Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-10-12

! HENRY CLAY's HoME AND CRAVE
We made a promise some days ago to
give an account Of our visit TO Ashland,
which for so many years was the home
Of HENRY CLAY, a name dear TO the
American people. and to which the
memory clings like ivy to the oak. Ash
Hand has often been described by abler
pens than ours, and its name has gone
forth to the ends of the earth. Those
who have preceded us, however, saw
Ashland when in its full glory, as a
quiet, modest, unpretending dwelling,
and when the occupant was in his pride
of place, first in the race of men. Those
days have passed away never to return.
Not only has the jewel vanished from
our sight, but the casket has been bro
ken which contained it. HENRY CLAY
is dead, and Ashland is a ruin.
1t was near the close of warm and
pleasant day, that we rode in carriage
from the hotel door in Lexington to
Ashland. We were not prepared to
find the dwelling totally demolished,
but all that remained Of it was part of
brick wall, which had once served to
divide the parlor from the library, and
upon this some half dozen men were at
work with crow-bar and pick-axe, level
ling it to the ground. All therefore
that remains of the old homestead Of
the Statesman, is pile of bricks and
rubbish. We were told that the present
proprietor Of the estate son of Hen
ry Clay-is about to erect on the site of
the old dwelling, new edifice of its ex-
act form and character. This will make
some amends for the work of demolition
he has completed, but it viii hardly
pardon it. The old house might have
been destroyed. 1t was one of those
consecrated spots, those shrines of lib
erty, to which the pilgrim would oft re-
tire to revive hope and strengthen his
love of country.
Aside from the interest fixed TO the
spot because of him who, for so many
years, found therein his home, there is
nothing remarkable about Ashland
The estate partakes of the general char
acter of the lands in the neighborhood
of Lexington, being rich and fruitful
There are many trees in the immediate
locality where the dwelling STOOL ana
we can scarcely imagine pnore pro-
per rural home than Ashland once was,
for sucb a man as Henry Clay. But
;ts ,,Iorv hos Jenarted; Henry Claws |
home IS razed 10 the earth. 1t was
with a mortified and disappointed spirit
that we left Ashland, and directed our
way towards the cemetery, which is on
the other side of Lexington from Ash
and, but near the closely inhabited part
Of the city. tits an exceedingly well-se-
ected spot, and contains many hand
some monuments. Our chief desire,
however, was to see the grave of the
Great Commoner." We soon found
It. 1t is marked by no stone or monu-
nent. The place of sepulchre, how
ever, is well selected. Henry Clay lies
ust where he ought to-in the heart of
Kentucky. The spot is beautiful and
quiet, and 'he sleeps well.' His grave
S heaped up in the usual form, and
covered with the green sward. 1t is
contemplated to build his monument on
he spot where he now rests. We own
hat we like the simple beauty of his un
marked grave better than we would
1t brought to our mind the
grave of Sir Walter Scott, in st. Mary's
sisle in the ruined Abby of Dryburg.
Scott's grave like Clay's bears no mon
lmental stone; the green hillock alone
marks where he rests. But how quiet
and holy that rest doth seem!
1t was growing quite dark when we
got back to our hotel. The living crowd
brought together by the attraction of
he Fair was undiminished, and the
augh and the joke passed on.-Cin.
1az.