# 12th United States Congress

The 12th 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, 1811, to March 4, 1813, during the third and fourth years of James Madison's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1800 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

## Major events

* November 6, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison defeated Tecumseh's forces
* December 16, 1811: New Madrid earthquake
* April 4, 1812: President Madison enacted a 90-day embargo on trade with the United Kingdom
* April 20, 1812: Vice President George Clinton died
* June 18, 1812: War of 1812: United States declared war on Great Britain
* August 16, 1812: War of 1812: Detroit surrendered to the British.
* October 13, 1812: War of 1812: the Battle of Queenston Heights
* November 5, 1812: Elections of 1812:
** 1812 United States presidential election: Incumbent James Madison beat DeWitt Clinton.
** United States Senate elections, 1812 and 1813
** United States House of Representatives elections, 1812 and 1813

## States admitted and territories organized

* April 30, 1812: Louisiana was admitted as a state into the Union. It was formerly known as the Territory of Orleans
* June 4, 1812: Missouri Territory was organized. It was formerly known as Louisiana Territory

## 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

During this congress, two new Senate seats were added for the new state of Louisiana.
| | Party (shading shows control) | Party (shading shows control) | Total | Vacant |
| | Democratic- Republican (DR) | Federalist (F) | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous congress | 26 | 8 | 34 | 0 |
| Begin | 26 | 7 | 33 | 1 |
| End | 29 | 7 | 36 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 80.6% | 19.4% | | |
| Beginning of next congress | 27 | 6 | 33 | 3 |

### House of Representatives

During this congress, one new House seat was added for the new state of Louisiana.
| | Party (shading shows control) | Party (shading shows control) | Total | Vacant |
| | Democratic- Republican (DR) | Federalist (F) | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous congress | 95 | 46 | 141 | 1 |
| Begin | 106 | 36 | 142 | 0 |
| End | 106 | 36 | 142 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 74.6% | 25.4% | | |
| Beginning of next congress | 108 | 68 | 176 | 6 |

## Leadership
### Senate

* President: George Clinton (DR), until April 20, 1812; vacant thereafter.
* President pro tempore: William H. Crawford (DR)

### House of Representatives

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Henry Clay Democratic-Republican

## 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 1814; Class 2 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1816; and Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1812

### House of Representatives

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

## Changes in membership

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

### Senate

* Replacements: 1
** Democratic-Republicans: no net change
** Federalists: no net change
* Deaths: 0
* Resignations: 4
* Interim appointments: 1
* Seats of newly admitted states: 2
* Vacancies:1
* Total seats with changes: 6

### House of Representatives

* Replacements: 3
** Democratic-Republicans: no net change
** Federalists: no net change
* Deaths: 2
* Resignations: 5
* Contested election: 1
* Seats of newly admitted states: 1
* Vacancies: 1
* Total seats with changes: 10

## Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

### Senate

* Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate (Chairman: Michael Leib)
* Engrossed Bills (Chairman: Nicholas Gilman)
* National University
* Whole

### House of Representatives

* Accounts (Chairman: Charles Turner Jr.)
* Apportionment of Representatives (Select)
* Bankruptcy (Select)
* Claims (Chairman: Burwell Bassett then Thomas Gholson Jr.)
* Commerce and Manufactures (Chairman: Thomas Newton Jr.)
* District of Columbia (Chairman: Joseph Lewis Jr.)
* Elections (Chairman: William Findley)
* Post Office and Post Roads (Chairman: John Rhea)
* Public Lands (Chairman: Jeremiah Morrow)
* Revisal and Unfinished Business (Chairman: Adam Seybert then Burwell Bassett)
* Rules (Select)
* Standards of Official Conduct
* Ways and Means (Chairman: Ezekiel Bacon then Langdon Cheves)
* Whole

### Joint committees

* Enrolled Bills (Chairman: [data missing])
* The Library (Chairman: N/A)

## Employees
### Legislative branch agency directors

* Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin Latrobe, until July 1, 1811; vacant thereafter
* Librarian of Congress: Patrick Magruder

### Senate

* Chaplain: Walter D. Addison (Presbyterian), until November 13, 1811
** John Brackenridge (Presbyterian), from November 13, 1811
* Secretary: Samuel A. Otis
* Sergeant at Arms: James Mathers, died
** Mountjoy Bayly, elected November 6, 1811

### House of Representatives

* Chaplain: Jesse Lee (Methodist), until November 13, 1811
** Nicholas Snethen (Methodist), elected November 13, 1811
** Jesse Lee (Methodist), elected November 2, 1812
* Clerk: Patrick Magruder
* Doorkeeper: Thomas Claxton
* Reading Clerks: [data missing]
* Sergeant at Arms: Thomas Dunn