Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-18
HENRY CLAY.
a Reminiseence of the Last Day n
Spent ON Kentucky SOIL

OF Maysvllle, Kentucky, plain cnI
riage, containing two persons, with
coachman. One of these persons wa
the feeble and much emaciated Henr,
Clay, the statesman and Senator of Ken
lucky. The other was his faithful bo,
Charles, his only attendant. Mr.. Clay
from his feeble health, had left his Lex
ington home the day before, remained
over night at his favorite watering plac,
the Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky, ant
arrived in Maysville at ten clock mex
morning ale stopped at the hotel o
Mrs. TureIfan, one Of the best and KIND
est of ladies, who prepared a room fo
him, to which he at once repaired, ant
being much fatigued he threw himsel
upon the bed. Mr. Clay then inquired
of Mrs. Tureman who were her guests
Mrs. Tureman mentioned a number o
names, among them the writer, a Mr.
Stevenson and a Mr.. Marshall, q Mr.
Clay then requested that we myself and
the above-named gentlemcn) would come
to his room. We atonce repaired there
and forpd him lying upo1 his bed, much
prostrated, but teiy cheerful.
Mr. Clay said to us that he had come
to Maysville for the purpose of taking a
steamboat to Wheeling, Va, on his way
to Washington, and desired to have some
frierds remain with him till the boat
came up from Cincinnati. Yielding to
Mr.. Clay wishes (for it was to us sad
pleasure), we remained. Mr.. Clay then
said "When / first went to Congress,
members of that body did not live as
they do now, but in clubs Then we re-
mained more at home, after the labors
of the day were over, than members OF
Congress do at present; and now |
would say to you, my friends, that at one
time one of the members of my club,
being in i'll health, as | am now, said to
us (his brother members) that whenever
he said Wolf they wereto remain quiet.
/ have now only to repeat the same to
you, gentlemen, feeling that it will be
complied with. 1t afforded us much
pleasure to comply strictly with his wish,
feeling that there was in our presence
the person of the great statesman whose
life was fast ebbing, and who would be
by his countrymen as the
great orator and friend Of liberty through
out the world.
Mr.. Clay had known me for many
years, and as rest and refreshment had
now revived him, he spoke to me, not
as he remarked-as a politician, but as
a young man about to take upon him-
self, with others, the cares and troubles
of life, and perhaps of the country.
The fathers of our country" said
Mr.. Clay, :" have all passed away To
them belongs the honor of establishing
free institutions on this continent; to
the younger men of our country belongs
its future. Tho past must serve as a
guide for the future, and although our
country must and will pass through
many trials, changes, and difficulties
and even war, growing out Of questions
which have existed for many years, and
which remain unsettled, and though |
shall not be here, L look to the young
men off our country to hold fast to the
liberties our fathers have given them
and never to permit one jot or title to
be taken from them. "There are"
continued Mr.. Clay, persons in our
country who talk about dissolving the
union Of the States because it is not
exactly suited to their ideas Of what
they call free government, or in other
words the Independent sovereignty of
the States. Many of the leading men
of the Southern States had been led to
this conclusion, believing (perhaps hen
estly) that what promoted the interest of
their own States should first receive
their attention, without regard to the
rest of the States, thus leaving each
State to do that which would promote its
own interest, without regard to the re-
of the States as q whole. The
cry. for instance, has been raised against
Protection by the manufacturers of our
country, that it should only be inciden-
tal or in case Of invasion, etc. Here is
The danger, and it becomes every man
and woman of our common country to
have single eye to the union Of all the
States, and to keep them together as a
whole, under all circumstances, that the
future historian Of our country shall
never write that at such time this or
hat State was blotted out from the Union
because it claimed the right to govern
tself independently of the other States.
To prevent this, and to hold every State
n its place in the Union, is worth fight
ng for, should it ever be necessary,
which may God forbid. The union Of
hese Statesis worth more than all the !
,lood that may be shed to preserve |
hem, for here in America the first prin- |
,iples Of civil and religious liberty wered
established by our fathers; it cost them
he sacrifice of much blood, treasure and
to gain and maintain it. They |
lid maintain it, and now it becomes the |
rue lover of his country and free insti- |
utions to sustain it'atal hazards" ~
hall be gone myself" proceeded Mr..
Jay, "bnt will not doubt that those
gho come after me will maintain the
rue principles of civil and religious lib
rty foE az time to come in this favored
and. -.a
Mr.. Clay also said that there wele two
reat questions which were constantly !
xciting the attention of the American
eople, One Of these was the question
{ Slavery, Fhiok had existed from the
rst settlement of the country; the other
as the great American idea of protect
ig home industry. OF the FIRST be could
My say that, being identified with it
On his earliest recOllectiOns, his cir
INSTANCES in life led him to support It;
ut as he grew older and acquired more
Eperience, and observed that slavery {
as incompatible with free institutions
ke ours, his mind on this subject had
hanged; and he hoped that the discern /
ent of those who believed in and advo-
lted slavery would lead them finally to !
D away with the institution. Till then, {
would continue TO grow out ,
it, and perhaps be insurmountable; I
1t he trusted in the intelligence and !
BOD sense Of the American people to {
nally settle this question to the salts I
ction and happiness Of all the States. .
his was a question Of time, be said; and 5
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