The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-03-06
EgEN&T GHAY.
BORN IN HANOVER COUNTY. VIRGINIA, APRIL
-, A. D. lI1I

n(St-itCNOiullOnary otalCSlncll OF .Alncrlc:--tlc
mind which has mostimprrssed itself upon our
institutions, aud more than any other, given
direction to our domestic and foreign policy, is
| that Of Henry Clay. :1hc son OF highly re-
EspcctabIc and educated, but poor clergyman /:
lSborn in II, in the very clangor OF the Rcvo-
| lution,,llc first began to listen to and compre-
hCnd the language of men amidst the conglat-
uIaticns of Il triumphant people Nlinsling
with the masses on terms Of equality, he learn
cd to sympatllizc with their wants, and their
wishes, and their pleasures, and their antipa-
thcs, tlleir hopes and their fears. BY birth,
therefore, 10y position, BY the training of lis
infancy aud childhood he was fitted to become
great Leader Of the People. His boyhood
was spent in aiding to support widowed mo-
thcr his youth i'll the Court of Chanccrv at
Richmond. His viyacity and genius attracted
the notice of Chancellor Wythc, Governor
Brooke, and other eminent iurist$, by Whose
advice he applied ltiInsclf to the study of the
law. Intense application prepared him for
admission III one year, and before the age of
majority, he received his diploma, and follow
cd his mother and family to Kentucky. lie
began lis career at Lexington, and was soon
known as the most powerful advocate through
out the West. Before the termination OF the
first decade Of his professional life he led the
bar of his State
In his 9th year, 1903. Inc consented to serve
in the Legislature. GIN tIlis congcnial soil lie
sprung Up like IL giant from his mother earth.
At once he took rank with the oldest and the
best. In three years he became the leader Of
kcntuck ~ and was sclt to tic National Senate.
On his return, he again entered the Lcgisla-
turc, of which he was chosen Speaker Two
years AFTER he WAS returned to the Senate at
Washington, from which he withdrew in 1871
for a seat in the Lower House, rs the more
commanding position 1t was an epoch in our
history. Torn by uacquacd party ralrcor,
tramplcd upon by the bclligcrcnts of Europe
the nation required stroug hand to gaidc
her. Clay WAS selected. On his first entrance,
he was placed in the Speakers chair. From
that moment he became the acknowledged
champion Of the country. He reused her sleep
ing honor, hurled defiance at her naughty i'll
suffers and denounced war upon England
Under his gallant leadership, the nation as
sumcd 81 noble attitude, compelling the admi-
ration and respect Of the world. The wisdom
of the young Statesman guided the war which
his clooueut appeals had created, When con-
rratulatcd on its successful conduct and tcrlni.
nation. Madison rcplieJ "to the rin1,t arm Of
the administration TO tlc yo,,rp Hercules of
the West thc credit is Jur.'
To tbr rc,ns which opiJrd thc Way was
coni;dcI the NEGOTIATION wLicl, ended II Al.
tLourh tLo ronngost of tLo ououst c.uod Of
tS,o chosen mon of EroI,rd onI Amcr;,, at
GLcrt to his soooritv tLc country wos mainly
;ndohtrd fnr an honorable nc,cr One of tLc
most skifl Of lis collcaocs. Mr.. Gallutiu de-.
cIarcJ flat op every oncst;ou Mr. CIav was
ol,r,v. nrcn,rnd with fine host ard most nrac.
ticabIc proposition. Peace restored. we find
hin, aoaiip in the Sneakers chair. lcadjn~ the
LDe, s.i.sg .. taszzsss l;II-!,,1:iilcnt r..
t'I the co11p7,sr--- GE.a,' ~ 422k 3AlI y! ~ =
1872 selected MN 10 MI n tnc once Oh @ occte-
sary OF otate' uhuer inc previous Ho','ll''S-
trNlons OF Madison ana Monroe nc !'aI S: per
re'useI 10 '.o'a piacc ~ tno Gao.
net Inc "pPc''i I''s "o" l','I' " "II Pa'''U
lsln' not 70 MS cho'te anu nc !.t.GcG; ;.; p ~
secretary nc heso.Ialen tre"tres ~, VIII" nus'''
Denmark, Ir'iss'a thc lianS Towns ana I. AUS
tra; with Mexico, Columbia, ana otncr oou'h
American States. lie struck la';li DO" at
lcgaIizcd piracy, under the name OF letters OF
marquc; he libcrallzed conIisrclaI Intercourse
by dscarding the English rule OF restricting
foreign nations to the direct trade lIc procnr-
ed the intervention OF AleSander OF kuSsI" with
the Porte. to liberatc the Greeks ard with
Spain, to acknowledge tile independence. OF
South America. Soon after the termination
of the administration OF ADAMS, MI Clay
yielded to the wishes of kentucky agaln to
"her in the Senate OF the l41feq
States. And there he stood, at the age OF
scvcnty-threc, one of the >clIlct guarliahs Q,
the Republic ; the scarcely abatcd fire and
yig0r Of his youth, guided by the wisdom OF
agc admired. rcvcrcd, tie champion OF no
party, the honorcd counsellor OF all.
y q lance along the crowded and brilliant
path OF his public life, Is enough to para'ESe
the hand OF his oiograPhcF. NAT '''c"' "a"
we say af him i'll Il thousand Words Amcri-
ca owes to him tc first impulse to home man
utacturcs: the spirit of internal improvements;
the Cumberland road the exclusive narl%a-
ton of the Mississippi; the integrity of the
Union. and her exalted position among the na-
tiops TL. wor.l is his debtor for extending |
popuIar governments to South America and
to Greece and for uniting civilized nations
more closely under q more Christian law.
Genial, sympathetic, and generous, he was
personally the most beloved man that has lived
in the Rcpublic. Eloquencc, perseverance,,
his characteristics. No obstacle discouraged.
no opposition dauntcl him. Scarcely forty
votes in Congress sustained his first proposal