Editing Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (section)

===19th century===
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 [[American Civil War|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.

[[File:Thomas Brackett Reed - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|upright=.90|[[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (1889–1891, 1895–1899) was one of the most powerful speakers.]]
Toward the end of the 19th century, the office of speaker began to develop into a very powerful one. At the time, one of the most important sources of the speaker's power was his position as Chairman of the [[United States House Committee on Rules|Committee on Rules]], which, after the reorganization of the committee system in 1880, became one of the most powerful standing committees of the House. Furthermore, several speakers became leading figures in their political parties; examples include Democrats [[Samuel J. Randall]], [[John Griffin Carlisle]], and [[Charles F. Crisp]], and Republicans [[James G. Blaine]], [[Thomas Brackett Reed]], and [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]].

The power of the speaker was greatly augmented during the tenure of the Republican [[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (1889–1891, 1895–1899). "Czar Reed", as he was called by his opponents,<ref>Robinson, William A. "Thomas B. Reed, Parliamentarian". ''The American Historical Review'', October 1931. pp. 137–138.</ref> sought to end the obstruction of bills by the minority, in particular by countering the tactic known as the "[[disappearing quorum]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Oleszek|first=Walter J. |url=http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/pre20th_rules.htm |title=A Pre-Twentieth Century Look at the House Committee on Rules |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives|date=December 1998|access-date=July 5, 2007|url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20050825205640/http://rules.house.gov/archives/pre20th_rules.htm |archive-date=August 25, 2005}}</ref> By refusing to vote on a motion, the minority could ensure that a quorum would not be achieved and that the result would be invalid. Reed, however, declared that members who were in the chamber but refused to vote would still count for the purposes of determining a quorum. Through these and other rulings, Reed ensured that the Democrats could not block the Republican agenda.