New-York tribune., 1885-08-09
"HARRY OF THE WEST"
PERSONALLY REMEMBERED by THE HON
MORTON McMICHAEL

] inspired. When he visited the city the place was
agog. and day or night crowds gathered wherever
4 there was chance to catch glimpse of him.
4 particularly memorable visit was made in the early
part Of 154s when the demonstration most
3 imposing Over a thousand gentlemen on horse
back accompanied Mr.. Clay from the station to his
hotel, aud wherever he passed tho streets were
packed with uproarious admirers, and the windows
filled with ladies' waving flags AMI handkerchicfs
T. and demonstrating in every way they could their
j enthusiasm Eaort after effort was made to take
the horses from the carriage and drag it by hand,
: but to that Mr. Clay would not consent. A recep-
: ton, under municipal direction, was given the
following day in Independence Hall, and, AZ ladies
dared not venture into that crush, subsequent one
\ for women at the Chinese Museum. whore some
5000 of the softer listened to short speech oil
" Woinen's Real Rights" from their iavorite.
In that same Chinese Museum few months later
June Isisl the Wing Convention gavo a death
4 blow to Mr. Clays well-founded hopes by nomnat-
ing General Taylor to the Presidency. The hall
was a large one, very long in proportion to width
4 with galleries. The seats of delegates filed the
i main door and tho crowd jammed the gallery ana
shonted unanimously whenever Clay was namel.
But spite OF gallant struggle and immense out
sde pressure. expediency and General Taylor
triumphed over Harry Of the West There was
downright grief felt in many home that night,
onit. different from mere political chagr;n. The
fact is Henry CLAY was not only born political
leader but he had that svmpathetic nature which
magneticaliy- attracts friends and "grapple
them to your heart with hooks of steel"
| In ths autumn of ls+7 Mr. Clay determined TO
arraign the Administration of Mr.. Polk for the
inct of tho Mexican war 10 u set grafton which
should at the sane time formulate his own opinions
and views for the coming Presidential campaign.
Partly, 1t may be. to talk over the forthcoming
speech. Mr.. Clay wrote q warm invitation to Mr.
| McMichael of Philadelphia lmy father. to visit
Il Ashland IL was my good fortune to accompany
him There were no such things as through trains
forty years ago. and the journey to Lexington was
"A complicated one enough. We took steamboat
from phhadelphia down tho Delaware to New
castle, thorr got into train OF old-fashoncd
English coach-cars. which ran some sixten miles to
Frenchtown. on an arm OF tho Chesapeake Bay
whcrs We changed to q steamboat for baltimore.
From Baltimore there was rail to Cumberland
Md At that point we took Concord coaches
with ix-horse teams across the mountains and to
Wheeling Va. The ride over tho National Road
was delightful. and the drivers told bood-curdng
tales-mostly lies, no doubt-of accidents and
robbers. There was no doubt, however. about the
interest Of meeting lines of Conestoga wagons with
fine teams. either stretched ont Indian file or IN
pairs but always carrying bells which jingled
musically and could be heard afar of. These lum-
berng vehicles were used in lsl7 and earlier to
transport, between waterways. large part Of tho
produce coming East and tho merchandise going
West and the teamsters constituted quite class.
much less pleasant thing to ineet. though it was
n pretty frequent experience a drove of hogs
as the animals crowded the road and were anything
but savory as they slowly carried their own pork
to q market.
When We reached Wheeling we had to wait some
time for n good boat going down to Cincinnati A
scamboat was advertised to start at once. but kept
delaying IRON time to time in hopes of getting more
freight and passcng gers. Finally tho last bell did
ring. and We steamed down tho river very deliber
ately but in comfortable quarters. At Cincinnati
we took another boat for Maysville, KY, and
thence completed the journey to Lexington by
stage wagon.
Mr. Clay's place, " Ashland" near Lexington. was
thoroughly comfortable home. but by no means
grand residence. The house was moderately large
and we'll appointed without being at all luxurious
The grove of trees about the house was fine and
gave ample and delightful shade. and the outbuild-
ings aud quarters were in excellent order. The
largest room on the first floor was the library.
which had that air Of honelincss only to be in
rooms lived in by family-litte Indications OF
occupancy by men, women and children Besides
there we're many interesting objects and especially
some mcmcntos from the battlefield OF Buena
Vista. where, only few months before, Mt Gays
son and nanesake had been killed, calamity fight
ing Adjoining the library was the large dining |
room. The apartments upstairs were such rs one
met with IN a gcnteman's country house genera |
t0n ago. . -,
Mr. Clay was tall rather spare. and then carried
his 81 Live years very well. walking with rather
Youthful step and hardly looking his age, spite Of
his recent bereavement, which was great one to |
lin. His appearance was striking. ana the most
un0bservant must have been Impressed with ms
fine head aud face. His forehead was very high.
his eyes expressed courage and kindness as well.
and his largo and mobile mouth was capable OF
great expression and most winning smile. Ills
voice was both s0nOr0us and sympathotic, and
moro than once have seen numbers OF bis auditors
affected to tearsas we'll wrought to enthusiasm by
ing on the marketp place at Lexington, when half
Kentucky seemed assembled, 1t was natural enough .
that eloquent alluslon to the brave young Ken I
tuckians who fell at Buena Vista should move the /
listeners to tears. but saw the same effect pro-
duced on an audience of strangers at Cape May.
M cha" ii ana %h al
never lost courage. His manner was frank ana
cordial. but above oil courtly. In that charac- +
that his courtness arose. as to be genuine it mnst.
from trne gentoness, mention personal iucident
1t happened that Mr. McMichael ana nd myseia myself
dinner. to which o considerable number OF ken- p
tncky magnates had been invited to meet him: |
Thinking it more than likely tnaf DUy ga Sa,bcy b
suggested my not going down, and so. nothing 10th
to get of, kept out of tho way until the party U
were seated and then had fine time at tho barns
and quarters. where the darkcys profcssed decided
approval of late Philadelphia fashions. the bare,
footed little "ngs" especially admiring pair OF F
patent leather pumps. had hardly returned 70 |
came into the library The moment Mr.. Clay saw f.
me sitting there he expressed profound morthca; |
tioi, said he had been most remiss TO guest. ana
had felt conscious that one was missing ut table, .
and spite of all protcstaons insisted on taking me
10 tho dining room where he sat while was served
charminglv-n0t down to twolye-year level but .
about early Kentucky history, aud some exploite OF
General Leslie Coollbs long time aftcr beinG