Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-09-29
From tAs Baltimore Amersean.

MIR. CLAY IN PRIVATE LIFE.
We have met 10 an exchange paper
with letter written by Mr. Clay in
1928 to RoBERr WrcKLrrFE, Esq. Of
Lexington, in reference to certain calum-
MES which some Of his enemies had taken
pains to circulate against him. 1t APP
pears that these busy bodies had searched
the records OF Fayette county to find
what mortgages upon Mr.. Claws proper.
" we're entered there--ihc object being,
in his absence, to parade them as eviden-
ces Of his bankruptcy, without caring to
to inquire whether they had been satisfied
or not. The nature Of such proceeding
as this, in the estimation Of an honorable
mini, we need not dwell upon.
The letter Of Mr.. Clay to his friend
touches upon the unfairness OF his caIum-
niators III the course they had adopted,
yet invites the severest scrutiny into his
pecunlary transactions. He speaks OF "a
heavy responsibility incurred by him
some ten years before, as endorser for his
friends, and then proceeds:
"To that cause is to be- attributed my
temporary retirement from public lie,
and the renewal ofmy professional labors.
] then resolved not To endorse for Others,
except in extraordinary cases, and not to
ask others to endorse for me /; and that
when it became necessary for me to give
security, to pledge, 10 the form Of mort
cages, that estate which was the ultimate
resource Of my creditors. Hence The
greater number Of mortgages which have
been so recently Indignantly exposed to
the public observation. Most of them
have been long since satisfied. Among
the number is one for debt Of $40, 600,
for tho payment Of which you had kind
~ becoma my surety, every cent OF
which has long since been discharged.
There are now subsisting mortgages up
on my estate to the amount OF ten thou
sand dollars; and before the year expires
| hope there will not remain more than
one fifth of that sum. have hitherto
met ali my engagements by the simplest
of processes, that Of living within my in.
come, punctually paying interest when |
could not pay principal, and carefully pre-
serving credit.
81 am not free, absolutely, from debt
] am not rich. never coveted riches.
But my estate would even now, be est.
mated at not much less than one hundred
thousand dollars. Whatever il may be
worth, it is qualification to me to know
that il IS tho produce Of my own honest
labor--no part oft being hereditary, ex-
cept one slave, who would oblige me We.
nv much if he would accept his freedom.
1t is sufficient after paying all my debts,
to leave my family above want, I'll should
b" separated from them. 1t is a matter
also Of consolation to me to know, that
this wanion exposure Of my private affairs
can do me no pecuniary prejudice. My
few creditors will not allow their conf
dence in me to be shaken by it. 1t has
indeed led to one incident, which was al
the same time a source Of pleasure aud
of pain. A friend lately called on me
at the instance Of other friends, and in.
formed me, that they were apprehensiye
that my privsts affairs were embarrassed
and hat allowed their embarrassment
TO prey upon my mind. He came, there
fore, with their authority to tell me, that
they would contribute any sum that
might want to relieve me. The emotions
which such proposition excited can be
conceived by honorable men. | lelt most
happy to be able to undeceve them, and
TO decline their benevolent proposition"