Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-03-28

Every tn fman has heard Of his Daniel
Boone" Kentucky" and other horses.
The view ON the right of Ashland EN-
braces several other stock f4rme, upon one
of which was bred the world renowned
king of race horses. Lexington" Such
are the surround ngs Of the home of
Henry of the west" Okly sheet of
water is wanted to make the landscsp per-
feet
The mansion so long occupied by Mr.
Clay and his family was u two-story brick
with one-story wings, roomy and comfort
able enough, but quiet and plain. Its
principal interior adornment was memen-
toes and testimonials from his friends and
political admirers. A large oil painting of
Wa hingtol and his family, presented by
Mr.. johnson, of North Carolina, covered
almost one entire side of his parler, 1t
was while inspecting, this pictuie that
Count Bertr nd, the devoted attendant of
the prisoner at st. Helena, drew parallel
between Washington and Napoleon, go
favorable to his imperial master as to cause
Mr.. Clay to exclalm, "Ah, Count, don't
forget the morals of cur man." Hire, also,
was the bust of Bolivar, sent to Mr.. Clay
in 1927; the Freedom of the city of New
| York; q silver p tcher from the ladies of
| Tennessee; a silver vase, three feet high,
presented by gold and silver artisans of
| New York, in admiration of his produc.
ton efforts, and two oil paintings, drawn
| by his colleagues Messrs. Russell and
negotiations closing the war Of 1872. Mr..
Clay generously proposed to win the paint
| iags from his brother. commissioners at
cards. The picture pasteboards were pro-
! duced and sbuf1ied and in few minutes
Mr. Russell had lost his prize, and soon
after old John Quincy, who had selected
the game of 'seyen-up,p had to part with
| his ais E.-.-
In addition to the articles already named,
Mr. Clay was presented with q family car
riage, which is still TO be seen on the streets
of Lexington; a massive gold medal, re-
ceived only few months before his death;
gold snuff-box, said to have belonged to
| Frederick the Great, agricultural nipple.
ments fine plates, china. cutlery and
manufacture. These souvenirs are all
scattered among relatives and friends. :.
Mr.. Clay's library, at Ashland, while il
was respectable, was not large. owing,
mainly, to his long residence IN Washing
ton. His life and habits at home would re-
mind one of a well-to,do English gentle
man. He rose early, batbed, shaved and
took a horseback ride every morning. He
was exceedingly neat in his dress, and, on
all occasions wore the inevitable swallow
tail coat, which is produced in all Harris
statues of him. Although he frequently
entertained distinguished persons of all ma
tonq at Ashland, it was always done with
plain and simple ell gance. He never
attempted display. His was ia good old
Kentucky table," ard that was all. He
thought 1t good enough for any one, and
it most certainly was. His hospitablt
board was mainly supplied from his owl
farm, which furnished him the riches
cream, milk and butter, from cow
of prize pedigrees; bacon and Southdowf
mutton, fruits and vegetables of all kinds
poult. y and substantial luxuries, the very
''pon6' of b. cad, and the smoking pan
cake that graced his table came from hi
own corn and wheat fields; the wines wer,
sherry, MADEIRA and port, pale sherry be
ing his favorite But the attractions c
Mr.. Clav's table was not its jrcy war DIS
the wonderful orator imself was the grea
) dish His guests Toasted upon his eloquen
} word while the Southduwn grew cold be
fore them. 1t was thus he entertained La
fayette, the ear of Derby, Daniel Webster
Mr., Lowndes, Lord Monteith, Presider
Monroe, Gen Bertrand, Van Buren,, Har
riet Martireau, NJ. Polit'ca, the Russian
minister and host of others But Mr.
Clay could not claim all the credit for be
, ing able to thus lountifully feed hi
guests. ...
Here the great energy, good sense ant
r management OF his wife comes in. Wha
Ashland would have b en- but for Mr..
Clay, the good Lord only knows, for he
husband was at the capital of the natl
/ more than half the time. She attended t
erything, including five sons, who, &C
cording to their old teacher, Amos Ken
gahp6f6d at Ashland. She man an sed h
farm, with lis crops and live stock, he
household affairs, large family of chill
3 dren, and not few negro servants so wei
ssto asst largely in keeping up Mr. Clay
fortune which was subjected constantly
heavy drains. She often pulled the fines
vegetables with her own hand, and ser
them, with butter, milk and fruits, regu
said; my children laugh at me for sell
ing such things, but they never object
the money l get for them"
a. Her treatment of her slaves will b
judged from her custom of reRardin
them at the close of the week in proportio
to t cir industry and good conduct. Sal
urday evening, at Ashland with the dsl
kies was synonymous with Mrs Clay
business table covered with little piles
= silver money. She was always kept we
. posted about her husbands business an
I private affairs and she was so "spunky
) that Mr., Clay always consulted her befor
! fighting duel.
, The wife of the great eommoner care,
nothing for general and fashionable societ,
g and 1t was fortunate. under the circum
stances. that she did no The shad,
, walks of Ashland, the management of it
, shrubbery, foliage, trees and m any othe
features of the place. indicated the tastes o
? its illustrious master. Many of the hand
$ some trees that now adorn the place wer
planted either by his own hand or unde
her personal supervision. He loved th EN-
t and he loved to cultivate, and his example
had no little to do with the development
and spread in Kentucky of the taste fol
, ornamental trees, plants and grounds.
b WAS wide-awake and progressive
farmer, and everything in agricultural
sciences was watched by him with interest
J he sent for some guano as soon as il began
: to attract attention. II 10 tried to raise and
introduce the splendid Japan plum, and
the beautiful live oak, but the climate was
against him He experienced in water
rolling Kentucky hemp. in his anxiety to
IN Ike it equal to the fine Prussian article
which occupies so | rye and rich a place in
CONNIE ce. The remains of the tank he
used are still to be seen at Ashland. Mr..
Clay WAS concerned in the first large i'm
portaton of fine cattle from England to
Kentucky, which occurred at The close of
he war of 1872 His blooded cattle and
horses were bis special pride, and we're
often exhibited at the agriculture shows,
When there were guests at Ashland, the
hrst thing he did after dinner was to offer
them cigars and the next was to saw.
Come gentlemen, and see my stock"
Mr. Clay was exceedingly nd of flow
| ers, and every morning his favorite rose.
the Luxem bourg, wa' lsid upon his plate.
! de loved children, and was often riding
around the Ash and grounds with little
urchin perched upon his horse in front of
| him. Of course he had dogs. Every per-
has hn e