The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-12

-
HxERr CLAY; for, though mere boy in years.
and resident OF little more than a year.s
standing, hts reputation was already hieh.-
Mr.. CLAY came forward At the call. aud made
one Of those fmpetuous, sweeping speeches
for which he afterwards became SO renowned
Not word was spoken after he sat down.
the sensation was TOO deep for Expression n--but /
the people put NICHOLAS nnd CLAy In a car.
riage and drew them home. - :
In iSU2. Mr.. CLAY, during his absence ut the
Olympian Springs, and without his consent.
was elected to the Legislature of which he
continued q member until he was elected TO
Burn was arrested in Kentucky on g charge
Of being engaged in an illegal warlike en- ter
prise. BURH's knowledge Of men was extra :
ordinary. From hearing BENJAMIN Borrs
make . short speech in q EredericksburQ
Court upon subject Of insignificant import-
ance, he discovered ut once that he was an ex.
traordinary man, aud when he got into trou-
bic secured his services In preference to those
and far higher reputation. He evinced the
same keen sagacity now in the selection of
HENRY CLAY as his counsel. Mr. CLAY con.
sented to act, but frs. required of BURR a
written declaration that he was engaged in no
enterprise forbidden by law, and hone that
was not known and approved OF by the Cabi-
net at Washington. After having received
this assurance he appeared for Burr, and he
was acquitted. Mr.. CLAY shortly after wards
went to Washington, where, when he had
seen the letter written in cypher to WILKIN.
SON, he handed this paper 70 Mr.. JRFFkRsON,
who had shown him the WILKINSON letter.
SubseQ uently, after his return from Ghent he
refused the hand Of BURR, who offered it to
him in the Federal Court at New York.
Elected to fill vacancy in the Senate Of the
United States, occasioned by the resignation
of Gen. ADAIR, Mr.. CLAY took his seat in
1906, while he still wanted several mon tbs OF
the Constitutional age. The first speech he
made was in favor OF a bridge across the Po-
tonnac. Even thus early he had conceived the
idea OF that vast system Of Internal Improve
ment which he afterwards caused to be insti-
tuted. He followed up this speech by pro-
posal TO appropriate q certain quantity of
land to cut "a canal around the Rapids in the
Ohio River. Soon after, he presented u bill
requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to
prepare plan for the application OF such
means as are within the power Of Congress to
the opening of Roads and Canals, and also to
make a S tatement OF the works already COM
menced how far they have advanced, &C.
Having been elected for only one year of
term, in the summer of 1897 Mr.. CLAY was
again chosen Representative in the Legisla-
ture, and, at the opening Of the session, was
elected Speaker. He was also elec ted 10 the
same Office during the succeeding wears 1865
aud %. In December, 1SUS, he introduced res.
Olutions in favor Of the EN- bargo and expres.
sive OF thanks TO Mr.. JEFFERSON, the Presi-
dent, for the ability, uprightness and intelli.
gence with which he had administered the af-
fairs OF th, nation. These resolutions were
vehemently opposed by Mr.. HUMPHREY MAR.
SHALL, who, however, was alone in his oppo-
siuon. Soon after, Mr. CLAY introduced a
resolution recommending to the members of
the Legislature the use of homemade cloth
only for wearing apparel This resolu ton
Mr.. MARSHALL denounced in very bitter
terms, characterizing its presentation as the
trick OF Il low demagogue to acquire popular.
ity. The severity OF his remarks led to chal.
lenge from Mr.. CLAY. The parties met and
exchanged two shots, by the first of which
Mr.. MARSHALL, and by the second Mr.. CLAY,
dad hsSth eli
then intertered, and proven ted a farther pros
ecu ton of the affair.
In the session of 1853, Mr.. CLAY was
elected to fiji vacancy in the U. S. Senate,
OccasiOned by the resignation of Hon. BCCK-
NER THRUsroN, whose term wanted two years
Of completion. In December, lSu9 he took his
seat in the Senate for the second time and
from this Time his history becomes NATIONAL
Mr. CLAY took the earliest opportunity 10 ad-
vance his favorite scheme for the promotion
of American manufact lures. A bill was he
fore the Senate to appropriate a sum Of money
for procuring munitions of war, and an
amendment had been offered instructing the
Secretary OF the Navy to give the preference
to American hemp, cordage, sail-cloth, Ac-
This amendment Mr.. LLOYD, Of Massachu-
sets, moved to strike out, and 4 discussion
took place, III the course of which Mr.. CLAY
boldly avowed himself lin favor of the DO.
licy of promoting domestic manutac lures, de-
clarins that the argument against such sys-
TEN drawn from the distress which manufa
lures uaO OCCstSlOueO III England. would
dicate the propriety OF abandoing even agri-
culture itself. There certainly had been great
distress among the agriculturists of Poland
in the feudai days. In short, ii the black side
Of the picture only We're looked at, there was
an end 10 all human occupations. The amend
ments were adopted, the bill was passed. and
this may be considered the first step taken to-
wards the establishment of the American sys-
tenn. s----.e~-
During this session Mr. CLAY made one of
his greatest speeches-that upon the Perdido
claim. President MADISON had issued his
proclamation annexing the country out of
which the States OF Alabama and Mississippi
are formed to the Orleans Territory. The
Federalists alleged that the annexed territory
was a part of Florida and belonged to Spain.
They endeavOred to frighten the Repu cans
by saying thai Great Britain would be offend
ed, and were very bitter upon the President
Mr.. CLAY stepped forward in defence Of his
party ana MIR. MADISON, and proved beyond
doubt that the lands belonged to the United
States. In replying to some member who had
lamented the fate of the Spanish King, he
said: ~ leave the honorable gentleman to
mourn over the fortunes of the fallen CHA RLEs.
/ have no commiseration for him. My sympa-
taes rsSerced for has great mass Of mankind
and own that the people OF Spain have them
most sincerely lie emptied the vials OF his
wrath without mercy upon the head of the
unlucky Federalist who had endeavored to
terrify the House by exhibiting the Gorgon's
head of British indignation. "Sir." said he,
sis the time never to come when we may
manage our own affairs without the fear OF
insulting his Britannia Majesty! Is the rod
of British power TO be forever suspended over
our heads Does Congress put on an embar-
60 TO shelter our rightful commerce from III
ratical depredaIiOns committed upon it on the
ocean We are Immediately warned Of the
indignation of England. Is a law of non-
Intercourse proposed The whole navy of the
naughty mistress of the seas is made to thun. !.
der in our ears. Does the President refuse to
continue a correspondence with 4 Minis ter
who violates the decorum belonging to his
diplomatic character by giving and deliberate
ly repeating AN afront 10 the whole nation 3
We are instantly menaced with the chastise-
ment which English pride will not fail to in =
fiict. Whether we assert our rights at sea, or
attempt to maintain them on land-whither-
soever we turn ourselves-this phantom in-
cessantly pursues us.''
The labors Of Mr.. CLAY during this session
were gigantic. He was not only chairman of
several important committees, but spOke upon
was u strong friend Of, il he did not originate,
the bill giving right of pre-emption TO actual
settlers on the public lands. He brought in q
bill for fnrther regulating trade and inter-
course with the Indian tribes, and thereby be-
came the means Of instituting meas ures' of q
very efiec tive character for the protection of
the frontier settlers. He carried through an
amendment TO the bill enabling the people OF
Orleans Territory lLouisiana) TO form con
stitu tion which provided for publishing the
laws and records In the English language. On
the s7th OF April, 1910, hs, obtained leave Of
absence for the rest Of the session.
Mr.. CLAY was again in his seat at the OPEN
Ing OF the next session, (3d Uecember. lSlU.)-
The Bank Of the United' States was now ap-
plying for q renewal Of its charter. The Le-
gislature Of Kentucky, had Instructed its Sen.
ators TO oppose it. Mr.. CLAY concurred
with them in their views, and opposed the
renewal. He spoke at considerable length In
Oppositiou. subsequently,, 1t Is we'll known,
he entertained different views, and this was
the only great public question on which he
ever changed his Opinion. i
At this period Of his life. Mr.. CLAY feit that