4 , ▁when ▁Dr . ▁Samuel ▁Anderson ▁raised ▁the ▁M if fl in ▁Gu ards , ▁Edwards ▁joined ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁company ▁cl erk . ▁ ▁Career ▁While ▁still ▁in ▁active ▁service , ▁Edwards ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁to ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 9 , ▁Edwards ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Federal ist ▁to ▁the ▁Six teenth ▁and ▁Se vent e enth ▁Congress es ▁and ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 8 2 3 . ▁ ▁Edwards ▁gradually ▁fell ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁Federal ist ▁party . ▁ ▁He ▁trained ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁Henry ▁Clay ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁follow ▁him ▁into ▁the ▁Wh ig ▁Party . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 5 ▁Edwards ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Jackson ▁Federal ist ▁to ▁the ▁E igh teenth ▁Congress ▁from ▁Pennsylvania ' s ▁ 4 th ▁con gression al ▁district ▁and ▁re elect ed ▁as ▁a ▁Jackson ian ▁to ▁the ▁Nin ete enth ▁Congress . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁House ▁Committee ▁on ▁Exp end it ures ▁in ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Navy ▁during ▁the ▁Se vent e enth ▁and ▁E igh teenth ▁Congress es . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 7 , ▁Edwards ▁res umed ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law ▁in ▁Ch ester , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁Chief ▁Burg ess ▁of ▁Ch ester ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁Ins