The Arizona sentinel., 1886-08-14

l
 dwell, and in the recital of instances il
 illustrative of this his own emotion
 sometimes got the best of him. Clay
 power as a speaker" said Mr. Harri
 son, " was in his effect upon the emo
 tional nature of his audience. I wei
 remember one very remarkable instanc,
 of the exercise of his power It wa
 upon the trial of Charles Wickliffe, sor
 of Robert Wickliffe, the father -in-lav
 of General William Preston. for killing
 the editor of a Democratic newspaper
 named Benning. The latter had pub
 iished an anonymous attack upon hi!
 father, and when Charles went to ascer
 tain the name of the author the editor
 declined to give it until the writer per.
 mission was obtained. Hot words were
 exchanged between the men, when Ben,
 ming suddenly rose from his seat anG
 went toward lobby between the front
 and back rooms of the office. Wick.
 life, who had been in the office before
 in search of Benning and had gone
 through this lobby into the back room,
 knew that an army musket stood there
 against the wall. At the moment Ben-
 ming started back Wickliffe thought he
 was going for the musket, in which ease
 his life would be in immediate danger.
 He forestalled this by drawing his pistol
 and firing. killing Benning instantly The
 trial lasted several days. MT. Clay was
 the last speaker for the defense. AS the
 evening was then far advanced when he
 was called upon by the court, he sug-
 gested that it would be better that the
 court and jury be allowed to rest, and
 that the court adionrn till next morn- ing. The suggestion was accepted, and court adjourned accordingly. Judge A. K. Woolley, relative of Wickliffe s,
 went to Mir. Clay and invited him to
 spend the night at his house, where he could have quiet room to consider his
 argument, go to bed when he pleased,
 and be up bright and fresh in the morn ing. Clay accepted the offer. He re- tired to his room about ten o'clock
 Judge Woolley occupied a room oppo- site Clay's in a long corridor. He re- tired late, and noticed that Clay's light was burning, and that the great advo- cate was pacing the floor, muttering to himself. Some hours later Judge Woolley again went to Clay's door. Clay was still pacing the floor and speaking. He was going over his argu- ment to the jury. The next day the court room was crowded with the fore most people of the city to hear the con- cluding arguments in the now celebrat- ed case. Before MT. Clay arose a still ness had come upon the house and all eyes were turned upon him. His face began to take on an expression of pow erful emotion, and his eyes moistened. Slowly he arose from his chair, his legs trembling and his knees knock ing each other. As he straightenea himself to his full height tears were trickling down his cheeks, and already the strength of his own feelings had affected those of his audience, and espe- cially of the jury. Before having spoken word he had won attention and sympathy. It was on the Fourth of July, and a celebration was being had at wooded spot out on the Richmond pike. I well remember the closing words of MT. Clay's speech. Said he: This is the day upon which every American celebrates the birth of his country's liberty. We hear the notes of preparation for that patriotic event, the mention of which thrills every American heart. Turn him loose, and let him share with us the joy of this glorious anniversary As Mr. Harrison fin ished, his own eyes filled with tears, and his lips trembled as he spoke the con- cluding words. Charles Wickliffe was acquitted.
 The position of MT. Clay upon the question of negro slavery had been mis- in the opinion of MT. Harri- son. He was instinctively opposed to. slavery, but was opposed to sudden freeing of the slaves His idea was to establish colonies in Africa or one in the West of America, to which slaves, by gradual system, could be sent and protected until they were able to stand alone. The following ex- tract from MT. Clay's will illustrates this and is certainly the most authentic expression of his opinion upon this. question::
 My will is, and I accordingly direct that the issue of all my female slaves which may be born after the 1st day of January, 1850, shall be free at the re- spective ages, of the males at twenty eight and of the females at twenty-five. and that the three years next preceding their arrival at the age of freedom they shall be entitled to their hire or wages for those years or the fair value of their services to defray the expenses of tran'- porting them to one of the African CO., Onies and of furnishing them with an 4l,nrn. I f,1r ther direct that they be taught to read and write and cipher, and that they be sent to Africa. I further will and direct that the issue of any of the females who are so to be entitled to their freedom at the age of twenty-five shall be deemed free from their birth, and that they be bound out as apprentices to learn farm ing or some useful trade, upon the con dition also of being taught to read, to write, and to cipher. And 1 direct, also, that, the age of twenty-one having been attained, they shall be sJnt to one of the African colonies, to raise the neces- sarry funds for which purpose, if they shall not have previously earned them, they must be hired out sufficient length of time.
 'I request and enjoin my executors and descendants to pay particular atten- ton to the execution of this provision of my will. And if they sell any of the females who, or whose issue, are to be free. I especially desire them to guard carefully the rights of such issue by all stipulations and sanctions Tn the contract of sale. But hope that it may not be necessary to sell any such per sons who are to be entitled to their free dom, but that they may be retained in the possession of some of my descend ants. ."-COr. Cincinnati Enquirer.