Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-01-06
HENRrlpIAr.I
Some UnpubIfshed Anecdotes
the Great KentuekIan.

n
Tribune with the following characters.
tic anecdotes of Henry Clay:
The course of Mr.. Clay on the com
promise measures was very unsatisfac.
tory to the South, and his own State de-
nounced his action as freely as any. II
was the usual custom on his arrival
home to spend the summer months, for
a large concourse of people TO be pres
ent to welcome and shake hands with
him when he left the stage. Now, ex-
cepting, few personal friends there
were none; and they had even talked Of
eleciing Democrat in his place. Clay
got into his carriage, which was as rick
ETY. concern as can well be imagined,
and rode home in moody silence. We
knew he was mad, and said among our
selves. There will be hi to pay"
The following day he did not go out.
During the second day his servant went
to his room and informed him that a
crowd was at the door. Begone," was
the only response. The negro vent
down and told the crowd that rMf. Clay
was quite unwell, and the fatigue Of
travel had greatly prostrated him.
The doctor had just left and for
bidden his seeing company, but he
would be happy to see them as soon as
able" For several days this went on.
People then began to call meetings and
send committees. The State officers
finally took it up and invited him to give
an address. I never shall forget that
speech. His voice was like a bugle, and
swelled to trumpet calls. His eyes
glowed like fire. He frothed at the
mouth, and defed them with the elo-
quence and power. of a demon. But it
took the gallant KentGekians by storm,
and he was again ele cted to the United
States Senate sAAehgss
Clay owed $4,000, for which there
was a mortgage on Ashland. The inter
est was always paid panctually, but he
could never reduce the principal, and
| this at length became source Of great
annoyance to him. In 1874, when he
visited the bank to pay the interest as
usual, the old French clerk handed out
the note. what does this mean ~ in
quired Clay, under the impression that
they had refused to let 1T run any longer;
and he knew of no way to meet it.
The note is cancelled, sir, replied the
clerk. "You owe this bank nothing,
my God said, Clay have | friends
as good as thisp He was affected to
tears, which is said to be the only time
he was ever known to weep.
John Clay was wild, reckless fellow,
and the favorite of his mother. In these
days twas not beneath q woman's S dig
nifty to do something, and she would
often take in knitting, or pick berries,
which she would send to town; and John
would soon be on q spree with the
money. She was one of that sort who
can never do enbugh in the world, and
use all their exertions to alleyia tie dis
tress and the suffering around. One
night it was whispered around among us
boys that John had gone away to fight a
duel. In the morning, as we went 10 our
meal, we halted before entering the
breakfastroom, as was our custom wait
ling for Mr. Clay TO come from his study
and lead the way. We saw Mrs. Clay
standing near by, and as he came out
she rushed TO him, throwing her arms
about his neck, and sobbing out: John
has gone to fight . duelf Never shall
forget the scene or the expression of
the old mans face. He had terrible
eye when aroused, and now it flashed
fire. He seemed to rise to the height of
two ordinary men,, He took a step back
ward, and with his hand raised to the
full length of his long arm, and with his
finger iquivering toward heaven, said
with voice that went through me like
an electric shock: my dear woman. if
John is right, in Gods name, let him
fight, by Godl" The poor woman went
back to her room to weep. We followed
Clay into his breakfast room, where ke0
eat his toast and drank his tea in
silence, and then returned TO his study
to read Whatever his feelings as
father might be, they were not shown in
his countenanee or appearance. have
seen Forrest, Macready and Booth. but
they are tame 70 the voice, gesture and
eye of Clay on that OCCASION fs-.iA
In the fall of lS43, Nicholas Long
worth, of Cincinnati, sent TO Mr. Clay
demijohn Of native wine. Mr.. Long
worth had imported the grape seed from
wine-makers in Italy, and prided himself
on having a splendid thing. II was
five-gallon demijohn, the stopper cover
cred with wax, and stamped with the
letter d" There were six of US boys
in the family, averaging some l6 or u
years old. We used to study in the eve
ming in our room and would borrow the
cellar key of Mrs. Clay, and bring up a
pitcher Of cider and hat full of ap-
Piles TO help us along in our lessons |
One night it was proposed we should |
taste of the Cincinnati wine. We found |
corkscrew, and carried up pitcher
full. II was capital, and before many |
days we found the demijohn empty. We |
knew Clay was liable to wantit az any
time, and it must be filed On the fol- |
lowing night we took O servant, who |
toted the big bottle on his head to q
small store-room, two or two and half |
miles away, kept by negro, where we
had i sled with whisky at fifteen cents
q gallon, which, with quarter we gave
the boy for helping us along, cost us a
dollar. We had hard work getting this
demUohn back TO the house-it was not
shaped right for easy carrying-but at
length it was safe in the cellar. We had
previously made some wax about the
color of that which was on the stopper,
and had carved a letter :" L" out Of a
piece of bark. The bottle was duly
sealed, stamped and deposited in its pro-
per place. In 1874, the prospects were
that Mr. Clay might be President, and
he thought so himself. He gave a
grand dinner among his. guests being
John ]. Crittenden and Tom Corwin.
Every one was in the best of spirits, and
after the Indies retired the merriment
was even higher than before. We boys
never being excluded from
his great dinners. AS the party we're
about rising, said Clay; Gentlemen,
have some Of the finest wine in the
world, and the first native American
ever manufacturers; and there can be