Thomas County cat., 1886-08-12
HENRY CLAY.


The Great OEoeOrso Formal 1A10WoU
Speech In the Senate.
Henry Clay rose in the Senate on the
31st of March, 1S42, to make his fare
well speech in chamber which he hsd
entered forty-two years previously,
although he had not been in continuous
service since then. The Senate chamber
presented magnificent spectacle,
perhaps, upon the whole. more
brilliant one than had ever before been
exhibited there. Every seat was filled.
and every avenue approaching the
chamber blocked up. Two hours before
Mr.. Clay began to speak, an exit or an
entrance were equally impossible to
those within or without. Perhaps so
limited a space was never so well TILED.
The gentlemen filed the straight
gallery, which was better known as
s'the Calcutta black hole. to its utmost
capacity. The ratings of the seats,
and the seats themselves were all
crowded, and the people seemed to be
literally piled one upon another. The
ladies' gallery was filled almost entirely
with ladies, and the circle there pre-
sented as much of grace. elegance and
dignity as ever adorned any public
assembly. 1t was scene which might
well have called forth the admiration
of the sterner and the coarser sex below
and around. The chamber. before MIR.
Clay rose. was literally wreathed in
smiles and beauty. and it was scene
beautiful to look upon, until the event
which had called SO many together
took place, in the earnest, sweet-spOken
final farewell, which came from the
lips of the orator and reached every
heart. Along the central entrance
to the chamber the crowd was
equally dense, and upon either side
here, though far out of sight. and out
of hearing, too, ladies were seated, all
anxious to catch tone of voice which
for SO many years had always told like
the sweetest notes of the lark in the
ears of the whole female sex. Senators
of all parties gave the most respectful
attention, while the representatives
flocked in from the House and occupied
the privileged seats round about the
chamber. Then came the address s-for
it was more of an address than speech
the published report of which is only
the body of beautiful Grafton without
the soul The spirit which kindled, the
fire which burned, are not there.
Words are as cold as marble without
the divine afflatus which could almost
give life and action to the dead. The
picture presented in such a congrega-
ton of people was not only fair enough
and perfect enough in all its proper
tions to charm the eye. but it was
scene which might have given, either
in the sympathy created or the pride
excited. feeling but little less than
one inspired. The ladies, who were all
hope and buoyancy a moment before.
were now, ''like Niobe, all tears"
Mr.. Clay in speaking of himself, of his
friends, of the noble State of Kentucky
where he had been received us 4 son
forty-five years since, was himself quite
Others were much more af-
fected, and many of the oldest Senators
were in tears many times while MIR.
Clay was speaking. Mr.. Clay left the
storm and turmoil of public life. as he
tnOuSnt forever, WIFI al eH'l;iule rep
utation for craftsmanship, for patriot
ism and for eloquence. and his last act
was to present the credentials of Mr..
Crittenden as his successor, and to
speak of him in the most excell1At
terms. Seven years later MIR. Clay re-
turned to the Senate and served until
he died.-Bes: Perley Poore. IN Boston
Budqct.