The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-08
HENRY CLAY.

/
in Clerks Office, in Richmond; emlgrated,
when quite young, to Kentucky, and settled in
Lexington. where he soon rose to the first rank
in his profession He was elected member OF
, the General Assembly, of which he was chosen
Speaker in 1906 was elected to the Senate OF
the United States and from that time, with
little intermission has been engaged in public
life filling the several posts Of Senator, Repre-
sentative Speaker Of the House, Minister
Plenipotentiary, and Secretary OF State, with
distinguished ability
In early life he was An eloquent advocate OF
the cause of Emancipation in Kentucky, subse-
quently, and to the end of his days promi-
nent supporter of the American Colonization
Society
On all the important political questions that
agitated the country, from the beginning to
the close of his public career, period of near
ly fifty years, he was prominent actor, always
occupying the position of a leader He was
one of the most powerful champions of the war
of 1912 in defence of Neutral Rights, and an
eloouent advocate of I" aid and comfort to the
cause of South American and Greek independ-
ence. He was the leading supporter Of the
| policy of "A National Bank of u Protective Ia
riff of Land Distribution, of general system
of Internal Improvements by the Federal Gov
eminent With those measures he was identi-
! fed his mightest energies We're devoted to the
| work of winning for them public favor but he
lived to see every one of them virtually abandon
ed by the Party of which he was the governing
mind and policy the reverse of that which
they represented, established in the legislation
of the country The immediate annexation of
Texas was accomplished in opposition to his
views of policy; the settlement Of the Oregon
Question, brought about by means which in
his Judgment threatened the peace of the
country; and the war against Mexico, under
taken and prosecuted in repugnance to his SEN
timents
1t may therefore be said, that of all the
great measures named, those have failed with
which his name is peculiarly associated, and
those have succeeded which encountered his
special opposition.
After long life of wonderful activity IN
which he stood pre-eminent, as an orator,
a debater, a tactican party leader IN which
he secured personal popularity ard power
over his Party, probably unequalied certainly
unsurpassed, he goes down to the grave, leaving
no monument of his craftsmanship On the
Statute Book except the Compromise Acts OF
1920 and 1850, and no memorials of his elo-
quence except collection of speeches, whose
power depended more upon circumstances
upon the voice, the eye, the arm, the quick ap-
prehenson of the orator, of the peculiarities
and prejudices of his audience, and the par
tcular exigencies to he met, than upon any
intrinsic and durable qualities
Mr. Clay's latest efforts were perhaps as
great as any he ever made. We shall never
forget the vast resources he brought to the sup
port of the Compromise Measures from the time
he introduced his Resolutions, till the final pas
sage of those measures. His bodily strength
seemed ncxhaustible He was ever on the
alert, never taken by surprise; now vehement
and imprisoned, now subdued and insnua-
ting; imperious, beseeching deprecatory by
turns, rs the circumstances demanded inf
mite in expedents always hopeful, always self
confident Deeply as we regretted the posi-
ton he occupied injurious we thought land
still think the system of measures he advo-
Gated, we could not but admire the wonderful
qualities he displayed as leader and tactician
Would that his extraordinary powers had been
devoted to the great work Of securing concord
and peace by the establishment of Freedom
as the fundamental law of our Territories, and
and by divorcing the Federal Government
from all responsibility for Slavery
Mr. Clay was prevented by sickness from
taking his seat in the Senate the last winter,
and he soon became aware of his approaching
end His disease was lingering and he suf
fered much At one time, said Mr.. Under
wood, he Observed
when death was inevitable and must soon
come. and when the sufferer was ready to die,
he did not perceive the wisdom of praying to
be delivered from sudden death He thought
under such circumstances the sooner suffering
was relieved by death the better. He desired
the termination of his own sufferngs while he
acknowledged the duty ofpatiently waiting and
abiding the pleasure of God MIR. Clay fire.
auently spoke to me of his hope of eternal life,
| founded ON the merits of Jesus Christ as a
| Saviour; who, as he remarked, came into the
world to bring life and immortality to hight
| He was member Of the Episcopalian Church
| In one of our conversations he told me that as
his hour of dissolution approached, he found
that his affections were concentrating more
nit. 10 h.1 e..
and children In my daily visits he was in the
habit of asking me to detail to him the trans
actions of the Senate This did, and he man.
Tested much interest in passing occurrences.
| His inquiries were less frequent as his end aP-
preached For the week preceding his death,
| he seemed to be altogether distracted from the
concerns Of the world When he became 81
| low that he could not converse without being
| fatigued he frequently requested thoss around
| him to converse He would then quietly stem
| He retained his mental faculties in great perie,
| ton His memory remained perfect TIE ire
quently mentioned events and conversations of
| recent occurrence showing that he had n per
| feet recollection of what was said and done.
| He said to me that he was grateful To God tor
| continuing to him the blessing OF reason which
| enabled HIM to contemplate and reflect on his
situation He manifested during his eonfne-
ment the same characteristics which marked
his conduct through the vigor Of his life. He
was exceedingly averse to giving his friends
| trouble as he called it, Some time before he
knew il, we commenced waiting through the
night in an adjoining room He said to me,
after passing painful day, perhaps some one
had better remain all night in the parlor'
From this time he knew some friend was con-
stantly at hand ready to attend to him"
Mr., Breckenridge, said
4 NJ &c. han, an