Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-10-29
MISCELLANEOUS SELECTIONS.


Coiton's Life and Times of Henry Clay.
This work is rapidly passing through the press.
and viii soon be ready for delivery. The wide
scope which tho nature Of tho subject will pre-
and the universal regard in which the ciiar-
acter and services of Mr.. CLAY are held, have
created deep general desire in tho public mind
in this forthcoming work. We have reason 10 be-
love (says the NcwYorl Courier and Enquircr)
that it will fully answer the public expectation.
Tho following passage gives a very interesting
and gra pho sketch Of one of the vcrv many able
and eloquent speeches Of Mr.. Clay which have
never been published:
"Anong these lost speeches of Mr. Clay, the
memory of which lives while they who heard
them live, and tho thought Of which awakens to
now life the feelings they produced one de-
hvcrcd at Lexington as late May, IS l5, the
occasion and history Of which are as follows
A fter Mr.. Clay had retired from the Senate of tho
United States, in 1872, till the next year, during
which time it expected that he would be
nominated for President in 1871, great efforts
made III Kentucky and throughout tho In
ION, by his political opponents not only 10 vllify
hun, but to bring into odIum tho twenty
Congress. which the last in which Mr.. Clay
had sent Senator, and tho enieayors CT
which chiefly directed to esta bsh tho policy
and measures called for by the political rovou-
ton of 1910. Mr.. Clay vIruenty traduccd
by some base persons III Lexington and that
ncighborhood. AS perpetual dropping wears
stone, so these nccssant attacks, though ia Use and
foul, and known TO be such, if unnotccd and unrc-
PEELED, might produce in furious effects on the com
mon mind He therefore resolved, and caused
a notice to be published. that he wo I'd meet his
i.oW-citzens of Fayettc and tho adjoining coun-
ties at Lexington 4 day specified 10 repcl these
charges. His friends whom on this occasion he
had not consulted, regretted the step as being IN
necessary. They thought these attacks unwor-
Thy Of notice. This difference of opini n was
painful to Mr. Clay, and no doubt contributed not
a little to that depth and power of feeling which
he manifested on the occasion. Tho notice
brought together great concoursc of people,
whom place but tho pablo square could ac-
commodate. The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. was to APP
pear before his old friends and neighb0rs Of forty
years standing once moro and for tho last time
ia that capacity in which he had not boon hca I'd
for many years, aud in which no one ever cxpcc-
tod 10 hear him again. And il was tho vile tongue
of cnlumnv that was to be encountered.
''Iho following account of this address was fur
nishod for tho author by high respected follow
citizen of NJ. Clay, and the words of the opening,
as quoted. are exact;
''Whcn SIR. Clay rose he was evidently much
excited. He commenced by saying. with marked
emphasis, Fellow citizens. am now an old man
quite an old man. Hero he bent himself down
ward. But yet, it will be found am not too old
10 vindcate my principles. to stand by my friends
or TO defend mvsolf'--raising his voice louder
and louder at each successive member of tho sem
tonce. md clovatlng his person IN most Impress
i've manner. He then proceeded:
s. 1T SO happens that have again located my
self in tho practice of my profession in an Office
within few rods of ono which | occupied when
more than forty years ago. | first came among
orphan and n stranger. and your fathers
took me BY tho hand and made me what | am.
feel like Old stag who has been long courscd
by tho hunters AMI hounds through brakes and
briers and DER distant plains and has at asst re-
turned TO his ancient lair to Law himself down and
die And vet. the vile of party are barking
at my heels and the bloodhounds of personal ma
Lightly aiming at my throat. | scoRN AND
DEFY THEM AS | EVER DID,.
"When he uttered these last words. no raised
himself to his most erect posture. md elevated his
hands and arms wide extended above his head.
seeming to have nearly doubled the height of his
tall person. The effect orerwhelning-in-
dcscribabIe.
ITO have any approximate idea of tho effect
of this speech. which continued for hours, fully
sustained throughout. in vindica:on of the twenty
seventh Congress. of Wing policy and principles.
and in defence of the orator himself against his
caumnia,ors one should have view of all tho
attributes of cloqucncc ascribed 20 Mr.. Clay in
this chapter, the use of scarcely one of which
wanting that occasion. Nor should j. DO
forgotten that he was then sxty-six years old. It
may be asked if any orator be named in all
history who ever produced such effect, in so