The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-08-21

a "Reminiscences Of the Kentucky Bal
Forty Years Ago.

Whatever is interesting in the lives of
distinguished men ought to be recorded.
These have come under my personal
observation, for stood to him in the re-
lation of pastor during the last fourteen
years of his life and knew him we'll. A
number of incidents and anecdotes con-
nected with Henry Clay, some of which,
on repeated recital to interested listen
ers, have been asked to put in perma-
nent form.
The following anecdote is illustrative
OF his skiil as an orator in seizing the
occasion to convince q court, FURY and
an audience Of the business of his cause
before he had made the speech:
About forty years ago, when some of
the dissatisfied legatees of Mr..
Rogers, in Fayette County, KY,
brought suit to set aside the will
which involved the distribution of
seventy or eighty thousand dollars, the
Hon. John j. Crittenden was engaged
by the dissatisfied party to break the
will, and Hon. Henry Clay was en-
gagged by the other side to sustain it.
had never heard before of the meet
ing of these political and forsenic
champions in legal contest, and prob
ably they had never met in an inferior
court.
The interest of the people was thor
oughly aroused as the time drew near
for the meeting of these legal gladi-
ators. The trial was held in the Court
House of Lexington, the home of Mr..
Clay. The room was too small to &C
lot ,,,.tb Af tho 10
who had gathered in the city to hear
these giants of oratory and the law
argue this case, so full of public inter-
est. They crowded into every available
spot long before the opening of the
court; and there was no need for the
sheriff to call "silence," for every coun-
tenance wore subdued express
sion, and seemed painfully burdened
with feeling of uncertainty as to the
result of this contest, and was evident
ly worried at the thought of the posi-
bility that the other great Kentuckian
might defeat Mr.. Clay in the Court
House of his own county.
/ was favored with seat within the
bar, and very near to Mr.. Clay. The
assistant counsel made such statements
to the jury as the occasion called for,
and the closing of the case was left to
those two great competitors.
Out of the material on which he had
to work, Mr.. Crittenden made one of
the most effective speeches of his life.
1 have often regretted, for the fame
of the great orators of that day, the art
of shorthand writing had not been
farther advanced, so that some of their
most brilliant efforts might have been
recorded for the instruction and graft
fcation of men in after times. 1t is not
possible, however, that any printed
speech could convey to the mind, the
personal presence, the attitudes, the
voice, the passion and the magnetic
power illustrated in their delivery.
During the progress of Mr.. Critten-
den's speech, Mr.. Clay would occasion
ally ask his son James, who was associ-
ated with him in practice, for a law
book, and, finding his authority, he
would turn down a leaf for easy refer
ence and lay it down with indifference.
When Mr.. Crittenden had concluded
his argument, painful, might rather
say shuddering, stiffness pervaded the
court room. There seemed written in
every countenance the conviction that
the case was closed-Mr. CLAWS case
was lost; that he could have nothing
to say, and that he was beaten in his
own city by his great compeer-Crit-
tenden. He saw and felt the effect that
had been produced by his powerful OPP
ponent He saw the deep anxiety which
the dead silence indicated, and his
friends ready to weep at his apparent
discontinue.
With the sagacity of an expert in
controversy, he at once determined
what to do, and that was to call back
instantly the convictions of his audi
ence, the court and jury, and by man
ner and action to ask them to hold their
decision in allegiance until they heard
from him.
He rose majestically. never knew
q man that could rise up and sit down
with equal dignity and grace. His
small, bluish-gray eye expressed the We
hemence with which his soul was burn
ing; his brow was knitted and his under
lip quivering with intense emotion; he
raised his hand and looking upward,
said: by the help of God (then turn
ing to the judge and the pleasure of
this court, before 1 resume my seat,
intend to show the utter futility and
groundlessness of the arguments as
sumed by my honorable friend in this
cause"
In the expression of the words "futil-
ity" and "groundlessness," he threw
his arms around toward Mr.. Crittenden
with downward gesture and rung
them out with a passionate emphasis
which thrilled every listener, making
them to feel that he knew his power and
how to WELD it.
What an adroit and skillful way of
recovering the favor of an audience
whose mind seemed made up adversely
to the pleader. What an expert in rhet
ORIG to begin his speech in reverential
and supplicatory tone of voice, with
~By the help. of God" in adj
dressing court and jury It's neces-
sity was doubtless seen only at the
moment seized upon, and had the de-
sired effect.
Every countenance, which before was
wreathed in sadness, was now lighted
up with Joy at the assurance that Mr..