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soliloquy

(Encyclopedia)soliloquy, the speech by a character in a literary composition, usually a play, delivered while the speaker is either alone addressing the audience directly or the other actors are silent. It is most ...

Pelosi, Nancy Patricia

(Encyclopedia)Pelosi, Nancy Patricia pəlōˈsē [key], 1940–, U.S. congresswoman, Speaker of the U.S. House of ...

Gingrich, Newt

(Encyclopedia)Gingrich, Newt (Newton Leroy Gingrich) gĭngˈgrĭch [key], 1943–, U.S. congressman, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1995–98), b. Harrisburg, Pa., as Newton Leroy McPherson. A histor...

Clark, Champ

(Encyclopedia)Clark, Champ (James Beauchamp Clark), 1850–1921, American legislator, b. near Lawrenceburg, Ky. After a career as lawyer, newspaper editor, and politician in Missouri, he was (1893–95, 1897–1921...

Reed, Thomas Brackett

(Encyclopedia)Reed, Thomas Brackett, 1839–1902, American legislator, b. Portland, Maine. A lawyer, he served in the state assembly (1868–69) and state senate (1870) and became (1870–73) state attorney general...

Hastert, Dennis

(Encyclopedia)Hastert, Dennis (John Dennis “Denny” Hastert) hăsˈtərt [key], 1942–, U.S. congressman, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1999–2007), b. Aurora, Ill. He attended Wheaton College ...

parliamentary law

(Encyclopedia)parliamentary law, rules under which deliberative bodies conduct their proceedings. In English-speaking countries these are based on the practice of the British Parliament, chiefly in the House of Com...

Ashe, John

(Encyclopedia)Ashe, John, c.1720–1781, American Revolutionary general, b. Brunswick co., N.C. Speaker of the colonial assembly (1762–65) and a leader of the opposition to the Stamp Act, he was important to the ...

Sipilä, Juha Petri

(Encyclopedia)Sipilä, Juha Petri, 1961–, Finnish political leader, prime minister of Finland (2015–19). A business executive and one of Finland's wealthiest persons, he was first elected to the Finnish parliam...

Davis, Henry Winter

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Henry Winter, 1817–65, American political leader, b. Annapolis, Md. He was elected (1854) to the House of Representatives on the Know-Nothing ticket and was twice reelected (1856, 1858) with ...