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
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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-
