. The great American book of biography . t Jef-fersons policy of non-inter-course with the warrinornations of Europe, who werepreying upon American com-merce, Mr. Clay proposedthat members of the Legis-lature should bind them-selves to wear nothing thatwas not of American manu-facture. A Federalist mem-ber, ignorant of the fact thatthe refusal of the people touse foreign imports hadcaused the repeal of theStamp Act, and would havepostponed the Revolutionbut for the accident , denounced proposition as the actof a demagogue. Clay chal-lenged this ill-informed gen-tleman, and
. The great American book of biography . t Jef-fersons policy of non-inter-course with the warrinornations of Europe, who werepreying upon American com-merce, Mr. Clay proposedthat members of the Legis-lature should bind them-selves to wear nothing thatwas not of American manu-facture. A Federalist mem-ber, ignorant of the fact thatthe refusal of the people touse foreign imports hadcaused the repeal of theStamp Act, and would havepostponed the Revolutionbut for the accident , denounced proposition as the actof a demagogue. Clay chal-lenged this ill-informed gen-tleman, and a duel resulted,in which two shots were , and both antagonists were slightly wounded. Elected again to for an unexpired term, he re-appeared in that body in 1809, and satduring two sessions. Mr. Clays public life proper began in November, 1811, as a member ofthe House of Representatives. He was immediately elected speaker by thewar party, by the decisive majority of thirty-one. He was then thirty-four yearsof AN M —IMKKIUK. CLA Y AS SPEAKER. 181 It is agreed that to Henry Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives,more than to any other individual, we owe the war of 1812. When the Househesitated, it was he who, descending from the chair, spoke so as to re-assure President Madison faltered, it was the stimulus of Clays resistless pres-ence that put heart into him again. Clay it was whose clarion notes rang outover departing regiments, and kindled within them the martial fire ; and it wasClays speeches which the soldiers loved to read by the camp-fire. When thewar was going all wrong in the first year. President Madison wished to appointClay commander-in-chief of the land forces ; but, said Gallatin, What shall wedo without him in the House of Representatives? In 1814, Clay was sent with four other commissioners to Ghent, in Belgium,to arrange the terms of a peace with England. A single anecdote will illustratethe imp
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