New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-07-16
NUMBER la.
Laying the Corner Stone Of the National
Clay Monument.

The ceremonies of laying the cornerstone of the
Clay Monument at Lexington, KY, were very grand
and imposing, and were witnessed by multitude
which the Louisville Journal estimates at from 40 900
to $4,000. The editor of the Journal was present,
and describes the procession and ceremonies wildly
and infinitely. DR.. T. N. Wise, Grand Master Of the
Masonic Fraternity of Kentucky, oiciated in the
emony of laying the cornerstone The Journal says
He used the various services incident to such an
OCCASION and after the corn, wine and oil from silver
vessels had been poured upon the stone, pronounced
Just, right and true. This honorable and imposing
service was entrusted to the Masonic fraternity Mr.
Clay having been prominent active and responsible
officer of the Grand Lodge. His name appears in
1902 as Junior Warden OF Lexington Lodge No. l. in
which Felix Grundy was an entered apprentice and
Col J. H. Daviess (killed at Tippecanoe) fellow
| craftsman. In 1906, Henry Clay was elected Grand
Orator OF the Grand Lodge Of Kentucky, and con.
tinued in that post until 1876 when he was succeeded
BY Joseph Cabe Breckinridge, father Of the present
Vice President. Mr. Clay was again elected Grand
Orator in 1918, and continued until 1920, when he
| was chosen Grand Master of the State.
| The Journal thus describes the Monument
| The immense sub-base has been completed being
foundation Of 200 perch of solid limestone masonry
forty feet square. It has been laid Is feet deep in
Louisville hydraulic cement, feet of concrete or
macadamized stone: The corner stone, which was
laid with the imposing ceremonies already mentioned,
| is feet inches wide by feet long. In cavity is
a copper box containing the coins of the United
States, the papers of the day. charter of the Clay
Monumental Association. and other enclosures.
The monument is designed to be 10s feet high,
from ground to foot OF statue s1rmonnting the capital
the statue of the great Commoner surmounting the
whole to be Of bronze and ii feet in height. Forty
two men are now engaged on the monument and in
quarres. The work is to be completed in all, the
season of 1858. ~.
The material Of which the monument is to be con.
structed is beautiful rock, for the first time
used ior such durable purpose, obtained in great
quantities IN solid blocks, without seam joint or frac
ture OF immense proportions obtainable for this pur
pose at nominal rate, at Crimes quarry Boone's
creek Fayette county, sixteen miles from Lexington
on the turnpike road to Richmond. This material is
magnetism limestone, tested for durability light
free-stone color, and sustaining brilliant polish.
On the foundation is first to be erected the base Of
monument, 40 feet square and 35 feet high, of neat
work. Egyptian order. This Stereobate i" will con
tain, in the 'front.' Crypt of rubbed stone vaulted
chamber 26 by lla feet, entered by iron gate,
be paved with polished Italian marble, in which arr
to be deposited the remains of Henry Clay, in sar
cophagus on one side his mother, and in good time
his wife Provision is made to light the Crypt, il
which is niche for statue, by an upper sky-light
In the rear of the Crypt is to be the family vault
the Clay family, 81 feet four inches, with two fee
recesses all 6 feet inches wide. There will be
double pedestal of bronze which may be inscribe,
memorable words and emblematic representations il
, honor of the American Statesman and Kentucky
favorte son. Including the pedestal, the column, O
feet 10 inches in diameter at the bottom and fee
mounting which is to be capital, the futngs to b
IL spiked spears, representing the original States
) the Union. On the summit there is to be erected
bronze statue of him of whom the monument is CON
: memorative.
After the Grafton, delivered by Rev. Robert J
! Breckinridge, D. d. grand barbecue covering fou
tables, each six hundred feet in length was served uI
review OF troops took place. and the immense Assem-
blage dispersed
! The Journal remarks in conclusion
t And thus closed this national tribute to the memor
of the immortal Clay. 1t was emphatcay national i
its character as it was eminenty proper that it shoul
be. While the immediate neighbors of the state
man-those who had known and loved him all the
lives and those who had reverenced him as one Gtt
inferior to the neutrality-suspicious. in nun
bers, there were strangers present from all sections
the Contederacy, who had made this voluntary p
= grmage to the shrine of their political idol-tt
ID friend of their dearest rghts-the champion of IL
f, Union at all times and in all places.
I'd We left Lexington toward the close of the da
r with vast number of our felow-citizens. Somewh
weared and fatigued we were in body, but more ths
refreshed and exalted in heart and mind and SOUL
the interesting occurrences to which we had been
le eyewitness. We again passed that lovely !" city
the dead, and, casting lingering look toward tt
m spot where the great dead reposes as quietly as
nestled upon his mothers breast, could but thin
IL. of the truthfulness of the poets remark:
,r How sleep the dead who sinks to
m m Soon the turfcovered grave will be displaced by
= tall and graceful shaft pointing unerringly to ii
skies, whittier the great spirit of Clay winged il
ID fight when loosed from the prisonhouse of eartl
OF the imperishable marble of his own loved Kel
lucky, the lofty column will ever remain noble te
timonia of the affection in which he held by til
er people of the Union-and may it ever be ralyin
point for the hosts of that Unions defenders whe
the confederacy shall be threatened by sectioD
lie foes.
H. Bnt even should the marble crumble under ''time
ed efacing fingers the of Clay will be forev
cherished for he could have said with truth upon
We dying bed,
ne =" Tx g monimentum perennus ayre
80 Resalque stu pyranidum altins
" tluod non imber edaN Aquilo impoteus
| Pussit iiInera, innumerahlis