Columbus Whig. (Columbus, Miss.) 1843-18??, 1844-04-18
1NrrnTlTEf lFMR. CLAY.


The following anecdote Of Henry Clay, 80
eniinenfly characteristic OF the man. ana SO
hoporable kolhe statesman, we have upon the
authority az ! distinguished Senator OF the
United Stated. We give il as nearly as we
are able, IN the language IN which we had Il
from the lips Of the Honorable Senator him.
self
Il was during the last Session Of Mr.. Clay's
service IN the Senate.tha' session during which
the nomination of Edward Everett. as ministe
10 England, was confirmed. 1t will be rememr
bered that, for a number ofweeks after IN
nomination Of Mr.. Everett, great suspense and
anxiety were felt Throughout the country, as to
he course which the Senate might take upon
he question of his confirmation. The South
I'm members, or, at least portion Of them,
demanded his rejection, o. the ground Of bis
having expressed sentiments upon the subject
of abolition, highly offensive to the South, and
such as the South was called upon, both direct
Nv and indirectly, TO rebuke and condemn.--
Mal1ers stood thus, when, az the close. or near
the close, of one Of the Executive sessions oil
the Senate, on long summers day, MIR. Clay
had left his seat and taking 40 his bread onmm-
ed straw hat which he was accustomed 10 wear
in the warm season, began walking Slowly
backward and forward near the door OF tne
Senate expecting every moment when an al
l0UrGf1eEl W0ula ldAc pidOCs ScS$ Na'NA'~
ator f-om the south, whose name the gentle
man to whom We are indebted for these facts
did not feel himself at liberty to mention, rose
in his place, and called the attention of the
Senate TO published correspondence which
he held in his hand. between Mr.. Everett end
certain aboliiionists who he had addressed to
him q ser es of questions touching the subject
of slavery. The correspondence had taken
place at time when If we recollect rightiy,
Mr.. Everett was a caBddate for Governor OF
Massachusetts,. The language used by Mr..
Everett, said the narrator, was strong. strong
err than we should consider to have
been lustifable. The Senator having read
the correspondents, made it the text of
strong denunciatory speech against Mr.. Ever
cit, earnestly and vehemently appealing to the
renres atives of the Southern interests and
institu ions of that body, to record their sen.
AAlce of condemnation against such dangerous
Ehtiments, by rejecting the nomlnat'on OF
the man by whom they were put forth. Ihl~
correspondence, together with the speech OF the
Senator who brought it forward, arrested the
attention of the " hole SeDate and awakened
new and strong aRprehensions among the
friends of Dir. Everett, as to the fate OF his
nomination. Soon after the Senator in ques-
ton had risen from lis seat and commenced
speaking, Mr.. Clay was observed TO pause IN
his walk TO and fro, ard as the Senator from the
South proceeded in his speech he (NIr.C) be
came, eqdently more and more integ ested TILL,
at length, he gradually returned to his accus-
toned seat, aud vas standing qy 1t when the
gentleman who was occupying the floor, finish
ed his speech with the following emphatic Ian
ouare: .If under the circumstances, Mr..
Pre-. i!eHt, the Senate shall confirm the noml
nation of Mr.. Everett co' slider the Union
rirtualIy diSS0lreL"
land say sir - said Mr.. Clay, instantly
taGing up the words ofihe honorable Senator,
'that if this Senate, sitting on The nomination
Of Mr.. Everett, or any other man as Minister
10 a foreign Court shall take upon itself to re-
lect fhat nomination, on the ground that the
pers n nominated has express TO his neighbors
and fellow citizens of the State 10 which he
belongs, sentiments not in accordance with our
own,, vet in no way impeacblng hts character
7r affecting his qualifications for The post TO
Which he is nominated: then SIR. said Mir.
Ga; eevating hmeelf TO his full height and
-aising his voice to that clarion like tone OF
mpassioned elcquence for which he, above all
living men, is SO justly distinguished, "tnen
.ir, / tell the Honorable gentleman and the
Senate THAT WE HAVE NO LONGER
ng from this point, Mr.. 6. poured forth for the
Dace OF about ten minutes, the most eloquent
speech I ever heard from him in all my life.
'And that speech said the gentleman from
hon these facts were derived. "Settled the
question Of Mr.. Euereft'S n mination."
Nor1Cict Courier.