. ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 7 9 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 0 0 ▁Roberts ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁and ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁State ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 8 0 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 1 1 . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 1 1 , ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Represent ative ▁from ▁Pennsylvania ' s ▁ 2 nd ▁con gression al ▁district , ▁having ▁been ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Democratic - Rep ublic an . ▁ ▁Working ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁and ▁ 1 3 th ▁United ▁States ▁Congress es ▁he ▁res igned ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 1 4 , ▁having ▁been ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁to ▁replace ▁Michael ▁Le ib , ▁who ▁himself ▁had ▁res igned . ▁ ▁He ▁started ▁his ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁ ▁Re - elect ed ▁to ▁a ▁full ▁term ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 4 , ▁Roberts ▁was ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Cla ims ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁Congress ▁inclus ive . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁on ▁the ▁Committee ▁to ▁Aud it ▁and ▁Control ▁the ▁Cont ing ent ▁Exp enses ▁and ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Public ▁Build ings . ▁ ▁He ▁left ▁the ▁Senate ▁on ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 2 1 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 2