The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-05
THE DAYS OF HENRY CLAY.
Address by Willard Nichols to the Mem
DerS OF the Tippecanoe Club.
"reminiscences of the Crpat Leader of the
"nigs-his Oeyotion to the Cause
Of Liberty.

The Tippecanoe Club met yesterday afternoon
at the City Council Chamber, DR.. w. H. Wish
ard presiding The chief event of the meeting
was the reading of paper by Mr. Willard Mich
OILS, on Henry Clay and the Campaign of 1874 "
Following the address, DR.. Ryland 7. Brown
spoke chiefly upon the Birney detection, which,
in his opinion as subsequent events showed, was
not an unmixed evil, but was beginning that
led to the obliteration of slavery. Dr. Samuel
Davis sung stanzas of an old Whigsong when
this Old Hat was New" which was received with
considerable applause. Resolutions were passed
thanking Mr.. Nichols for his address, and re-
questng that it be published in the indianapolis
Journal. Rev. Thomas A. Goodwin was re-
auested to speak to he club on April l. on the
Life and Times of Horace Greeley" Mr..
Nichols spoke substantially as follows:
Some weeks since the Journal of this city
spoke of the Tippecanoe Club as an organization
of proud old Wings which was true in thesense
that they once belonged to grand old party that
could boast of such patriots and statesmen as
Webster, Clayton. Crittenden, Seward, Harr-
son, and last, though by means least, in our
dear love, Henry Clay, and numberless others
all men of whom any nation might feel justly
proud. This cane lpointing to a sturdy, old
fashioned stick was cut at North Bend few
weeks after the burial Of the immortal hero of
Tippecanoe. 1t is pretty solid stick yet, al
though fortyfour years old.
Living in Cincinnati at that time, and seeing
the old hero nearly every day. /, as well as num-
berless other brazen-t hroated chaps, shouted and
sung for Tippecanoe and'-I am sorry to say
tyler, too. though all thought it right at the
time. Some thick scu!led fellow once remarked
that John Tyler bore striking resemblance, in
many respects, to Henry Clay. A congressman
Il think it was) replied to it as follows Sir,
John Tyler resembles Henry Clay as the lowliest
barn-yarn fowl resembles the proud bird of Jove,
the messenger of the gods, when he plumes his
wing for thaelear upper sky and bathes his
plu,nage in the thunder's home That was
rather hifalutin' flight; nevertheless the truth
of it struck clear down into the soul of every
admirer of the great Kentuckian. 1t
may have been that Tyler's mouth slightly
resembled Clay's-the latter being little on the
catfish order; but that ugly mouth was forgotten
as soon as it began to pour forth its floods of elo
quence. Tyler worried through the 1910 admin
stration much to the disgust of the Wings.
Then justice to Henry Clay resounded through
the land. The great commoner received most
enthusiastic nomination at Baltimore. There
was good deal of singing. speaking, shouting
and hard work on both sides. One very musical
refrain TO q song which was vigorously sung in
the campaign entitled, old Harry, the Hope of
the Age has chung to my recollection these
long years:
For child of her love
She sends down from above
laurel to circle his brow,
With fire to lmpart