Political life
Maclay was elected to the Fourth Congress. He served as a member of the lower house of the State legislature in 1797 and was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1798 to 1802 and served as speaker from 1801 to 1802.
He was elected to the United States Senate as a Democratic Republican by the Pennsylvania legislature and began service in 1803. Popular among Pennsylvanians,he was an infrequent Senate speaker,but was frequently mentioned as his party's possible candidate for governor,but was passed over in favor of Simon Snyder.
Maclay opposed the nomination of James Madison to the presidency by the Democratic Republicans. He doubted how committed Madison was to the party,considering him a late convert,and backed George Clinton instead. Furthermore,Maclay was an opponent of the Embargo Act which had been passed during President Jefferson's second term. Despite the eventual repeal of the Embargo Act,Madison secured Pennsylvania's support and Maclay realized that he was out of step with his fellow party members and Pennsylvanians. Seeing no hope of reelection,he resigned from the Senate in 1809.
Maclay served in the Senate from March 4,1803,until his resignation on January 4,1809. He retired to Buffalo Township,Pennsylvania,where he died,aged 70. He was interred in the Driesbach Church Cemetery in Union County.
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Senator Maclay may refer to:
