Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/267

 CLA "i

CLAY

Davies, U.S. attorney for Kentucky. In 1806 Aaron Burr was arrested in Kentucky and em- ployed Mr. Clay to defend him before the courts, which Clay did so effectually as to secure his release. This, however, brought no credit to the young barrister and he afterward acknowledged

' i I " % ' ■'^

'MA

his mistake, claiming to have supposed Burr a persecuted and innocent man, at the time he undertook his defence. In December, 1806, vipon the resignation of John Adair as U. S. senator, Mr. Clay was appointed to fill the unexpired term, and took his seat in the senate December 29, although constitutionally ineligible by reason of nonage. He became prominent in debate, in the committee rooms, and as the champion of important legislative measures. His two months in the senate demonstrated his ability as a states- man, and his advocacy of internal improvements, especialh' of a bridge across the Potomac at Wash- ington, and a canal around the falls of the Ohio at Louisville, made for liim many friends. Upon his return home after March 3, 1807, he was re- turned to the state legislature and elected speaker of the house. \Mien a bill was introduced to prohibit the use of British decisions and jurispru- dence authorities in the Kentucky courts, he defeated the act, and in the same legi.slature de- fended the embargo measures of President Jef- ferson. He also introduced a measure forbidding legislators to wear any clothes not the product of domestic manufactures. The debate on this measure led to a duel with Humphrey Marshall, in which both combatants were slightly wounded. In December, 1809, Mr. Clay was again appointed a U.S. senator, this time to fill the unexpired term of Buckner Thurston, who had resigned his seat. In the senate he continued his advocacy of internal improvements, the encouragement of home industries, the right of preemption to pur- cha.sers of public lands, and the preservation of peace with the Indians, through trade and inter-

course. He sustained the occupation of West Florida in a powerful speech, and opposed the re- charter of the United States bank, on consti- tutional groimds. After the expiration of his senatorial term, on March 3, 1811, he was elected a representative in the 12th congress and took his seat Nov. 4, 1811. He was at once made speaker of the house, and contrary to precedent, often left the chair to take part in the general debate. He was the leader of the war party and advocated the enlistment of a volunteer army and the building of an efficient navy. Although opposed by the conservative administration the young Americans, under the leadership of Clay, so fanned the war spark that in June, 1812, war was declared against Great Britain. Despite the want of success in the prosecution of the war, Clay vigorously sustained the administration, and his speeches, which were widely circulated, kept alive the war spirit, despite the opposition of the Federalists. In 1813 he was returned to the 13th congress and was again elected speaker May 23, 1814, on the meeting of the congress in extra ses- sion to take measures for the vigorous prosecution of the war. He resigned the speakership. Jan. 19, 1814, in order that he might accompany John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Jonathan Russell and Albert Gallatin to Ghent to meet the commissioners of Great Britain, with a view to negotiating for peace. During the five months of conference Mr. Clay persistently opposed granting to the British the right to navigate the Mississippi river, and interfering with the rights of the Indians on U.S. territory. The treaty was signed Dec. 24, 1814, and the American commis- sioners repaired to Paris whence, after they had learned of the victory of Gen. Jackson at New Orleans, Clay, A dams and Gallatin went to Lon- don and negotiated a treaty of commerce. Presi- dent Monroe, on organizing his administration, offered to Mr. Clay the position of U.S. minister to Russia, which he declined as he also did the war portfolio. During his absence in Europe his constituents had re-elected him a representative in congress and he was again elected speaker of the house, Dec. 4, 1815. Throughout the 14th congress he was the leader of the new Republican party and favored the continuation of direct tax- ation, as imposed during the war, the building of public roads and canals, and the protection of home industries by a tariff. His opposition to the United States bank in 1811 he now contro- verted by advocating the establishment of one as a fiscal agent of the government, which meas- ure he now declared to be both expedient and constitutional. His advocacj' of an increase in the pay of representatives almost cost him the support of his constituents. He was, however, returned to the loth congress by a small ma-