St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-18
HENRY CLAI's OATH.
Seen" ia the SeBa'e When The Sud
Nelcs Vas 1tiaOnHc~d-U aHae1dA'S
UOffD,g 70 Idfosfru

Seen" ia the SeBa.e When The Sad
NeIcs Vas 1sIHOnac-d- uanaega5s's
Notion 70 AdjoHrH.
"It was Henry Clay's purpose" said John
IL. Harmon 10 Detroit reporter, continuing
his story OF his recoilections OF the famous
orator and statesman, ito leave Washington
Immediately after his speech. The early fall
weather was really the Indian summer sea
son, and most favorable TO such journey as
he had in mis- mind. His speech in the sen.
ate chamber, on his farewell, quite overearne
him. Though he held 10 the end under strong
mental influence, the orator never rallied
again. Very much exhausted, Clay was TAX
en- 10 his rooms at the Old National hotel al
Washington and never afterward left them.
The winter came and went; the session con
tinued with it. Every day, right after PRAYERS
in the senate, the chair announced the stat.
OF his health. Tue announcement directly
became sterotyped. 1t was usually Mr.. CLAY
is gradually falling after time it became
Mr. Clay is falling rapidly next we heard
Mr.. Clay is sinking, but his mind is very
clear Finally il came TO be understood that
If he shoulP die during the hours OF the ses-
sion the bells should toll in announcement
of it.
ut was on morning in the early part Of
May, 1902, season beyond all others the
most delightfully."- beautiful in Washington
The trees and shrubs of the capitol grounds
and the fiower-beds were pleasant 10 look up-
on. Hannegan, of Indiana, an Irishman,
bright as liver, witty, eloquent, and always
interesting, had the floor OF the senate, max
ing set speech on our policy with regard 10
foreign affairs. His seat was well uD toward
the rear. Being of quick and nervous tenn
permanent, be took the main isle, aud while
declaiming would work himself forward al
most to the clerks desk, discovering which he
would bound way back, going through these an
tics continuously until he had finished. Han
negaD was speaking in his quick, impulsive
manner, half way down the aisle and progress
sing with an enthusiastic sentence. wnen the
single toll OF a bell quivered through the air:
Han negan ceased speaking in a fash bound
ed back TO the rear, turned pale, and in a
tremulous voice said: Mr. President, the
probabilities are that the greatest statesman
in America is no more; move that the SEN
ate adjourn
''Tnere was no chance to vote upon It. In
stantly every man took his hat an / coat, and
and before the second toll OF, the bell came all
were away. The same sort of proceedings
must have dispersed the house, for remem-
Der as we passed through the rotunda that il
was full OF me nbers Issuing therefrom.
The rapiJity with whicl the city was
thrown into mourning has always caused me
10 wonder Walking direct from the can't
toll, when we reached the edge of the grounds
where the peace monument now is, Penn
sylvania avenue was seen TO be filed with
streamers of black, hanging from windows.
fastene 10 balconies, wound round columns
and awning poles, and stretched across the
street. 1t wa a solemn sight
The National hotel was thick with Grape.
and so was Morrison's bookstore, adjoining
II. IL is the same store still, now kept bv
Morrison's son, and formerly the resort and
lounging place uf both Clay and Webster.
There were two little back rooms, one al
ways occupied by Clay, and the other by
Webster. Here, when they had leisure. both
would always be found reading and studying
or discussing literature, new and old, but
very seldom politics, with friends and admir-
ers who came 10 seek them out. Clay passed
more time at Morrison's than Webster. The
little rooms did not communicate and nei-
Their statesman could be seen by the other.
''The event, though long expected shocked
the people to the extent that all business was
suspended. Many bar-rooms even were
closed and in others men lowered their voic4
es and conversed in quiet tones, as if in
he presence of the dead. was In Wash
ington at the time of the assassination OF
Lincoln, and again, at that of Garfield, hut
neither event appeared 10 throw such gloom
over the city the death of Henry CLAW
The feeling was one of pure sorrow, unmixed
with indignation or anger, such as is felt az
the deeds which led to the murder Of the
presidents. On these occasions men were
boistrous with threatSand grief, but silence
and gloom overspread the city where Law the
dead body of the much loved orator and STA
tesman. 1t was in time of peace, and the
capital was unused TO such shocks and there
fore, men talked in whispers when all was
over with Henry Clay
"He was buried in the congressional Gem
etery and mon ument was placed upon the
spot, but there is nothing under it, Strange
ely enough, for ali the many years Clay had
pas sed in Washington, his wife had never
visited that city. Once he had started TO take
his daughter To reside there during tn G ses-
sion. but she died on the way. Mrs Clay al
ways remained Il their Kentucky plantation
OF Ashland and managed the estate while
her husband devoted himself TO national af-
fairs.
His body was disinterred from the con
gressiDnal cemetry and taken back TO his
old Kentucky home 1t was taken bv the
Baltimore and Ohio to Cumberland, as far as
the railroad was then completed, and from
thence in hearse by the old National road
to the Ohio river. Ceremonial obseouies
we're held for Henry Clay in all the cities of
the country.