William J. McCormick 1

To view complete lists of individuals who have served in these leadership and official positions since the 1st Congress, visit the People section

Legislative Activities

A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation
U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875 (LOC)

Session Dates

Saturday/Sunday Sessions

Joint Meetings, Joint Sessions, & Inaugurations

Related House Records

Joint Resolution Prohibiting Dueling
Joint Resolution Prohibiting Dueling
March 5, 1838
Congressman William Stephen Morgan of Virginia introduced House Resolution 8 on March 5, 1838. Morgan drafted his bill following several high-profile duels that included Members of Congress. This legislation …
Petition to Rescind Gag Rule
Petition to Rescind Gag Rule
February 14, 1838
The 1st Amendment to the Constitution provides the right to petition the government to take action on issues of concern to the citizenry. In the 1830s, as the issue of slavery was hotly debated in Congress, …

Related Historical Highlights

The Ban on Hats on the House Floor
The Ban on Hats on the House Floor
September 14, 1837
The House adopted a rule stipulating that no Member could wear a hat on the floor during a session of the House.
Vermont Representative William Slade’s Antislavery Speech in the 25th Congress
Vermont Representative William Slade’s Antislavery Speech in the 25th Congress
December 20, 1837
William Slade of Vermont caused the House to adjourn when he attempted to give a speech “on the abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia.”
The Funeral of Congressman Joab Lawler of Alabama
The Funeral of Congressman Joab Lawler of Alabama
May 09, 1838
In the 25th Congress (1837–1839), a funeral in the old House Chamber (present day Statuary Hall) was held for Representative Joab Lawler of Alabama.

Footnotes

1It is assumed that McCormick was the Postmaster during the 25th Congress, but the documentation is sparse.

Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov