Speaker of the United States House of Representatives: Difference between revisions

From early in its existence, the speaker's primary function had been to keep order and enforce rules. The speakership was transformed into a position with power over the legislative process under [[Henry Clay]] (1811–1814, 1815–1820, and 1823–1825).<ref>C. Stewart III, "Architect or tactician? Henry Clay and the institutional development of the US House of Representatives" [http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/18148/clay.pdf?sequence=1 1998, online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194616/http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/18148/clay.pdf?sequence=1 |date=January 14, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://millercenter.org/president/adams/essays/clay-1825-secretary-of-state| title=Henry Clay (1825–1829)| work=U.S. Presidents| date=October 4, 2016| publisher=Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia| location=Charlottesville, Virginia| access-date=May 10, 2021| archive-date=May 10, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510112824/https://millercenter.org/president/adams/essays/clay-1825-secretary-of-state| url-status=live}}</ref> In contrast to many of his predecessors, Clay participated in several debates and used his influence to procure the passage of measures he supported—for instance, the declaration of the [[War of 1812]], and various laws relating to Clay's "[[American System (economic plan)|American System]]" economic plan. Furthermore, when no candidate received an [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]] majority in the [[1824 presidential election]], causing the president to be elected by the House, Speaker Clay threw his support to [[John Quincy Adams]] instead of [[Andrew Jackson]], thereby ensuring Adams' victory. Following Clay's retirement in 1825, the power of the speakership once again began to decline, despite speakership elections becoming increasingly bitter. As the Civil War approached, several sectional factions nominated their own candidates, often making it difficult for any candidate to attain a majority. In 1855 and again in 1859, for example, the contest for speaker lasted for two months before the House achieved a result. Speakers tended to have very short tenures during this period. For example, from 1839 to 1863 there were eleven speakers, only one of whom served for more than one term. [[James K. Polk]] is the only speaker of the House who was later elected president of the United States.