Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-23
AN IMPRESSIVE FAREWELL.
Henry Clay's Address to the Senate
18A2-A Historic Scene.

Henry Clay's Address to the Senate in
1894 Historic Scene.
Henry Clay rose in the Senate on the
31st of March, 1912, to make his farewell
speech In q chamber which he had entered
forty-two vars previously, although he
had not been in CO.. tinuous service since
then.
The Senate chamber pres 4nted mag
nificent spectacle. perhaps, upon the
whole. a more brilliant one than had
ever before be n exhibited there. Every
seat was filed. and every avenue APP
preaching 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.
The gentlemen filled the straight gal
lery. which was better known as 1.-The
Calcutta black hole" to its utmost ca
pacity. 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' gal
lery was filled almost entirely with ladies'.
and the circl. there presented as much
of grace elegance and dignity as ever
adorned any public assembly. 1t was a
scene W ich might well have called
io.iii INC fidiiltl lion vi LILO StcIh6i duu
the coar-er ex below and around. The
Chamber. ''efore Mr.. CT y rose. was lit
orally wrealhed in smiles and beauty
and IL 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 oIato; and reached
every heart.
hn - ~
cham er the crowd was equally Dense
and upon either side here, though far
out of sight, and out of hearing too.
ladies' We're seated all anxious to catch a
tone of a voice which for so many years
had always told like the sweetest notes
Of the la k in the ears of the whole fe-
male sex. Senators of all parties gave
the mot reep,c FIJI attention, while the
representatives llocked III from the House
and occupied the privileged seats round
about the chamber.
Then came the addr ss-for it was
more of an address than a 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 af-
latus which could almost give life and
action to the dead.
The picture presented in such con-
gregation of people was not only fair
enough and perfect enough in all its pro-
portions to c!.arm the eye. but it was
scene which might have given, either in
the sympathy created or in the pride
excited, feeling but little less than one
inspired. The ladies, who were all hope
and buoyancy 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 as a son
forty-five years since, was himself quite
unnamed. Others were much more az
fected. and many of g Oldest senators
were in tears many times while Mr.. Clay
was speaking. Mr.. Clay left the storm
and turmoil of public life, as he thought
forever, with an enviable reputation for
craftsmanship. for patriotism and for
eloquence, and his last act was to pre-
sent the credentials of Mr.. Crittenden as
his successor, and to speak Of him liz the
most excellent terms.
Seven years later Mr.. Clay returned to
the Senate and served until he died.