Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1873-10-29
co,. wm. 3. Ru.sell.

Col. VIM. II. Russell.
fThe fbiiowins account of . once nsssd ellison
Of Missouri was read at the Laurel SinD ch tsss
frttAY eventugtl
The triegraphic news last week coiiteinsd
a small Item OF the following purport: 81
"WAsiiING1oN, October II. 1879.
W N. n. Russell, private secretsry 20 isrnry
Clay in lsl4, died herc last hight, aseu ~
Although my acquaintance WIN Tue de'
ceased gentleman was slight. u extended
over q period of ssveral years, anairo
what knew snd heard OF him. can Miety
say he was one Of the most extraordinary
cha actcrs ever met. Those who knew him
best will bear mo out 10 the statement thai
his desire for admiration and notor'ety WAS
the consuming passion OF bis hir. Many
years ago, while ineinber OF the MISSOURI
lie isiattire, he received u '' nick-nameo that
stuck to hin: through HE. aud by wh'ch he
was completely laughed OUT OF politics. In
some heated debate Col. russell had incurred
the opposition OF some of his political
friends, and had assumed such pom: Gus
and dogmatic tone as to lay himself open TO
ridicule. Col. Rollins, OF Boone. think II
was, said that Russell had one night lost bis
way while travelling through the woods, and
enga stranger In the tsupposititious)ioc ,
became exceedingly anxious reach bis des-
tination. While in this dilemma he heard
voice not fur away crying. Who, who. who
are youg' The answer was loud aud prompt:
:. / ain Colonel William II. Russell, for many
years prominent member Of the Kentucky
legislature. was school commissioner Tor the
southern ,listrirt Of Kentucky, am now tue
representative Of Callaway county IN tue
Missouri legislature, nm spoken Of rs the
Wbiy candidate Tor next Congress, and am
lost. Who IRE you" The question was. of
course, repeated; tile answer stil' rehenrsed
all tue honors lie hal ever enjoyed lmore ;hah
I uow recollrct>. g well rs those IN eA-
pectunry, until the house was coh't'seu
with Iauglt-r, and Col. Russell couiu mol
rise again withv.u being salutea with. "W no,
who. who are you:' From that time to tte
day Of his t.eaih he was distinguished from
another gentleman Of his ':'aine and-ti'le III
this quarter Oft e state as !'nw! Russell"
His desire for admiration Was Eonoma'
nfu. lie would court the applause OF 'oe
vulgar crowd in such n way ss TO excfts the
pity of his friends !; and yet he was man Of
very considerable attainments, OF sterl ng IN.
tegrity, anu hal many warm friends o'
distinction AMI influence. ! met him first on
an Ohio river steamboat in the spring OF 1859
There were quite a number OF distinguished
men on board-llenry A. Wise, then can
| vassing Virginia for Governor. John &
Breckinridge, Lewis ID. Campbell, ant
known to and familiar with all these gen le
men. and heard Mr.. Breckinridge say lba
he highly esteemed Col. Russell for his many
qualities of heal and heart and was glad tt
count him one of his friends. Capt. Waldo
the first Wing candidate for Governor O
California, also paid n high tribute to Hi
worth and merit OF Col. Russell. who hat
canvassed that state in hIs (waIdo'.) behalf
Next to himself Col. Russell cstceme,
Henry Clay the greatest man that everlived
lie may have put Clay hr t in that gentle
mans lifetime, but certainly he often spok'
OF himself as being proNidentially spared Il
his country while his great cnmpatriot ha,
been taken. A grandson of Henry Clay
Eugene Irvine. IS brave and true a gentle
man rs ever lived) married Col. Russell
daughter, and the old gentleman SCENE,
/ from that time TO be tiAed for life. he neve
| referred 10 his daughters husband by innu
endo or Implication, but always spoke of hin
as IS my son-in-law, WHO Is grandson o
Henry Clay" Col. Il. was a fair lawyer.
good scholar, fine public speaker, n man o
commanding presence, with all the attribute
of n gentleman. and yet he cont nualIy lai,
himself open TO ri,licule from men. and cyei
boys. who had not the capacity to appreciate
his goo qualities. / must do him the jistic
| to say that he WAS entirely retic"nt as to hi
domestic and other private affairs, and bOr
the character OF n faithful friend aud m al
tectionatc father and husband.
| In 1851 some young men had organized
Thcspian society in Independence, which 70
want of proper management had become sc
riously iuvol, ed In debt. Col Russell In
sisted on giving them his services III an
capacity they might chose to place him
Our knowledge OF his histrionic In ents wa
gathered entirely from himself. We kne,
h.s. lax al s,,.lsr,,s.t tn his own CO pa,hii
ties. and believed that the capacity in whic
he would act would only be til It of lea,lin
part, yet the tihanciai straits Of the sOciet
were exceeding great, and almost anything
would he done Tor i good. i.Ouse. GA can
wasting the repertoire. Col. r. stated that n
was quite familiar with the character Of ..tll
Stranger" in ko'Z-buc's play of that name
having played it repeatedly 10 delighted au
diencrs in the early days of san Francisco
lie was east in that piece, AMI the hall wa
filled to its capacity; but Notwithstanding
the great need of funds and the receipts fron
such houses as his debut brought. the societ
never sought his services again. lie expires.
ed great desire TO play Haml t, but tn
managers thought the II>k too gr.at. Til
bull ing had cost them several thousan
dollars, and second audieuce like tina
which greeted Col. RS first appearance
might destroy it with very little NOR
fervor In tue applau-c.