▁as ▁its ▁president ▁in ▁D over ▁for ▁ 4 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁Professional ▁and ▁political ▁career ▁R id g ely ▁was ▁a ▁Federal ist ▁and ▁began ▁his ▁political ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁House , ▁serving ▁in ▁three ▁sessions ▁from ▁ 1 8 0 8 ▁through ▁ 1 8 1 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁Kent ▁County ▁Le vy ▁Court ▁Commission er ▁as ▁well . ▁Sub sequently , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁and ▁ 1 3 th ▁United ▁State ▁House ▁from ▁required ▁until ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁until ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 1 5 . ▁There ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁general ▁Federal ist ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 . ▁Much ▁of ▁his ▁correspond ence ▁from ▁these ▁days ▁is ▁published ▁in ▁A ▁Calendar ▁of ▁R id g ely ▁Family ▁Let ters , ▁ 1 7 4 2 – 1 8 9 9 . ▁ ▁Not ▁seeking ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 4 , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁D over ▁and ▁res umed ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁of ▁Del aware ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁until ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁and ▁also ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁House ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 2 2 , ▁and ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁sessions . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁to