Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1844-05-16

The Wing papers are amusing their readers with ina
ginery anecdotes OF Mr.. Clay-how he picked up a
drunken man somewhere in the streets. carried him home.
fed him. found out be was a revolutionary soldier, leciuTed
him, and Gnally sent him on has way riaicing-and 9TH
CT stories. like some Of those they told IN 1880. about
wooden.legged soldiers fighting in the army. fabricated to
gnR he fats II have got a li'lc ancodote t. relate,
and a genuine enc at that. Of Mr. Clay. which will .er,e
to develop some Of his peculiar characteristics. and per-
haps 10 incroasc The admiration If he Whiss for their
-ptlons candidate. 1t was told bv vi. Prentice. editor
OF the Louisville Journal, and nav he found in his BIZ
ography Of Mr. Clay pages l6, l. and Is. Prentice
says
While IN The discharge Of the official duties of this
station. Prosecuting Arornev1 he Mr.. Claw aprcsred
at the lar against a man accused 4 a capital offence.
ne defendant, was a negro slave-a PROUD and faithful
ser'ani-end one who had never been accustomed To the
degradation OF corporal c~hasiisement. During a tempo
'aty absence 81 hs master. however. he was placed under
'e charge oi o geHag and passionate o,.crsco.. who. for
sumo S'Sht o. imaginary ofcace. struck him ruaeIy with
a horse"hip. The sVirt OF the slave was instantly rous.
'u' 'nd' seizing a weapon thar was near him. he laid his
over r dead upon tie spot. This offence. If the nerne.
traitor had been a 'shife nun. Won d have been 80 clearly a
case OF manslauehier, that the counsel for The rr,s,cu-
'.'n would have conteudcI for nothing more. |, had an
NJ distinguished characteristics 81 manslaughter. having
9 committed IN a moment Of sudden cxasueraion aud
without the shadow Of previous malice. Tho No.,
however. stood indicted for mui der. and n belonged n n,
Clay, MS counsel fer the Commonwealth. To sustain II
P"ssi''e' me indIctmcni. In order t. this, he commended.
~ a iorg, subtle. and elaborate argument. iha, ,Ith.nob
a White man, who. IN n tit of rage on account of personal
chastsomeni, killed his asssllan,, would be Guilty. If man.
slaughter ana not murder. n : ave could plead no such
mitigation 1t a similar offence. irasmuch as IL Was the
"uHy OF slaves 10 submit Ia punishment. NEunr >ov
a horbr THAT TINS ARGUMENT WAS DIRECTLY oProsrp
T o THE TnrE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. Perhaps a slave IS
bound by law, to submit to chastsemcni-but does 10,
'he law require a white man 10 submit 70 Me same hing.
ia'ner man take hJe| Certainly. Even marsIaushitr
Is punishable with Imprisonment. The ps,tic,lar Law
which dsfin1ui>htS monSiGurhfer from yrt,yde- has M
10 The duGcs of the offender but has It's vhnie
IN the indulgence. which has been though, due
TO those weaknesses and passions Of human nature. W ieh
To the 71oiGhOR OF duties. Every man vho IN a
moment OF excitement. takes life to revenge A personal
Is guilty If Il uvong-he .shfe man no less
ma" Me STARE. The law Of mans sugh,er inquiries only
as !" ,h' TACT OF the e'7sfenoe of the oscit, ment at the
time the deed i pcrretrarcd-and IFS Provisions are as
r0hd IN 6ehGJ Of the stare. Us Of any oMu member Of
community. unless It can lie shown that the :, durance
the .si0hSs and miSer7es If sdieyg anmhlafcs III,
fa"ker fasSisns. instead of fos'ering ami mn. haj,,up
men, ~ al Their ~ahiress and strength. Mr.. Ga. was
IN his argument. N,prN I~TUSTANDING
THE INVALIDITY OF HIS POSITIONS Ry H.
strong and PfaHsi6e reas9niHgs, and The exulerance and
eiciiy of his illustrations. he wrought so completely upon
he minds of the jury. that the prisoner 1ras c9n,;cfci oc
VI" "er' andSe"fe"ced 10 death. soon aherward, he was
'"rhe 10 The place Of execution. and The pride of saint
ma character which he there displa, ed, is said TO have
r0rhy IF a Roman patrfot"
mere ihen' according 10 the reasoning Of his friendly
Is another murder to be added to the list of :
lr Gays fegai aud fashionable homicidcs. Well NAV I
e be called lite ma" ~ifh the Moody hand. No wonder
he is so vindicifive and restless that he can enjoy !,
% quiet but Is continually ~impellcd Cam like to wander {
bout The country 'slardering the living and the dead" 4
Is no excuse TO say that Mr.. Clay pursued this victim !
the death. as acyer. The logic is false which would !
'stIfy such an act on such a plea and Mr. Clay violated .
ne moral as well a the legal code, when he took ad,an,. Il
OF the ignorance and weaknesses of his iurv. in order q
insure the death of this proud and liihful servant" 7
he has a conscience, the ghost of his murdered vic,;m q
lust haunt him in his dreams. !