Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-05-10
HENRY CLAY.-The accounts from Wash

HENRY CLAY.-The accounts from WASH
ingson prepare US to hear At any time. that the
earthly career Of this great man has ended
The sun ofhis existence, with no spot upon its
disc, and the clouds that have tracked it
through its course. now lighted with glori-
aus etfalgencs. is sinking slowly. but too soon.
beyond the horison of time. Feeble and help.
less and withdrawn from the world. as he is.
there is yet something in his lingering pres
ence on earth. that gives us feeling Of conf
dence and security. in whatever concerns tho
ell-being Of the country. Political crime and
public folly are not to be dreaded while HEN.
ny Clay lives: he has To" frequently exposed
them to the derision and scorn OF his country
men. for them to come out from their lurking
places. while no survives With an instinct.
i've perception and l.athing ofevery thing like
demagogu-sm-with judgment that never
msled him. when danger was to I've appre-
hended-with fearlessness that would never
allow him to shrink from the exposure and
denunria,ion Of public vice. or the machiua-
tons Of designing men, he has exercised pow
effnl preservstive influence over the morals
and Legislation Of the country. When he'll
gone. we shall feel. a. hen some chief pillar
Of m edi6ce falls. that there 10 less strength
and less security remaining.
We have been led into these reflections by
reading very interesting letter in the New
York Espress. detailing some ofthe incidents
Of recen, interview between the editor of that
paper and Mr.. Clay. We give portion oft:
II have neither power nor place. influential
friends nor patrimony. inheritance nor titles.
and yc, no man has such friends asI have"
are words often upon his lips. There is con-
slant proof Of this friendship in the attention of
the troops rf friends anxious to serve him.
].iuls kindnesses deica,ely bestowed pour in
upon him. sometimes nv invisible hands some
times by kind wishes. inquiries and anxie,ics
to serve him. sometimes in the presence Of
those--and such are often female fr,ends.-
whose $, mPathies arc panied 10 zee Mr.. Clay
suffer as he does from the want Of quiet sleep.
and from that death like and iorturing cough.
from which. for months he has suffered
much. and for which he receives M relief
The contrast Of year To s'e was most
painful. and AIR. Clay looks. physically. only
like the wreck OF the man he MS. There is
hardly strength enough in his hands to con
>-y food 10 his mouth. n..i he is helped TO and
from his bed like GseLle child. He rises
very late. and as he told me. has not known
for long tims. what IL was to enjoy an hour
"f sweet, refreshing. natural sleep. But like
mn old forest oak. beautiful even in it's decay.
Mr.. Clay still survives. and exhibits the marks
at past strength and present power. The
iustre Of his eye ia undimme1. He both sres
and knows bi. friends. The grasp of his
hand is rs fervent. earnest. and kindly i'm.
prr.sive as ever it was. His voice continues
To be all sweetness and melody. except when
iis ,on-s are moved by that bodily weakness
" ish makes IL painful for him to speak; and
it !. always very painful FOR him to speak long.
But the greateAt blessing which God vooch-
safes TO a dying man. is his. He has tina,
peace of mind. which the world can neither
give nor take away. and an intellect as un.
clouded as in tho day Of its greatest bril-
liancy. Most of his thoughts are devoted to
that change of existence from which none Of
Us are exempt, and that change may come in
IN hour. or day. or ii may be postponed till
the spring or the summer flowers fade and die.
In the meantime. Mr.. Clay is TRANQUILITY pre-.
pared for the messenger wheaeve< he comes,
and IN remarks OF his death IN confding.
Christian spirit. that though. vt may be pre-
sumption in him 10 say SO. he looks forwar1 to
sr orld eyo,d the grave. with faith in God.
and trust in better life He is member and
commumcsp, OF the Episcopal Church. and
La, b..c a.
81 ta,d occupies The NEST conspicuous place.
! lp the public questions OF the day he takes
a deep interest menlscn il as an example
worthy Of tie imitalion ,.' pubIic men. that he
told me Mdfhe aerer made g perennial erplana-
tins IN his ktf. scdae member OF eitzer House
ot'Congyess A strict ParEanentarian. and the
most accomplished Speaker that ever presided
over the deliberations of any ps@.lic body. his
respect Tor the properties of hfe, and his love
of order would never allow him to obtrude his
private Gri-4s upon a public body.
IA regard 10 public questions aad public
men his views sr- unsterably the same. He
spoke Of kossuth as a graceful and accom-.
pshed man. and Of the pleasure which his in
,crview afforded him last winter. particularly
in the intelligence displayed BY hun, and in the
respectful attention which the Hungarian Chief
manifested for his Opinions; hut kossuth' .
compliant that that interview had become.
public, surprised him. as there was no reque.t,
expectation or wish msuiirsted that it should he
privrt., Ga the conteary,a was an interview
IL the presence of sevcrsl members Of Con.
gress. aud OF other Distinguished public per.
sons. Whstevr h;n,ed ut private opioion wss
suppressed from the public rePert and it wal
in the discdsree Of public duty.-perhaps
the very last duty Of his public life, that Mr.
Clay felt cslied upon to resist the doctrine that
twas lswful and Pnoper for the United States,
under any circumstances short Of seif- preser-
walton. TO imerf,se practically 10 the atfairs Of
the government "f Europe. I thought. too,
that he was shocked that 90 grave a subject az
war shonld I've tridrd with. as it was ~ Kos.
suth in his play upon "those three kstle letters
wal" at the Banquet given by The members
"fthe New York Bar. a0d ssare recently in
his New Jersey speeches. where he speaks Of
material aid" for the purchase Of -t"ys" for
Hungary, meaning those er;n-lockiag and
loud mou,hed messengers of death, whose mu-
sic, in their time, has either made mill,cas 81
widows and orphans, or mAined ii~ Iii. the
bravest and worthiest OF ihss-, ssho should
love to hsii as their father sRa their friend the
Prince of Peace.
But Mr. Clay. though ke thinks much al all
foreign ami domestic Sue.tksns. so far as they
....kk III