s ▁commercial ▁interests . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Leg ation ▁in ▁Chile ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 2 3 , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁proceed ▁to ▁his ▁post , ▁instead ▁res ign ing ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 3 ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Maryland ▁House ▁of ▁De leg ates ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁and ▁cha ired ▁its ▁committee ▁on ▁internal ▁improvements , ▁champion ing ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Canal ▁so ▁vig or ously ▁( des p ite ▁its ▁failure ▁to ▁pay ▁divid ends ), ▁that ▁he ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁re - e lection ▁after ▁his ▁ 1 8 2 3 ▁vote ▁for ▁state ▁support . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 8 , ▁Kennedy ▁succeeded ▁Isaac ▁McK im ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁his ▁bid ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁November ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁Meanwhile , ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 5 , ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁among ▁the ▁ 1 0 ▁Baltimore ans ▁who ▁attended ▁a ▁rail road ▁meeting ▁in ▁Brow ns ville , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁where ▁he ▁delivered ▁a ▁very ▁well ▁received ▁address ▁ur ging ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁B & O ▁Rail road ▁to ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River ▁valley ▁( r ather ▁than ▁to ▁Pennsylvania ▁can als , ▁which ▁fed ▁Philadelphia ▁rather ▁than ▁Baltimore ). ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁also ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 5 - man ▁committee ▁that ▁lo bb ied ▁the ▁Maryland ▁legisl ature ▁on ▁the ▁B & O