The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-08-06
Ashland.

A correspondent of the Baltimore Ameri.
can, writing from Lexington, KY, says:
One of the chief attractions to all stran.
gers is the former residence Of Henry Cay.
All true-hearted Americana feel profound
veneration for whatever was connected with
the illustrous man whose orotory and states:
manship contributed go largely TO the fame
and substantial welfare Of the county,
Ashland is come three miles from the city
Unhaply for the qualification of the patriot
pilgrims, the house which sheltered the re.
nowned sage is no longer there. For years
before his death the wall had deem giving
way, and when the property came into pos
session of his son, the present proprietor, is
was not possible to make such repairs a
would render it safe and tenanttable. The
new mansion occupies that same site, and is
upon the same general plan with its prede-
| cessor. 1t is built of brick and beautiful
finished with ash wood. The arrangements
are tasteful and elegant. The library is q
gem.
But the objects OF greatest interest are some
of the valuble testimonials presented to Mr..
Clay by his admiriug fellow citizens, one o,
which is q magnificent inscribed address
from the corporate authorities of New York
and another a costly end elegant silver vase,
the gift Of the artiEaas of the same city
Most of these patriotic donations however,
which adorned the old Ashland residenc e,
have been removed, other memt ers CT the ia
mily having come into possession of thei.
! share Of them. l have beer Informed CT re.
liable authority that the newspaper state.
ments so generly circulated, to the dispar
agement of the present proprietor, as to his
ruthlessly tearing down the old homestead,
and making gain by selling the materials
for relics, are unwarranted and unjust; that
the house would have fallen down if it had
not been torn down, and that the materials
were only permitted TO de disposed of for OBJ
jects of benevoence. In sight of Ashland
is the abode of the venerable widow of the
great statesman, who still survives her illus.
trous husband, in good old age, and near
by is the cottage residence of another OF his
sons.
From the spot where Henry Clay lived it is
natural to pass the resting place of hi, NOR.
t i remains. On al cmnence short dis
tance from Lexington, in beautiful CEN
otery, adorned with that exquisite Woodland
an3 verdure which charactsrizes this region,
rests the honored dust. Here, after tha
memorable and imposing funeral march thro
mourning towns and cities from the Fedora
Capitol where he had breathed his last tc
the home where lie was accustomed to re.
pose from the toll and strife Of public affairs
his mortal remains were laid 20 sleep the
long sleep when the work of life was done
AT present the spot is only marked by the
turfed hil.ock which covers the grave; but
his old friends and neighbors are about erec.
ting a noble monumental shaft, which will
be alike creditabe to their iberality' patriot
ism and good taste and appropriate to the
office for which it is reared. 1t is to be- o
kentucky stone, one hundred and twenty.
five feet high, surmounted BY a statue OF the
deceased, and provided with vault at the
base, in which will be placed a sarcophagus
containing the remains.
On such spot as this one can scarcely
help moralizingon transitory and evanescent
nature ofaIl human distinctions and all earth.
" fame. Yonder, in front of that Court
House in the adjacent city. is where assem-,
bled multtudes were first electrified by that
lofty and great oratory, which was destined
to entrance nation. In the years which
|ntervened between that first unfolding of his
gifts and the hour when his voice was hush
cd in death, what honor and renomn were
won! And yet. bright as may be the halo
which these earthly achievements cast
around his memory, what is all the glitter Of
this worlds glory to rhe eye that is sealed
in death How unepeakably more impol
tant the glory that never fades away!