Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-02-18
From the Chicago Journal.
Tho Grave of Henry Clay.
LExrNeroN,Ky Jan. 80.

From the Chicago Journal
The Grave of Henry Clay.
LEXINGTON, KY, Jan. 30.
Yesterday afternoon we rode to the Lexington
Cemetery, which is situated about mile and n
half from the city. 1t has but lately been laid out
and seems to be very appropriate spot for the
purpose for which it is intended. The ground is
high and rolling, and already contains many chaste
and ornate tomb-stoneS.
In a large receiving vault, the remains of Mr..
Clay no The undertaken, Mr.. Bell, hear
ing was an intimate friend of Mr.. Cay's kindly
accompanied us to the vault, and as particular
favor, (for which l am deeply gratefully opened
the large box which enclosed the coffin, and we
gazed upon it with emotions that may well be i'm
agined, but cannot be described. .vglL e.
There, in that damp and chilly vault surroun-
ded by many other remains of fTail, humanity, of
various ages, sexes and professions, from the young
and blooming maiden, suddenly cut off in the
prime of beauty, TO the care-worn pilgrim of four
score, sleeps "the noblest Roman Of them all.''
On the lid of the coffin was beautiful gold
ring, present from young lady-a fayorite OF his,
that he requested should be buried with him. AT
his feet is wreath Of cperLasting-fit emblem oi
the never dying Immortality of his name. At the
head were wreaths of oak leaves placed there by
his Masonic brethren-as also the gloves.
Dropping few natural tears, fell into train
of gentle muSlng.
have stood on that spot where he, the first
crest martyr Samuel Warren offered up his life on
the Altar of his countrys independence. aud gazed
on that massive monument, immortalized by MI
Websers eloquence.
have stood at the foot of the grave of him
whom "Providence rendered childless, that
tohole nation might call him FATHER" and heard
the gentle Potomac sing his lullaby.
have stood in the quiet Quaker burying ground
in Arch Street, that alas too neglected spot where
now is laid,
'.some heart once pregnant with celestial fre',-
for ofvery truth. the printers boy drew the light
ming from the cloudS-but never did such emo
tons fill my heart, when l unused besiLe the
mortal remains of HENRY CLAY. ,e,
My ideas of the character of Warren, of Wash
ington, of Franklin, were drawn from history, and
obtained by tradition, but Henry Clay-the real,
breathing, lining Henry Clay, with his hopes and
feelings-his plans and purposes, well knew,
nay, he was my youths idOL-my manhood's pride
| Strange indeed it would have been, if the re-
membrance of the many favors conferred by the
| illustrous dead, upon ms, ga youth to fortune,
and to fame unknown" did not touch me-
| Strange indeed, having been honored by so much
OF the confidence of that noble spirit, would it
have been, if no thrill of gratitude did not move
my heart, no natural tears bedcw the almost sa-
cred ground!
And yet, cannot say that my feelings were
| those of regret, or even melancholy. What lrGS
there to griepe for? Lies duty had been done
and nobly done-the limit assigned by the Psalm
list as the boundary Of human existence, had been
passed-and well did know his views respecting
his departure, for in 1852. he wrote:
| elf the days of my usefulness, as have too
much reason to fear, be indeed passed; desire
not to linger impotent spectator of the L
scanned field of life-l have never looked upon
old age, deprived of the faculty of enjoyment of
intellectual perceptions and energies, with any
sympathy. and for such, think the day Of fate
cannot arrive too Soon."
And the "day Of yfate'' came TO him as he him
self wished tin green, vigorous oil age-ere
the golden bowl was Sarcel cracked-ere the silver
chord had lost its elastic sprng-in the full
sion of all his intellectual faculties-at peace with
God and man-his country (next TO his God, the
object of his love) free from Intestine broilS and
sectional heart burning, and advancing i'll lis
glorious progreSS-having out lived all calumnles
and al SlandeIS-the object of nations love and
gratitude, this good old man, like shock of corn
in season, ripe and ready for the harvest, was
reaped by the sickle.
And then, from how much he spared? lie
was Spared--not TO see G,Uchery in the ranks oil
those whose coherts he had often led TO victory
spared not 10 behold AchdnS in The emp of his
lJnends-tn witness Ito partisan, but not patri-
ot) an almost futat de feat; and worse than all,
See the mighty Archer pierce with his unenIng
dart, his brother i'll arms-by whose side was brave
ly fought the last struggle for our Union-the
great Defender of the Constitution.
No! no! my feelings were not those Of melan-
choly; they were those of gratitude 10 an over
ruling Providence, that lie was spared so long
that tie curtain of his life had fallen just tchere
and tchen it did-becauSe until death closes the
scene, no mans fame is safe, and his, thanks be
to God, is not1 safe beyond pieadventure.
| In humblemitatiom of that distinguished pilgrim
Lafayette, at the tomb of Washington, l might
shed few unbddel tears-yet | did not feel IN.
clined, with MIR. Webster at the tomb of Shakes
peare, 10 repeat the Soiliquy of Hamlet, "to be o.
not TO be;' nor even to moralize with Hamlet upor
YOrlck, nor to deScant upon the iutenesS of human
greatness, for long ago learned that
'Esrth's highest honors end in here he lies.
Ind dust 10 dust concludes her noblest song"
but as before said, felt disposed to feel deeply
profoundly, grateful, for OF his departure we IL q,
! truly say,
$50 fades summers cloud away,
| So sinks the gale when storms are DER,
So gently shuts the eye of day,
5. So dies wave along the Shore
well be proud. She may well be proud OF her rici
and fertile so-of the deeds OF chivary and of gal
liant daring achieved by ner sons OH the dark ant
bloody ground but in my opinion, the brightest sta
| in the coronet of her fame-the nobeSt page in he
history, is that she, when all the world fursook anC
abandoned her distinguished adopted Son-She (tC
use his own touching language,) "held him alof, II
her stal~art arms, and placed before him her im
| penetrable shield. Honor, all honor to magnani
NOUS generous Kentucky"
Once and only once, she wayered, and how pain
| full her position. Well does the writer remembe
| it. 1t was on sultry afternoon, in the month O
June, A. D. 1s4s, in the Chinese Museum, in tht
| city Of Philadelphia, when the National Conven.
ton, after having for an hour and half sat will
closed doors, commenced the balloting for Pres
dent.
| Excitement was at its highest pitch. The who'll
| preceding night had been spent in canvaSsins am
by nohe with more diligence than by the writer
Kentucky's position subject of much discus
sion, but TO very few was her opinion known
Much, nay almost everything depended on her
Two OF her sons were before the Conyention-th
Sage af Ashland and the Hero Of Buena Vista.
N. B. Blunt, the accomplished Secretary, wit
his clear and sonorous voice, called KENTUCKY
Deep stiffness reigned in that crowded hall as nam
after name was responded 10, but when the Iesul
| nIoir mad To-
for Henry Clay, it needed no prophets ken 10 fore
shadow the result-it needed no Mark Anthony
exclam-
"ln this the well beloved Brutus stabbed"