White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1872-04-11
Henry Clay.


Tomorrow is the 95th anniversary the birth
Of HENRY Clay, the greatest Statesman America
ever produced; who had more and warmer friends
than any other man in America, a.d who was
more foully and relentlessly slandered than any
other. He died at Washington City, on the 18th
Of june, 1s52. aged little over IS years. Al sp
propriste to this anniversary, we adapt the fol-
lowing from the New York Tribune of two years
ago:
HENRY CLAY-Tomorrow is the 95th anni-
versary Of the birth of Hepry Clay, "the Great
CommOner, whose genius, elOquence, patriotism
aid statesmanship, form one of the grandest
illustrations of American institutions and irradi-
ate one of the brightest pages in our National his
tory poor, obscure lad, with but the faintest
rudiments of q cOmmOn-schOOl education, left an
orphan in early youth, finding employment first
in store, then in lawyers Office he made him
self an eminent advocate mainly by the force Of
his rare natural gins with but slender ropportuni-
ties for study Early cOnxy,icuOus in the political
struggles Of his adopted State, he was chosen to
the Legislature while still o youth, and to the
United States Senate when barely the prescribed
age. He filled successfully almost every exalted
station under our Government, the Presidency
excepted Often a candidate for the House Of
Representative, his election was never but once
seriously contested. Long was his service in
that body, he was for most of the time its Spea-
anu uscu aSTcc tudt ne Was never sur
passed, if equaled, the presiding officer of that
body. Repeatedly returned to the Senate, he was,
almost frUm the outset, recognized as the fore
. most member Of that body. As a negOtatOr of
the Treaty of Ghent, which closed our Last War
with Great Britain, he lowered above his able
and hOnOred colleagues, and obtained better
terms Of pacificiation than his Government had
any right to expect. For but four years Secre-
tary Of State (under John Q. Aalams), his dis
patches are still offener quoted as authority than
those Of any other director of our Foreign Affairs,
though Jefferson and Madison were among his
predecessors, while Webster, Marcy and Seward,
have succeeded him. Thrice candidate for the
Presidency. his success was twice precluded by a
division Of those who were naturally his suppOr-
ters while the final effort of his friends was de-
feated by the old game Of running a third eand-
date, who deprived him of just the votes needed
to elect him, and by gigantic frauds at the ballot
boxes.
Henry Clay ceased from his labors twenty years
ago: but his influence is still potent and benef-
cent. He was for forty years Our leading cham
piOn of Protection to Home Industry, and his
words of wisdom remain to guide the cOunsels
and animate the efforts of his cOuntrymen.
Thousands who listened to hist hrilling accents his
fervid appeals, remain to attest and to dissent
nate the truths which he 80 effectively commended
to the understandings and the hearts of his
cOuntrymrn.
George d. Prentice left New England about
1880 to edit the leading National Republican jour
nal in Kentucky, and wrote, soon afferwartl, a
leading article entitled "He is Not Fallen." in
answer to one in which Mr.. Clay had been char
acterized as "the fallen statesman When this
article reached Mr. Prentices former editorial as
sociate, John Greenleaf Whittier, he was moved
by it to write the celebrated poem, He is Not
Fallen!' When, not long afterward, Mr. Clay
retired from the Senate, Mr.. Whittier wrote his
other famous poem to Clay, dedicated to this
event.
Both the poems above alluded to, will be found
on the outside page, with several others, appro-
pirate to this anniversary