The southern press., 1852-07-03
SENATE.
DEATH OF THE HON. HENRY CLAY.

DEATH OF THE HON. HENRY CLAY.
The anticipated formal annunciation OF the
death of the Hon. Henry Clay brought together
an unusual auditory. Members of the House
of Representatives intermngled with Senator's
the representatives of foreign sovereigns paid
the tribute Of their presence; cabinet ministers,
and heads of bureaus, and members of the judi,
ciary, clustered without the bar. OF the illus
trious contemporaries of the distinguished dead
but few remain; but one form attracted all eyes
the honorable Secretary of State, Daniel
Webster, sat there The General-in-Chief of
the Army, Major General Scott, too, was present,
Attorney General Crjttenden, long the colleague
of the deceased the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, a
contemporary in the Senate, and one of the At
torney Generals predecessors; and numerous
others, as eminent for their eloquence and their
genius there contemplated the end OF human
greatness
The Chaplain to the Senate, the Rev. G. NJ.
BUTLER, in his opening prayer, supplicated for
the living hut he also afforded Christian con-
ISOLATION by speaking hopefully OF the dead,
whose declining days were cheered by the Cos
pei dispensation.
The Journal having been read
Mr.. UNDERWOOD rose and said: Mr. Presi.
dent, | rise to announce the death of my col.
league, Mr.. Clay. He died at his lodgings, in
the National Hotel 81 this city, at seventeen
minutes past eleven o'clock yesterday morning,
in the seventy sixth year of his age. He ex-
pred with perfect composure, and without
groan or struggle.
BY his death our country has lost one of its
most eminent citizens and statesmen; and,
think, its greatest genius shall not detain the
Senate by narrating the transactions of his long
and useful life. His distinguished services as a
statesman are inseparably connected with the
history of his country. AS Representative ard
Speaker in the other House of Congress, as
Senator in this body, as Secretary of State, and
as envoy abroad, he has, in all these positions,
exhibited wisdom and patriotism which have
made deep and lasting impression upon the
grateful hearts of his countrymen. His thoughts
and his actions have already been published to
the world in written biography; in Congress.
sional debates and reports; in the journals OF
the tao Houses; and in the pages OF American
history. They have been commemorated by
monuments erected on the waysde They have
been engraven on medals of gold. Their mem
DRY will survive the monuments of marble and
the medals Of gold; for these are efiaced and
decay by the friction of ages. But the thoughts
and actions of my late colleague have become
identified with the Immortality of the human
mind, and will pass down from generation to
generation as portion Of our national inherit
auce incarable of annihilation so long as genius
has an admirer. or liberty a friend. ~....
Mr.. President, the character of Henry Clay
was formed and developed by the influence OF
our free institutions. His physical, mental and
moral faculties were the gift Of God. That
they were greatly superior to the faculties
ha ,nl
They were not cultivated improved, and direct
ed by a liberal or collegiate education. His
respectable parents were not wealthy, and had
not the means of maintaining their children at
college. Moreover, his father died when he
was a boy. At an early period, Mr.. Clay was
thrown upon his own resources, without patri.
mony. He grew up in clerks office in Rich
mond, Virginia. He there studied law. He
emigrated from his rative State aud settled in
Lexington, Kentucky, where he commenced the
practice of his profession before he was of full
age.
The road to wealth, to honor, and fame was
i, open before him. Under orr Constitution and
laws he might freely employ his great faculties
unob-tructed by legal impediments, and unaided
by exclusive privileges. Very soon Mr.. Clay
made deep and favorable impression upon the
exec Hence of his natural faculties was SCOT
displayed. Necessity stimulated him in the
cultivation. His assiduity, skill, and fidelity IL
professional engagements secured public conf
dence. He was elected member Of the legisla
ture of Kentucky, in which body he served sever
al sessions prior TO 1906. In that year he was
elevated 10 seat in the Senate of the United
States.
At the bar and in the general assembly o.
Kentucky Mr.. Clay first manifested those higf
qualities asa public speaker which have secured
TO him so much popular applause and admira
ton. His physical and mental organization
eminenily qualified him 10 become a great anC
impressive orator. Ills person was tall, slender
and commanding" His countenance clear, OK
pressiye. and Misunderstanding the emotion
which predominsted at the moment with exac
similitude. His voice, cultivated and modulateC
in harmony with the sentiment he desired Il
express, fell upon the ear like the melody o
enTapturing music. His eye besming with in
telgence and flashing with coruscations o
genius. His gestures and attitudes graceful
and natural. These personal advantages wor
the prepossessions of an audience, even befor,
his intellectual powers began 10 move his hear
ers and when bis strong common sense, h
profound reasoning, his clear conceptions Of BIZ
subject in all It's bearing, and his striking anC
beautiful illustrations, united with such persona
qualities, were brought 20 the discussion Of AM
question, his audience was enraptured, con
WINGED, and led by the orator as IL enchanted By
The Tyre Of OrphcUs.
No man was ever blessed by his Creator will
faculties Of higher order Of excellence thar
those given 10 Nr. Clay. In the quickness o
his perceptions, and the rapidity with which hi
conclusions were formed, he had few equals sbc
no superior. He was eminenily endowed will
nice discriminating taste for order, symmetry
and beauty. lie detected In moment every
thing out Of place or deficient in his room, upor
his farm, in his own or the dress Of others. II,
was skillful Judge Of the form and qualities o
his domestic snimals, which he delighted 10 rsist
on his farm. could give you instances Of th'
quckness and minuteness Of his keen faculty
/ Of observation, whichever overlooked anything
A want Of neatness and order was offensive &
him. lie was particular and neat in his hand
writing, and bis apparel A slovenly blot o.
negligence Of any sort met bis condemnation
I Al A n