Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-10-27
SPECIMENS OF THE TRACTS BY JUNIUs
Extracts from The
LIFE OF HENRY CLAY.

Mr.. Clay's first rudiments of education were ac'
quired in log schoohouse. In the meantime,
he had to work barelooted and go to mill. Tie Is
familiarity called in "old Hanover" the MILL
BOY OF THE SLAsHEs, "-having been so often seen
between his mothers house and Mrs Darricott's
grst- mill on the Pamunkey, mounted OH a bag
and poney, guided by ropc-bridle; Az me
age OF fourteen, he went 10 serve as clerk win
Mr.. Richard Denny, druggist, in Richmond, Va;
and the next year, 1892, went into the office OF
Peter Tinsley, Esq, clerk of the High Court OF
Chapcery where he attracted the notice, and re-
ceived the kind regards of the venerable Chancel-
lor Wythe, who aferward employed him as his
amanuensis in recording his decisions, comments
&c. In these not unfavorabe positions, spurred
OH by his ambition, and cherished by the Chncel-
or and others who had the s0gaclty to recognise
the germe of his future eminence, he made RAPID
advances in legal and other studies. After spend
ing his nineteenth year in the office OF Robert
Brooke ESQ, Attorney General for the State OF
Virginia, Mr.. Clay obtained license for the prac-
lice of law from the Judges of the Court OF APP
peals in his native State.
The selcmade man.
"Sone are born great, some achieve greatness,
and some have greatness thrust upon them"
The first certainly was not the lot OF Henry Clay,
nor was greatness thrust upon him. All the dis
tncton he has acquired was achieved-achieved
by his single arm, 10y his own lofty aims Such
is the self-nIade man. He will ever tie honored,
who, by his own inherent vigor rnd high nspfa-
tons, las successfully contcnded against olsla-
cles that would dsplrit ordinary minds, and bal
fed in an honorable career the adverse winds and
storms Of unhopetul birth aud fortune. In the
loud ana on the graves of our fathers martyrs 10
freedom, was laid Platform for such cudeHvUrS,
ON which our youth, Whatever thrr or'sn may
build high hopes, aud earn an 'mpcrislable lame.
The spectacle Of the hoy working barclooied'
for his mother touc hes all hearts aud when tina,
! l,,. al, 10 nil
career for his country, the mother of us all, he
oieys the instincts aud lullils the high destiny Of
! his hlal pleiy
Mr.. Clay and emancipation.
When Mr.. Clay arrived in Kentucky, he found
! the people of the State ugltaDg the question OF
reniudcing the Constitution, and II very respeca-
! bic minority were in favor OF Introducing clause
| for the gradual emancipation OF the slaves, as had
been done in of ihenorlhern States, by free
ing at u specific age those born after the adoption
of the proposed Constitution, that ultimately all
should he free. MIR. Clay enlisted in this project
| of enanc patton with great Zeal, and devoted All
his energies, through the press, by personal lniiu
ence, and in all active campaign, to accomplish
this end But he and lis associates were ursuc-
cesslul. More than twenty years afterwards,
when he proposed the compromise to settle the
Missouri question, he declared, on the floor OF
! Congress, that, il he were citizen OF Missouri,
he would use all his influence 10 establish sys
tenn of gradual and ultimate emanc patton aud he
| earnestly recommended it. In a speech AT the
anniversary OF the American Colonization SOcic.
", in 1927, Mr.. Clay said OF slavery, It | could
only be instrumental in eradicaung this deepest
stain upon the character Of our country, | would
not exchange the proud alisfaction should ell
ioy for the honor of all the lriumphS ever decreed
to The most successful conqneror."
Mr. .Madison'S estimate Of Mr. Clay.
lie invited him repeatedly into his Cabinet and
offered him the mission 10 Russia then deemed
very Important. He even proposed 10 put Mr.
Clay at the head Of the army and was only de-
tered from sending in his nnme TO The Senate tor
The appointment OF Generdi.in Chit by the ad-
vice that he could not be spared from The public
councils.
anecdotes
For having voted for Mr.Rchard NJ. johnson /
Compensation Bill" in 1916, an unpopular
measure and repealed at the next Congress, Mr.
Clay had 10 make his defence to his constituents
Meeting an old hunter one day, who was agans
him OIL that account, Mr. Clay asked him; Have
4 you good rifle my friend z" Yes" docs i
y ever fash? ?" "Ir did once" Sand did you throw
> it away p" emo: picked the flint, tried tagain
and brought down the game" "iiave | eve
flashed, except on The Compensation Bill 2" "No!'
And will you throw me away" "No no !
cried the hunter with tears in his eyes, and grasp
ing MIR. Cluy's hand, -" No ! no! l will pcl
. the flint, and Try you again"
A barber in Lexington was also in the sam
' state of feeling toward Mr.. Clay, and about to vol
against him. But meeting Mr.. Clay one day il
G the street, he accused him, md said, " hav
4 wronged you, MIR. Clay." " How SOP "Why
my wife came TO me- and said, Jerry, don't yo
d remember when you were IN jail, and MIR. Cla
cane and let you ont and will you vote agains
: him p 'No no jimmy said, 'doyou think
: am such beast""
The Compromise Act.
y Mr. Clay has been blamed Tor this. And why
: But for that Mr.. Nerplanck's bill, reducing due
IS 10 common level oil Is per cent, known TO b
an Administration measure, would have passed
q and the whole system OF manufactures and al
>, the capital vested in them, would have persisted
If In addition TO this, notification threatened 10 del
NJ uge The land in the blood Of 4 civil war. Nj
p, Clay's object, therefore. in the Compromise, wa
n first, to appease notification neri, to save III
/ system Of manufactures and last, TO give the ma
% lIon aud all parties, time for reflection. He kne'
ia that nullfcaIion would cool down, that the polio
of Mr.. Verpanrks bill AT that moment in DANCE
:. Of being forced upon the county, would moi bea
A. sober reflection, and that it was competent fc
Congress at any time 10 reconsider lis It's pre-
!. viuus acts, and repeal or modify them. Tf
m Compromise Act, therefore, was n REMEDIAL hcn
IN ing measure for an alarming crisis, and MS sue
o. necessary and most beneficent One thing MOI
can he said Of it it was contngently perie'
g, scheme, and If the currency of tie country Ina
n not pten DToken uoNhi IL WOulu nave eustuIhe
H. the manufacturing Interests, and answered all II
s. purposes ofthe country, ill the time contemplate
A by s terms had arrived for revising aud readjus
rs, ing the tariff regulations. But, SO long as Il
ia country was in The hands of the Destructive ID!
n nasty properly SO called the contingent prospec
We OF The Compromise Act were OF course uniavor
e. bic Tor an ultimate salulary result. Nolhll
on could save The country in such hands.
a. The history Of M. Ciays policy and Efforts in r
u, gardto protection.
ii. We do not propose to give this history, for Y
no have no room, but only TO say, is one and Il
c55 same from beginning to end. true disciple
he Jefferson in this particular, he moved while
member in Kentucky legislature, that each men
~. Der should clothe HIMSELF from head to foot,
vs. domestic fabrics and # we take this fact Il
re-, germe and indeA OF his policy through life, v