Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-01-31

LIFR AND TINES OF HENRY CLAY.-AccOrding
to announcement Hon. Thomas F. Marshall, OF
Kentucky, spoke at the Meodeon last evening upon
the Life and Times Of Henry Clay. The audience
was small but select The speaker remarked in
substance that be was not here to deliver a bio
graphical sketch Of Henry Clay, but his political
history while he was an actor upon the public
stage. The history Of Henry Clay is the history
Of the United States. His political lite is natur
ally divided into two parts-the first from his eee-
ton to Congress to the election of John Adams 10
1924, and the second from and after that time to
his death In the earlier portion be was the leader
Of majOrity-in the latter period he was the
leader of minority. The lecturer would speak
at this time of the first Of these periods.
Mr.. Clay emigrated to Kentucky about 1898,
and was elected in 1906 by the State of Kentucky
to ill a vacancy in the U. s. Senate. At that time
there was the greatest race Of men in Kentucky
that thaVe ever been known 10 this country (theyre
all dead now," be sad). With such rivals about
him, Mr.. Clay rose at once to eminence. There
were no gradations in his career. He. at once
rose to the head OF the bar although but % years
old. Before he was 80 years Of age be had amass-
cd fame and fortune. lie sprang at once at a sin
sle bound into the highest rank, without any dawn,
and be died without aOy twilight He was never
10 his dOtage but died, he had lived, at the sum
nit Of fame and intellectual power.
At the time of Mr.. Clay's election to the Senate
the question of the boundaries Of Louisiana was
pending. Mr.. Clay made his first speech upon this
question and more powerful one be never made.
When be was again sent to the Senate in 1911 the
question of the United States Bank came up;
whether that Bank should be re. chartered. Mr..
Clay belonged to the JIaersonisn party and of
course was opposed to the United States Bank
He made speech against it, although aiterward
be changed his position, and from 1916 to his death
was in favor of Bank. The speaker considered
this argument CT Ciay's against the bank as an
abler paper than that which Jefferson sent in to
Washington by request upon the same question:
As to Mr. Clay's changes Of position, the speaker
said there Is no surer mark of & small mind than
the love Of consistency. Wise men change, fools
never do.
In 1912 Mr.. Clay was elected Speaker Of the
House OF Representatives. (The speaker here d.
gressed to say "God bless all the parties that have
beon in existence and he can bless all the parties
there are now, it will be the greatest proof Of bis
bcnevolence that could be given" Laugbter.) He
then reviewed the caus,s Of the war Of lel2-l5 in
his peculiar aud excentric style, eiciting hearty
bursts Of laughter at his witticisms.
Mr.. Clay was the author Of this war, and was
also Instrumental in effecting peace. In 1919
FOR the irst time in the United States, the slave
and anti-slave States presented themselves as an
tagonstic forces in the history of the country
Missouri applied for admission as q Save
State Ground was then taken against
any mole slave territory. The Missouri ComprO-
mise was then passed. They all voted for it and
James Monroe signed the bill, as President. It
was Southern measure, and yet aOl0 they call 1t
Unconstitutional" What nclo lights they do find
now to dispute the cOnstitutiOnality Of this Com
promise, and they call the leader "Littls Giant in
contrast to the Jg;giaHts of those days While the
Constitution dses not interfere with slavery where
it exits, it has never allowed it to go one peg
further into new territory. That was Mr.. Clsy's
doctrine. "NO power on earth, said be, "shall
sver compel me to egislate slavery where it s not
already"
The speaker said they might begin to think he
was an sbOIitiOnst. He was no such thing, but
those words of Clay were his words and his doc
trine.
The lecture tO>night will carry the history Of
the Times of Clay down to his death. In bis dis
course, Mr. Marshall bursts forth occasionally with
flashes of elOquenee that speak of the splendid
intellect within, which at the bar and on the
stump, has made his towering form the observed
Of all observers.