46th United States Congress

Party summary

Senate

House of Representatives

Leadership

Senate

• President: William A. Wheeler (R)
• President pro tempore: Allen G. Thurman (D)
• Democratic Caucus Chairman: William A. Wallace
• Republican Conference Chairman: Henry B. Anthony

House of Representatives

• Speaker: Samuel J. Randall (D)
• Democratic Caucus Chairman: John Ford House
• Republican Conference Chairman: William P. Frye

Major events

Main article: 1879 in the United States, 1880 in the United States, 1881 in the United States

• Depression of 1873–79
• March 18, 1879: Samuel J. Randall was elected in one of the most tightly fought contests for the speakership after the Civil War. Randall, who favored the protective tariff and "hard money," drew his greatest strength from northern cities and greatest opposition from the west and south. The midterm elections of 1878 had gone badly for the Democrats, with the Greenback Party making inroads in key districts. This emboldened Randall's opponents, who rallied to the support of Joseph Blackburn from Kentucky. In the end, Randall prevailed in the Democratic caucus to receive the nomination, with 75 votes to Blackburn's 57 and a scattering of 9 votes to three other candidates. Blackburn, in moving to make Randall's nomination unanimous, steered his supporters away from the nomination of Hendrick B. Wright, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who was nominated by the Greenbacks. In the eventual vote in the House to elect the Speaker, Randall prevailed with 144 votes, to 125 for James Garfield (Republican from Ohio), 13 for Wright, and one for William "Pig Iron" Kelley (Pennsylvania).
• November 2, 1880: U.S. presidential election, 1880: James Garfield (R) defeated Winfield S. Hancock (D)
• February 19, 1881: Kansas became the first state to prohibit alcohol.

Major legislation

Main article: List of United States federal legislation, 1789–1901

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.

:Skip to House of Representatives, below

Senate

Main article: List of United States senators in the 46th 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 ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1880; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1882; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1884.

[[List of United States senators from Alabama|Alabama]]

: 2. John T. Morgan (D) : 3. George S. Houston (D), until December 31, 1879 :: Luke Pryor (D), January 7, 1880 - November 23, 1880 :: James L. Pugh (D), from November 24, 1880

[[List of United States senators from Arkansas|Arkansas]]

: 2. Augustus Garland (D) : 3. James D. Walker (D)

[[List of United States senators from California|California]]

: 1. Newton Booth (AM) : 3. James T. Farley (D)

[[List of United States senators from Colorado|Colorado]]

: 2. Henry M. Teller (R) : 3. Nathaniel P. Hill (R)

[[List of United States senators from Connecticut|Connecticut]]

: 1. William W. Eaton (D) : 3. Orville H. Platt (R)

[[List of United States senators from Delaware|Delaware]]

: 1. Thomas Bayard Sr. (D) : 2. Eli Saulsbury (D)

[[List of United States senators from Florida|Florida]]

: 1. Charles W. Jones (D) : 3. Wilkinson Call (D)

[[List of United States senators from Georgia|Georgia]]

: 2. Benjamin Hill (D) : 3. John B. Gordon (D), until May 26, 1880 :: Joseph E. Brown (D), from May 26, 1880

[[List of United States senators from Illinois|Illinois]]

: 2. David Davis (I) : 3. John A. Logan (R)

[[List of United States senators from Indiana|Indiana]]

: 1. Joseph E. McDonald (D) : 3. Daniel W. Voorhees (D)

[[List of United States senators from Iowa|Iowa]]

: 2. Samuel J. Kirkwood (R) : 3. William B. Allison (R)

[[List of United States senators from Kansas|Kansas]]

: 2. Preston B. Plumb (R) : 3. John J. Ingalls (R)

[[List of United States senators from Kentucky|Kentucky]]

: 2. James B. Beck (D) : 3. John S. Williams (D)

[[List of United States senators from Louisiana|Louisiana]]

: 2. William Pitt Kellogg (R) : 3. Benjamin F. Jonas (D)

[[List of United States senators from Maine|Maine]]

: 1. Hannibal Hamlin (R) : 2. James G. Blaine (R)

[[List of United States senators from Maryland|Maryland]]

: 1. William Pinkney Whyte (D) : 3. James B. Groome (D)

[[List of United States senators from Massachusetts|Massachusetts]]

: 1. Henry L. Dawes (R) : 2. George F. Hoar (R)

[[List of United States senators from Michigan|Michigan]]

: 1. Zachariah Chandler (R), until November 1, 1879 :: Henry P. Baldwin (R), from November 17, 1879 : 2. Thomas W. Ferry (R)

[[List of United States senators from Minnesota|Minnesota]]

: 1. Samuel J. R. McMillan (R) : 2. William Windom (R)

[[List of United States senators from Mississippi|Mississippi]]

: 1. Blanche Bruce (R) : 2. Lucius Q. C. Lamar (D)

[[List of United States senators from Missouri|Missouri]]

: 1. Francis Cockrell (D) : 3. George G. Vest (D)

[[List of United States senators from Nebraska|Nebraska]]

: 1. Algernon Paddock (R) : 2. Alvin Saunders (R)

[[List of United States senators from Nevada|Nevada]]

: 1. William Sharon (R) : 3. John P. Jones (R)

[[List of United States senators from New Hampshire|New Hampshire]]

: 2. Edward H. Rollins (R) : 3. Charles Bell (R), March 13, 1879 - June 18, 1879 :: Henry W. Blair (R), from June 18, 1879

[[List of United States senators from New Jersey|New Jersey]]

: 1. Theodore Randolph (D) : 2. John R. McPherson (D)

[[List of United States senators from New York|New York]]

: 1. Francis Kernan (D) : 3. Roscoe Conkling (R)

[[List of United States senators from North Carolina|North Carolina]]

: 2. Matt W. Ransom (D) : 3. Zebulon B. Vance (D)

[[List of United States senators from Ohio|Ohio]]

: 1. Allen G. Thurman (D) : 3. George H. Pendleton (D)

[[List of United States senators from Oregon|Oregon]]

: 2. La Fayette Grover (D) : 3. James H. Slater (D)

[[List of United States senators from Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]]

: 1. William A. Wallace (D) : 3. J. Donald Cameron (R)

[[List of United States senators from Rhode Island|Rhode Island]]

: 1. Ambrose Burnside (R) : 2. Henry B. Anthony (R)

[[List of United States senators from South Carolina|South Carolina]]

: 2. Matthew C. Butler (D) : 3. Wade Hampton III (D)

[[List of United States senators from Tennessee|Tennessee]]

: 1. James E. Bailey (D) : 2. Isham G. Harris (D)

[[List of United States senators from Texas|Texas]]

: 1. Samuel B. Maxey (D) : 2. Richard Coke (D)

[[List of United States senators from Vermont|Vermont]]

: 1. George F. Edmunds (R) : 3. Justin Morrill (R)

[[List of United States senators from Virginia|Virginia]]

: 1. Robert E. Withers (D) : 2. John W. Johnston (D)

[[List of United States senators from West Virginia|West Virginia]]

: 1. Frank Hereford (D) : 2. Henry G. Davis (D)

[[List of United States senators from Wisconsin|Wisconsin]]

: 1. Angus Cameron (R) : 3. Matthew H. Carpenter (R), until February 24, 1881

]]

House of Representatives

Main article: List of United States representatives in the 46th Congress

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

[[List of United States representatives from Alabama|Alabama]]

: . Thomas H. Herndon (D) : . Hilary A. Herbert (D) : . William J. Samford (D) : . Charles M. Shelley (D) : . Thomas Williams (D) : . Burwell Lewis (D), until October 1, 1880 :: Newton N. Clements (D), from December 8, 1880 : . William H. Forney (D) : . William M. Lowe (GB)

[[List of United States representatives from Arkansas|Arkansas]]

: . Poindexter Dunn (D) : . William F. Slemons (D) : . Jordan E. Cravens (D) : . Thomas M. Gunter (D)

[[List of United States representatives from California|California]]

: . Horace Davis (R) : . Horace F. Page (R) : . Campbell P. Berry (D) : . Romualdo Pacheco (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Colorado|Colorado]]

: . James B. Belford (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Connecticut|Connecticut]]

: . Joseph R. Hawley (R) : . James Phelps (D) : . John T. Wait (R) : . Frederick Miles (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Delaware|Delaware]]

: . Edward L. Martin (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Florida|Florida]]

: . Robert H. M. Davidson (D) : . Noble A. Hull (D), until January 22, 1881 :: Horatio Bisbee Jr. (R), from January 22, 1881

[[List of United States representatives from Georgia|Georgia]]

: . John C. Nicholls (D) : . William E. Smith (D) : . Philip Cook (D) : . Henry Persons (ID) : . Nathaniel J. Hammond (D) : . James Blount (D) : . William Felton (D) : . Alexander H. Stephens (D) : . Emory Speer (ID)

[[List of United States representatives from Illinois|Illinois]]

: . William Aldrich (R) : . George R. Davis (R) : . Hiram Barber Jr. (R) : . John C. Sherwin (R) : . Robert M. A. Hawk (R) : . Thomas J. Henderson (R) : . Philip C. Hayes (R) : . Greenbury L. Fort (R) : . Thomas A. Boyd (R) : . Benjamin F. Marsh (R) : . James W. Singleton (D) : . William M. Springer (D) : . Adlai E. Stevenson (D) : . Joseph G. Cannon (R) : . Albert P. Forsythe (GB) : . William A. J. Sparks (D) : . William R. Morrison (D) : . John R. Thomas (R) : . Richard W. Townshend (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Indiana|Indiana]]

: . William Heilman (R) : . Thomas R. Cobb (D) : . George A. Bicknell (D) : . Jeptha D. New (D) : . Thomas M. Browne (R) : . William R. Myers (D) : . Gilbert De La Matyr (GB) : . Abraham J. Hostetler (D) : . Godlove S. Orth (R) : . William H. Calkins (R) : . Calvin Cowgill (R) : . Walpole G. Colerick (D) : . John Baker (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Iowa|Iowa]]

: . Moses A. McCoid (R) : . Hiram Price (R) : . Thomas Updegraff (R) : . Nathaniel C. Deering (R) : . Rush Clark (R), until April 29, 1879 :: William G. Thompson (R), from December 1, 1879 : . James B. Weaver (GB) : . Edward H. Gillette (GB) : . William F. Sapp (R) : . Cyrus C. Carpenter (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Kansas|Kansas]]

: . John A. Anderson (R) : . Dudley C. Haskell (R) : . Thomas Ryan (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Kentucky|Kentucky]]

: . Oscar Turner (ID) : . James A. McKenzie (D) : . John William Caldwell (D) : . J. Proctor Knott (D) : . Albert S. Willis (D) : . John G. Carlisle (D) : . Joseph C. S. Blackburn (D) : . Philip B. Thompson Jr. (D) : . Thomas Turner (D) : . Elijah C. Phister (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Louisiana|Louisiana]]

: . Randall L. Gibson (D) : . E. John Ellis (D) : . Joseph H. Acklen (D) : . Joseph B. Elam (D) : . J. Floyd King (D) : . Edward W. Robertson (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Maine|Maine]]

: . Thomas B. Reed (R) : . William P. Frye (R) : . Stephen D. Lindsey (R) : . George W. Ladd (GB) : . Thompson H. Murch (GB)

[[List of United States representatives from Maryland|Maryland]]

: . Daniel M. Henry (D) : . J. Frederick C. Talbott (D) : . William Kimmel (D) : . Robert M. McLane (D) : . Eli J. Henkle (D) : . Milton G. Urner (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Massachusetts|Massachusetts]]

: . William W. Crapo (R) : . Benjamin W. Harris (R) : . Walbridge A. Field (R) : . Leopold Morse (D) : . Selwyn Z. Bowman (R) : . George B. Loring (R) : . William A. Russell (R) : . William Claflin (R) : . William W. Rice (R) : . Amasa Norcross (R) : . George D. Robinson (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Michigan|Michigan]]

: . John Newberry (R) : . Edwin Willits (R) : . Jonas H. McGowan (R) : . Julius C. Burrows (R) : . John W. Stone (R) : . Mark S. Brewer (R) : . Omar D. Conger (R), until March 3, 1881 : . Roswell G. Horr (R) : . Jay Hubbell (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Minnesota|Minnesota]]

: . Mark H. Dunnell (R) : . Henry Poehler (D) : . William D. Washburn (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Mississippi|Mississippi]]

: . Henry L. Muldrow (D) : . Vannoy Manning (D) : . Hernando Money (D) : . Otho R. Singleton (D) : . Charles E. Hooker (D) : . James Chalmers (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Missouri|Missouri]]

: . Martin L. Clardy (D) : . Erastus Wells (D) : . Richard G. Frost (D) : . Lowndes H. Davis (D) : . Richard P. Bland (D) : . James R. Waddill (D) : . Alfred M. Lay (D), until December 8, 1879 :: John F. Philips (D), from January 10, 1880 : . Samuel L. Sawyer (ID) : . Nicholas Ford (GB) : . Gideon F. Rothwell (D) : . John B. Clark Jr. (D) : . William H. Hatch (D) : . Aylett H. Buckner (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Nebraska|Nebraska]]

: . Edward K. Valentine (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Nevada|Nevada]]

: . Rollin M. Daggett (R)

[[List of United States representatives from New Hampshire|New Hampshire]]

: . Joshua G. Hall (R) : . James F. Briggs (R) : . Evarts Farr (R), until November 30, 1880 :: Ossian Ray (R), from January 8, 1881

[[List of United States representatives from New Jersey|New Jersey]]

: . George M. Robeson (R) : . Hezekiah Smith (D) : . Miles Ross (D) : . Alvah A. Clark (D) : . Charles H. Voorhis (R) : . John L. Blake (R) : . Lewis A. Brigham (R)

[[List of United States representatives from New York|New York]]

: . James W. Covert (D) : . Daniel O'Reilly (ID) : . Simeon B. Chittenden (R) : . Archibald M. Bliss (D) : . Nicholas Muller (D) : . Samuel S. Cox (D) : . Edwin Einstein (R) : . Anson G. McCook (R) : . Fernando Wood (D), until February 14, 1881 : . James O'Brien (ID) : . Levi P. Morton (R) : . Waldo Hutchins (D), from November 4, 1879 : . John H. Ketcham (R) : . John W. Ferdon (R) : . William Lounsbery (D) : . John M. Bailey (R) : . Walter A. Wood (R) : . John Hammond (R) : . Amaziah B. James (R) : . John H. Starin (R) : . David Wilber (R) : . Warner Miller (R) : . Cyrus D. Prescott (R) : . Joseph Mason (R) : . Frank Hiscock (R) : . John H. Camp (R) : . Elbridge G. Lapham (R) : . Jeremiah W. Dwight (R) : . David P. Richardson (R) : . John Van Voorhis (R) : . Richard Crowley (R) : . Ray V. Pierce (R), until September 18, 1880 :: Jonathan Scoville (D), from November 12, 1880 : . Henry H. Van Aernam (R)

[[List of United States representatives from North Carolina|North Carolina]]

: . Joseph Martin (R), until January 29, 1881 :: Jesse J. Yeates (D), from January 29, 1881 : . William H. Kitchin (D) : . Daniel Russell (GB) : . Joseph J. Davis (D) : . Alfred M. Scales (D) : . Walter L. Steele (D) : . Robert F. Armfield (D) : . Robert B. Vance (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Ohio|Ohio]]

: . Benjamin Butterworth (R) : . Thomas L. Young (R) : . John A. McMahon (D) : . J. Warren Keifer (R) : . Benjamin Le Fevre (D) : . William D. Hill (D) : . Frank H. Hurd (D) : . Ebenezer B. Finley (D) : . George L. Converse (D) : . Thomas Ewing Jr. (D) : . Henry L. Dickey (D) : . Henry S. Neal (R) : . Adoniram J. Warner (D) : . Gibson Atherton (D) : . George W. Geddes (D) : . William McKinley (R) : . James Monroe (R) : . Jonathan T. Updegraff (R) : . James A. Garfield (R), until November 8, 1880 :: Ezra B. Taylor (R), from December 13, 1880 : . Amos Townsend (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Oregon|Oregon]]

: . John Whiteaker (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]]

: . Henry H. Bingham (R) : . Charles O'Neill (R) : . Samuel J. Randall (D) : . William D. Kelley (R) : . Alfred C. Harmer (R) : . William Ward (R) : . William Godshalk (R) : . Hiester Clymer (D) : . A. Herr Smith (R) : . Reuben Bachman (D) : . Robert Klotz (D) : . Hendrick B. Wright (GB) : . John Ryon (D) : . John W. Killinger (R) : . Edward Overton Jr. (R) : . John I. Mitchell (R) : . Alexander H. Coffroth (D) : . Horatio G. Fisher (R) : . Frank E. Beltzhoover (D) : . Seth Yocum (GB) : . Morgan R. Wise (D) : . Russell Errett (R) : . Thomas M. Bayne (R) : . William S. Shallenberger (R) : . Harry White (R) : . Samuel Dick (R) : . James H. Osmer (R)

[[List of United States representatives from Rhode Island|Rhode Island]]

: . Nelson W. Aldrich (R) : . Latimer W. Ballou (R)

[[List of United States representatives from South Carolina|South Carolina]]

: . John S. Richardson (D) : . Michael P. O'Connor (D) : . D. Wyatt Aiken (D) : . John H. Evins (D) : . George D. Tillman (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Tennessee|Tennessee]]

: . Robert L. Taylor (D) : . Leonidas C. Houk (R) : . George G. Dibrell (D) : . Benton McMillin (D) : . John M. Bright (D) : . John F. House (D) : . Washington C. Whitthorne (D) : . John D. C. Atkins (D) : . Charles B. Simonton (D) : . H. Casey Young (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Texas|Texas]]

: . John H. Reagan (D) : . David B. Culberson (D) : . Olin Wellborn (D) : . Roger Q. Mills (D) : . George W. Jones (GB) : . Christopher C. Upson (D), from April 15, 1879

[[List of United States representatives from Vermont|Vermont]]

: . Charles H. Joyce (R) : . James M. Tyler (R) : . Bradley Barlow (GB)

[[List of United States representatives from Virginia|Virginia]]

: . Richard Lee T. Beale (D) : . John Goode Jr. (D) : . Joseph E. Johnston (D) : . Joseph Jorgensen (R) : . George Cabell (D) : . John R. Tucker (D) : . John T. Harris (D) : . Eppa Hutton II (D) : . James Richmond (D)

[[List of United States representatives from West Virginia|West Virginia]]

: . Benjamin Wilson (D) : . Benjamin F. Martin (D) : . John E. Kenna (D)

[[List of United States representatives from Wisconsin|Wisconsin]]

: . Charles G. Williams (R) : . Lucien B. Caswell (R) : . George Hazelton (R) : . Peter V. Deuster (D) : . Edward S. Bragg (D) : . Gabriel Bouck (D) : . Herman L. Humphrey (R) : . Thaddeus C. Pound (R)

Non-voting delegates

: . John G. Campbell (D) : . Granville G. Bennett (R) : . George Ainslie (D) : . Martin Maginnis (D) : . Mariano S. Otero (R) : . George Q. Cannon (R) : . Thomas H. Brents (R) : . Stephen Downey (R)

Changes in membership

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

Senate

• Replacements: 4
  • Democratic: no net change
  • Republican: no net change
• Deaths: 3
• Resignations: 1
• Interim appointments: 2
• Total seats with changes: 5

Sorted chronologically by date of vacancy

|- | New Hampshire (3) | Vacant | Legislature had failed to elect. An interim successor was appointed March 13, 1879. | nowrap | Charles H. Bell (R) | March 13, 1879

|- | New Hampshire (3) | nowrap | Charles H. Bell (R) | Successor elected June 18, 1879, but did not begin service until June 20, 1879, for unknown reasons. | nowrap | Henry W. Blair (R) | June 20, 1879

|- | Michigan (1) | nowrap | Zachariah Chandler (R) | Died November 1, 1879. Successor appointed November 17, 1879, to continue the term. Appointee was elected January 19, 1881, to finish the term. | nowrap | Henry P. Baldwin (R) | November 17, 1879

|- | Alabama (3) | nowrap | George S. Houston (D) | Died December 31, 1879. Successor appointed January 7, 1880, to continue the term.

| nowrap | Luke Pryor (D) | January 7, 1880

|- | Georgia (3) | nowrap | John B. Gordon (D) | Resigned May 26, 1880, to promote building of the Georgia Pacific Railway. Successor elected May 26, 1880. | nowrap | Joseph E. Brown (D) | May 26, 1880

|- | Alabama (3) | nowrap | Luke Pryor (D) | Successor elected November 23, 1880. | nowrap | James L. Pugh (D) | November 24, 1880

|- | Wisconsin (3) | nowrap | Matthew H. Carpenter (R) | Died February 24, 1881. | Vacant | Not filled this term

|}

House of Representatives

• Replacements: 8
  • Democratic: 1 seat net gain
  • Republican: 1 seat net loss
• Deaths: 4
• Resignations: 3
• Contested election: 2
• Total seats with changes: 11

Sorted Chronologically by date of vacancy

|- | | Vacant | Rep. Gustav Schleicher died during previous congress | nowrap | Christopher C. Upson (D) | April 15, 1879

|- | | Vacant | Rep.-elect Alexander Smith died during previous congress | nowrap | Waldo Hutchins (D) | November 4, 1879

|- | | nowrap | Rush Clark (R) | Died April 29, 1879 | nowrap | William G. Thompson (R) | October 14, 1879

|- | | nowrap | Alfred M. Lay (D) | Died December 8, 1879 | nowrap | John F. Philips (D) | January 10, 1880

|- | | nowrap | Ray V. Pierce (R) | Resigned September 18, 1880 | nowrap | Jonathan Scoville (D) | November 12, 1880

|- | | nowrap | Burwell B. Lewis (D) | Resigned October 1, 1880, to accept presidency of the University of Alabama | nowrap | Newton N. Clements (D) | December 8, 1880

|- | | nowrap | James A. Garfield (R) | Resigned November 8, 1880 | nowrap | Ezra B. Taylor (R) | December 13, 1880

|- | | nowrap | Evarts W. Farr (R) | Died November 30, 1880. Successor elected December 28, 1880. | nowrap | Ossian Ray (R) | January 8, 1881

|- | | nowrap | Noble A. Hull (D) | Lost contested election January 22, 1881 | nowrap | Horatio Bisbee Jr. (R) | January 22, 1881

|- | | nowrap | Joseph J. Martin (R) | Lost contested election January 29, 1881 | nowrap | Jesse J. Yeates (D) | January 29, 1881

|- | | nowrap | Fernando Wood (D) | Died February 14, 1881 | Vacant | Not filled this term

|- | | nowrap | Omar D. Conger (R) | Resigned March 3, 1881, after being elected to the US Senate | Vacant | Not filled this term

|}

Committees

Senate

• Additional Accommodations for the Library of Congress (Select)
• Agriculture (Chairman: John W. Johnston; Ranking Member: Algernon S. Paddock)
• Appropriations (Chairman: Henry G. Davis; Ranking Member: William Windom)
• Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Benjamin H. Hill; Ranking Member: John P. Jones)
• Cabinet Officers on the Floor of the Senate (Select)
• Civil Service and Retrenchment (Chairman: Matthew C. Butler; Ranking Member: Henry M. Teller)
• Claims (Chairman: Francis M. Cockrell; Ranking Member: Samuel J.R. McMillan)
• Commerce (Chairman: Matt W. Ransom; Ranking Member: Roscoe Conkling)
• Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
• District of Columbia (Chairman: Isham G. Harris; Ranking Member: John J. Ingalls)
• Education and Labor (Chairman: James E. Bailey; Ranking Member: Ambrose E. Burnside)
• Elections of 1878 (Select)
• Emigration of Negroes from the South to North (Select)
• Engrossed Bills (Chairman: Roscoe Conkling; Ranking Member: Robert E. Withers)
• Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Zebulon B. Vance; Ranking Member: Edward H. Rollins)
• Epidemic Diseases (Select) (Chairman: Isham G. Harris; Ranking Member: Algernon S. Paddock)
• Examine the Several Branches in the Civil Service (Chairman: George G. Vest; Ranking Member: John A. Logan)
• Finance (Chairman: Thomas F. Bayard; Ranking Member: Justin S. Morrill)
• Foreign Relations (Chairman: William W. Eaton; Ranking Member: Hannibal Hamlin)
• Freedman's Savings and Trust Company (Select)
• Indian Affairs (Chairman: Richard Coke; Ranking Member: William B. Allison)
• Indian Territory (Select)
• Judiciary (Chairman: Allen G. Thurman; Ranking Member: David Davis)
• Manufactures (Chairman: La Fayette Grover; Ranking Member: Edward H. Rollins)
• Military Affairs (Chairman: Theodore F. Randolph; Ranking Member: Ambrose E. Burnside)
• Mines and Mining (Chairman: Frank Hereford; Ranking Member: J. Donald Cameron)
• Mississippi River and its Tributaries (Select) (Chairman: Benjamin F. Jonas; Ranking Member: James G. Blaine)
• Naval Affairs (Chairman: John R. McPherson; Ranking Member: Henry B. Anthony)
• Nicaraguan Claims (Select)
• Ordnance and War Ships (Select)
• Patents (Chairman: Francis Kernan; Ranking Member: Newton Booth)
• Pensions (Chairman: Robert E. Withers; Ranking Member: John J. Ingalls)
• Plueropneumonia among Animals (Select)
• Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Samuel B. Maxey; Ranking Member: James B. Groome)
• Private Land Claims (Chairman: George F. Edmunds; Ranking Member: David Davis)
• Privileges and Elections (Chairman: Eli Saulsbury; Ranking Member: Zebulon B. Vance)
• Public Lands (Chairman: Joseph E. McDonald; Ranking Member: Preston B. Plumb)
• Railroads (Chairman: Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II; Ranking Member: Benjamin F. Jonas)
• Revision of the Laws (Chairman: William A. Wallace; Ranking Member: George F. Hoar)
• Revolutionary Claims (Chairman: Henry B. Anthony; Ranking Member: Charles W. Jones)
• Rules (Chairman: John Tyler Morgan; Ranking Member: James G. Blaine)
• Tariff Regulation (Select)
• Tenth Census (Select) (Chairman: George H. Pendleton; Ranking Member: David Davis)
• Territories (Chairman: Augustus H. Garland; Ranking Member: Alvin Saunders)
• Transportation Routes to the Seaboard (Select) (Chairman: James B. Beck; Ranking Member: J. Donald Cameron)
• Treasury Department Account Discrepancies (Select)
• Whole

House of Representatives

• Accounts (Chairman: Daniel M. Henry; Ranking Member: Thomas A. Boyd)
• Alcoholic Liquor Traffic (Select) (Chairman: Lowndes H. Davis; Ranking Member: Mark S. Brewer)
• Agriculture (Chairman: James W. Covert; Ranking Member: William H. Hatch)
• Appropriations (Chairman: John DeWitt Clinton Atkins; Ranking Member: John H. Baker)
• Banking and Currency (Chairman: Aylett H. Buckner; Ranking Member: George W. Ladd)
• Claims (Chairman: John M. Bright; Ranking Member: William J. Samford)
• Coinage, Weights and Measures (Chairman: Alexander H. Stephens; Ranking Member: Gilbert De La Matyr)
• Commerce (Chairman: John H. Reagan; Ranking Member: Peter V. Deuster)
• District of Columbia (Chairman: Eppa Hunton; Ranking Member: William Heilman)
• Education and Labor (Chairman: John Goode; Ranking Member: James H. Osmer)
• Elections (Chairman: William M. Springer; Ranking Member: J. Warren Keifer)
• Enrolled Bills (Chairman: John E. Kenna; Ranking Member: David F. Wilber)
• Expenditures in the Interior Department (Chairman: Nicholas Muller; Ranking Member: Gilbert De La Matyr)
• Expenditures in the Justice Department (Chairman: James H. Blount; Ranking Member: Lowndes H. Davis)
• Expenditures in the Navy Department (Chairman: Richard W. Townshend; Ranking Member: Walter A. Wood)
• Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Chairman: George W. Ladd; Ranking Member: John L. Blake)
• Expenditures in the State Department (Chairman: Hiester Clymer; Ranking Member: John S. Newberry)
• Expenditures in the Treasury Department (Chairman: William H. Forney; Ranking Member: Charles O'Neill)
• Expenditures in the War Department (Chairman: Joseph C. S. Blackburn; Ranking Member: Harry White)
• Expenditures on Public Buildings (Chairman: Peter V. Deuster; Ranking Member: Nicholas Ford)
• Foreign Affairs (Chairman: Samuel S. Cox; Ranking Member: William D. Hill)
• Indian Affairs (Chairman: Alfred M. Scales; Ranking Member: Olin Wellborn)
• Invalid Pensions (Chairman: Alexander H. Coffroth; Ranking Member: Robert L. Taylor)
• Judiciary (Chairman: J. Proctor Knott; Ranking Member: Nathaniel J. Hammond)
• Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River (Chairman: Edward W. Robertson; Ranking Member: Thomas M. Bayne)
• Manufactures (Chairman: Morgan R. Wise; Ranking Member: William M. Lowe)
• Mileage (Chairman: Thomas R. Cobb; Ranking Member: Simeon B. Chittenden)
• Military Affairs (Chairman: William A.J. Sparks; Ranking Member: Harry White)
• Militia (Chairman: Miles Ross; Ranking Member: Samuel B. Dick)
• Mines and Mining (Chairman: Adlai E. Stevenson; Ranking Member: John I. Mitchell)
• Naval Affairs (Chairman: Washington C. Whitthorne; Ranking Member: James O'Brien)
• Pacific Railroads (Chairman: Robert Milligan McLane; Ranking Member: Olin Wellborn)
• Patents (Chairman: Robert B. Vance; Ranking Member: Hezekiah B. Smith)
• Pensions (Chairman: John Whiteaker; Ranking Member: N/A)
• Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: Hernando D. Money; Ranking Member: George Washington Jones)
• Private Land Claims (Chairman: Thomas M. Gunter; Ranking Member: John I. Mitchell)
• Public Buildings and Grounds (Chairman: Philip Cook; Ranking Member: Thompson H. Murch)
• Public Expenditures (Chairman: Ebenezer B. Finley; Ranking Member: Charles H. Joyce)
• Public Lands (Chairman: George L. Converse; Ranking Member: Thomas Ryan)
• Railways and Canals (Chairman: George C. Cabell; Ranking Member: Daniel O'Reilly)
• Revision of Laws (Chairman: John T. Harris; Ranking Member: William M. Lowe)
• Revolutionary Pensions (Chairman: John Whiteaker; Ranking Member: George L. Converse)
• Rules (Select) (Chairman: Samuel J. Randall; Ranking Member: James A. Garfield)
• Standards of Official Conduct
• Territories (Chairman: Henry L. Muldrow; Ranking Member: Reuben K. Bachman)
• War Claims (Chairman: Edward S. Bragg; Ranking Member: Cyrus C. Carpenter)
• Ways and Means (Chairman: Fernando Wood; Ranking Member: James A. Garfield)
• Whole

Joint committees

• Budget Control
• Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special)
• Census (Chairman: Rep. Samuel S. Cox; Vice Chairman: Rep. Gideon F. Rothwell)
• Enrolled Bills (Chairman: Rep. John E. Kenna; Vice Chairman: Rep. David F. Wilber)
• The Library (Chairman: Rep. George W. Geddes; Vice Chairman: Rep. William Claflin)
• Printing (Chairman: Rep. Otho R. Singleton; Vice Chairman: Rep. Philip C. Hayes)

Caucuses

• Democratic (House)
• Democratic (Senate)

Employees

[[List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress|Legislative branch agency]] directors

• Architect of the Capitol: Edward Clark
• Librarian of Congress: Ainsworth Rand Spofford
• Public Printer of the United States: John D. Defrees

Senate

• Secretary: George C. Gorham, until March 24, 1879
  • John C. Burch elected March 24, 1879
• Librarian: P. J. Pierce
• Sergeant at Arms: John R. French, until March 23, 1879
  • Richard J. Bright, elected March 23, 1879
• Chaplain: Byron Sunderland (Presbyterian), until March 24, 1879
  • Joseph J. Bullock (Presbyterian), elected March 24, 1879

House of Representatives

• Clerk: George M. Adams
• Sergeant at Arms: John G. Thompson
• Doorkeeper: Charles W. Field
• Postmaster: James M. Steuart
• Clerk at the Speaker's Table: J. Randolph Tucker Jr.
  • George P. Miller
  • Michael Sullivan
• Reading Clerks:
  • Thomas S. Pettit (D)
  • Neill S. Brown Jr. (R)
• Chaplain: W.P. Harrison (Methodist)

Notes

References