New-York tribune., 1886-08-01
CASSIUS NJ. CLAY.
A RORDER STATE REFORMER.

fhs overthrow OF American slavery. the salvation o
the Union aud the Resto alton OF the Au'onny, , - ~
the states. ln Two Volumes. Written anu Coiplij. pi
py Hms'l III. Vol l. $40. pp GOO Cihcuhau'
l. Fletcher Brennan Co.
In the first volume of this copious work General
CLAY tells the story of life of singular excitement
and yicissitude. In the second he proposes 10 COZ
lect the written records of political career VIII"
was full of sensations and surprises. HIS ih'iuehco
upon public affairs was often strong and wDoiesoIno
at critical periods Of the anti-savery controversy
bnt it was the result far less OF intellectual loiV'
in the Discussion of national problems than oi s"cn
Qualities of temperament as courage neat, SUI
confidence and independence brought into play a'
moments when they were especially neene" anu -,
the midst of border community when fegaro,u
them with especial respect Hence we sh'uu
hardly get Just idea of his place III hls'"lS ~
reading his speeches: the best record OF HIS WI"
is the narrative of his actious Even the opN.o"'
defects of his autobiography are important mus,
trations of his life. The cver!oadeu utio-P's
an indication of that cordial appreciation VI us
own services which everybody KNOWS 10 W 0"0 Va
General Claws foiLcs. Indeed, there are lc" a"'"
bioprapbies known to us in whlch inc "Ii'Vi
or;nion of himself /, more ingenuously avowed. but
aaast man could not have led the antislavcry
ooroe m Kentucky forty years ago, and could not
hors retoined an effective personal following
,rrouch tbe changes of party which diverslhed
CLAWS nolitical course. There are times when TO
he INDEPENDENT requires very high appreciation
of ones own wisdom ana abilities. and when VANITY
almost reaches the rank OF public virtue. "no
shau saw what consolation and sustenance III
troubled times this gallant soldier Of freedom de-
rived from n compaccnt introspection'
Cassins NJ. Clay was born Madison County,
KentucKv. in 1910 He was a second cousin ol
Henry Clay their grandfathers having been broth
ers His father man OF wealth ana sociai
consequence and the boys early associations were
we'll adapted TO strengthen the proud and bold
spirit for which he soon became distinguished. Ills
early "reminiscences present an interesting picture
of the household of a Kentucky country gentleman
fifty or sixty years ago, aud OF the educa'i"h
which was then thought appropriate for the young
homes of the family As my physical courage ana
training" lie remarks, greatly aided the hlSheI
moral courage which my political lie demanded
have concluded to give an account OF all my per-
sonal encounters from boyhoOd.' So we are enter
tanned with the story OF a number OF JuNehiIe
fights IN one of which Cassius whipped the over
saer's son, in another thrashcd strapplng young
negro and in a third he stoned GIRL lie was
wading in a brook near the school house and dehed
the orders of the master TO come out Inc largest
scholar a nearly grown girl was sent into the
wafer TO bring hlm ont by force. But as she ad-
voncedv saws the narrative, " seized stone ana
struck her with great violence, nearly severlng
her big toe from the foot" This incident broke on
hs schooling at that establishment: but his DOCKS
were not neglected. and when he was sent IN due
time to Yale College he found qualified Tor
the Junior class. In NewIIaven he fell under the
influence of William Lloyd Garrsons eloquence
and from that moment. although his parents were
slovehoders aud he had been brought up in the
midst of a community which regarded slavery as
the settled order of Providence, he became an
4; lis
was college Grafton on Washngton's Birthday.
Before entering upon public life he married. and
on the eve of his marriage he caned a Dr. Decarey.
of Louisville. who had written letter TO his
fancee. dcrogatory t. his character The result
was challenge which Clay accepted. Two at
tennis to fight having Teen prevented by the
nresercc of crowds of spectators who had got "lnd
of the proposed entertainment. the duel was
abandoned and Clay hurried to mis- wedding
Afterward, learning that Declarey threatened 10
cowhide him. he went to louisville entered the
hotel where Decarey was dining ana confronted
that gentleman as he rose from table 81 had my
ewes fixed steadily upon him lie turned pale. and
rctreated without addressing me. | stayed IN
Louisville for a day or more, and Declarey making
no demonstrations | returned to Lexington. The
next dav in the evening he committed suicide by
emitting his arteries Elected to the Legislature as
soon as he was Old enough, Clay removed to Lex
incon and devoted himself 10 politics. his fortune
leinc sufficient to make hm independent OF any
other profession. lie thrashed feow-rcpresenta-
tive namcd >pugg. who was a notorious bully; and
he fought a duel with a rival candidate, Robert
Nickline IT, neither party being hurt. The next
wear. when Nickne was running for Congress,
there was more serious affair Political canvasses
were then conducted almost entirely on the stump
Clay was in the habit of attending WIcklliies :
mect.lgs and publicly cOntradlctng a certain
haldhill which the candidate used to read IN the
coutse of lis speech. On one of these occasions
Clay was attacked by fighting Wickliiitc named
Brown who first struck him with an umbrella and
tnen drew "a revolver. Clay rushed upon him with
n boHie-knife, and, Just as the pistol was dis
charged came down upon his head with trcmen-
dous blow. This blow laid his skull open
about three inches TO the brain, indenting it, but
not breaking the textures but it 50 stunned him
that lie was no more able TO fire. but feebly
attempted to sel2e me-" Clay was now set upon By
Browns friends and finally they threw their cham
pjon over a stone wall 10 save him. This stopped
the fight. Raising my bloody knife. continues
the narrator, :" said ! repeat that the handbil
was proven falsehood; and stand ready to
defend the tmth.'' Nobody taking up the
challenge Clay's friends led him away to search
for the bullet wound. "Opcnng my vest and
shirt bosom they found only red spot over my
heart but no wound. On examination 1t was
fonnd that the ball. as pulled up the scabbard OF
nv bowle-Knife in drawing the blade, had entered
the leather near the point, which was lined with
silver and was there lodged As for Brown, lie
was far less fortunate lie had his skull cut to
the brain in several places. one ear cut nearly off,
hig nose slit, and one eye cut out and many other
wounds "Iiad the rencountcr taken place
between tEO ordinary citizens" says General
CLAY. no notice whatever would have been taken
of il by the Grand jury but as was odious to the
Shareholders they improved all the chances TO
weaken and ruin me- lie was indicted for
MAYHEM, but acquitted after brilliant defence by
Henry Clay Brown himself, who resented being
1hrnnn oyer the fence was Claws best witness.