Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-12
HENRY CLAY AND THE WINE.
How the Wine Was Converted into Sour
Mash Whisky.

From tho Louis0sUe Courier Journal.
Southern reader sends story at the eX-
pense of Henry Clay, which, though 1t be not
new, is none the less readable. In point Of fact,
all these old thlngs are new TO very wide
range OF readers and in such cases the older
they are the newer they arc. The story is
as follows:
A. the swiss settlement OF VeYay, Ind, the
grape Is extensively cultivated, and very
respectable wine ca led "Constantla." after
Cape wine OF that name, which IL resembles
in taste, is manufactured. When Nevay was
IN its infancy, he Hon. Henry CLAY, then
Speaker Of the House Of Representatives Of
the United sta 60, received a present OF
three bottles Of this Con tantia' vine
ana hereby hangs a tale related TO us
the other day by a gentleman who heard
IL IN Ken uck. dmiring its flavor and sur
prised to hear that wine OF 0 good quality
was ra sed on the banks OF the ono, clay.
aiter having drank two bottles. requested his
wife To iay aside he tn ri in order that when
ne went to Congress he might take it with
him to pre-ent TO President Madison, not
doubling tina he would be AS much surprised
as ne himself had been at this specimen of
d"mertc manufacture. Accordingly the
thlrd bottle was carefully deposited in the
cellar, and on going to Washington MIR. Clay
TOOK 10 along with him. In crossing tn
Aheghanies, fearful that it would get
broken, be carried it IN his hands a
considerable part of the way, and on
more Than one occasion during the fatigu-
ing pa sage triumphed over strong
desire to refresh himself with It's contents.
On arrival at the capital, he sent the Soon
sthntia," with a sketch of its history, to the
President. A few days aft, this grand
diplomatic dinner was given at the white
House." and Mr.. Cay, among others, had
an invitation and attended. After the cloth
was removed, the President ordered the
servants to bring clean glasses, as he had
new kind OF wine on which he wanted the
opinion of his guests. The glasses were
prouuc q, filled with Mr.. Clay's ''COnstan-
TIA" and passed around to the company.
Clay felt as ii the death agony" was upon
blm-he feared the result Of this comparison
OF his American wine with the rare Euro
pean liquors which sparkled upon the table
Al length, at er the smacRiDg of the lips had
ceased. the President, address g himself to
Mr.. Writ then Attorney General. SAID: Il
don't know what sort of wine you call this,
but It tastes to me COMPOUNDED strong If Ken
sins to the floor with modification, but keep
ing his countenaDce, answered. ''Well, |
don't know but il does so. | should rather
think that it did-but we call this excellent
vine IN Kentucky" and thus the matter
passed of with some merriment. On his re-
turn to his family, Clay related the rcum-
stances, when one Of the boys spoke out:
ION anu were down IN the cellar one dav in
search of something to drink, when Tom
took up the bottle mother mad laid away, and
before knowing what 1t was drank of half its
contents. Fearing a discovery, we filled it
up with bottle of whisky we found there
and laid IL aside again" Thus was the
whisky taste discovered by Mr.. Writ satisfac-
torlly accounted for. such we're the incl
dents attending the fret bottle, perhaps. of
American Constantia, or rather whisky, that
found Its way over the Alleghanies from the
banks OF the Ohio.