The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1842-09-29

hsnas Isil, lepeland. Gr. On tw0 ocez-
,ions. he had the good farlune Il hear
Pairlrk lIenTy--once. before he Circnil
Couil Of ihr uniH dSlslrsirT The Vmginia
District. on The question Of she payment
~ Inc British debls: and again before The
House Of Dtlegaies Of Yinsini.. on
rlsIm Of The supernumsrIrs Officers IN
The service of The State during tie Rsso-
iulianary War. Mr. Clay remsmbsrs
that remarkable man. his appearance and
his msnner, distinctly. The impression
al hls eloquent pnsers remaining on his
mind 10. that their ehsrm consisted main.
" in one &c The finest voices ever heard,
IN his graceful gesiicUl.lion. snd The va
rir'y aud force Of Oppression which he
erhihIisd in his FIRE.
Henry Clay eu,iieJ Richmond in No
vrmber. 1897. his eldest brother having
died ~hile he vet resided in Ihs, cry.
Rearing license from the Judge Of the
F,rsinis Court II Appeals 10 practise lsw.
he established himselfin Lexington. Ken.
,urky. lie sas sIlhout patrons. with
out The eoan,enanee oi influential friends.
AID des,liue 81 the means 81 paving his
weekly board. 81 remember" says he
in HE speech nf June. 1912. Al Lexing
ION. :. hnw comfsrlsbls.l ihonghl | should
be, IL ! enu.d make Rl00 Virginia no
rey per year; AMI with What delight l re-
crised the FIRE, fiflern shilling Zee. My
hnpes we're more Than realized. | imme
dis,siy rushed Inlo lucrative prsciice."
Brf"ts resun,ina ihs active responsible
li,i.s e his profession, he devoted him
self with sssiduiiy several months 10 his
legal sIudiss. Even ., that period The
bar Of IsxIngion ~as eminent fnr It's abb
Inv. Among Its members we're George
Nicholas. James Hughes. J"hn flrscken.
ridge. James Brown. VIM. Murray. and
Others. whose repuisIion Vas Sufficient 10
discourage The most stoui-hssrled comps-
iinon. But irue genius 10 rarely unsc.
compared BY q CONSCIOUSNESS Of Iis pow.
er; and the lrendlrss and unknown youth
from Virginia fsarlsssly entered The field.
winch. 10 a less lnrepId spirit. would
have seemed pfe-oceupled He soon
commanded consideration and respect.
lie was familiar with The lechnicsliues oi
pracuce: and early hahi,s Of business and
application, enabled him to riI.c, an ca
sy mastery Of the cases entrusted 20 hi,
charge. H,s subtle appreciation Of cha
Iscler, knowlrdge OF human esture, snc
faculties Of psrsuasina. rendered him pc
culi.rly .u,cr,.fsl IN hs appeals to a js-
~; aud he ob,sinrd great celsbiy for ms
sdton snd careful management of ermi'
nal cases.
An anecdnie /. related Of him about the
time oil his first entrance upon his pro.
lesson. shich shnws that, nntwithst.nd'
ing his 6pe cspariues. he had some ma.
tive dlflidenre To- overcome b.fnre they
were fairly tested. lie he'd joined de-
bailng snrieiy. and 81 one al the meeting
The voc wss about To be taken upon the
question under di.cUssion, when he 70
marked IN . lnw but audible whisper. tina
the suhjrc, dad no, appear 10 him 10 isr'
been exhausted.
"Do on, put the question ye,-Mr
Clay will speak" exrlsined . member
who ovethssd the half hesi,sting remark
The chairman Instantly took The HUT
and nodded to the yourg lawyer IN token
OF his readiness To hear what he had Il
say. Wuh every manifestation OF sx'
IRENE embarrassment. he rose. and, in hi,
: confusion, b-gsn by saying: '"Genttemer
Of The Jury"-uneoasclouslI addressing
his fellow members a. The tribunal, Il
which he had perhaps often made ,maei
nary appeals IN his dreams Of a success
iul debut at the bar. HIS audience dc
nut add to HI. agitation by seeming TO no
uce u, and after fnunderIng and blushIns
fur a moment or Two. and sismmering ou
a repetition oi the words Gentlemen u
the Jury" he suddenly shook oil all s'en
Of d .sunsi and umid,ty, aud launched mt
h,s .uhjrcl with , promPtituds and pro
pric,y ol elocution, which excited geneT
al surprise.
10 those familiar with tho perfec. self
possession oi Mr.. Cl.ys manner in ATE
hie upon all occasions. The most Iryinl
and uns expected, this instance will pre-
sent an amusing csn,rsst; for the evidence
is not on record Of his ever having taIle'
Tor an instant In his resources Of repaired
or argument in debate.
Shortly alter this early essay in public
speaking, he WIS sdmutsd as pracsI,Ion
er b,fnre the Fayeue Court Of Quartz
j Sessions. court Of general jurisdiction
Business soon poured in upon hiw, an
dnrins the i-st term he had hsndsom
prscuce. HIS manners aud address. bot
10 personal intercourse and before jury
were unusually captivating. Frank u
svowIns his sentiments, and bnld and con
sislent IN maintaining them. he LAID III
foundation of a character for sincerity an
honor, winch. amid all the shocks Of r"
li,ic.l changes aud The scurriliiss oil par
. liz ~ warfare. has never been shaken
| polluted. Ia the possession Of these al
tributes. beyond the rearh OF cavIl or g
question:, 10 % be inund the secret oil thu
iuallenabIe attachment among the vast DC