Biography

From US State Department website: "After a minimal formal education, Clay read law and gained admission to the bar in both Virginia and Kentucky in 1797. He became a leading real estate and business lawyer in Frankfort, Kentucky and soon embarked on a career in politics. Clay was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1803 and served to 1806. Next, he served as Senator from Kentucky, from 1806 to 1807, and then returned to the State House of Representatives, from 1807 to 1809. In 1810 Clay returned to the Senate and served until 1811. He became a leader of an anti-British group of Congressmen known as the War Hawks while a U.S. Representative and Speaker of the House from 1811 to 1814. Clay went on to serve as a U.S. Representative from 1815 to 1821 and from 1823 to 1825, and again as Speaker of the House from 1815 to 1820 and from 1823 to 1825. After his tenure as Secretary of State, Clay returned to the U.S. Senate from 1831 to 1842 and from 1849 to 1852. Clay’s fame as a compromiser stemmed from his involvement with the Missouri Compromise, the Comprise Tariff of 1833, and the Compromise of 1850."

Lincoln was a great admirer of Clay.