American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-27
from the New Haven Courier1


AN HOUR WITH HENRY CLAY Al HOME
Kentucky is noble State, blessed with fer
tile soil, beautiful scenery, and people rarely
equaled in general impulses and social virtues
No where is Il more delightful rural tract than
that part Of it III the vicinity Of lexington
For miles and miles, in every direction, it is
bedccked with pleasant open grassy groves,
green Curving lawns, and wood-elubowcred cot
tages. Enter and yUu will fad the abodes of
elegance and taste. Your reception will be
frank your entertainment most huSpitab!c. The
men have nob. bearing, and the females fine
foil figures, and pure roscate complcXlons;-
nature, in her prodigaIity, has given to thus
charming region, climate propItous to the
development of oar race. Ii such is the coun-
try and its people, the town, Lexington, is wor-
thy Of it. That has highly intelligent popu-
lation, institutions Of literature, elegant man
sions partly concealed in groves Of locusts,
whose tiny, fragile leaves, gently dance in the
sunlight to the sottcst zephyr,-and is, more
over, the home of one, whose very name holds
Il dear place in our memories
In a minor street of tlIs beautiful town, is
plain, two story brick cdIce, over one OF the
doors OF which is the sign Of II. & J. Clay
One morning, few weeks since, entered this
plainly furnished Office, helped myself to a seat
and newspaper. In few minutes in walked
an elderly gentleman in black coat and white
pantaloons had never before seen him; but
it needed not a second glance to know Henry
Clay. presented letter of introduction, up
on which, after some little conversation, he in
vited me out TO tea, at his seat, Ashland, some
twenty minutes walk from the central part of
the town. At the appointed hour was on my
way there. From gate on the road side,
approached the mansion by Il winding path OF
some thirty rods in length. 1t stands on a
smooth, undulating lawn of the purest green,
border ffing.d by variety of trees. The open
door disclosed to my view, two elderly ladies,
seated in one of the three rooms into which
common entry led, One Of them, Mrs. Clay,
called to me to walk in, and directed me to the
rear of the house. where stood Judge r., Of
Ohio, and her husband. The former, as | was
introduced by MIR. c., received me with the
stiffness of the North, the latter, with the cor
dial ofi-hand manner Of his adopted State. Mr..
| Clay then showed us some rare plants, loked
with his little grandchiId, and we entered the
house. Passing through the room where sat
his lady and the wife of the Judge, he loosely
said, ''these ladies have some conspiracy to-
gethcr let us walk into the Parlor." On the
hearth was a splendid rug, with the words
worked in it, "Protection to American Indus
try;" around were busts and paintings The
furniture was old fashioned, but rich, with an
air of comfort pervading the apartment. A.
m0ng the CuTosities shown to us by Mr.. c.,
was the wine glass used by Washington through
/ the Revou' an Ostensible indication that
( the father Of our country was not himself,
/ Washingtonian. In few minutes our group
was enlarged by the presence of the ladies'
/ MIS-. Clay is 4 lady Of the old school; in person
slender, in manner rather reserved, andsm dis
position and habits, domestic. Mr.. Clay's con-
versation is frequently anocdotcal and his
knowledge OF all parts 0! our country, thGlr
condition, prospects and people. renders it easy
/ for him TO adapt himself in familiar topics to
. the variety of characters that assemble at his
residence. An instance Of his happy faculty at
Tepd1tee was related by him, while his guests
were partaking Of some Of his excellent wire,
which, by the way, was homemade. "Whcn
at Mobile, at a public dinner" said he, ''scSc
raj persons near me refused wine. | remarked
to one Of them, a lady, that the use Of wine was
not forbidden by Scripture, and cited the in
stance of our Saviour turning water into wine.
! She replied it was to show his power of work
ing msracles True, replied, but if you will
show solitary Instance from Genesis to Rcve-
latiorl, where wiae was turned into W&ter.
will admit the recitation of my position"
wonder at the hole he has upon the warmest
affections of his coGntrymen. He is emphati-
eally fac old country gentleman. His nam
acc is irresistible. Such as would enable him
to say mGst disagreeable things, and, at the
sane time, occasion you TO thank him for It
Be,aevolence is the strongest expression of his
| couRtenance, and one feels as much at ease ia
his presence, as by his own freside A really
great man is rarely punetilious in his address.
Genuine politeness, it is truly said, is in the
heart, and the intuition of the experienced as
to proprtety, is far better tkan studied manner
isms. Hence, precise person draws from us
thr inference, that he is either an iceberg, or to
use scripture eXpresson-" of this world"
If such is Mr.. Clay, in the quiet scenes Of
domestic and social intercourse, there are occa-
sons when his whole being seems changed
The eye that only expressed mldness and be-
nignancy, flashes sharply, piercing as light
ning-the high, retreatiug, intellectual fore
| head, and massive Countenance, which beamed
with benevoence, is awe inspiring and jcs-
tic, while noble thoughts are poured forth
with an eoquence and power that makes every
nerve of his hearers thrill in the presence of
one of the mightiest of intellects, and greatest
! of statesmen.
No portrait can do Justice to Henry Clay
1t may stereotype his features but the animat-
mo principle which illumes these features with
ever varying eXpression-at one moment Sc
we're and stern, full of manlincss and dignity,
at the next as soft and graceful, and winning
as woman,
oLke any fair lake. the breeze is upon,
Thpt break. into tinp'es ana laughs in the sum-"
it is impossible for canvass to give, or de-
scrption to convey an adequate impression.
HENRY Howe.
MAKING Room FOR THE "BErTER Girl.
zENs." The New York Patriot states, that
seyen-eighths of the persons employed in the
Brooklyn Navy Yard are foreigners! Amer-
cans have recently been ousted to make room