The 24th 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, 1835, to March 4, 1837, during the seventh and eighth years of Andrew Jackson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1830 United States census. Both chambers had a Jacksonian majority.

Tensions with France

Throughout 1835, relations between the United States and France reached an all-time low. Andrew Jackson had America's ambassador to France travel aboard a gunboat and after negotiations broke down had the American ambassador recalled back to the United States and forced the French ambassador to leave. President Jackson and the French government traded threats and insults throughout the duration of the year. In this conflict, President Jackson got support from many members of the House of Representatives. In late November 1835, Linn Boyd, Albert G. Hawes, Richard M. Johnson, John E. Coffee, Seaton Grantland, Charles Eaton Haynes, Jabez Young Jackson, George Welshman Owens, Thomas Glascock, William Schley, Reuben Chapman, Joshua L. Martin, Joab Lawler, Jesse Atherton Bynum, Jesse Speight, James Iver McKay, Micajah Thomas Hawkins, William Montgomery, Henry William Connor and James Rogers (congressman) all put in writing that if President Jackson were to formally declare war on France he would have their full support. Shortly after this when the government of the United Kingdom sought to intervene, the same twenty Congressmen signed a letter stating that they welcomed the "wholesome and moderating influence" of British Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, British foreign secretary Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston and the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg, who the letter referred to as "our thoughtful cousins." The same document referred to the France's leader Louis Philippe I as "dastardly and pusinallimous." Senators Bedford Brown, Robert J. Walker, Felix Grundy, John Pendleton King and Alfred Cuthbert all wrote to President Jackson saying that they felt the same way as the aforementioned twenty members of the house "with respects to our relations with Britain and France" and "any potential war" that might break out between the United States and France. In a series of popular outbursts in July 1836, effigies of Louis Philippe I were burnt in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. In October 1836, it became known the French were "backing down," celebrations that were "overtly triumphant" and "distinctly anti-French" were held throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi during the last two weeks of October 1836.

Major events

Major legislation

Treaties

States admitted and territories formed

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

National Republicans held the Senate in the first Congressional session; Jacksonians flipped the Senate before the start of the second Congressional session and held that Senate majority for the remainder of the Congressional term. During this congress two Senate seats were added for each of the new states of Arkansas and Michigan.

House of Representatives

During this congress one House seat was added for each of the new states of Arkansas and Michigan.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, 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 the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1838; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1840; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1836.

Alabama

Arkansas

Connecticut

Delaware

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

[Senators' party membership by state at the opening of the 24th Congress in March 1835. The senators from Arkansas and Michigan were not seated until later in the Congress.

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House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Alabama

Arkansas

Connecticut

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Delaware

Georgia

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

The 4th district was a plural district with two representatives.

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Missouri

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New Hampshire

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New Jersey

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New York

There were four plural districts, the 8th, 17th, 22nd & 23rd had two representatives each, the 3rd had four representatives.

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

There were two plural districts, the 2nd had two representatives, the 4th had three representatives.

Rhode Island

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

South Carolina

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

Non-voting members

Changes in membership

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

Senate

House of Representatives

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Employees

Senate

House of Representatives