The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1886-08-25
. CLAY'S EXECUTOR.
His A6ectionate Tribute to the
Famous Orator.

q
Mr., Harrison has not been without
distinguished honors in his lifetime He
was appointed, without solicitation, Sec
retary of Legation TO Spain. when the
unfortunate William Barry was sent as
Minister to that country. MIR. Harrison
declined the place, and Mr.. Barry died
at Liverpool as soon as he had crossed
the Atlantic. He was also nominated
by the President to the United States
Judgeship of the Territory of Arkansas.
For prudential reasons this was declined,
but the President refused to withdraw
the nomination. Congress adjourned
before the matter was acted upon. But
perhaps the highest distinction is that he
was the organizer of the present COM
mon-school system of Lexington, and
over which he was superintendent for
many years. At recent school cele-
bration hundreds of the pupils of these
schools focked TO the residence of the
grand old man" to do him honor, and.
be it SAID, no honor could have been
shown him in which he could have taken
an equal pride
Mr. Harrison S memory of past events
rs very distinct, and upon nothing in
the past does be take so much delight in
dwelling as upon Henry Clay and his
associations with him. Clay was a
Wing and Harrison a Democrat, but,
nevertheless, Clay was his idol. For
al. 10 81 4
mIration- ..Many times he would come
INTO our Office" said Mr.. Harrison.
s'when he was at home from Washing
ton. and talk of the great events which
were franspiring and in which he had
taken such an eventful part But he
never spoke with vanity. His illusions
10 himself were modest. His converse
ton was simple in every respect, but
there was always something in his man.
ner difficult TO describe which impressed
his hearers with the holiness of his char
acter. used TO feel when he came in
10 the room, no matter how trivial
were hls remarks, that i was in the
presence of a being greatly gifted. The
feeling his presence affected me with
was his possession of power / said one
day TO my partner, Mr.. Hunt: i don't
know how il is with YOU, Mr.. Hunt,
but Mr. Clay never comes in here that
am not at once affected by his pres
ence, even before he has spoken a word.
Mr.. Hunt Acknowledged that he had
experienced a similar feeling, and Mr..
Hunt was himself a person of great
character and of the highest type of
manhood.
s.dc a x,,ax 90 s~,,.,,,x.,. -
Mr.. Harrison, Mr.. Clay was scrupu-
lousy exact He sometimes would say:
Harrison, have no money with me.
and / want 10 borrow a dime / will
return II to you in the morning when
come in from Ashland The next morn
ing he never failed TO walk in with a
silver ten-cent piece between his fingers
10 liguidate the debt i am quite sure
] often said to him, Mr.. CLAW. that Won
borrowed that from Mrs Clay Just be-
lore YOU left home. and that YOU have
carried it between your thumb and fore
finger all the way to this Office for fear
of forgetting it. Sometimes" contjn-
ned Mr. Harrison, The would send me
from Washington power of attorney
to mdorse his name upon notes drawn
by his son James. Well, L had nothing
TODD with the amounts. l simply obeved
instructions. without keeping a memo
randum of the amounts or number of
the notes. On Mr.. Gays return home
he would al once begin looking into his
business affairs Calling his son. he
would inquire how many notes Harri-
son had Endorsed for him, and their
amounts James beng unable 10 tell.
having taken no account of them. his
father would eNclaim: i am amazed at
you, James. Suppose should suddenly
die without having made provision for
the payment of these debts. Go at once.
my son, obtain a correct memorandum
of these notes, and bring il 20 me i'm
mediately, that i may make provision
for the payment
1.-The most singular way, however"
SAID MIR. Harrison, I'm which Mr.. CLAW
exhibited this business precision was in
his methodical preparation and arrange
ment Of his affairs before fighting a
duel. Invariably he spent some time in
the inspection of his accounts, and
drawing up complete memorandum
thereof deposited il in care of Mrs
CLAY. TO be brought TO light in case he
should be killed, This was curiouslyi in
stanced after bis fight with Humphrey
Marshall. Both gentlemen were MEM
beers of the kentucky Legislature. Clay
was an advocate of the American sys-
TEN, advocating the wearing of home
spun and other American fabrics in
preference TO goods of foreign importa-
ton. Marshall was Federaiist and
suspected Mr.. Clay of demagoguery. He
made some remarks about Clay which
caused the latter to issue challenge In
the duel Clay was shot in the leg, and
was confined TO his bed for some time
While in this condition a builder who
had recently finished house for Mr..
Glay called TO obtain settlement MIR.
Clay requested Mrs Clay 10 bring
forth the memorandum he had left with
her. II was found TO contain an exact
abatement of the account between Clay
and the builder. and upon that the set
Erroent was made.
Clsy's emotional Est1rs We thsss