Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-06-03
The Son of Henry Clay.

Auo SihcinHaIti Enquirer says: es
terday morning our special telegram an
nounced the end of a weary life, in stat
ing that Theodore, eldest son of Henr,
Clay, had died in the Lexington Asy
lum after long confinement. The rec
ord of his blasted life is thus:
AT thirty years of age, Theodore Clay
was a promising lawyer. He was the
image and the hope of the statesman
whose fame was on every tongue. 1t is
trae there were whispers of wild living
and Indifferent that morals, somewhat
tinged his fair repute, and even darken.
ed his future prospects. Still is was
hoped that these were but the result of
youth, and would be cast aside when cir
cumstances called upon the matured man
to assert himself and make his talent
felt in the community.
1t was at this turning point in his life,
that Theodore Clay began to pursue, with
an unwearied perseverance that caused
his friends great uneasiness, young lady
OF Lexington, whom he had long loved
hopelessly. The object of his attach
ment, who is at the present moment one
at the brightest ornaments of Kentucky
society, repulsed, kindly but firmly, ev-
cry attention offered by the infatuated
young man, after his meaning had be-
come manifest. 1t was useless he would
not be refused, and followed her in the
streets by day, and wandered in the
neighborhood of her home by night, in
annoying manner, until at last it became
evident that he was not all there" to
use the soft phrase by which kindly
peasantry express insanity. Subsequent
violent demonstrations tended to confirm
the impression, it being even related that
he went to the house of Mr.--and
demanded his daughter at the pistols
point, until at last the wreuched truth
could no longer be ignored, and confine
ment in the Asylum became a necessity.
This was accordingly done, Gin 1882, we
believe) his father providing for his sup
port at that time, and leaving SIC, 900
n his will, the income from which was
secured to Theodore for life. That life.
'fter thirty-eight years of Imprisonment
n what in the earlier days cf his con-
lnement he was wont to call ga good
boarding house, but having some of the
'iggest fools he ever saw as boarders."
las just closed. For nearly thirty years
e was one of the most noted of the in
mates, not only his proud descent, but
is graceful manners and flow of CONVEX
alton rendering him an object of inter
st to all visitors. He labored under the
allucination that he was George Wash
,gton, and was fond of assuming the
additional attitude of the Father of his
ountry.
AT the occasional balls given to the
mates, (averaging some 500 in num-
err he was always exquisitely dressed
the style of his day, and was the beau
ar excellence. During all these long /
ears, despite his general gentleness and {
leertulness of manner, he was restless
I'd discontented, and required close
atching, it never, in fact, having been ,
prudent to allow him to 90 I
1t into the grounds without attendants. '
bout the year 1860 his condition began a
grow worse, and he soon after became s
mented, continuing in hopeless idiocy a
It'll few days since, when Death, o
eater healer than time, placed him d
ain upon an equality with the peers of h
early manhood who had gone before v
N to the God who created him, and il
with him according to his inscrutable Fl
Il. And SO ends as sad story as the 3,
Ith of history ever commanded to be Il
itten. ff
Two sons of Henry Clay yet survive CT
a, I. Il. Clay, Ex-Minis.er in Hondu- O,