The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-01-11
VOL. k
SELECTIONS FROM THE LIFE Of
HENRI. CLAY


Hanover County, Virginia, has the honor
of being the place of his nativity, where he
was born on the 18th April, I777. BY the
death of bis father, Baptist clergyman, in
1881, he was left an orphan boy poverty his
only Inheritance, Providence his protector
and guide. He was, however, blessed with
motksr who combined sound understand
ing to kind and amiable feelings. & knew
her WE'LL said distinguished gentleman,
now in the Senate of the United States; Il
knew her well, when boy, and used to love
to go to her house; she was an excellent
woman; SO kind, SO indulgent, and always
took such motheFly interest in the lads of
her acquaintance; nothing she had was too
good for US, and there was no stint in her
measurement
II is an evidence of the goodness of his
heart that, in the privacy Of the domestic
circle, surrounded by those to whom he can
unbosom himself, nothing SO delights him as
TO recur to the scenes, the iabors, the incl
dents, and the enjoyments of his boyhood :.
anecdotes Of which he often relates with
infinite humor and zest This feeling gush-
IS forth in his speech at Hanover, on the 10th
of July, 1S40, which he then visited for the
first time after some forty three years. at
sence.' On that interesting occasion, sur
rounded by nearly The whole population of
the county, who had assembled TO welcome
one, of whom they had heard SO much, and
was so proud as native of their own county.
Mr.. Clay said:-"I have come here to the
county of my nativity, in the spirit of pill
grim, to meet, perhaps for the last time, the
companions and The descendants The COM
panions of my youth. Wherever we roam,
in whatever climate or land we are cast, BY
she accidents of human life, beyond the
mountains or beyond the ocean, in the legis-
lative halls of the capitol, or IN the retreats
and shades of private life, our he arts turn
with an irresistible instinct 10 the cherished
spot which ushered US into existence. And
we dwell with delightful associations on the
recollection of the streams in which, during
our boyish days we bathed !; and the fountains
at which We drank, the piney fields, the hills
and valleys where we sported, and the friends
who shared those enloyments with US. Alas!
too many of these friends of mine have gone
WHITTIER We must all shortly go, and the pres
ence here ofthe small remuent left behind,
attests both our loss and our early attach
ment. ] would greatly prefer, my friends, to
employ the time which tins VISIT rfliorele in
friendly and familiar conversation on The yir-
tues of our departed companions, and the
scenes and adventures Of our younger day !;
but the expectation which prevails, and the
state Of our beloved country, impose on me
the obligation of touching on topics less con-
genial with the feelings ofmy heart hni pos
sessed ofhighef public interest"
The farm which had belonged TO his IA
ther was small. and its cultivation, which was
continued BY his mother, with young Harry s
assistance, for several years, afforded the
family but scanfy substance. But the
labor performed on that peace of land sterile
as it was, undoubtedly laid the foundation of
that strong and vigorous constitution which
has enabled Mr.. Clay to perform such extra
ordinary labor through a long life of profess
sional and public service, and 10 preserve IN
impaired his mental and physical vigor. Ii
also gave him knowledge of farming oper-
atoms and taste for rural occupations,
which have grown with his growth and
strengthened with his years. "There is not,
said gentleman to me, who for many year:
has been his neighbor and friend, ''there j.
not better farmer in the western country
than Mr.. Clay; and there is no better judge
of cattle, horsesand stock generally; nor i
there man in Kentucky who manages hi
farm to better advantage"
His mother married again in 1892, an
removed with her husbad to Kentucky, Leaf
ing him, ssa boy of ffteen years of age, in th
Office of the High Court Of Chancery, in lh
city of Richmond, without a guardian, with
out pecuniary means of support, to steer hi
course as he might or could" The educi
ton of the mass has never been attended t
in Virginia and other southern states, nor il
deed, in all ofihe northern in the manner i
Importance demands; but in those days thel
were even less facilities of acquiring con
mon school education, than exist at the pre-
ent day. Circumstanced as young Hair
was, he had few opportunities of improvin
his mind by means of instruction; for hi
the aschoolmastern was rarely "abroad."-
Usually the children of the wealthy were il
slructed by private teachers brought into Il
family; hence, the poor unable thus to a,
cuire an education, were but scantilv SUI
plied even with the common rudiments
learning. While in the High Court of Cha
ceryE e felt the want of that eduoa;ion
which poverty had deprived him, and ava
cd himself Of the opportunity to supply,
far as 1t was in his power to do so, his de
cheney.
But ifhe owed little to the schoolmast
he was deeply indebted to bounteous p
violence for an understanding clear a
powerful; a disposition social, lively a
inning; and a department, easy, maj
nd Impressive. 1t might with truth
ssid,
'Fhe elements