Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-17
Clay Festival at Memphis.

The citizens of Memphis celebrated the an
niversary of the birth of HENRY CLAY, by a
festival at the Commercial Hotel, on the even
ing of the 18th inst The Hon. III. S. FOOTE,
presided, and appropriate toasts were drank.
and speeches made by number of gentle
men, among whom were the President and
Messrs. SAMUEL CARPENTER, K. II. STANTON, of
KY, THEODORE Cone, late Of Ga, Z. PICKETT,
IT., Dr. Z. w. WILETT, Col. j. III. MCMAHON
and others. The Memphis papers publish
many of the speeches in full all Astounding in
a spirit of devotion to the Union, which Mr..
CLAY labored so arduously and successfully
to uphold in its most gloomy hours; and in
deserved eulogy of the character of the great
commoner, whose commemoratiOn was the
obj ct of their reunion. We append the reg
ular toass and an extract from the speech of
Gov. FoorE, relating an interesting incident
in Mr.. CLAY's career, which we do not remem-
Der to have seen elsewhere in print, and is as
follows:
shall never forget a scene which occurred
in the city of Annapolis. in Maryland, during
the sunanivI Of 1890. MT. Clay had become
greatly exhausted with the severe labors
through which he had been passing; those la
bors "a continuation of which was so soon
afterwards to terminate his valuable life. An
old and valued schoolmate Of my own Sen
ator Pratt, of Maryland invited Mr. Clay and
few others of his friends to spend "a day or
two at his hospitable mansion. Mr.. Clay
cepted the invitation, and proceeded to An
napolis, attended by several gentlemen quite
well known to the country. Mr.. Dickinson,
of New York, was among the invited guests,
Mr.. Bright, of Indiana, and Mr.. Dawson, of
Georgia. whom you all knew so well, and val
ued so highly. | had the honor of being in
company also. The day after we got to Sen
ator Pratts, it was proposed that we should
take a short walk through the city, and visit
that ancient time-honored building, within
the precincts of which the Revolutionary Con-
gress held its session at the close Of the War
of Independence.
We went thither accordingly, and entered
the yenerated room where Washington per-
formed one of the most striking acts of his
life. | allude to the surrender of his sword to
the Continental Congress. When Mr.. Clay
entered the hall he inquired for the spot where
Washington stood when this scene was enac-
ted 1t was pointed out 10 him. lie stepped
forward and occupied it for moment gazing
solemnly and earnestly around the room,
which II precisely in the condition it was in
when occupied by Congress \ crowd of cit
liens gathered about him. | never saw him
when his appearance and bearing were alto
gether so majestic and imposing. He seemed
really to be for the moment the grand per-
sonage upon whose glories his mind was
meditating The multitude assembled deman-
ded to hear his august voice. He addr sscd
them The speech was short but impressive
beyo nd any oratorical effort ! have ever
witnessed. He took a rapid view of the con-
dition of the country; the commOtion existing,
he dang, of the hour; the evpedien's nee tssary
to be resort d TO in order to rescue the repub
lie from destruction. He especially enlarged
upon the danger of showing too much re-
spect at such moment, to party and its be-
hests; closing with the memorable declaration
-"Thaf party shall ia future he my party lei,ich
shall props most faiLhfuit 10 the Lnion.'
The following We're the regular toasts.
Ist.-The day we celebrate.
2d-The President of the United States.
3rd.-The memory of HENRY CLAY.
4th-Kentu mother of orators, warriors
and statesmen; she NAV well eXclaim from her
affectionate aud heroic heart: Il would not
give my dead son for any living one in Christ
endom."
5th.-The Constitution of the United States.
6th.-The memory of GEORGE WASHING
TON.
7th-WEBsrER. CLAY and CALHOUN.
Sth.-The memory of ANDREW JACKSON.
9th.-The Judiciary of the United States.
l0;h.-The Press.
th.-Lieutrnant-Ge ncral Winfield Scott.
l2.-The City of Memphis.
iS.-The Ladies, whose eyes are the only
artillery to which American freemen ever sur
render.