Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-03

man ca be entirely srtan in regard his future state
i but Ave an abiding trust in the merits and mediation!
of Out Eaviour Iwill assuage the grief Of his family
knQN that he Looked hopefully beyond the tomb and s.
christian people vii rejoice to hear that such man. I'M
last hours reosed with simplicity and confidence on
l the pr0mises OF tie gospel.
the custom on occasions like this to speak Of the
parentage and hldhood of the deceased and to follow
him step by sep through life. will not attempt to re-
late the great events Of Mr. Cay fe because they
familiar the whole country, and it would be need
less to enumsrate long list Of public services which
form part II American history.
Beginning life riendess boy with few advantages
those conferred by nature while yet minor left
Virginia, tie State Of his BIRTH and the prac
tice Of lawat Lexington, in Kentucky At bar remark
able for s numbers and talent Mr. Clay to the
first rank AT very early age he elected from the
county f Fayette 10 the General Assembly Of Kentucky,
and wai the Speaker Of that body Coming into the Sc
nate of the United States for the first time in 1906 he
enteret upon Parliamentary the brilliant
and successful in annals From that he remained
habualy in the public eye, Senator, as member Of
this House and its Speaker, representative Of his
country abroad, and high officer in the Executive
department. of the Government he was Immediately
nected for fifty with every great measure of Aeri
can policy or the party measures of this period
do not propose to speak. Many Of them have passed
away and are remembered only as the occasion for the
great intellectual efforts which marked their discussion
Concerning Others opinions still divided They will
go into history with the either side rendered.
by the greatest intellects Of the time
AS leader in delberatye body, Mr.. Clay had no.
and united form e.
He fired with his enthusiasm, and controlled by his
amazing will, individuals and masses No reverse could
crush his spirit defeat reduce him to despair Equally
erect and dauntless in prosperity and adversely when
successful ne moved to th accomplishment Of his pu1-
poses with severe resoet; when defeated, he rallied
his broken bands around him. and from his eagle eye sho
along their ranks the contagon of his own courage Dos
tined for leader he every where asserted his destiny
In his long and eventfu life he in contact with men
Of all ranks and professions but he felt that he Vas
In the presence Of man superior to himself In the
sembes of the people, at the bar in the Senate
where within the circle Of his personal presence he
sumed and maintained position Of pre-eminence.
not his only nor his highest title to That title is
to be found in the purely patriotic spirit which, great
occasions always sgnalized his conduct We have had
statesman who in periods Of real and imminent public
peril has exhibited more genuine and enlarged patriot
ism than Henry Clay Whenever a question presented
itself actually threatening the existence Of the Union
Mr. Clay rising above the passions Of the hour always
exerted his powers to solve peacefully and honoraby
Although more liable than most men, from his mpetuous
and ardent nature to feel strongly the passions common
to ALL it his faculty be able to subdue them
in great crisis and to hold towards all sections Of the
Conederacy the language of concord and brotherhood
Sir, it will be proud pleasure to every true American
heart to remember the great occasions when Mr. Clay
displayed sublime patriotism; when the ill-temper
gendered by the times and the miserable eaouses of
day. seemed to have been driven from his BOSOM by the
expusiye power Of nobler eengs when every throb Of
his heart given to his country every effort Of his in
eect dedicated to her service Who does not remember
the three periods when the American system Of Govern
ment exposed to its severest trials land who does
know that when history shall relate the struggles which
preceded the dangers which averted by the Missouri
compromise, the tariff compromise of 1892 and the adj
justment of 1885, the same pages will record the genius
the eloquence and the patriotism Of Henry Clay?
Nor was it in Mr.. Clays nature to lag behind until
measures OF adjustment matured, and then come
forward to swell majority On the contrary like bold
and real statesman he among the first to meet
the peril and hazard his fame upon the remedy. 1t isl
fresh in the memory of all that when lately the fury
Of sectional scord threatened to the Conederacy
Mr.. Clay, though withdrawn from public life, and OPP
pressed the burden of years. back to the Senate
the theatre Of his glory and devoted the remnant Of
strength to the sacred duty of preserving the union
States.
With Characteristic courage he took the lead in pros
posing scheme Of settlement, But while he VIII
ling to assume the responsibility Of proposing plan, he
the exclusion OF other nodes but taking his own
starting point for discusn and practical action he noby
labored with his compatos to change and improve it
such form as to make 1T an acceptable adjustment
Throughout the long and aiuous struggle the love Of
country expelled from his bosom the spirit Of selshness
and Mr. Clay proved for the third time that though he
ambitious and loved glory, he had no ambition "a
mount fame the COMMISSIONS his country And this
conviction is lodged in the hearts the people the party
measures and the party passions Of times have not
for several years nterposed between Mr. Clay and the
masses of his sountrymen After 1870 he seemed to feel
that his mission accomplished, ami during the same
period the regards and affections Of Ae American peo
pie have been attracted to him in remarkable degree
For many months the warmest feelnys-the deepest
anxietes OF all parties conferred upon the &ing
The glory Of his great actions shed meoy ustre on h
declining years. and, to fill the measure oihs fame hs
countrymen weaving for him the laurel wreah with COM
hands, did bind 1t about his venerable brovs and
send him crowned to history.
The life of Mr. Clay, sir is striking exanolc of the
abiding fame which surely awaits the direct AMI candid
statesman. The entire absence Of equvocatonor dis
guse in all his acts his to the ppulay
heart for while the people will forgive the errors OF
bold and open nature, he sins past forgiveness yho
deliberately deceves them. Hence Mr. Clay thotwhf
often defeated in his measures Of policy always secur
the respect of his opponents without losing the confidence
of his friends He never paltered in double They
country never in doubt to his opinions or his pu
poses In all the contests Of his time, his position On
great public questions clear the in the cloud
less sky Sir standing by the grave Of this great man.
and considering these things how contemplate does APP
pear the mere egerdemain Of politics What reproach
is his life on that false policy which would rihe with
great and upright people to write his epitaph
would inscribe as the highest eulogy on the stons
which shall mark his resting place. 81 Here lies mar
who in the public service for fy years and never
tempted to deceive his countryman"
while the youth Of America should initiate his noble
QUALITIES they may take courage from his career and
the high proof affords that under equal nsttutons
the avenues to honor open to all Mr. Clay by the
force Of his own genius unaded by power patronage,
AT age when our young are usually advanced
to the higher schools Of learning provided only with
diments of English education he turned his steps
the West and amidst the rude collisions of border %
matnred character whose highest exhibitions des
tined to mark in his countrys history. beginning
the frontiers Of American civilization the orphan boy
and by the confidence Of the people, surnouned all the
barriers of adverse fortune