New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-06-07
Visit TO Mr. Clay af Ashland.
Correspondence Of The Tribune


have al last realized one Of my dearest wishes
tia, Of seeing Henry Clay at Ashland called on
him with friend this morning but ne was absent on
his farm and Charles the d" freed slave tod "a ne
would no; be at home until afternoon, 20 We refueo
10 Lexington and al P VI reirsced orr steps 10
Ashland Mr. Clay had returned. and meeting y
a, the door. took hold Of orr hands before co1il
even presen. letter Of Introduction, and mace =
welcome 70 his house His manners compie'si.
overcame all the ceremonies Of speech had prePafe1
and wa- % nervous as to give my le hand instead
Of the nigh, for his grasp. But We were -oon per
fectlv At home. as every one must be VIII hehf,
Clay. and in half hours time we han 'A'Aeu aDOu'
the ,.srou. sections Of the country had visited 10
the past year Mr. Clay occasionaly sNH'5 ~ Ia
49, s,d recollections 81 ms lie and eit o.
I ,bnnob had known him personally tor years lie
l. AZ re-ent rather feeble IN health and y a. Obliged
IN esor- 10 glasses reading my letter Uut nj -'e
and his voice are firm and strong a. tno7e OF man
| In nrue of life. The room INTO which we were
sbot,-u was species Of sitting and audience room
| bns, Of Mr. CLAY graced niche in one corner and
one which Judged 10 be Theodore Frelingh1y sen
! stood in en- opposite corner. On one OF the Side
v-slls was hung the original q copy Of W ashing
ton and hi family the 0tne the engraving repre-
senting Mr. Clay standing out IN the held WIN
Globe at his feet beside these there were some family
portraits which with splendid large cut glass vas,
Standing upon centre table made up the furniture
Of the room. Here Mr. Clay sat IN his easy chair
every thing about him neat and simple a. his own
dress and taking his occasional pinch OF snuf rom
a silver box on the lid Of which / could see log
cabin engraved he looked and seemed more Ike
the quie, happy farmer than any thing else MI
CLAW has lived at Ashland forty years, the place
bore that name when be came TO H. a. he says prooa
blv on account Of the quantity OF Ash timber on u
| and he has made il the mos. delightful retreat IN all
/ the West The estate is about SIX hundred acr's
large. all under the highest cultivation. excepting
ONE two hundred acres Of Park which u entirely
cleared Of underbrush and small trees and r. 10 Us
/ the words of Lord Morpeih. who staid al Asilana
| nearly week the nearest approach TO an Englsl
Park Of any in this country II serve. also Tor no
| bile pasture and here | saw some OF Mr.. Clay fln'
| horses and Durham cattle. He Is said to have son'
Of the finest stock in all Kentucky, which IL 10 say
he finest in America and ii am able 10 Judge J
confirm that report The larger part Of his farm J.
devoted to wheat. rye hemp &c, and his crops iook
most splendidly He has also paid great attention r.
| 1rnamentinR his lands with beautiful shade trees
/ .hrubs flowers and fruit orchards. From the roao
which passes bis place the Northwest SIDE, car
rage course leads up 10 the house, lined with Locust
cypress cedar and other rare trees and the rose a-
! mine and ivy were clustering about them and peep
| ing through the grass and boughs Ike so man
| laughing fairies a. we drove up. Ashland IL about
mile from Lexington East. on the road leading oli
IF Nan-street and is one Of the loveliesi situation
around tina, delightful town-Mr. Clays mansion J.
nearly hidden from the road by the trees surrounding
4 and is as quiet and secluded save TO the throng O.
pilgrims continually pouring up there 10 greet IL
more than ROYAL possessor as though II were IN th
| wilderness Some parts OF il now undergom-
| repairs and Mr. CLAY took about 10 see his con
! iemplaied improvements. The houses OF ms slave
are all very neat and surrounded by better gardens
and more flowers and shrubbery than one hall OF tn
farm houses in the country. and all the inmates arr
as happy as human beings can be. Charles, OF
| whom 50 much has been SAID. is kind OF second
master of household to Mr.. Clay and enjoys th'
,rea,cst trust and confidence To him can the key
| of the winecelar be given without fear. and ON al
occasions where help was needed, Mr.. Clay calico
/ for Charles Charles brought us wine, Charles wa
the door the carriage. at the gate, every wher'
| in fact, and as polite and civil a man asking io
| office He Is fine looking. midling sized Negro
lbou, thirty years old and do not believe he could b.
drawn from Mr.. Clay except by absolute animal
Orce so great j. his devotion 10 him. As | said, Mr.
CLAY has lived at Ashland forty years.-he said he
had seen Cincinnati grow from small village 10 II
present size and had witnessed the growth of much
Of the West in the same time. Speaking oil I'm
,nna,i he said il was the only city the causes 81
whose rapid rise he could not compass He ha'
been in ST Louis though he has land near ina
city and intends visiting IL soon 10 effect sale OF IN
on that 81 Louis was 10 be ultimately he great city
| Of the West Mr. Clay is visited perhaps more than
any man IN the country, and he enjoys showing iii
friends the lands which he has brough, TO such per
lection. and he is constantly adopting every improve
ment that is suggested In fact he j. the prime,
pastoral the real bona fde farmer. and every part OF
his estate. focks and herds show it. Beside the six
hundred he has about two hundred acres at dis
lncc in the rear of Ashland and these two lots form
MS estate. As il was nearly night when we called
on Mr. Clay we had hardly time 10 see things pro
perly, and be urged me 10 come up again. wcn
up the day following in company with the
Swiss Bell Ringers, who Were also on a visit 70
Ashland Mr. Clay received the band and myself
warmly at the door. and after a few clvi.liles.
put on his white ina, and walked through the
grounds with us tai king freely and Familiarity TO all
He is the most easy and aifable man have ever
seen. He picked rose for each of us-mlnc have
most carefully pressed. and shall give II TO my lady
love when ] find one and she may consider II n
prize He told me while We're walking about
| Lord Morpelhs early rising while at Ashland, and
said he used 10 20 on foot mile down 10 the post
and bring up the mail before he was out of bed
some sprigs Of nobility are not truly great and
/ humble sunnise, but OF Morpeih Mr.. Clay spoke
in the hiches, terms After an hour spent in the
/ Park and garden the Bell Ringers proposed
| giving Mr.. Clay and his family specimen OF then
music, and we of course adjourned TO the house
Here for the first time | Mrs. Clay, and a
! Nj JOflu Gay Otsut lutst were pENstHA sunni
half dozen young gentlemen and ladies whom !
did not know and an old French gentleman Mr.
Monien. and his lady. Mr. Clay was expecting the
Bell Ringers and had invited for the occasion few
friends. They performed before him in the room !
have already described, 10 his very great delight
| Mrs Monien, OF remarkable mind for 50
old person, was Mr. Clays referee on all point,
Of musical criticism for she seemed intimate with
all great compositions and artisies, and she decided
this 10 be the last and browning novelty Of the
steal world. On this occasion Mr.. Clay sent for
some OF his home made wine. pressed at Ashland
from the Catawba grape--it was most delicious
something like sparkling Hook in flavor, but OF p
richer taste After performing several pieces IL
the house. the Bell Ringers out into the Park
and rang chime peal of twelve bells their
dlors sitting in the house. | never heard any thing
80 perfectly bewching as the sound Of the bell;
during that chime. Family the sounds came steal.
ing through the branches OF the old trees and seem
ed 10 drop all liquid and trembling from the leaves.
the air and the delicate vines climbing on the win
dow arches Mr. Clay said he would be glad to
have d chapel in the Park if he could always hear
! such voices from IT, Ii was TO me rare time and
treat There was al Ashland and there was
| before me the whom had so long loved with
out seeing him and my great heari-longing wa
4 l.f.