Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-06-06
A Tribute to Henry Clay.

The following beautiful and glowing tribute
to the genius and patriotism OF the lamcnted and
gifted Harry of the West, was paid by Hon,
Thomas f. Marshall, during the recent political
campaign--a tribute from one Of the greatest OF
living orators to one of the greatest of those who
now sleep the sleep that knows no waking. AS
ain exchange remarks, it is enough that Mr.. Mar
shall was the speaker, and Kcntucky's idol the
subject:
Every one knows that the various subjects of
the Texas boundary, the admission OF Cailornla
the territorial organization of Utah ana New
Mexico the recovery of fugitive slaves who had
escaped from their owners into the territory OF
States whose constitutions did not allow slavery
and the abolition of the slave trade in the Dis
trct of Columbia, were sought by Mr.. Clay TO be
united in one bill and passed as a single measure.
In this form the omnibus BILL as 1t was termed,
failed But in the shape OF several acts on each
separate subject, the principles contendcd for by
Mr. CLAY were adopted and became part of the
LEGISLATION of that year. Why the bill reported
Lv himself was defeated and diSmembcrcd, yet in
The shane of several acts adopted in Il most eXact t
accordance with his wishes, is not for me to IN
ourc II it were designed on the part of some
Senators to deprive the dying leader OF the hon
ors of his last battle, it was II vain hope In tho
public mind, aud in common parlaNce' they are
Still associated In history they will be known
as Mr.. Claws Compromise. They are grouped
and termed the Compromise OF 1880 in the Demo-
cratic Platform even the Kansas and Nebraska
acts adopt the common nomenclature, and instead
Of rcciing the several acts by their titles, call
them the Compromise.
The friends Of Mr., Clay mediate the construc-
tion Of monument TO mark the spot where re
pose the remains of that fiery soul. 1t VIII be
honorable to them and viii form graceful or.
nament to the green woods which surround the
citv of which he had himself been SO long the lN-
inc ornament hut it will be useless to hlln or 10
his fame. lie trusted neither himself or his fame
to mechanical hands or pcr.shablo mater'aiS.-
Eregt nlontmaltum 1ereH(uS ocFe. Ihcy may
Law .beir pcdcstials Of granite-they may rear
their polished columns till they pierce and ilout
the skics-thcy may cover their marble pillars
all over with the blazonry Of his deeds the tro-
plics Of his triumphant genius, and surmouht
them with images of his form wrought by the
cnnnngcst hauds-it matters not he Is not there.
The prisoncd eagle has burst the bars, and scared
away ON strife and conflict and calnmny llc
is not dcad-he lives ] mean not tne lille eternal
which in yon ether hc lives but the life which
men call Famc- that life the hope of which forms
the solacr Of high ambition, which cheers aud
sustains the brave. and wise, and good t,e cham
pioas of truth and human kind, through all their
labors-that lfe is his beyond all chance or
change, growing, expensive qnehchltsS ns illlc
and human memory. He needs no statue he
desired none. 1t was the image Of his soul he
wished to pcrpctuae, and he has stamped it him
self in lines Of flame upon the souls of his coun-
trvmen Not all the marble Of Carrara, fashioned
by the chiscl Of Angelo into the mlm!cry OF
breathing life. could convey to the senses like
ness so perfect of himself as that which he has
left upon the minds Of men. lie carved his own
statur-built kis own monument. In youth he
laid the base broad as his whole country, that it
might well sustain the mighty structure h" had
designed He labored hero.cally through life on
the colossal shaft. In 1880, the last year OF the
first half of the nineteenth century, he prepared
the healing measures which bear his name as the
capital, wcll proportional and in perfect keeping
with th? now finished column, crowned his work.
saw that it was good and durable, spranS to It's
lofty and commanding summit, and gazing from
that lone height upon horizon which embraced
all coming time with eternity Tor his background.
and the eyes of the whole world rivcted upon his
solitary figure consented there thus to die.