The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-29

II she haint bagged the yaller dust, sir"
Letter from Horny Clay.
MEMOIR or THE LATE CHANCELLOR wyTHE, OF
VIRGINIA.
| A late number of the Richmond Wing contains the
following letter, written by Mr. Clay to Mr. B. D. Minor
the editor OF Chancellor wythos Reports. ,o.,
NV DEAR SR-I duly received your favor of the 2lst
uit in which you inform mo that OF the Richmond
booksellers intends to publish a edition OF the Re-
ports OF the lamented Chancellor Wythe and you OK
press wish that would furnish brief memoir Of the
nustrious author. II would be q most pleasing and
grateful task to comply with your request if possessed
the requisite authentic materials and tho requisite
pacty TO the work But the first condition
not exist ind il is therefore unnecessary dwell upon
the second My acquaintance with The Chancellor COM
mcnced in the year 1893 my sixteenth year when was
clerk in the Office of tho Court in which he presided
and when think he must have passed the age of three
years and ten knew nothing personally Of his
at the bar OF his ancestry the part
| he had taken in public affairs 1 understood that he
was born in Elizabeth City; that he taught the
Greek letters by his mother and afterward by
stance, and 10y his exertions he became
plished Greek scholar How he learned the Latin Ian
do not remember to have heard but probably ut
William and Marys College or at some other college In
Lower Virginia When first knew him his right hand
had become so affected with rheustism govt that
was with difficulty he could write his Owing
to that he engaged to act his amanuensiA
and attended him frequently though every day to
serve him in that capacity for several years Upon his
dictation wrote believe all the reports of which
it IL proposed to republish remember that IL cost
great deal Of labor understanding single Greek
Character 10 write some citations from Greek authors
which he wished inserted copies of his reports
Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Samuel Adams, of Boston and to
or two other persons copied them by initiating each
character as found them in the original works.
Mr.. Wythe was one Of the purest BEST and most
learned men In classical lore that knew Although
did not understand Greek often highly gratihed
in listening to his readings in Honers HAD and other
Greek authors, beautifully did he pronounce the Ian
gusge. No ever doubted his perfect uprightness,
or questioned his great ability Judge remember
an incident which occurred in my presence which de-
monsrated with what scrupuous regard he avoided the
possibility Of any imputation upon his honor, his i'm
partially. neighbor Of his Mr.. Il, who had
the reputation OF being West India nabob and Who ut
the time had important suit pending In the Court Of
Chancery, sent him demjohn Of old aIrack and an
| with him. When the articles were brought into Mr.
Wythe's house. with the message from the donor Mr.
Wyhe requested the servant to take them back to his
MASTER and to present to him his respects thanks
for his kind Intentions but that he had long
to make any Of arrack and that Miss Nelson had
conservatory In which she could protect the orange
was amused at another which l witnessed, be-
tween him and the late Justice Washington of the Su
Hc called the Chancellor with bill Of iujunc-
ton, In behalf of General to restrain the collection
of debt The ground Of the application was that the
creditor had agreed TO await the convenience Of General
- fer the payment Of the debt, and that it not
then con venent to pay It, The Chancellor attentvcv
read the bill through and deliberately folding It up,
turned to Mr. Washington. inquiring with incffable
fmle upon his ceuntenance DO you think sir that
ought to grant this inuncon?n MIR Washington blush
cd and observed that he had presented the bill at the
earnest instance OF his client
Mr. wythe's relations to the Judges Of the Court Of
Appeals not of the most friendly amcable kind,
may be inferred from the tenor of his reports Con-
scenouy and thoroughly convinced of the Justice and
equity OF his DEGREES. he impatient when any Of
them reversed and accordingly evinces that feel
ing in his Reports MIR. PendlctOn from what have
"au ny i..o hnow VI % suppose Mas rn' ,
cu,ion than his great rival VIZ wythe forte have
lay IN the opening of the argument Of
which for thorough preparation olcarncss and force
no one could excel him. lie was not 80 fortunate in
| reply. Mr. Pendeton, the contrary, always
l ready both in opening and concluding argument ;
and was prompt to meet all the exg-nces which woull
arisc in the conduct Of cause in court The
ouence was that Mr. Pcndeton was oftener successful
than Mr.. Wythc in their struggles at the bar On
occasion whom DIR. Wythe, being opposed to Mr. Pen
es,e ao an te IN moment OF yessson ne DO
letter not do replied S sn' mi 9S YOU
Pondcton will home, take orders and enter the pulp
and be YOU there Mr. Pendleton less earne
than Mr. Wyhc but possessed more versatile talent,
was an accomplished gentleman, and better adapted
success in gene raj society and in the busy world. A.
though not 80 finished scholar Mr.. Wyhe he had
much pleasing style of composition The high
sidcration in which Mcssrs. Pendcton and Wythe
both he'd often cvinced by the distinguished
and eminent Offices which they received from their parent
State II particularly exhibited in the organization
Convention which adopted the Constitution the
United States when Mr.. pendeton appointed to pre-
side over the body ard Mr.. Wythe to preside the
Committee Of the Whole which he did during believe
the entire sitting of the Conventon-the Constitution
having been considered and discussed in Committee Of
the Whole
Mr Wytbe's personal appearance and his personal
habits plain simple and unostentatious Ills coun
tenancc was full of blandness and bcnevoence and
think he made in bis sauaton Others the most grace
ia Low lint ever witnessed little bent by age
generally wore gray coating and when walking carried
cane Even al this moment after the lapse of more
han haif century since last him, his image is
acquaintance with him. he constantly absained from
the use Of al animal food II is painful melan-
ehoy TO reflect that man 50 pure SO upright. vir
uous so learned distinguished and beloved should
have met with an unnatural death The event did
not occur until several years after emgrated from
RicbmoSd to the State Of Kentucky, and Of course
! am not able. from personal knowledge, to relate
any Of the circumstances which attended It, or
these. however, 1 obtained such authentic ipforma-
ton as to leave doubt in my mind as to the
manner Of it, occurrence lie had a grandnephew, a
youth scarcely believe, Of mature age, to whom, by
his last will and testament written by upon his die
taton before my departure from Richmond eman-
cipatng his slaves he devised tho greater part Of his
estate. That youth poisoned him and others-plack
mbe,s Of his househodby putting arsenic into pot
in which coffee was preparing for breakfast The paper
which had contained the arsenic found the floor
OF the Kitchen The coffee having been drunk by tho
Chancellor and his servants the poison developed
usual effects Tho Chancellor lived long enough to
for his neighbor Major William Duva and got him to
write another will for him dsinherting the ungraeful
and guilty grand nephew, and making other dispositions
Of his estate An old negro his cook, also died
under the operation Of the poison; but believe that his
other servants recovered After the Chanceors DEATH
IL was discovered that the atrocious OF had
forged bank checks in the Of his grcaunce and
he subsequently, understood prosecuted for the
forgery convicted and to the penitentsry but
whether that the fact not be ascertaned by
resort to the records Of the proper criminal courts in
Richmond
:, naFe wIisVh Shs nasty sketchi not as q memoir
the lustriGus Of whom treats but for the purpose
of contributing materials which may be wrought
by competent hands into q biography more worthy
OF his great name and memory. conclude II by an ac
acknowledgement demanded Of me alike by justice feel
ings Of gratitude that to more indebted by
his Instructions his advice and his example, the little
intellectual Improvement which made up the period
when in my twenty first year finally left the city OF
Richmond am, with great respect,
your friend and obedient servant
DIT Is b. MINOR ii. CLAY.
Naval Court Martial
From the Norfolk Beacon, MAY 25l